Service Children's Education (SCE) was an organisation of the United Kingdom government responsible for the education of the children of British Armed Forces families and Ministry of Defence (MoD) personnel serving outside of the United Kingdom. They provided schools and educational support services from Foundation Stage through to sixth form. They are headquartered at Trenchard Lines, Upavon, Wiltshire. It was previously an executive agency of the MoD, but this status was removed on 31 March 2013 following the reduction of service personnel based abroad. However, it continued to operate under the SCE name as part of the MoD's Directorate Children and Young People (DCYP). At one point the organization's mission was taken over by DCYP, which was created in 2010. In 2021 DCYP was separated into two organisations: Defence Children Services (DCS) and Armed Forces Families and Safeguarding (AFFS).

History

During the 1980s, the British Families Education Service (BFES) was renamed Service Children's School (SCS). In 1997 it took its current name Service Children's Education (SCE). Despite the various changes to the name and administration, it continues the mission of its predecessors: providing education for the children of British Armed Forces personnel. Former teachers who taught in SCE schools or under its previous incarnations the BFES and SCS may join the BFES/SCE Association. In 2001 the records of the British Families Education Service / Service Children's Education Association were deposited at the Institute of Education, University College London. The papers chart the establishment and development of the BFES. Since then numerous additions have been made to the collection and material is continuously being acquired.

Management

Headquarters and offices

SCE are headquartered at Trenchard Lines, Upavon, Wiltshire. The business support office are co-located with that of the Children's Education and Advisory Service since August 2012. SCE was headquartered in the Wegberg Military Complex in Wegberg, Germany, until 2012. It briefly moved to JHQ Rheindahlen, until that base closed, too, in 2013. In addition SCE had offices in Bielefeld, Germany and Episkopi Cantonment, Cyprus.

Curriculum

Schools follow the English National Curriculum, administer national assessments and public examinations, and are inspected by His Majesty's Inspectorate, via Ofsted. Teachers have recognised UK professional qualifications and the majority are recruited specially from the United Kingdom through the Civil Service.

Schools

The agency operates primary and secondary schools in Europe and Asia and also provides educational facilities in territories such as the Falklands and Gibraltar where there is a significant British military presence. The schools are typically grouped by garrison (including its outlying bases). Schools are:

Former Schools

Germany

Bünde Primary School Hildesheim Primary School

Gilbraltar

Hong Kong

Singapore

Infants schools

Pasir Panjang Infant School

Malta

Other countries