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Air Force
School Liaison
Building 950
RAF Lakenheath
Brandon Suffolk United Kingdom IP279PN
011-44-1638-52-5078
314-226-5078
Contact information for key programs and services at this installation.
Each installation provides information about the types of schools and programs offered on or near your installation for your child. Learn about the types of programs, guidelines and requirements for each school. Whether you choose to send your child to a Department of Defense School, a private school or public school, your installation can help you explore all of your options to make the right decision for you and your child.
DoDEA Early Childhood Education programs age requirements for entrance in all DoD Schools are:
* Sure Start, a child must be 4 years of age by September 1.
* Kindergarten Programs, a child must be 5 years of age by September 1.
* First Grade, a child must be 6 years of age by September 1.
Education Summary
The Department of Defense operates five schools serving members based at RAF Lakenheath, RAF Feltwell and RAF Mildenhall. There are no schools on RAF Mildenhall. RAF Lakenheath has the following: Lakenheath Elementary School, which is Kindergarten through 3rd Grade; Liberty Intermediate School which is 4th and 5th Grades, and Lakenheath High School, which is 9th through 12th Grade. RAF Feltwell (11 miles from RAF Lakenheath), has Feltwell Elementary School, which is Kindergarten through 5th Grade, and Lakenheath Middle School, which is 6th through 8th Grade. Because there are multiple elementary schools, elementary students are assigned to a school based on age and residence location (catchment area schools). These schools are part of the DoDEA Europe -West District and space is required for military dependents traveling on orders.
RAF Lakenheath/Mildenhall/Feltwell School Complex has five schools with approximately 2,500 students. They are all Department of Defense Dependent Schools.
On RAF Lakenheath, there is Lakenheath Elementary School, which is Kindergarten through 3rd Grade; Liberty Intermediate School, which is 4th and 5th Grades; and Lakenheath High School, which is 9th through 12th Grade.
On RAF Feltwell (which is 11 miles from RAF Lakenheath), there is Feltwell Elementary School, which is Kindergarten through 5th Grade, and Lakenheath Middle School, which is 6th through 8th Grade. Also located at RAF Feltwell is the Isles District Superintendent's Office and the School Bus Office.
Parents may pre-register their child/ren for DoDEA at https://www.dodea.edu/registration-process.cfm
Parents, enrolling students are required to furnish the following:
Note: Children entering Sure Start, Kindergarten, First Grade must be 4,5 and 6 years old respectively on/before September 1.
Also required: (The below documents ARE required but will not keep students from starting school.)
Transportation
Student transportation within DoDEA is provided based on pre-determined areas. When you register your child for school, you will be provided a school bus registration form. All students must be registered at the appropriate school bus office, as well as at the school, prior to being assigned a bus stop location. Since driving in the UK is very dangerous, we have initiated strict School Bus Misconduct Penalty Guidelines to better ensure the safety of our children.
You can home school your children while you are in the UK. Home-schooling parents can elect to have their child attend select classes within the DODEA school system on a part-time basis. Also, students can participate in "extra-curricular and auxiliary services." Please contact the school for specific requirements. If you would like more information on local home-school groups, please contact the School Liaison Office at DSN: 226-5077/78 COMM: +44-1638-52-5077/78.
The RAF Lakenheath School Liaison Officer is a community facilitator: connecting schools, families, and community services to address education issues impacting military children.
The School Liaison provides a wide variety of services in include, but not limited to:
One of the strengths of the School Liaison program is connections. USAFE SLOs work together to provide consistent support for families and students throughout Europe. In addition, they are connected to the broader network of multi-service SLOs around the world. So, no matter where your military service takes you next, they are able to help your family make a positive school transition. USAFE SLOs are connected to a wide array of resources supporting you and your family-wherever you go! The SLO is located at the RAF Lakenheath Military and Family Readiness Center, Bldg. 950, and can be reached by calling DSN 226-5077/78 or COMM +44-1638-52-5077/78.
Education in the UK
There are three basic avenues for educating school-age children while you are stationed at RAF Lakenheath or RAF Mildenhall - Department of Defense Dependent Schools Education Activity (DoDEA), British Education System or Home Schooling. The School Liaison Officer, who is located on RAF Lakenheath, is available to provide support and information related to dependent child education.
School Registration at Department of Defense Education Activity -Europe (DoDEA-E)
School Registration is an annual requirement by DoD Regulation to determine continued eligibility for school enrollment. Accurate and complete school enrollments assist principals and district superintendents in projecting appropriate resources to support the coming school year. School principals across Europe work diligently to ensure the annual registration process is efficient and customer service oriented.
There is no need to enroll within DoDEA prior to your arrival. However, if you choose, you can pre-register new students at http://www.dodea.edu/Europe/enrollment/index.cfm, but you will still need to visit the school in person upon arrival to complete registration. Also, it would be beneficial to print out a copy of your online registration to have with you when you arrive. When you arrive on base, the sponsor should call the school registrar to find-out the best day and time to stop-by the school to take care of school registration. In order to finalize registration, bring a copy of the sponsor's orders, student records (if you hand-carried) and current immunization records to the school.
DoDEA-Early Years Entrance Requirements
Education Summary:
Important School Links/Phone Numbers:
School Bus Transportation:
The DoDEA School Buses are contracted through local commercial transportation companies. Registration for new students takes place year-round. If you would like for your children to ride the DoDEA School Bus, please be sure to live in a town or village that receives DoDEA bus service. If you have any questions, the bus office can be contacted at DSN 226-7013 or COMM +44-1638-527013. The towns and villages serviced by DoDEA transportation can change year-to-year, but generally, the closer you live to the base area, the more likely you are to retain service.
Meals
To enroll in the Free or Reduced School Lunch Program, complete an online application.
British Schooling
If you are considering the option of sending your child to a British school, contact the School Liaison Office for frequently asked questions that will help your decision-making. For detailed information on Education and Learning in Britain, the UK Government public service website https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education will provide you a good place to start. All British Schools are inspected on a regular basis. You can view the Ofsted Inspection reports online. A useful website to look for schools within your catchment area is the https://www.gov.uk/school-performance-tables. It is important to start researching the British School system and registration requirements prior to your move so you can act quickly once you have your UK address established. British schools are different from American schools. They typically begin younger (around age 4 in Reception), and they have a more year-round school calendar. Summer is usually 6 weeks long and during that time, school staff are unavailable. Transportation is not typically provided for British schools. If your child(ren) has special needs, please contact the School Liaison Office and/or the Exceptional Family Member Program Family Support Coordinator to discuss base services availability and insurance implications.
British School Registration
Registration for British Schools is completed through your local county. There are 3 counties in our area: Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cambridgeshire. Most British schools are very welcoming to American families. If possible, you should try to visit the schools you are considering in person prior to submitting your application. If you need help filling out the Registration paperwork, you can contact the local county authority or the School Liaison Office for assistance.
Suffolk: https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/children-families-and-learning/schools/school-places/
Norfolk: http://www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk/School-administration/index.htm
Cambridgeshire: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/children-and-families/schools-learning
Early Education Grant Program
All 3 and 4-year olds are eligible for 15 hours of free early education per week in the UK. This applies until they reach compulsory school age (the term following their 5th birthday). The early education can take place in British nurseries, play groups, preschools or at their childminders. You have to find a nursery that accepts the grant and they are available only when school is in session. Please feel free to contact Family Information Service in the county you are residing in, links for these can be found here.
To apply for this program, you should visit the school in person with your child(ren). The school staff will help you fill out the grant paperwork and forward it along to the county on your behalf before the next deadline so they can receive payment.
Home Schooling
You can home school your children while you are in the UK. Home-schooling parents can elect to have their child attend select classes within the DoDEA school system on a part-time basis. Also, students can participate in "extra-curricular and auxiliary services." Please contact the school for specific requirements. If you would like more information on local home-school groups, please contact the School Liaison Office at DSN: 226-5077/78 COMM: +44-1638-52-5077/78.
Before and After School Programs
Refer to Child Care Topic article for information about before and after school programs.
The RAF Lakenheath School Liaison Officer is a community facilitator: connecting schools, families, and community services to address education issues impacting military children. The School Liaison provides a wide variety of services in include, but not limited to:
One of the strengths of the School Liaison program is connections. USAFE SLOs work together to provide consistent support for families and students throughout Europe. In addition, they are connected to the broader network of multi-service SLOs around the world. So, no matter where your military service takes you next, they are able to help your family make a positive school transition. USAFE SLOs are connected to a wide array of resources supporting you and your family-wherever you go! The SLO is located at the RAF Lakenheath Military and Family Readiness Center, Bldg. 950, and can be reached by calling DSN 314-226-5077/78 or COMM 00-44-1638-52-5077/78.
Adult Education
See Education – Training (College/Technical) information.