Combined Cadet Force (CCF) | Official announced that the first ever National Cadets Week will take place from 5-11 October 2026.

With over 350 CCF contingents in secondary schools all over the UK, the Combined Cadet Force offers thousands of young people a broad range of challenging, exciting, adventurous and educational activities. Our aim is to help young people develop valuable team-working and leadership skills, build their confidence and equip them with valuable life skills such as self-discipline, confidence and resilience. Each CCF is an educational partnership between the school and the Ministry of Defence, and a CCF may include Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army or Royal Air Force sections. The Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP) was launched in June 2012 by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister with the aim to deliver 100 new cadet units in English state-funded schools. Since then the Government has committed to grow the total number of cadet units in schools across the UK to 500 by 2020, which will be supported in part by £50m of Libor funding. The goal is to significantly increase the number of young people who are able to access the cadet experience – a development that is likely to deliver significant benefits to schools and young people.