Backing for cadet call

4:10pm Saturday 17th May 2008

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Children in Bradford could soon be learning self-discipline and survival skills as the combined cadet service is expanded into state schools.

Ministers want to give youngsters the chance to learn extra skills, from military routines to personal development in the cadets.

Thousands of pupils in independent schools are already recruited' into the CCF, and now Government ministers want state school children to have the same opportunity.

A review led by Labour MP, Quentin Davies, will propose the setting up of CCFs in state schools.

And the idea has received the backing of the heads of independent schools and pupils in the Bradford district.

Bradford Grammar School head teacher Stephen Davidson said: "We are a democracy, we need an armed service and we need to attract youngsters with a whole range of skills from a broad spectrum of backgrounds.

"The CCF is one of the fantastic opportunities that the pupils get here. Our's has actually developed from being Army-based to having an RAF section. Essentially it's run by an Army officer assisted by some of our staff who have been through the whole MOD training programme.

"They have a very structured series of activities but then also the opportunity to go off to camps and develop leadership."

Year Ten Bradford pupil and CCF member, Lance-bombardier Cecilia Rix, 14, said the CCF helped cadets develop much-needed qualities. "You learn how to survive in the wild and cook.

You have to learn to give lessons. You also have to be good at communication and be organised."

And Battery Sergeant Major Oliver Butterworth who is set to take-up a place at the University of Durham, also backed the plans. The Ilkley 17-year-old said: "Being a member of the CCF teaches you leadership and responsibility and you get the chance to learn skills such as First Aid and shooting, and it also instils confidence, discipline and self-reliance.

"You go on a lot of camps - some of them are quite civilian and include walking and outdoor activities and others more military with tactics and drill.'' There are 130,000 children in cadet forces around the country - 42,000 in school cadet corps - but Mr Davies believes there ought to be more.

He wants to address the imbalance of having 200 independent school CCFs but only a relatively small number of state school corps - with private schools swallowing the lion's share of the £80 million Ministry of Defence cadet corps budget.

Mr Davies said: "Cadet forces are an under-valued and great national asset. The benefits are very great and go far beyond any military value."

Mr Davidson said he would be "very open" to working with Bradford state schools who wished to set-up their own CCF unit in the future.

"I think this concept of an education divide between independent schools and maintained schools is something that is found only in the minds of politicians rather than schools who are looking after children day-in, day-out.

If other schools in Bradford wanted to link with us through the CCF they would be looking at an open door."