Combined Cadet Force (CCF)

The Combined Cadet Force aims to promote personal qualities such as responsibility, perseverance, resourcefulness and self-reliance, via the teaching of leadership, military skills and enjoyable adventurous training.  Kimbolton CCF has a national reputation for excellence.

 

In 2011 St Peter’s School was invited to join Kimbolton CCF, which enabled us to offer this opportunity to St Peter’s students. There are three CCF sections:  Royal Navy, Army and RAF and St Peter’s students are part of the Navy section, which is run by Lieutenant Robson (Mr Robson, Head of Business Studies at St Peter’s School).

 

Most of our Thursday afternoon training takes place within Kimbolton School’s extensive campus, but we also take advantage of their location, close to Grafham Water for RN sailing, kayaking and powerboating, during the fine weather seasons.

 

Students participate in CCF training each Thursday afternoon.  Each year, all CCF cadets participate in Field Weekend, a 48-hour long training period at a local military or adventurous training site and we also offer places at single Service residential camps during some of the holidays.

 

	Left: The Cenotaph Remembrance Parade 2021 Centre: Kimbolton Castle 2021 Right:  The Royal Albert Hall Festival of Remembrance 2021

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The Royal Navy Section is a small and friendly section within the CCF which is proud of its high standards and unique approach. Royal Navy cadets enjoy a wealth of opportunities to learn about the Senior Service and their training syllabus provides an excellent framework for personal development. In addition, there exist many opportunities to take part in the specialised courses and expeditions run by the Royal Navy (CCF).  Class based activities are combined with outdoor activities throughout the year which include drill, range work and leadership tasks run by the senior cadets.

 

Although some cadets do go on to join the Armed Forces, the CCF is not a recruiting organisation; membership brings with it no liability for compulsory service or training within the Armed Services.

 

Each year around June, as our Sixth form and Year 11 cadets move on and no longer attend CCF, we are able to invite applications from Year 9 students to start CCF the following September, when they are year 10. No late entrants are permitted. It is a two-year commitment to complete the programme and all the compulsory elements. Cadets attending St Peter’s Sixth form are also able to stay on for a further two-year commitment and can gain leadership ranks and responsibilities.

 

Places are very limited to approximately five places per year and we have a maximum of 14 places across four year groups, Years 10, 11, 12 and 13. The CCF activities take place between 1.30pm, occasionally 1.00pm if we are sailing, finishing at 4.20pm and returned to school at 4.50pm on Thursday afternoons.  

    

Our students are made to feel part of Kimbolton School immediately and have formed new lasting friendships with their peers from Kimbolton School. They have had many wonderful experiences, including visiting a Royal Naval Base at Portsmouth, sleeping on a ship, piloting a boat out in the Solent and then spending the night on that boat, visiting HMS Victory, Sailing, Paintballing, Canoeing, Raft Building, Range work, and some took part in extra curricular trips, exercises and courses, all free or with minimal transportation costs.

 

This is a unique and highly prestigious opportunity that is beneficial to students social skills, confidence and personal development and helps them to stand out when used on personal statements and CVs when students move on to further education and the world of employment.

 

Mr S Robson

Lt Navy Contingent CCF