How We Support Service Pupils
Leadership
Our provision is led by our dedicated Service Pupil Champion, Mrs Kathryn Avent, who coordinates support, raises awareness across the school and works closely with families and external agencies.
As both a teacher and a military spouse, Mrs Avent brings valuable personal insight to the role.
"Having experienced military family life first-hand, I understand the challenges that service children can face, particularly during periods of deployment and separation.
My role is to ensure that every service pupil at Sheldon feels supported, understood and valued within our school community."
Mrs Avent has been part of the Sheldon community for over five years and is both a Teacher of Physical Education and Deputy Head of Year.
Awareness
We actively identify service pupils and ensure staff understand the potential impact of mobility, deployment and family separation. This enables us to provide timely and effective support when it is needed most.
Effective Communication
We maintain strong communication between school, families and external services to ensure support remains consistent and responsive.
Parent Feedback
"Dad was deployed for seven months last year. The tutor team and Head of Year were incredibly supportive and my child knew there were always people he could talk to if needed.
Sheldon also authorised an additional day at the end of October half term so he could spend time with his dad before deployment resumed. This made a huge difference to his wellbeing.
I always felt that if I needed support regarding my child's wellbeing, Sheldon would do everything they could to help."
-Parent of a Year 10 student
Monitoring and Early Support
We monitor the wellbeing, attendance, progress and attainment of our service pupils to help identify any emerging needs quickly.
Service children are identified during the admissions process, allowing information to be shared promptly with the Service Pupil Champion. This ensures smooth transitions and effective communication with previous schools and families.
Student Voice
We provide opportunities for service pupils to share their experiences and contribute to the development of our provision. Their views help shape the support we offer and ensure their voices are heard.
Tailored Support
We offer targeted interventions to meet both academic and emotional needs, including:
- Pastoral check-ins.
- Small group support sessions.
- A specialist six-week wellbeing programme delivered by Veterans With Dogs.
These initiatives help pupils build confidence, resilience and effective coping strategies.
Community and Belonging
Creating a sense of belonging is central to our work. We achieve this through:
- Opportunities for service pupils to connect with one another.
- Enrichment activities such as the Festival of Friends at Tidworth Garrison.
- Recognition and celebration of Armed Forces Week.
Together, these initiatives help create a supportive service community within Sheldon School.