WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY...      

Welcome to Holmer Church of England Academy. We are committed to ensuring the best provision for pupils and are working alongside military families to ensure we meet social and pastoral needs of all our pupils from Military homes.

 We value the huge contribution that Service Families make to our country and are proud to both educate and care for their children.

Adopting an inclusive, family approach to school life is key to our approach of welcoming new children to our school.

We are keen to liaise regularly with forces families to understand their unique challenges with the aim to help us provide high quality tailored provision whilst your child attends Holmer C of E Academy.

 Service Families are part of Our Family. 

We want our children from Service Families to feel like they have always been here – settled, appreciated and valued from day one. In order to achieve this, we will: 

• Ensure new children have the opportunity to visit school before joining their class.
• Ensure that coat pegs, pupil books, pupils' trays etc are all named upon arrival - so that children feel welcomed and valued. 
• Give all new children an assigned 'buddy' on day 1 - to ensure that children feel part of the class from the outset 
• Introduce all new Service Children to Mrs Anderson / Mrs Keating - so that they know that they have a named adult, who understands their life circumstances. 

Ongoing support for Service Families is important to us. At Holmer Service Families can expect: 

• A direct  point of contact –Mrs Anderson / Mrs Keating - who have a forces backgrounds and understand the unique experiences that Forces life can bring 
• Regular coffee/cake sessions - where all families can get together, meet each other and quickly ease in to being part of the Holmer family 
• Support for children in our Holmer’s Little Troopers club – Wednesdays ,open to All service pupils – 15.15 -16.00
• Bespoke pastoral support for children who may need it from time to time-  space to talk, with those who understand ; Mrs Anderson – who is ELSA trained ( emotional literacy support assistant)
• Access to a selection of books about life in a Service Family. 
• A school who works to the best practice guidance shared by Service Children's Progression Alliance (SCiP Alliance) and 'Little Troopers' charity.

Welcome to Little Troopers Club.

Little Troopers is a registered charity supporting all children with one or both parents serving in the British Armed Forces. They ensure schools have fundamental resources to help children and their families. 

Little Troopers aims to help children meet other service children in school, enabling them to support each other in a friendly, fun environment. 

Our ethos is to provide a safe time and place where the children can have fun, play, talk, be together and share any worries they may have in a supportive, caring environment. 

Children can come along every week and participate in exciting arranged activities,  colour, draw a picture , play games , bake or just come along for a chat . We will also use our fantastic forest school area, and have lots of fun! 

Every service child is welcome from Reception to Year 6. 

Little Troopers will meet on Wednesdays after school from 15.15 - 16.00. 

This club is open to any child with a parent currently, or recently, serving in the regular armed forces. 

Club booking will be on the ARBOR app each term  or If you have any questions or queries regarding Little Troopers, please pop in to see Mrs Anderson / Miss Ashworth.

• Free breakfast club  for All service pupils – on Mondays ( this can be extended to more days should individual circumstances require –

       Pre booking is required - please email Mrs Anderson directly)

• Service Families term time absence procedure. (Please see request form )
• Support with Admissions and In year transfers
• Service Pupils Choir events
• Additional events to celebrate and commemorate for ;

April – The month of the Service Child

June – Armed Forces Day

November – Remembrance  

Please contact us in the first instance if you know of an upcoming deployment or absence that may require additional support to be put in place for your child. We are here to support and nurture and will work alongside the class teachers to ensure we meet the needs of our service children.

randerson@holmer.hereford.sch.uk                                   akeating@holmer.hereford.sch.uk