Combined Cadet Force

Challenge, Growth and Opportunity

Students aged 12 and over at Bredon can join our Combined Cadet Force (CCF), a Ministry of Defence-supported youth organisation that plays an important role in the school. Founded in 1962 by Lt-Col Sharp, it was built on a simple idea: to create an environment where every young person could discover their strengths and grow in confidence, whatever challenges they faced.

Starting in Year 8, cadets at Bredon can get involved in a wide range of activities, from fieldcraft and adventurous training to teamwork exercises and leadership opportunities. Along the way, they build not only confidence and resilience, but also a strong sense of the British Army’s core values: courage, discipline, respect, integrity, loyalty and selfless commitment.

Interviewer in black hoodie holding a microphone speaks to a uniformed serviceman in camouflage at an event.

Soldiers in camouflage march along a gravel path, carrying ceremonial flags with gold fringe and tassels.

Line of soldiers in camouflage uniforms standing in a field, facing left, wearing blue berets.

Outdoor ceremony with students in blue blazers and ties standing in a line as a soldier in camouflage salutes in the foreground, a Union Jack flag on the ground nearby.

Formal dining room with green tablecloths, red chairs, gold candelabras, and Union Jack bunting in the doorway.

Young person wearing camouflage military uniform and hat, outdoors in a forested area, looking to the left to the side of the frame.

Soldiers in camouflage uniforms participate in a blindfolded teamwork exercise in a grassy field with red plastic cups and orange tape markers on the ground.

Two soldiers in camouflage assist a teammate lying on the grass during a field first-aid drill.

People gathered around a dining table with candles, a man pours a bottle while others sit and converse in a festively decorated room.

Man in a suit speaks at a lectern with a microphone, while a cadet in camouflage stands beside flags at a formal ceremony.

Seven soldiers in camouflage uniforms and black berets pose outdoors with a framed certificate on the ground in front.

Young man in camouflage uniform with a black beret standing in a crowded outdoor audience under a tent.

Cadets in camouflage uniforms outdoors, holding a wooden log and a large tire as part of a teamwork activity.

Soldier in camouflage gear sits on the ground writing in a notebook during a field training exercise under camouflage netting.

Group of cadets in camouflage uniforms and berets posing in front of a stone building doorway; one holds a shield with crest visible.

Child in a red canoe wearing a yellow helmet paddles on a lake, splashing water; other canoeists and trees in the background.

Group of people in canoes wearing helmets and life jackets on a river, paddling together with a forested bank in the background.

Soldiers in camouflage uniforms marching, wearing navy berets with a crest emblem.

Two soldiers in camouflage uniforms hold ceremonial flags during an outdoor color guard event on a grassy area.

Line of soldiers in camouflage uniforms standing at attention outdoors, wearing navy berets with insignia.

Three soldiers in camouflage uniforms climb a rope on an outdoor wooden platform during training tailing a teammate nearby.

Young man in a tuxedo smiling at a candlelit celebration, with a cake and decorations in the foreground.

A man in a tuxedo leaning over a table and handing something to a seated person in a crowded bookstore or cafe setting.

Group of firefighters and staff standing in a line in front of a red Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service fire engine, outdoors under a cloudy sky.

Line of soldiers in camouflage uniforms and boots standing on a rugby field, each holding a rugby ball, during a ceremony at a stadium.

Soldiers in camouflage wearing blindfolds participate in an outdoor obstacle drill on a grassy field with red cups and lines on the ground.

Why CCF matters

The CCF at Bredon offers cadets the opportunity to put these values into practice through a challenging and rewarding military syllabus. Across a wide range of training programmes, cadets develop practical leadership and teamwork skills, while also building:

• Responsibility and self-reliance
• Discipline and perseverance

All of this takes place within a supportive and inclusive school environment, where every cadet is encouraged to grow in confidence and character.

Three soldiers in camouflage uniforms stand side by side outside a stone building with greenery and pink flowers in the foreground.

Weekly training and activities

Each week, during Monday’s Enrichment activities, our cadets take part in a mix of hands-on, practical sessions designed to build useful, real-world skills. These include:

• Navigation
• First Aid
• Sports and adventurous training

They also spend time developing core military skills, such as:

• Skill at arms
• Drill and parade
• Bushcraft and survival
• Camouflage and concealment
• Patrol techniques

Sessions are well-structured and varied, keeping cadets engaged as they build confidence and develop their skills.

Camps, adventure & opportunities

Beyond the weekly programme, cadets take part in regular training weekends and camps at Army bases across the UK. These experiences bring new challenges, different environments, and the chance to bond as a team.

Cadets can also get involved in a range of non-military opportunities, including adventurous training through Cadet Training Centres, as well as working towards awards such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and iDEA.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH

Pathways for progress

Cadets who show enthusiasm can progress through the ranks, taking on leadership roles within the section at school. While there’s no expectation to join the Armed Forces, the CCF helps students build teamwork, community awareness and experience of structured training.

It also helps develop confidence and practical skills that last beyond school, supporting students in whatever they go on to do next. The CCF isn’t just an activity; it’s an experience that individually helps shape who they become.

More Information