Combined Cadet Force
At Goffs we offer the opportunity from Year 9 onwards to join the Combined Cadet Force in collaboration with St Edmund’s College. As a part of this students will become a part of the Army Cadet force, taking part in a wide range of military activities, ranging from using a Basher (a tent with no walls) to first aid, marching, assaults and learning how to handle, strip and fire a rifle and more. In addition, there are residential trips through the year culminating in a week long summer camp where all the skills are put to the test as cadets try and gain their promotions. The CCF is an exceptional opportunity for students wishing to gain skills outside of the classroom and wishing to have new and exciting experiences.
So what is the CCF?
The CCF is a cadet force attached to the British military forces and in our case attached to the Army through the 7th Infantry Brigade. We have commissioned officers at Goffs who work both as teachers and in the CCF to ensure that our contingent reaches the high standards required to represent our brigade. We aim to take young people (from Year 9 until Year 13) and develop a wide range of skills, including leadership, teamwork, first aid, orienteering, survival, radio and of course marksmanship.
To achieve this in combination with St Edmund’s College and 7th Brigade we take our students on a Tuesday at the end of Period 5 and travel to St Edmund’s College where Captain Upton and Major Gledhill begin an exciting training programme that through the year gives skills and essential training so that cadets can execute a range of tasks on the final summer camp of the year.
What does it involve?
Each week you students are required to attend Goffs in your full uniform (provided for by 7th Brigade) and attend training at St Edmund’s College (we either go in a minibus or a coach for both outward and return journeys) where they will be put on parade, then into platoons and receive training appropriate to rank.
The starting rank is Cadet and all of our students will be working towards their first promotion (to Lance Corporal) and receiving their beret with cap badge. To achieve promotions they demonstrate their skills through the year on a range of trips and visits including overnight camping in bashas, range days and assault course visits. The trips run on weekends through the year and we give as much notice as possible of these dates.
Finally in the last summer half term students are offered the opportunity to attend Summer Camp – where students will demonstrate the range of skills in a week long training event. The last summer camp included kayaking, rock climbing, clay pigeon shooting, a 24 hour exercise and many more adventurous activities; definitely not to be missed!
