Education Project
For many decades the Caley gave the children of armed forces personnel the opportunity of an uninterrupted education while their parents moved around the world. But today a disrupted education still blights the lives and futures of many such children.
A Service family's posting usually lasts for no more than three years, often less. Each transfer requires the children to change schools and results in massive disruption to their education and social learning. During the eight years of their primary education alone, Service children average at least three changes of school.
And there are resource problems for their schools. When parents are likely to be sent on temporary assignments for long periods – to Iraq for instance – they aren't available to organise the fund-raising activities on which many schools rely to supplement their budget and provide equipment like books and computers.
 Colinton pupils in the library |
In recent months we have been working with Colinton Primary School and Edinburgh University to establish the best ways of helping these children. Colinton's school roll consists of 90% army children while Leuchars Primary in Fife has 85% RAF children. With the help of the school staff we have devised a project where we can work with the parents and teachers |
So far the project is:
- providing a part time remedial teacher
- improving facilities, such as computers and libraries
- working with other Scottish organisations, for example, the Caledonian Society of London which has purchased an electric piano
- working to encourage an improved system of reports and communication between the sending and the receiving schools.
Colinton School was the starting point. We have begun to expand the project to other schools with high percentages of service children, and are now working with John Logie Baird Primary School in Helensburgh. This school has a large proportion of Navy and Army children.
If you have any ideas or comments about this project or want more information please contact us by clicking on royal caley, phoning us on 01923 215350, faxing us on 01923 215354 or by writing to us at Unit 75 WENTA Business Park, Colne Way, Watford, Herts WD24 7ND. We look forward to hearing from you.