Combined Cadet Force (CCF)
The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) Contingent at Wells is established for 130 Cadets, and they can join either the Royal Navy, Army or Royal Marines Band. The emphasis in the Sixth Form is on developing leadership through challenging experiences and assisting in the delivery of training to younger Cadets. The Senior Cadets enjoy a balanced training programme of both military and adventurous training. Training includes: leadership activities, life firing marksmanship training, rock climbing, orienteering, weapon handling, blank firing fieldcraft exercises and air experience flying. In addition to the weekly training programme Sixth Form Cadets have extensive opportunities to attend residential courses. These include courses provided by the Cadet Centre for Adventurous Training, such as sea kayaking and mountaineering in Scotland. The key purposes of the CCF are outlined in the CCF Charter published by the Ministry of Defence:
“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 functions of the service training in the CCF are 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 show them why the defence forces are needed and how they function; and to encourage those who have an interest in the services to become Officers of the Regular or Reserve Forces.” Here at Wells we believe in the CCF Charter, especially that the ‘self-discipline required in Service life is equally important in the civil life of the nation today’. This sense of service is in keeping with the community ethos that runs throughout our Wednesday afternoon activities.
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