The Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS) provides a high-quality service in response to any questions or concerns Service families may have about the education of their children
The Children’s Education Advisory Service is the focus for impartial advice and information regarding the education of Service children, including:
• advice on educational provision in the UK and overseas
• information on special educational needs provision in the UK and overseas
• information on UK boarding schools
• advice on Ministry of Defence (MoD) educational allowances
• educational advice to Service personnel and finance branches in MoD organisations
• liaison with local education authorities and HQ Service Children’s Education overseas
• information on education legislation
• advice to parents with problems about student loans and grants
• arranging escorts in specific circumstances, for children with statements of special educational needs who are registered with CEAS.
Tailored support
CEAS will respond to direct enquiries from Service families, and we will also provide information to other organisations and support services that may be working with a Service family. We also provide training support to staff in the support services.
We have specific expertise in boarding school advice and special educational needs. Our officers make visits to UK independent and state-maintained boarding schools.
Continuity of Education Allowance (Board)
All new claimants of CEA (Board) must contact CEAS for advice and provision of the new CEA Eligibility Certificate. The certificate must be completed by the applicant and returned to CEAS for issue of a Boarding School Certificate. CEAS also holds the accredited schools database, which lists the schools that attract the CEA (Board). This Allowance provides continuity of education for children who would otherwise have to frequently change schools due to parental postings. It does not cover the full cost of fees; parents must make a compulsory contribution of a minimum of 10%, even where the Allowance would be higher than the fees. In some schools, parents may find themselves topping up the Allowance by as much as 50% of the actual school fees.
Service personnel in receipt of the CEA (Board) may also be able to claim an extra allowance if their child has been diagnosed as having a specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia. The Special Educational Needs Addition (SENA) is payable for necessary extra tuition for a specific learning difficulty as itemised on the school invoice. This allowance may be subject to a time limit. SENA is not applicable for those schools that include the cost of any special needs tuition in their flat fee structure.
Advice and information
We regularly contact various boarding school organisations and are a member of the Boarding Schools’ Association. Our position within the MoD makes us ideally placed to support families who may require information or guidance on:
• admissions appeal procedure
• a change of school
• Service allowances for education, bursaries and awards
• Common Entrance examinations and selection processes
• facilities that individual schools provide
• choice of subjects
• schools’ curriculum strengths
• liaison on behalf of Service parents and local education authorities
• guidance on parents’ and children’s rights regarding assessment and placement.
Further information
For further information, please contact:
CEAS, Building 190, Trenchard Lines, Upavon, Pewsey, Wiltshire SN9 6BE
Tel: +44 (0)1980 618244 Fax: +44 (0)1980 618245
E-mail: enquiries@ceas.detsa.co.uk Web: www.ceas.mod.uk [add links]
The helpline is staffed 8.30am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday. An answer phone is available at all other times.