In the Infant school we run a weekly drop-in lunchtime club for service children across Key Stage 1.  The group is called 'Little Pirates' and is usually on a Tuesday lunchtime, children are invited to join in either before or after they have eaten their lunch. A large Pirate flag will fly outside the classroom in the playground to signify the group is on!

Little Pirates will start after Christmas for those children in Reception.

In the Junior school the groups run once a half term, the children will spend a whole afternoon together.  Their group is called 'The Troopers'.

The groups give opportunities for children from Service families to get together and support each other by sharing their thoughts and feelings, as well as having fun, doing games and craft activities.

We currently have over 100 children on our Service data for HPJS and TSIS. As the numbers are so high, we divide the children up into each year group so they can talk with children they know well and who experience similar fears and difficulties especially around deployment and moving schools and home.

We recognise the emotional impact on children when they are separated from their parent(s), both through planned and unexpected operational deployments, as well as training exercises at home and overseas. As well as the group work, we also provide  1-1 sessions for those children needing extra support. We link in closely with Hamworthy Barracks and the Chaplain Support Pastoral Worker who helps with the Service groups in school.

We use the local area around school to run group activities including use of the garden, beach and Hamworthy Park. 

Military Family Support

In our HPJS Troopers group this half term, we are focusing on helping children manage their worries in a better way. We have anxiety solution cards for the children to look at and from these, the children have been making a poster which they will be bringing home.

This activity should remind the children of different strategies they can try to help reduce anxiety and worry, which you can talk to them about at home.

We took The Little Pirates from Twin Sails and The Troopers from Hamworthy Park for a fun afternoon of games and sand art activities.

Easter Fun 2023  -  Little Pirates Groups at Twin Sails

Christmas 2022 - Little Pirates Group at Twin Sails

The Little Pirates in year 1 and year 2 enjoyed our special festive session, with Christmas craft activities and decorating Christmas Tree gift boxes.  We also relaxed listening to a lovely Christmas story read by our very own Little Pirates star readers!

Autumn Term 2022

Our Little Pirates group at Twin Sails have enjoyed getting together again.........

We also enjoyed reading one of our favourite books together 'The Invisible String' by Patrice Karst.  The story gives us comfort knowing we are always connected to the people we love by the invisible string of love, no matter where we are in the world!

Service Group Spring activities - Super Clay modelling

Service Children's Groups - Easter Activities Year 3

Service Children's Groups - Easter Activity Year 4

Service Children's Groups - Easter Activity Year 5

Service Children's Groups - Easter Activity Year 6