To think that senior officers in the armed forces should use state schools for their DCs

[soul2000]

I think it is wrong that many senior officers have a perk, that in effect is worth 40-50k pa in benefit in kind. There are state boarding schools, grammar schools and all types of state schools available.

Why should public sector employees, have this ludicrous benefit when there are state boarding schools, and if there was more demand more state schools could open boarding houses anyway.

I think this is a throwback to the 19th century, it is totally wrong in todays world. Today schools are having to make massive cut backs in all kind of expenditure, yet some officers DDS/DS are getting lessons in how to stage the perfect dinner party. This paid for by the struggling taxpayer who is forced to educate their DCs by comprehensive..

i seem to ONLY know forces types who never move. why is that?

Soul - boarding provides the children of Forces parents with educational stability - why is that a bad thing? Would it be better for them if they moved schools every year or more?

These parents are doing what they think is best for their children - what right have you to object to that, and insist on some social engineering policy that will not have the children's best interests at heart?

Before you ask, no, neither dh nor I are senior officers in the forces, nor were we Forces children, and none of our children have been to boarding school, so I have no personal axe to grind.

Perplexes me a bit as to why people would have an issue with this.

It's not easy being a forces family.

It's not like they don't do a necessary/vital job.

they could however just improve the schools forces DO HAVE ( seemingly only for squaddies kids!) abroad.

when we were in Germany in the 80s though they were without exception SHiT

Spouses have to accept a willingness to travel to get the fees benefit.
So do you see forces having priority in all state boarding schools (they already have priority at some)?

We also need for a big increase in boarding places whilst a lot of these schools may take 1600 to 1800 pupils there can be as little as 30 boarding places. Often these are no full boarding places, but only weekly boarding are the children going to fly home to Germany/USA/Canada every weekend?

I agree. If we knew how much this propped up the divided education system in this country we would probably be horrified. I suspect a significant % of private school students are from the forces and foreign office. Also, it keeps a lot of the forces tied to their jobs when they would rather work elsewhere.

My three nieces attend a military boarding school in Yorkshire whilst there parents live in Germany!

The poor kids are only 12, 9 and 7 ffs.

They see their parents during holidays.

Think it's mostly funded by the army.....

DS2 just finished Yr11, he went to 4 Primary schools and 1 secondary school. One of the reasons he went to just the one secondary school is where we live now is commutable to other units, so that's what DH does. If it wasn't he would have gone to 3!

No Blackberry, they are tightening up the rules as far as I am aware.

AlaskaNebraska 'cos the ones who move all the time don't get a chance to integrate with the local communities?

As Fortonightonly said, get your facts right before getting on your high horse - can't add any more as Fortonightonly has told you the facts - the right facts. I speak as someone who left that RAF to work in civvie street, as I didn't want DD to change schools every 2 years and I didn't want to send her to boarding school (although I agree that is a personal choice and would not judge anyone who did send their children).

Also Government are clamping down on CEAS (Continuity of Education Service) and it is becoming more difficult to claim CEAS and remain eligible for an extended period of time.

Soul - you are talking slightly out of your arse. The CEA allowance is capped at a certain amount per term. So if a member of the Forces wished to send their child to Eton it would still cost them about 15K per annum.

Yabvu.

I was a forces child,you have no idea how utterly shite it can be.My mothers career was trashed,she had a vey difficult time.

I didn't go away to boarding school as my mother couldn't bare to let us go so I had a truly dreadful education.You live in shit accommodation. Moving every 6 months/ year has a dreadful effect,you go back 6 months educationally every time.Then lets get onto the physiological effects- you never feel settled,never have long term friendships,often get bullied.......Then lets get onto the stress those in the forces have to deal with on a work basis when they're not even at war.When they are imagine the stress those kids are under.

A decent boarding school is the least these kids deserve. Imvho they should get free private tuition(they don't ask to have a disruptive eduction) and wives should get a whole more support.

I take my hat off to forces families,they really don't get enough appreciation.I know I couldn't do it.

DH used to teach at one of these elusive state boarding schools - you pay for boarding but not education. It used to be exclusively military but now accepts anyone, though there is still a high military proportion.

It's really not easy on the kids. Their parents are away, often in incredibly dangerous circumstances and the staff go above and beyond to give them some stability. I'm certainly not going to begrudge them that.

This was only a suggestion as a way of bringing a level playing field back to taxpayers, and other public sector employees. If there was demand for more state boarding schools, i am sure more schools would make provision for boarding.

It would be a public schools worst knightmare if a school like chelmsford county high started offering full boarding. State schools can offer an education that is the right education for kids of the armed forces.

on another note i wonder how many kids of private's or sergeants are at
brand name public schools?

About 50% of those in receipt of CEA are non-officer. As it is only payable from age 8 upwards, it tends to be thise who have longer service (more senior NCOs and officers) who ever reach the qualify point.

Forces families already have priority for admission to state boarding schools, as do those from other Gov departments who are internationally mobile. However, the Govt recognises parental choice for Forces families, so there is a list of more than the 30 or so state options schools nationwide to choose from. I think that's important - it mus be hard enought to decide on boarding, and being able to choose, say, a school near grandparents is an important factor.

And CEA isn't just for boarding school - it also covers international schools if the children travel with the parents to non-SCE destinations and the only options are private.

Soul many officers kids aren't.My dad was extremely high up RAF.We were lucky as my mum was a teacher and old pick up the pieces so I never went away.I don't know any who did let alone to elite boarding schools.But it was good to know it was always there if needed.

My dad got so high up he old pick where we moved to and when,those lower down can't.If they need a top boarding school they can have it with bells on as far as I'm concerned.These kids will have a damaged primary eduction and will spend every holiday in new places they don't know.It's shit,how dare you begrudge them it.

If you took this tiny perk away you'd lose a lot of quality people.Why on earth would you put your family through a life like that without the safety net of boarding school?

Soul.

Level the playing field for tax payers? Get a grip you have lost your mind.

Its not just officers children its not a snobby perk its available to all serving personal who fit the criteria and it only pays a % not the whole fees.

maybe to really level the playing field all tax payers should do a 6mth tour of Afghanistan

YABU, my niece spent most of her childhood in state schools all over the UK and abroad. Only in her last two years did she and her parents benefit from this "perk" to allow her some stability during the exam period. Why should forces children have to struggle with instability during a crucial time when their parents are doing a sometimes dangerous job?

My brother was not a senior officer....he was a Warrant Officer.

I have no issue with this.

Forces staff can be sent elsewhere at a moments notice.

Soul there is not a bottomless pit anyone can claim, regardless of rank, so if anyone's kids, private, sergeant or otherwise is at a "brand name public school" (whatever that is) they are all claiming exactly the same amount and paying the rest out of their own money!

Exactly Gordy.

My dad only did the Falklands and that was bad enough even though he worked on it from the UK.Constantly living with the will he,won't he go,the exercises in the night,away for weeks on end.

It was shite and nowhere near as bad as Afghanistan.I so feel for those kids and wives.

State boarding schools cost the tax payer money both for the education and the boarding. In fact it costs the tax payer quite a lot of money to educate a child at a grotty comp. The cost of a private school is not that much more for the tax payer as forces personal have to top up the costs.

I don't understand why the OP is so jelous.

"maybe to really level the playing field all tax payers should do a 6mth tour of Afghanistan"

Yes, starting with sending Soul2000 ....