Whenurhappy,
I am surprised that there has not been more of a comment on this valuable post.
Although I am virtually out of the Boarding School 'trap' I am surprised that the FAQs doesn't answer the more relevant (to the wife) questions....
If INVOLSEP has gones are there enough quarters in the London area, or will the more expensive (to the tax payer) SSSA accommodation option be required?
For the RN, do all of the base ports have the required MQs for the envisaged influx of married service personnel - or will a combination of SSSA and/or sub standard accomodation be offered?
With the cost of London property in excess of that found in the majority of the country, wouldn't it be cheaper for the MoD to leave wives where they were, and review the accomodation plot of INVOLSEP personnel (rented accomodation, use of barracks and other HMG properties).
If despite requesting for postings away from my base station CEAS refuse to endorse my eligibility certificate after 2 consecutive postings, and my children are forced to break their education and return to the state system, what happens when my next posting is away from my base station? I am then forced to break my children's education again (or find someone locally for them to stay with in order to complete their education). Is CEAS now expecting me to plug and play between the local base station state school when I am 'at base' and with boarding school when my wife and I are away from base? Isn't this dip in and out of boarding school going in direct opposition of what the C in CEA stands for? Or is the MoD expecting me to find local accommodation for my children when my wife and leave the base on posting to ensure that they have some semblance of stability?
If through no fault of my own my family do not meet CEA eligibility (i.e. the desk officer elects to keep me at my base station), then as a serving member of HM Forces do I receive prompt place at my local state school?
Is the SofS for Education confident that his department is correctly resourced for the potential influx of children in the designated base areas.
Again, in the rush to make cuts I am not too sure that HMT and MoD have thought this one through and yet again another nail in the (service morale and military covenant) coffin is hammered in.