“We are so proud of all our little dandelions, and may we continue to recognise how incredible our military children are.”
Every April, we come together to honour and celebrate the invaluable role Service Children play within the Armed Forces community. Stay tuned as we share the inspiring tales from our schools and settings throughout the month, showcasing the resilience and spirit of the DCS children who inspire us every day.
DCS HQ
On Tuesday 1st April, we kicked off our Month of the Military Child celebrations with a coffee morning and an early ‘Purple Up!’ day for headquarters colleagues. It was great to see so many colleagues wearing purple and taking a moment away from their desks to get together and celebrate Service children, who are the reason why we do the work that we do!
British Forces School, Naples
On Friday 4th April British Forces School Naples marked the start of the Month of the Military child with a whole school Colour Run. Members of the community enthusiastically managed the various colour stations that were placed strategically around the school site. Pupils, parents, and staff were then showered in coloured powder as they walked, ran, jogged or skipped two laps of the course. This was a joyous way to start our month of celebrations.
This month, we were delighted discover that our Year 5/6 class won joint third place in the Never Such Innocence 2024-2025 competition. The charity invited young people aged 9 to 18 to respond creatively through poetry, art, speech and song to the key question for 2024/25: How Can We Prevent Future Wars? The Lamborghini class composed and recorded a song entitled ‘We Can Mend’ which we hope you enjoy. We are incredibly proud of them all.
To round off events at the end of the month, we held a ‘Purple Picnic’. Although the weather did not allow us to sit outdoors, our wonderful Friends of the School decorated the school hall in a sea of purple and the children were treated to a delicious picnic lunch culminating in some beautifully decorated dandelion- themed cupcakes. A super time was had by all!
Episkopi Early Years, Cyprus
Episkopi Early Years celebrated Purple Up! Day on Friday 25th April. All children and staff were encouraged to wear purple for the day and a host of visitors from our military community attended to showcase their trade and experiences. The children were privileged to learn about the 1 PWRR drums, 84 Squadron aircraft and flight, joint policing with the community, and much more. The excitement was palpable as uniforms were tried on, equipment was tested, photographs were shared and stories were told. What a great morning!
Treetops Early Years, Brunei
Treetops were very excited to host a ‘stay and play’ earlier this month for families to attend in celebration of our marvellous military children. Children came along with their parents and siblings in tow, to enjoy ball games, messy play, and they even camped around a fire pit to toast marshmallows and experience something completely new and exciting! It was so wonderful to see everyone come together to have an evening of fun and games, and to allow our youngest learners to show off their setting in all its glory.
Our military children have many challenges to face, but they overcome so many with their contagious positivity and adaptability to change. Considering the transient nature of their community, they do incredibly well to navigate around emotions which may be new, or difficult for them to communicate when so young. We have seen our children welcome new friendships with open arms, and demonstrate kindness and inclusivity with those around them through their play.
We are so proud of all our little dandelions, and may we continue to recognise how incredible our military children are. Our evening together was a reminder of our strong sense of community, and how each and every one of our little learners deserve a place within it.
Hornbill School, Brunei
To celebrate our fantastic children, Hornbill School hosted a family picnic, inviting parents and carers to join the children in our beautiful grounds to celebrate!
Every child participated, joined by members of the BFB Garrison, families and staff. The school gardens became a sea of picnic blankets and delicious dishes that were freely shared and enjoyed by all.
It was fantastic to watch spaces fill with colours, as everyone attending was encouraged to wear purple, or yellow (for the dandelion, the official flower of the military child, recognising the fact that dandelions can take root and flourish practically anywhere the wind blows them).
Mrs Sujata Dewan, the SENDCo for Hornbill School shared: ‘The Purple Picnic at Hornbill School enabled families to enhance meaningful social connections, and ensured that we all took some time to pause to appreciate things that are often taken for granted, such as sharing a meal or sharing some laughter. It also provided our families an opportunity to celebrate togetherness and community, which are so important for all of us when overseas!’
Mount Pleasant School, The Falkland Islands
Children at Mount Pleasant School (MPS) had a fantastic time designing and creating their own unique purple polo shirts ready to wear on Purple Up! Day.
Parents joined their children in school and helped them to paint their shirts and bring their beautiful dandelion designs to life. The results were amazing and children were incredibly proud of what they had achieved.
The finished shirts looked fabulous, no wonder children were eager to take them on their travels during the school holidays. We can report that MPS children wore their shirts with pride on Purple Up! Day in the Falkland Islands, the UK and in South America whilst visiting the Torres Del Paine!
ESBA Early Years, Cyprus
This month served as a reminder to our community and families of the invaluable contribution these children make to our Early Years Setting. We dedicated time to participating in meaningful and memorable activities that enriched the learning and development of all our children.
As adults, we might sometimes forget the simple pleasures that captivate us in our early years. The most joyous activity that continues to enchant babies and toddlers worldwide is playing with bubbles. The whimsical dance of iridescent spheres floating through the air can spark immense delight and wonder in young minds.
We invited families to join us at both locations for our theme of ‘Bubbles and Cakes’, where we focused on bubble play, while enhancing our sensory exploration skills, fine motor skills, and emotional regulation. Together, we explored a variety of bubble experiences, designed to excite everyone and further extend our journey with bubbles.
