Member Article

Soldiers enriching education for region’s future generation hit record numbers

A Merseyside business that is transforming the way education is delivered to the region’s children is celebrating its most successful 12 months to date having worked with more than 18,000 pupils this year.

Founded in 2009 by ex-Army Bombardier Wayne Forsyth, The UK Military School encourages 5 - 18-year-olds to overcome barriers to learning by developing and delivering functional skills and morale boosting activities, tailored to each specific school and their needs.

As a group of eight veterans and reservists from the British Armed Forces, the team embed themselves into educational settings to equip the next generation with skills that last a lifetime. The currently work with a record total of over 400 pupils every week.

Wayne, who served in Iraq in 2003 during the second Gulf War before becoming a Section Commander and Physical Training Instructor, said: “This is about giving individuals the opportunity to develop their own skills, while linking in and enriching the National Curriculum. We do this through challenging personal development activities in a well-structured and disciplined classroom and outdoor environment and I’m proud to say that we have built a strong reputation within the education sector, in particular amongst primary schools.

“Intent, implementation and impact is at the heart of everything that we do and it’s fantastic that a growing number of schools see the real value in what we deliver. Our instructors and mentors are extremely passionate about instilling those all-important life skills, values and standards throughout our courses to ensure children are ready for the next phase of life; increasing their resilience and confidence to approach new tasks. Although everything we do is fun and engaging, it’s never been more important for us to evidence the considerable overall impact that we have had on each and every learner.”

The team’s long-term programmes include Adventure Days, Primary & Secondary Ready Projects, The Big Build project that’s delivered by STEM builds, Future Leaders Syllabus, Residential Camps and Staff Team Building Days to name a few. For each of these, The UK Military School provides a mid-course review to ensure it is being delivered to its fullest, with evidence that each pupil is well engaged.

“Although every school has a different mission and Ofsted status”, added Wayne, “we believe that every child deserves the chance to be presented with a path to success. As well as the educational side of things, what we want to do is make sure these children have the tools to navigate their way through everyday life.

“We are playing our part in developing the next generation by helping them to become strong citizens of our modern society. We offer the children an experience that they have never had before. We aim to take children out of their comfort zone by challenging and strengthening them in order to reach their fullest potential - desired by not only the school, but also each individual pupil.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma McGee .