Defence Children Services
Educate the Child, Support the Family, Defend the Nation
Welcome to the Defence Children Services website
Welcome to the DCS website which we hope will provide you with all of the information and details required to help you and your family transfer, settle and be supported through education whilst you are overseas.
Similar to a local authority in the United Kingdom, DCS is responsible for the equality of delivery, support and outcomes of education and safeguarding for the children of service and MOD entitled civilians in accompanied postings overseas.
Meet the Leadership Team
DCS is a whole defence delivery organisation focused on providing child centred services to support the lived experience of service families overseas.
DCS is made up of three separate services, Schools & Settings, Specialist Support Services and Schools Interface Services.
The two additional enabling teams are the Executive and Projects.
Andy Yeoman
Assistant Head, Schools & Settings
(Chief Education Officer)
Andy leads the Schools & Settings team, who are responsible for the provision of high quality education and care in MOD funded schools and nursery settings at overseas accompanied bases and at Queen Victoria School in Scotland.
Gemma Hunt
Assistant Head, Specialist Support Services
Gemma leads the Specialist Support Services team, who are responsible for the provision of specialist interventions for service children to support and inform their education, care, safeguarding, health and wellbeing.
Tammy Phillips
Assistant Head, Schools Interface Services
The Schools Interface Services team are responsible for the provision of a wide range of enabling services and act as the interface between DCS Schools & Settings, the Army, and Strategic Command. This includes aspects such as Infrastructure, Health & Safety, Information Management, IT, Recruitment, Finance and Asset Management.
Craig Gill
Executive Team
Craig leads the Executive team, who are responsible for determining the nature and extent of transformational change, governance, and assurance of all elements of DCS through developing and implementing strategy, operational plans, internal directives, and working procedures. This includes monitoring performance, assessing and controlling risk, driving workplace culture and developing leadership.
Lt. Colonel Sarah Kiddie
Chief of Staff
The Chief of Staff is responsible for ensuring success in all areas of DCS outputs. This includes assisting and communicating with Pillar Heads throughout the decision-making, program management and initiative implementation stages, improving DCS processes, organising procedures to ensure optimal efficiency and productivity working behind the scenes reviewing and improving our organisation’s structure.
Jerry Denton,
Projects Team
Jerry leads the Projects Team, who undertake analysis and delivery that responds to the changing demands of DCS commissioners, and policy as it appertains to education and care of children, or to the delivery of DCS services. The team also look at ways in which DCS can adapt and meet the pressures and challenges it faces because of the financial, staffing, and operational constraints across the MOD.
DCS Schools & Settings Locations
DCS Schools & Settings deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (2021) to six Nursery Settings and the English National Curriculum (2014) to eleven Primary Schools and two Secondary Schools in overseas locations.
In addition to schools overseas, there is a MOD secondary boarding school in Scotland which follows the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence (2010).
Education & Care Strategy
Our Education & Care Strategy, (2026 and beyond) has been developed to meet the terms of the DCS Mission, Vision and Aims. We have created an education and care strategy following an extensive consultation process involving all of key stakeholders in all of our locations across the globe. The Strategy has eight Developmental Aspects (DA) as shared below, and ten Enriching Aspects each with their own unique targets and future actions.
DA1: Educator
To ensure that all children attending our schools and settings have the very best educational experience, our Educator documents ensure that DCS expectations, standards and shared and understood.
DA2: Child & Parent
Children and Parents are supported through a range of induction processes, support materials, perspectives and platforms (such as this website).
DA3: Learning & Teaching
A range of documents and actions detailing the expected principles, philosophy and Global
Framework for Excellence in relation to Teaching & Learning in all schools and settings.
DA4: Care for All
A detailed set of documents and policies are being introduced for five Enriching Aspects: Safeguarding, Pastoral Support, SEND., Transition & EAL.
DA5: Curriculum
A range of overarching curriculum documents are being produced surrounding Vision and Global
Framework for Excellence in relation to the curriculum offer in all of our Schools and
Settings.
DA6: Assessment, Recording & Reporting Arrangements
A range of documents for all schools to follow which lays out the expectations and principles for
assessment, recording and reporting.
DA7: Culture & Leadership
As we develop our leaders and workplace culture we are becoming a stronger, united, organisation.
DA8: Standardisation, Alignment & Empowerment
Our final aspect focuses on processes and procedures though five Enriching Aspects: Publicity, Communication, Website, Procedure (ways of working), and Education Policies.
Education Advisory Team (UK) (EAT (UK))
EAT (UK is a Tri-Service organisation which supports operational effectiveness through the provision of support to Service and eligible MOD civilian families trying to secure appropriate educational provision for their children in the UK.
The EAT(UK) Team provide authoritative, bespoke and professional advice to Service and eligible MOD civilian families on a wide range of educational issues within the UK.
Overseas Education and Supportability Team (OEST)
The OEST provides professional information, advice and guidance for Service Personnel and eligible MOD civilians regarding the education of their children in overseas locations. OEST also provides educational advice and support for overseas commands and DCS Schools and Settings.
The team coordinates the DCS Assessment of Support Needs process as per MOD policy for overseas postings.
Image left:© Crown copyright 2011 Image right:© Crown copyright 2019
DCS News
- Defence Children Service (DCS) Exam Successes
St John’s School (SJS) and King Richard School (KRS), Cyprus DCS are proud to announce the summer 2024 results for A Level, BTEC, and GCSE examinations at MOD secondary schools’ which children attend whilst their parents are stationed in Cyprus. The results reflect the dedication, resilience, and hard work of students and staff alike. A Level and BTEC Success The… Read more: Defence Children Service (DCS) Exam Successes - Service families, help us to better understand the needs, wants, and wishes of children, young people, families, and individuals overseas
Ensuring you get the support you need, when you need it On behalf of the Defence Safeguarding Partnership Board (DSPB), Defence Children Services (DCS) are undertaking a Local Needs Analysis to inform the future delivery of social work, family support and personal support for all children, young people, families and individuals whilst both assigned and accompanying on overseas postings. We… Read more: Service families, help us to better understand the needs, wants, and wishes of children, young people, families, and individuals overseas - Based overseas with young children? Find out if you can benefit from an expansion to funded childcare…
From September 2024 eligible families assigned overseas will have access to funded childcare hours for their children aged from 9 months old. Defence have expanded the childcare offer for families assigned overseas with 9 months – 4-year-old children, to match the entitlement in England. Early Years funded childcare overseas. To reflect the offer available in England, all families assigned overseas… Read more: Based overseas with young children? Find out if you can benefit from an expansion to funded childcare… - Queen Victoria School at the heart of Royal events in Edinburgh
80 pupils from Defence’s Queen Victoria School (QVS), along with their Military parents, had an unusual royal interruption to their annual summer break. They had the honour of joining their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla at a Service at St Giles Cathedral. This is where HM Queen Camilla and His Royal Highness Edward, Duke of Edinburgh were appointed… Read more: Queen Victoria School at the heart of Royal events in Edinburgh - Queen Victoria School visit Belgium
On 3rd June, the Queen Victoria School Band and Dancers, along with students of History, embarked on a poignant and meaningful Battlefield trip to Belgium. As well as visiting sites of historical interest, many of the memorials were personal to the students. Thank you to fv@lastpost for the fantastic photographs. - Healthy School Status at Akrotiri School
The healthy school’s agenda sits at the heart of the Akrotiri ethos and culture. A deep understanding of the impact that healthy bodies and minds have on academic and professional development permeates the curriculum and influences our pedagogy and whole school development. In April, we were delighted to have confirmed that the evidence submitted to the assessment panel met all… Read more: Healthy School Status at Akrotiri School
“Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world”
Nelson Mandela, 1990
Compliance
- The School Information (England) Regulations 2008, as amended by the School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 and 2016
- the Equality Act 2010
- the Children and Families Act 2014
Additional Formatting
- If you would like paper copies of any document listed on this website please contact the school or setting office who will be able to provide these for you.
Note:
Additional information can be obtained from the GOV.UK website by following this link: Defence Children Services (DCS) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Educate the Child, Support the Family, Defend the Nation