Vale of Glamorgan
St Athan Primary School proudly supports the children of Armed Forces families within their community. They currently have 35 Service children actively involved in their dedicated club, which provides tailored support and connection for pupils from military backgrounds.
Ms. Katie Parker is the current Service Children School Champion at St Athan Primary School. The schools club started regular sessions from 2022.
They were awarded Bronze Armed Forces Friendly School Status in June 2022, followed by Silver Status in July 2024, recognising their ongoing commitment to meeting the needs of Service children and their families.
As part of their continued efforts to improve transition and integration, they have begun creating e-books about the school. These digital welcome packs are designed to support Service children who are moving into the area, offering them a sense of familiarity and easing the transition process.
They have also introduced custom hoodies for all of our club members and military-connected staff, helping to promote a sense of identity, pride, and belonging within the school community.
Listening to the voices of the Service children is central to their approach. Suggestion boxes have been placed across the school and are routinely checked. They also hold termly pupil voice sessions, which have directly informed the current funding priorities. One clear outcome of these discussions has been the creation of a dedicated after-school club for Service children, providing a safe and supportive environment for them to socialise with peers who share similar experiences.
On 30th April 2025, they hosted a Forces Festival for the cluster schools. This event included workshops from Never Such Innocence and Forces Fitness, and they welcomed a representative from SSCE Cymru. The festival provided a valuable opportunity for Service children to connect, express themselves, and celebrate their unique experiences.
St Athan Primary School remains committed to recognising and supporting the needs of Armed Forces families. They were awarded the Gold AFFS status in April 2025, as they continue to develop initiatives that ensure all Service children feel understood, included, and valued within the school community. Congratulations and thank you for all your efforts.
"Being a military child is hard, but it also gets you a lot of new experiences that I wouldn't have experienced otherwise".
Esme-Jane
"For military children they [Mount Street Junior School] do a club called Little Troopers, they've done a Remembrance service, purple up day. We celebrate Holi and Dawali".
Arushi
"My Mum is my parent that is in the Armed Forces. She is a reservist. So when I was younger it was a lot worse, she travelled around a lot. I've lived in the same house my whole life, but she has moved around me. I was in a constant cycle of saying goodbye".
Emma
"My Dad, he's in the Army and he works in the Engineers and he goes away on week days and comes back on weekends"
Emily
"Dad often goes away. It is a bit worrying not knowing where your Dad is going. It does worry me and my sister. Yeah, you just never know when he's coming home".
Joe
"In June or July, my Dad is going away quite far. He's in the Army, he's a chef. Having your Dad gone is so sad."
Josie
"I've lived in many places. So, I was born in Cyprus, after that I've been to Germany, then I went to this place called Stafford. Then another place which is Wales."
Dominic
"I've moved seven times in fourteen years."
Lilia
"Now we've got a forever home. I never have to worry about leaving or how long until I am leaving. I feel like I belong here a lot more, that's always great."
Oliver
"As soon as we get used to a house, you get moved - I’ve been to four schools and moved six times."
Aiden
"I lived in Nepal, then we went to Brunei, then Malaysia."
Ashim
"In my eyes, you have hundreds of friends in different places."
Chloe
"I’m used to moving now and mixing with the children... I’ve done it so many times, it’s just a normal thing now."
Chloe
"It's ok talking over skype and that, but sometimes you just want a hug when Dad is away."
Georgia
"He signed off last week, so he will be done by the end of this year. He’s done 24 years. I find that better because he will be around a lot. He likes watching us playing rugby, so he will get to see us more."
Lewis
"I’ve enjoyed going around to lots of places around the world, it's adventurous and exciting."
Harry
"In my eyes, you have hundreds of friends in different places."
Ieuan
"My mum got a chalk board and it says how many sleeps on it with chalk, every minute it’s getting closer for him coming home."
Mia
"I don’t want him to get promoted... I want him to get promoted but I don’t want to leave."
Oliver
"I might be going to boarding school so that I don’t change schools every few years."
Ryan
"I've been to seven different schools; I’ve not stayed put in one school long enough."
Shana
"He has been away for six months and he is back for two weeks, then he goes away again."
Sianed
"My parents were in the Army. My mum is a like a nurse and my dad went to the war in Afghanistan. I actually didn’t really know what he was doing so I was like, ‘Cool Dad, go there,’ but then I found out and thought, 'Thank God he came back alive.'"
Sanjog
"I’m going to a new place entirely. They don’t know anything about me and that’s a big restart and that’s really good for me."
Piaras
"I moved to Wales because my dad was posted in the Army. I thought I would get bullied and I was shy when you meet new people, but I made some friends."
Dan
Welsh Local Government Association
One Canal Parade
Dumballs Road
Cardiff
CF10 5BF
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