Barnard Castle School
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-10)

We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.

The Armed Forces Covenant

An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families

The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.

Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.

This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.

Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant

1.1 We Barnard Castle School will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment

2.1 Barnard Castle School recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- Armed Forces Friendly
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Service Spouses And Partners
- Flexible Leave For Spouses
- UK Reservists
- UK Cadets
- Armed Forces Day
- Reserve Forces Day
- Armed Forces Charities
We also pledge the following:

Create a dedicated Forces Families Hub on our website which is designed to make day to day life and the education journey of their child/children easier whilst part of the Barnard Castle School Community. Establish an internal ‘community within the community’ to support forces pupils within the school; this will enable pupils with an immediate family member with an Armed Forces connection to meet and support one another and provide feedback to us as a School. Through this network, we will also be able to provide specific tailored pastoral care to those forces pupils. Appoint a Forces Families Lead who will act as the lead pastoral point of contact for forces pupils, and who will also maintain a direct link with Forces Families (whether through School communications or one to one contact). Engage with any local Armed Forces presence where possible. To commit to maintaining our full boarding fees for families in receipt of the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA), at an affordable level in terms of the parental contribution after receipt of CEA. To ensure clear, transparent systems and procedures for our Forces Families in respect of financial matters. Ensure that those pupils who are from a Forces Family and who are boarding full-time or part-time are regularly attending medical and dental check-ups, in the absence of their immediate family. Support and promote the wellbeing of Service children, recognising the particular experiences and challenges they may face. To track very carefully the pastoral circumstances of each individual Service child within the School community so that tailored pastoral care can be offered to the child. To create a safe and welcoming space for forces pupils within the boarding community. To ensure that every forces pupil within School is aware of who the Forces Families Lead is and what support they can offer. Organise, facilitate, promote and/or take part in remembrance and other ceremonial activities within the local area.

2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.