A VIDEO funded by Forces Connect South East and produced by Hampshire County Council, to help armed forces families become more ‘school admissions savvy’, is now live.

It details the steps armed forces parents need to take to secure a school place for their child, with key dates for applications.

The council’s armed forces champion and executive member for communities, partnerships and external affairs, Councillor Andrew Joy, said: “Nationally more than 75,000 children from armed forces families attend schools in England, and additional help is now at hand to help them navigate the school admissions process.

“Hampshire is home to more than 20,000 serving members, and we are fortunate to have all three services represented across our county.

“It’s not uncommon for children from armed forces families to move as many as 12 times during their school career, so it’s important parents have as much information on this process as possible.

“Local authorities’ school admissions teams will do their utmost to accommodate the wishes of families and ensure a school place is offered to them before they have moved to their new location.

“Our support for them is particularly important to us, recognising the sacrifices they make for Hampshire and the country.

“The council was one of the first local authorities to sign the Armed Forces Covenant in England – a national commitment that service personnel, their families, veterans and reservists will be treated fairly. ”

Father of two and serving army officer Russ said: “You can be deployed at short notice and this often means changing the children’s schools and even moving countries. Understandably this can be challenging for the whole family and the most stressful part of the move can be making sure we get the right school.

“This new video is a great help in bringing clarity to parents like me, setting out the process and drawing attention to the support available.”

In East Hampshire, children with parents in the armed forces attend schools in Petersfield, Liphook, Alton, Bordon and Horndean, with their serving parents based in Portsmouth, Winchester and Odiham, among other bases in the county.

There are also officers and men from East Hampshire serving in the Falklands, Afghanistan and Africa as well as elsewhere across the globe.