Great news for schools supporting Service children in the UK! The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) has announced a new round of the Service Pupil Support Programme.
Part of the MOD’s Armed Forces Families Fund (AF3), the Service Pupil Support Programme will award grants of £5,000 to £80,000 to projects supporting Service children along their educational pathway.
What’s the programme all about?
This year, the Service Pupil Support Programme will focus on supporting schools working in collaborative clusters of three or more to design projects that meet one of three themes.
- Closing the gap in attainment between Service and non-Service pupils.
- Addressing the needs of Service pupils with additional needs.
- Identifying and addressing the needs of small cohorts of Service pupils within educational settings.
In exceptional circumstances, schools can apply with a single bid, for instance if the number of your Service pupils is due to dramatically change.
Added value through collaborative working
Last year, St Gerardine School received £77,400 through the programme to enable additional support to be delivered across a cluster of schools, resulting in targeted, child-centred interventions and support for Service children with additional support needs.
Across the cluster of schools there were 433 Service children on the roll, of which 30% were identified as having additional support needs.
To date, the impact of the project has been positive for all children involved. The schools are noting increased confidence, improvements in attendance, and new friendships. Service pupils feel the Support Assistants are advocating on their behalf – actively seeking them out to help with other issues, creating an overall sense of belonging.
Thinking of applying?
The Trust has launched this exciting programme now, in order to give applicants the best opportunity to get projects up and running in time for the new school term in September 2024.
Applications close midday, 8 May and you’ll receive a decision by the end of June 2024.
Want to know more?
There is a wealth of information on the Trust’s website and dedicated Service Pupil Support Programme page.
Programme guidance and funding prioritise have altered compared to previous rounds of the programme, so do have a read to make sure you’re up to date with the latest eligibility rules and funding themes.
