Armed Forces Education Trust

Charity Number: 1167682

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £220,000+ annually (estimated based on historical data)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Termly meetings (3 times per year) for most applications
  • Grant Range: Varies by need (individual grants are means-tested; collective grants typically £15,000-£50,000)
  • Geographic Focus: UK-wide (tri-service: Army, Navy, RAF)

Contact Details

  • Website: www.armedforceseducation.org
  • Email: admin@armedforceseducation.org
  • Phone: 020 7464 7320
  • Registered Office: 7/8 Innovation Place, Douglas Drive, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1JX
  • Pre-application enquiries: Initial online enquiry form available on website

Overview

Founded in 1855 as the Soldiers' Daughters' Home, the Armed Forces Education Trust (charity number 1167682) has supported military families for over 160 years. Originally operating a school, the charity transformed in 2017 to focus exclusively on grant-making. The Trust's mission is "to help fund the education of the children of service men and women who have been disadvantaged by their parents' service." They support children and young adults under 25 whose education has been compromised due to military life challenges including mobility, deployment, separation, and SEND needs exacerbated by frequent moves. In the last five years, they have awarded over £1.1 million in individual grants and over £1 million in collective grants, reaching more than 8,000 service children. The Trust's funding comes primarily from quarterly rent from Cognita (leasing their former school site), investment income, and occasional property enfranchisement payments.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Individual Grants: Rolling basis

  • Means-tested grants for individual service children
  • Continuity funding for boarding school during key stages (GCSEs, A-Levels) when Continuing Education Allowance (CEA) stops
  • Short-term SEND support at state-funded schools
  • Bridging support during parent postings or transitions
  • Grants awarded for one academic year with potential for renewal
  • Online application with means-testing assessment; applications reviewed at termly meetings (with urgent cases considered sooner)

Collective Grants: Fixed annual deadline

  • Grants to schools and education providers (typically £15,000-£50,000 range based on historical awards)
  • Deadline: Applications due by 12th May for September start
  • Initial enquiry via online form, followed by detailed application if criteria met
  • Examples: Service Pupil Support Workers, outdoor learning programs, transition support, emotional wellbeing interventions, career guidance, learning gap support

Priority Areas

  • Educational continuity during key examination periods (GCSEs, A-Levels)
  • Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) support where frequent moves have disrupted provision
  • Transition support for service children changing schools due to postings
  • Targeted interventions for service children experiencing challenges due to deployment, separation, or mobility
  • Support for the most disadvantaged service children regardless of parental rank or service branch
  • Programs addressing gaps in learning caused by frequent moves
  • Emotional wellbeing and pastoral care initiatives
  • Career guidance and post-school planning for service young people

What They Don't Fund

  • Medical diagnoses
  • Paying off existing debts
  • Limited support for university education
  • General school improvements not specifically benefiting service children
  • Retrospective funding for costs already incurred
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Governance and Leadership

Chief Executive Officer: Charmian Hickman (since 2016), former officer in the Royal Corps of Signals with extensive understanding of Armed Forces families' challenges. Hickman states: “We recognise that many Service children and young people may face additional challenges when deciding what to do after school. We are delighted to see programmes helping to broaden their horizons and give them the confidence to explore new opportunities.”

Chair: Simon Porter CBE

Treasurer: Candice Chisholm

Notable Trustees:

  • Iain Buckle - Royal Navy veteran
  • Dr. Lucy Robinson - Service child and education researcher
  • Martin Davis - Former Army officer and technology investment professional
  • Barry Burton CBE - Long-time MOD civil servant

The Trustee board meets at least six times per year and maintains expertise in understanding military education challenges across all services and ranks.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Individual Grants:

  1. Complete initial eligibility screening form online
  2. If eligible, complete detailed application with personal details and summary of need
  3. Provide comprehensive financial documentation (household income, savings, investments)
  4. Means-testing assessment conducted
  5. Direct payment made to schools, not to individuals

Collective Grants:

  1. Complete initial short questionnaire about school/organization via website
  2. If criteria met, invited to complete detailed online application
  3. Trust contacts applicants to discuss best way forward
  4. Download and review “Collective Application Guidelines” before applying
  5. Deadline: 12th May for September start

Decision Timeline

Individual Grants: Applications reviewed at termly grants meetings (approximately 3 times per year aligned with school terms); urgent cases may be considered sooner. Typical timeline: 4-12 weeks from application to decision depending on meeting schedule.

Collective Grants: Applications reviewed at termly meetings. For September 2025 start, deadline is 12th May 2025. Decisions communicated after trustee review.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed. The Trust notes that not all eligible applications can be funded, suggesting competitive selection.

Reapplication Policy

No specific public information available regarding reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants. Contact the Trust directly for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Key Advice from the Funder

  • Demonstrate clear service-related impact: Show how military life (mobility, deployment, separation) has specifically compromised the child's education
  • Apply in advance: Don't wait until crisis point; apply well ahead of when support is needed
  • Be thorough with financial documentation: Provide complete and accurate information about household finances
  • Show potential for impact: For collective grants, demonstrate how the intervention will lead to measurable improved educational outcomes
  • Focus on service children: Collective grants should specifically target and benefit service pupils, not general school improvements
  • Emphasize educational continuity: Priority given to maintaining stability during key stages (GCSEs, A-Levels)
  • Highlight SEND needs: Support available where frequent moves have disrupted provision of special educational needs support

Funded Project Examples

Kiwi Primary School: Grant for weekly outdoor learning program (Kiwi Outdoor Learning Award) and wellbeing interventions, expanding from one outdoor session per year to 45-minute weekly sessions for Years 1-6

Carnagill Primary School, Catterick: Funding for Service Pupil Advocate role to strengthen pastoral support, transitions, and family communication

Carterton Community College: Service Student Support Worker for Years 9-13, providing transitions support, careers guidance, and emotional wellbeing support

Individual grant - Cameron: Boarding school fees for specialist sports college when CEA denied due to sudden posting change. Mother: “Cameron needed to be at a school where his sporting skills would be developed further...Sparsholt is giving him that.”

Individual grant - Emily: Support to continue as day pupil after boarding house closed and parents posted back to UK. Mother: “A grant from the Trust has helped us avoid yet another school move by enabling Emily to stay at her school.”

Language and Terminology

  • Use terms: “service children,” “educational continuity,” “service-related disadvantage,” “deployment impact,” “mobility challenges”
  • Emphasize: transitions, SEND support compromised by moves, key examination periods, pastoral care
  • Reference: specific Service Pupil Premium challenges, gaps in learning, separation and reunion cycles

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Historic military charity with modern focus: 160+ years of supporting military families, now exclusively grant-making since 2017; demonstrates understanding of service life challenges
  • Means-testing is thorough for individual grants: Be prepared for detailed financial scrutiny including household income, savings, and ability to contribute
  • Emphasize service-specific impact: Don't just describe educational need—explicitly link it to military service (mobility, deployment, separation)
  • Termly decision cycle requires planning: With only 3 decision points per year, time applications carefully; urgent cases may be expedited
  • Collective grants need measurable outcomes: Schools must demonstrate how funding will lead to specific improved educational outcomes for service children
  • All services and ranks eligible: Tri-service charity (Army, Navy, RAF) supporting families regardless of parental rank
  • Strong track record: Over £2.1 million distributed in recent years reaching thousands of service children shows commitment and capacity
  • Direct payments to schools: Individual grants paid directly to educational institutions, not families, ensuring funds are used for intended purpose

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References