Seren of the Month

This month, we are shouting out a big thank you to four Seren’s of the month!!!!

The SSCE Cymru Regional School Liaison Officers (RSLOs) have been instrumental in the growth of the SSCE Cymru programme over the past few years. There personal and professional experiences has brought a wealth of knowledge to the programme, that has enabled us to increase our support package and resources. This means that education settings in Wales now have a much stronger understanding of Service children’s experiences and are well prepared to support this unique group of learners.

Each of you has been an absolute pleasure to work with. You are incredibly hardworking, dedicated, enthusiastic and have all been strong advocates for Service children in Wales.

Thank you, thank you, thank you - good luck with your next steps - we will miss you so very much!

As Deputy Headteacher and ALNCo at Mount Street Junior School, Brecon is a wonderfully knowledgeable and professional member of staff. Mount Street Junior School was the first school in Wales to be awarded our Armed Forces Friendly School (AFFS) Cymru Bronze status in recognition for their work with Service children and the wider Armed Forces community in this area. Having worked in this community for many years, Mrs Waghorn has personally welcomed and assisted many Armed Forces families by helping them to integrate seamlessly into their new environment, often being the friendly 'go to' person at the school, she will always help if she can. And although this is a whole school approach with Mr Hopkins, as Headteacher and all the staff and pupils at this school doing an excellent job of welcoming new Armed Forces families, it’s Mrs Waghorn who has engaged with us on numerous occasions. She has demonstrated how the school ensures that they remain inclusive by continuing to show an appreciation and understanding of the challenges faced by Service children, recognising how difficult it can be for these children to move on. Mrs Waghorn is always there to help those who need extra support to manage new situations better.

Thank you, Mrs Waghorn, for all your efforts, it is much appreciated!

It has been a pleasure working with Reg at Haverfordwest High VC School. As a veteran, Reg has firsthand experience of the Armed Forces lifestyle and as a result, he understands the importance of setting up a Forces Life Club at the school with his colleague Emma Richards. This has given the Service children at the school and within the cluster an opportunity to come together regularly, share their individual experiences and have fun. Reg has worked hard with his team, and this has shown in the achievement of the Gold Armed Forces Friendly School Cymru status. Reg is now using his knowledge of the SCiP Alliance Thriving Lives Toolkit and is sharing this to help other schools within West Wales.

Diolch Reg and the Haverfordwest High VC School Team! Please keep up the good work.

The SSCE Cymru team have had the pleasure of working with Rhia, Sean and the teams from Forces Fitness and the Veterans awards over the past few years and we value all the enthusiasm and dedication that you have demonstrated towards supporting SSCE Cymru and the Service children in Wales. All the Forces Fitness team are fantastic, and we love how the programmes they offer link so well to encouraging schools across Wales to deliver the SSCE Cymru mission. We are particularly grateful for all their hard work in the setting up and running the Service children’s awards 2023. We are super excited and proud to be the first nation in the UK run this event.

Thank you very much for all your efforts, we truly appreciate it.

It has been a pleasure working with Sarah at Ysgol Pen y Bryn. As a mother of three and a spouse to a serving member of the Armed Forces, Sarah has firsthand experience of this lifestyle and as a result, understood the importance of setting up a Little Troopers Club at the school. This has given the Service children at the school an opportunity to come together regularly, share their individual experiences and have fun. Diolch Sarah and the Ysgol Pen y Bryn Team! Please do keep up the good work.

It has been a pleasure to work alongside Deputy Headteacher Kayley Phillips in supporting Cwmclydach Primary Schools’ Service children. Kayley has been so proactive for her Service children in the school, and even though there is only a small number of Service children, Kayley ensures that they receive the best education possible and that their voices are heard. An amazing example of this is Cwmclydach Primary holding a day to celebrate Armed Forces Day in June this year, where the whole school were involved in fun activities and recognising the experiences of their Service children.