Peace of Mind for Military Families
It can be an enormous challenge for military families to find an educational setting where their children can settle and fulfil their potential. Deployment overseas can mean children changing schools many times over – and even living in different countries. This kind of upheaval is unsettling for any child and can be detrimental to both their education and wellbeing.
Taunton School offers an alternative. We are a welcoming, down-to-earth boarding school which offers wraparound pastoral care in an environment where students thrive academically, socially and emotionally.
Supporting pupils and their parents is central to everything our boarding staff do. We go ‘above and beyond’ what is expected – and that’s what families have told us. We want our students to find their ‘exceptional’, but we also expect it from ourselves and the services we provide.
We pride ourselves on the warmth of our boarding houses, and the level-headed regular communication by staff with parents. Our team is highly experienced in supporting military families and their children – many of whom are new to boarding school life.
From Year 3 to Sixth Form we nurture and challenge each of our students, unearthing their potential and encouraging them to explore their passions and find what it is that they are exceptional at, both in the classroom and outside of it. Our students develop into confident and well-rounded individuals, with life skills which ready them for making a positive impact on the world.
In this blog, we will discuss the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) – what it is, who it is for, and how it can help military families.
To find out more about our boarding provision and how it might be the answer for your family, contact admissions or attend one of our open days.
A warm welcome is guaranteed.
The Continuity of Education Allowance Explained
The CEA is intended for military families to ensure their children receive appropriate education from a consistent source.
It is awarded to serving forces’ personnel to fund access to high quality boarding provision for their children, acknowledging the importance for children of remaining in one school, enjoying stability both in terms of education and care.
What is the purpose of the allowance?
The main purpose of the CEA is to help military families and their children:
- Receive consistent education
- Develop close relationships with their peers and teachers
- Become a part of a community
- Provide support to military families that might otherwise struggle with caring for their children
Who can apply for the CEA?
Personnel from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army and Royal Air Force are all eligible to receive support from the CEA.
To read the full regulations and requirements for CEA eligibility, please refer to the JSP 752, Chapter 14, Paragraph 14.0115.
In short, military families claiming the CEA must remain living together, be expected to relocate within the next four years, and agree that once a school is chosen the child must remain there until at least the end of their current stage of education.
You can begin your application by submitting a CEA application Form to the CEAS – the Children’s Education Advisory Service. When your application has been accepted, you can then apply to boarding schools like Taunton School.
Find out the benefits of boarding schools for military families >
The Benefits of the CEA
The CEA helps with fees at a boarding school. The structure of living at a school like Taunton gives students the security of a stable home-from-home environment during term time followed by quality family time during the holidays. A military boarding school means students won’t have to let go of the friends, teachers, and community which lie at the heart of a happy and successful school life.
By attending Taunton School, your child will become part of our inclusive, diverse family, where the challenges of military life are fully understood. They will become part of a global community, making friends both locally and from across the globe.
Taunton, which is non-selective, has seven boarding houses and is home to 350 pupils from 45 countries across prep and senior schools. Many of these students are from military families and are experiencing boarding – and independent schooling – for the first time.
As a community, we are united by three core values: humility, engagement and kindness. We combine a supportive environment with high expectations. While we are ambitious for all, we maintain a humble and grounded approach. To develop resilience and a joy of life, we encourage each child to explore their passions, to find the thing that makes them tick.
High quality support and care from all our staff means that our students also develop vitally important interpersonal skills – ones which will serve them for life. During their time with us, students:
- Foster their ambitions and goals
- Develop a mindset for life
- Nurture a sense of belonging
- Learn to embrace our global community
Be Part of One Inclusive Family at Taunton School
A child who comes to Taunton School is not alone. They quickly become part of our big friendly community living in one of the most beautiful locations in Britain where there is space to breathe and explore, as well as the freedom to be themselves.
Our students are at the heart of all the decisions we make. We are a close partner of the British Armed Forces and have supported hundreds of military families over many years across the UK, giving them peace of mind about their child’s welfare, and also security in the knowledge that they have chosen an educational setting which is as close to a home-from-home as they will find.
For more information about our fantastically friendly boarding facilities, our 24/7 healthcare provision and our excellent pastoral care contact our admissions team They will be delighted to tell you more about how Taunton School can support your child’s development while living away from home. Do come and visit us at one of our open days. Then you will really understand what a Taunton School education can do for your child.
We look forward to meeting you.
Categories: Blog Military Preparatory Senior Sixth Form
