Guildford Nursery School and Family Centre
We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.
The Armed Forces Covenant
An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families
The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.
Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.
This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.
Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant
1.1 We Guildford Nursery School and Family Centre will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment
2.1 Guildford Nursery School and Family Centre recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- Armed Forces Friendly
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Service Spouses And Partners
- Flexible Leave For Spouses
- UK Reservists
We also pledge the following:
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Recognising and responding sensitively to the unique challenges faced by children from Armed Forces families, including parental deployment, frequent relocations, and family separation.
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Providing flexible admission arrangements to accommodate service families who may need to move at short notice, ensuring minimal disruption to their child’s early education.
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Delivering an inclusive curriculum that celebrates and values the diverse backgrounds of all our children, including those with parents serving in the Armed Forces.
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Offering additional pastoral support and age-appropriate resources to help children understand and cope with parental absence during deployment periods.
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Working closely with families to ensure smooth transitions, whether children are joining us mid-year or preparing to move to another setting due to relocation.
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Providing support and understanding for employees whose partners are deployed, including compassionate leave arrangements where appropriate.
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Ensuring our recruitment processes are accessible and fair, with clear guidance on how military qualifications and experience translate to our roles.
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Offering additional support during the transition from military to civilian employment, including mentoring and professional development opportunities to help Armed Forces community members thrive in their roles at our nursery school and family centre.
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Actively participating in local military safeguarding meetings where appropriate, ensuring we contribute to a coordinated, multi-agency approach to protecting and supporting military children and families.
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Maintaining strong links with schools attended by children in our care from Armed Forces families, sharing relevant information appropriately to ensure continuity of support and that children’s unique needs are understood and met throughout their educational journey.
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Working in partnership with local groups to provide holistic community support for military families, recognising that effective support extends beyond our walls.
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Sharing information appropriately and in line with safeguarding procedures to ensure families receive coordinated support from all agencies involved in their care.
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Building and maintaining relationships with local military welfare officers and family support services to ensure we understand the specific challenges facing families in our community.
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Acting as a bridge between military families and local services, helping families to access the support they need and advocating on their behalf where appropriate.
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Ensuring our staff understand the importance of multi-agency working and are equipped with the knowledge and skills to collaborate effectively with military and civilian partners.
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Contributing our expertise in early years education and family support to wider discussions about meeting the needs of Armed Forces families in our local area.
2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.