The CCF can be summed up with one word: “Opportunity”. At very little cost it offers young people the chance to engage in a tremendously wide variety of activities, to learn new skills and to explore and expand their mental and physical horizons. It can also benefit the professional development of school staff.

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 best be developed.
• To impart a basic knowledge and understanding of the role of the Armed Forces.
• To encourage those who have an interest in the Services to join the Regular or Reserve Forces. The CCF is not a recruiting service.

The mentality and qualifications (for example BTECs) that may be gained through participation in a CCF are valued by both employers and FE Institutions.

How does a CCF operate in a school setting?

A CCF is based on the principle of a ‘partnership’ between the MOD and the School. The CCF organisation is such that no outside authority may interfere with the responsibility of Heads for the staff and pupils in their schools.

Training in a CCF is organized predominantly by a school staff instructor (SSI) and adults holding reserve commissions in the cadet forces (with no active service liability); these are recruited by the Headmaster and may be school staff. To fulfil their roles these Cadet Force Adult Volunteers will receive external training on Tri-Service courses. CCFs also receive occasional support from regular and reserve personnel. The MOD sponsors the CCF and provides some financial aid, administered by the respective single Services, dependent on which sections the CCF contingent has.

Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP)

In June 2012 the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister announced the Government’s Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP) to increase the number of state funded schools with their own cadet force unit.