Continuity, while family life is mobile
We know service life well. Deployments, short-notice moves and time apart all ask a great deal of a family, and children carry more of it than they let on. Kingsley gives them continuity: the same house, the same routines and the same people who know them, so that changes at home are met by stability at school.
Boarders here are cared for around the clock, and forces children settle quickly into a community that expects to welcome them and knows how to help them belong.
An MOD allowance that keeps a child in one school
The Continuation of Education Allowance helps serving personnel keep a child in one school despite postings at home and overseas. Rather than moving a child each time you move, the allowance contributes towards boarding fees so that education can continue uninterrupted. You meet a set share of the fees yourself, and the MOD contributes the rest under its published rules.
The claim runs through the MOD in a set order
CEA is available for children aged eight and over, where a parent is serving and the child boards so that their education can continue in one school. CEAS will check your circumstances against the current MOD rules before you claim.
- 1
Contact CEAS. Speak to the Children’s Education Advisory Service about your circumstances and obtain a unique serial number.
- 2
Present the serial number to JPA. Submit your allowance claim with the serial number.
- 3
Receive your eligibility certificate. Issued by the Pay and Allowances Casework and Complaints Cell. Confirm current rates and rules with CEAS and JPA before you commit, as MOD figures are reviewed periodically.
The terms for serving families
Fees & Optional Extras
Serving families pay a 10% share of the fees, and the MOD contributes the rest.
There is no deposit to place when your child joins.
A credit at the uniform shop towards your child’s first uniform, including sports kit and bag.
A range of weekend activities and trips is included in the fees, and some optional trips are charged as an extra.
Two houses, and care available 24/7
Boarding at Kingsley runs from Year 7. Boys board in Longfield House and girls in Belvoir House, each with comfortable study-bedrooms and a resident team who know every child by name.
There are no compulsory exeats, and a supervised half-term boarding option means a child can stay on site when a posting or deployment makes travel home difficult. Kingsley is also CReSTeD-accredited, so families whose children learn differently, including those with dyslexia, find specialist teaching and boarding under one roof.
Frequently asked questions
What is CEA?
The Continuation of Education Allowance is a Ministry of Defence allowance that helps serving families keep a child in one school despite postings, by contributing towards boarding fees while you pay a set share.
Who is eligible?
CEA is open to serving personnel whose child is aged eight or over and boards so that their schooling can continue in one place while the family moves. CEAS will discuss your circumstances with you and issue a serial number if you qualify.
How much will we pay?
Serving families meet a 10% share of the fees and there is no deposit to place. Public examination entry fees are included, with a charge only for re-sits, and a range of weekend activities and trips is included as well. MOD rates and rules are reviewed periodically, so please confirm the current figures with CEAS and JPA before you commit.
Northdown Road, Bideford