Combined Cadet Force (CCF)

Every Wednesday afternoon a programme of CCF is undertaken for pupils in Year 10, 11 and the Sixth Form as part of the Personal Development and Leadership Scheme.

The CCF comprises Army and Navy sections, with each offering training in outdoor pursuits, leadership, practical and military skills.

The CCF Charter

The broad function of the Combined Cadet Force is to provide a disciplined organisation within a school so that boys and girls may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self-reliance, resourcefulness, endurance and perseverance, and a sense of service to the community. It is firmly believed that the self-discipline required in Service life are equally important in the civil life of the nation today.

The specific function of the Service Training in the CCF is to:

• Provide the opportunity for young people to exercise responsibility and leadership and to learn from the services how they can be best developed.
• Show them why the Defence Forces are needed and how they function.
• Encourage those who have an interest in the Services to become officers of the Regular or Reserve Forces.

It is our aim to use the activities and opportunities available through the CCF to actively challenge and develop every Year 10 pupil. Cadets will have the opportunity to take part in a variety of different activities from adventure training to military skills. Along with this, cadets will also have the chance to attend various field training days and an Annual Camp. Senior cadets may use their CCF commitment towards the volunteering section of the DofE Award.

Army Section

Life in the Army section is all about instilling the core values of the British Army, which are: Courage, Integrity, Respect, Discipline, Selfless Commitment and Loyalty.

This is done by developing Cadets through the Army Proficiency Certificate (APC) star levels. All Cadets participate in a structured weekly programme which includes training in: – Drill, Map & Compass, Field Craft, Skill at Arms, First Aid and Self-Reliance. This training is then reinforced and developed by attendance on Field Weekends, Annual Camp and for the more senior Cadets progression through to the Senior Cadet Instructors Cadre (SCIC) and Cadet Leadership Course (CLC).

On arrival into the Army section, usually in Year 10, pupils are classed as ‘Recruits’ until they pass through the first term of training. Following this they will receive their Royal Anglian Beret and the recognition of being called a ‘Cadet’. All Cadets are grouped into Platoons and then split into Sections; this allows the Cadets to train as a close knit team, fostering a competitive spirit, loyalty for their section members and pride, both in ‘self’ and their fellow cadets.

All Army Cadets are encouraged to further their cadet experience by being offered the opportunity to attend a whole range of camps and courses, from Leadership Development to Adventure Training. This widens the breadth of experience and gives our Cadets the chance to access opportunities which are not normally available to other school pupils. For example, deploying on exercise with 3 Royal Anglian Regiment or attending a course with the Cadet Centre for Adventure Training.

Navy Section

The Royal Navy section offers numerous opportunities for adventure and proficiency through a syllabus based around leadership, afloat activities and adventurous training.

The programme includes a range of water-based activities including raft building, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, scuba-diving as well as land-based pursuits such as 0.22 shooting, ropework and navigation.

The key Navy proficiency skills are taught to a high level covering areas such as Navigation using Sea Charts, Rules of the Road on Water, Communications (radios, flags, lights and Morse) and the Role of the Royal Navy (customs, rank, uniform and drill).

In common with the competences acquired in the Army Section, the transferable skills are many and varied: Teamwork, Communication, Leadership and Teaching are all skills, which can be employed in many areas of life beyond the school. Cadets are pushed outside of their comfort zones and many go on to add to their experiences through the additional camps and courses available.