The KIT Club’ for children from Forces families

With little specific provision for children with parents in the armed forces, Sue Houlberg set about introducing a new club where children can share their feelings and worries with other children from similar backgrounds and gain support from a dedicated teacher.

Sue Houlberg belongs to the Military Wives Choir Plymouth and two years ago began talking to other members of the choir about the SPP (Services Pupil Premium) which was introduced by the Department for Education in 2011, for state maintained schools in England as part of the commitment to delivering the Armed Forces Covenant.

At the time she had three children at St. Andrew’s Primary School, Buckland Monachorum and a husband in the Royal Navy on active medical duty in Afghanistan. She felt it was important that her children had somewhere to express their thoughts and share their worries. Sue visited Widey Court Primary School in Crownhill who hada thriving KIT Club (Keeping In Touch) already set up.

Schools at which the children of military personnel are registered, both serving and those retired less than 6 years, receive an annual payment of £300 per child – known as the SPP. The Premium is designed to assist in providing mainly non-educational, pastoral support in recognition of the challenges service children face - such as moving home, changing schools regularly as well as often having a parent away for long periods of time.

Inspired by the obvious benefits seen with the children at Widey Court, Sue became passionate about offering the same opportunities at St. Andrews Primary School, where a significant number of children at the school have parents in the armed forces.   The initiative was welcomed by the school and in April 2014 weekly lunchtime meetings of “The KIT Club” began.  A dedicated teacher facilitates the group and is a focal point for the children and parents with any worries and concerns especially during times of deployment.

Children from service families at St. Andrews can now meet weekly to experience a range of activities in an environment where they are free to talk about their emotions and feel part of a wider community who share common experiences. Once a term a larger event is planned; they have been to the ski slopes in Plymouth, created a stunning poppy wall hanging through a workshop by the Wet Felting Company and even had the privilege of a naval Sea King helicopter land in the playground. This was a key example of the KIT Club benefitting the whole school – all the children were able to spend time in the helicopter and Royal Marine Sergeant Air Crewman Scott Robinson talked to each class. Last term they were donated a ‘Build-a-Bear’ from the Plymouth store from which the children created a mascot bear and named him ‘Lieutenant Andy’. Plans have been made for the children for future KIT Club meetings, to create a range of clothes for Andy and also to create KIT bags for the children using old donated military uniforms.  During Armed Forces week Year 6 pupils had a great afternoon doing the commando challenge at Bickleigh barracks.

The children have also received a great deal of guidance through joining Her Majesty’s Schools Heroes organisation (HMS Heroes).  This is a student voice group which promotes communication between armed forces families. Plymouth City Council Officer, Heather Ogburn MBE, created the network and organises monthly events. Sue and a member of staff have accompanied St. Andrews ambassadors to HMS Heroes’ monthly meetings where the children have experienced and taken part in military demonstrations at the citadel and been able to ask questions at the Lord Mayors Chambers. 

Two of Sue’s children have now moved on to Tavistock College and Devonport High School for Boys and so she has been working with staff at both these schools to start introducing and developing a group for service children here to.

Sue would ask that all service parents who have children attending schools in England are urged to let their child’s school know about their parent’s service status before January 2016 to ensure that SPP funding becomes available to help support children from forces families.

For more information visit the Department for Education website, or the HMS Heroes website:  www.hmsheroes.co.uk