The Impact and Value of School Based Cadet Forces in the UK

Young people who join the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) do better at school, have improved attendance and behaviour and are more likely to go to university, a new report has found.

The Ministry of Defence, in collaboration with the University of Northampton, recently launched a new report, The Impact and Value of School-based Cadet Forces in the UK. It highlights the transformative impact of the Cadet Forces on social mobility, employability and mental health, demonstrating the immense value cadets bring to wider society, but particularly schools.

The key findings from the new report are divided into two categories: Impact on the School and Impact on the Cadet. For a school with a CCF contingent, the data gathered illustrates that the CCF creates positive impact in a number of areas:

Enrichment: CCF contingents provide enrichment activity within schools, helping to build character, resilience, practical skills, and camaraderie in staff and students.

Attendance: The CCF was viewed positively by schools in terms of preventing absenteeism, with Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP) schools reporting that members of their CCF contingents had significantly lower levels of absence.

Exclusions: CCF contingents were integral to some schools in attempting to reduce exclusions.

Creating positive relationships: The CCF creates positive relationships in schools, with positive comments associated with maintaining eye contact with adults, responsible attitudes and being supportive.

Sense of belonging: School leaders noted that CCF contingents were instrumental in creating a sense of community and belonging for students.

Opportunities: CCFs provide cadets with opportunities to engage in Duke of Edinburgh Awards, Vocational Qualifications and First Aid programmes; qualifications that place cadets in a good position when applying for employment or further education.

Teacher confidence: The CCF officer role increases the affiliation of the teacher to the school, helps their sense of belonging, and develops both their competence and their understanding of pupils, resulting in better relations with them.

School outcomes: Schools reported positive outcomes associated with the CCF contingent, with all schools, whether independent or in the state sector, noting that their CCF was an excellent way of reinforcing the values and standards of the school. Additionally, cadet units contribute to positive school inspection outcomes.

Community engagement: Many CCF contingents take part in Remembrance Parades in their local community, which promotes community cohesion. This not only impacts on the cadet’s engagement in the community, but also that of their parents.

Investment: CCF contingents require a school to invest time and resources to establish them. Both CC/SSIs and Head Teachers viewed CCFs as a significant resource investment, but one that was a good investment for the school to make.

Several positive impacts were also noted for cadets:

Skills development: CCF contingents provide cadets with a progressive syllabus that includes skill awards and promotions. The Cadets’ peer mentoring approach upskills and promotes social skills. This is bolstered through access to qualifications gained through the Cadet Vocational College.

Career aspirations: CCF contingents encourage cadets to consider the future, with data on cadets’ plans for their post-school lives showing that the majority of cadets planned to go to university.

Confidence and self-efficacy: CCF contingents create opportunities for cadets to develop confidence and self-efficacy. The data gathered shows that cadets on average rated their experience of developing skills/abilities through their contingents very positively.

Wellbeing: CCF contingents provide routine and standards for all cadets, promoting mental health and wellbeing. The data gathered revealed positive changes in cadets’ wellbeing, with the most positive impacts being in relation to feeling closer to others, feeling useful and making up one’s own mind.

Resilience: CCF contingents have a positive impact on the resilience of cadets, with Head Teachers and CCF staff arguing that CCF contingents have a very positive impact on pupil resilience.

Launching the report, Minister for Veterans and People Alistair Carns said:

“Joining the cadets is more than just an opportunity – it’s a transformative experience. It empowers young people to build character, resilience and teamwork. They learn to lead with integrity, serve with purpose, and grow with honour.

This new report unequivocally demonstrates that being a cadet gives pupils an ‘edge’ in applications for college, university, apprenticeships and employment. This Government has a Plan for Change, and that includes an unwavering commitment to investing in our youth with programmes like the Cadet Expansion Programme.”

The report findings build on previous research which found that if every year the cadet experience helps just 1% of cadets change their life outcomes so that they’re in employment, education or training, the annual costs of the MOD’s Cadet Forces is completely covered. In terms of health and wellbeing alone, participation in the MOD Cadet Forces produce an annual return on investment in the region of about £120 million each year.

It has been estimated that each year a lifetime value of vocational qualifications gained by the most disadvantaged cadets is well over £130 million. Adult volunteers also see significant benefits from supporting the cadet forces by gaining confidence and additional skills and qualifications that are transferrable to their wider workplace.