Changes to CCF funding - Cadet Expansion Programme

Adult Staff Execs
1

You will be aware that the CEP aims to establish new cadet units of some sort in 100 state schools by 2015.
You may be aware that something like 95% of these are new CCFs.
You may have a view on whether the CEP is a good thing, and will result in more cadets overall, or will simply bleed local ATC/ACF units dry.

You may also have seen a leak from DfE published in the Sunday Telegraph a few weeks ago stating that private schools will be asked to pay more for their CCFs in order to fund CEP. The idea is that all schools pay something, rather than old CCFs paying nothing and new ones paying a lot.

What do you think about this? On the one hand, you may think ‘good idea, wealthy private schools shouldn’t be getting a freebie’, though that view ignores the massive overt and hidden subsidies private schools put into their CCFs (e.g. I don’t know of a single one where the RFCA paid for the building the CCF uses); you may think ‘bad idea, if the CEP succeeds it will kill off our ATC unit’.

A couple of thoughts which have caused controversy:

a. The small number of ‘old’ state school CCFs would have to pay for something which is currently free.
b. Private schools in Scotland would be asked to pay for something which is only happening in England. (That’s the fault of the Scottish and Welsh Governments, by the way, not MOD or DfE.)

So - should we be asked to pay?

(The cost per cadet in a CCF is estimated by MOD at £600pa, which is more than an ATC cadet. They’re not proposing we pay all of that.)

2

I won’t be commentating on political policy as that is a sure fire way to end up sacked. What i will say however is that i am aware that hardly any schools have taken up the offer and all of them have the financial savvy to recognise that the funding isn’t guaranteed beyond the initial investment amount.

This programme is running, “At risk”.

3

Ah, but I suspect this initiative is designed to get more schools to sign up.

When CEP was launched they quoted figures of £400 per cadet for SCC/ATC/ACF, and £500 for CCF. You had to produce a sponsor who would guarantee that for five years. No wonder no one was interested…

The capital injection was only ever for that i.e. Buildings etc.

What they are saying in effect is that they want to be able to reduce the above figure, by levying a similar charge on existing CCFs. There are 260, roughly, so with 100 new ones you could reduce the financial commitment by new CCFs by around 60%.

4

My initial feeling is that they’re missing a trick.
Why the desire to create additional CCF units? Why not focus that intent on expanding the current cadet forces? What is it that the Government feel they’re achieving by creating more CCFs?

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[quote=“wdimagineer2b” post=16339]My initial feeling is that they’re missing a trick.
Why the desire to create additional CCF units? Why not focus that intent on expanding the current cadet forces? What is it that the Government feel they’re achieving by creating more CCFs?[/quote]

It’s the only way to ensure governance over the money. The Department for Education are the ones supplying the money. If it came from the MoD who knows where it would end up (perhaps mostly in the pocket of the ACF thanks to the RFCA unchallenged bias?). Also, it ticks the manifesto box for the skills and education programme and the repairing broken families pledge. The majority of CCFs are in public schools and the government think that putting more in state schools it will somehow engender a new culture amongst those “at risk” of being a burden on the state in future years.

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6

I think the decision may potentially end our schools involvement with CCF. Not joking either, it is a State school with nothing left in the funding pot as it is.

I am now distinctly against the CEP idea as it is currently set out.

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7

I just can’t what positive effect they’re hoping to achieve that isn’t already being catered for by current units?

It just seems like a waste of public money to create additional units with additional overheads offering something which is already available, and already being paid for by more public money.

I genuinely can’t see any benefit to creating school cadet units in an area where the ACF/ATC/SCC already operate (which, to be honest, is most of the country).

It’s the kind of decision that makes you want to throw a bucket of water in the face of ministers, slap them a bit and say “Where the hell is your mind?”

8

When I’ve asked that question, the answer I’m given is that CEP CCFs will encourage different cadets to take part - those who (for reasons of chaotic family life, for example) just won’t get themselves along to parade nights, but if it’s part of their school day will manage to do so. Thereby they hope to improve the lives of marginal pupils - those who can manage the commitment to get to ATC/ACF/SCC will already be doing so.

On a more cynical note, many of Gove’s policies can be summed up as ‘make state schools superficially resemble public schools, and they will miraculously get similar results’…

9

I was told they are deliberately not targetting areas with cadet forces already present. Didn’t stop them opening one near a local sqn though!

10

There’s a ‘Schools Cadet Expansion Officer’ working for each RFCA. If you hear rumours of a CEP project in your area, and are worried about your sqn, you should speak to them. One of their jobs is to ensure new CEP units don’t have an adverse effect on existing units.

11

Maybe because I’ve been in an ‘open’ one, but I really don’t feel there is a place for ‘closed’ squadrons and my albeit limied experience of the CCF is that they are very insular and if you get these formed under the CEP they will no doubt be similar. At least in open squadrons you have youngsters from the local community and breaking down many of the school rivalries. When I was a lad I used to socialise outisde of my local area all the time and had friends from schools all across the borough and different parts of the borough. More so than the majority of kids I was in school with, who saw anyone from outside our town as a threat, not quite the gang culture we hear about now, but pretty close. I see this as open nature pivotal as schools are and always have been parochial.

What I also do not understand is that under the CEP you could effectively get 2 or 3 cadet units of all colours within a very small radius and all very insular. This surely goes against the local community inclusivity agenda that politicians bang on about. Open squadrons espouse this ethos, we take anyone of any school, colour, relgion, creed etc etc etc. I have currently got cadets that go to single sex schools outside of the area and their parents think that being in the ATC is good for them. Bizarrely one of the lads is a day schooler at a school with a CCF, but thinks they are all ‘up themselves’ so comes to us. plus it’s in school.

12

Seen on the MOD website -

New fund to expand cadet units in state schools (18/06/2014)

Thousands of school pupils will get the chance to be part of new cadet units thanks to a new ÂŁ1 million bursary scheme.

The scheme will directly help state schools with the running cost of a Combined Cadet Force – mixed cadet units based in a school – using money raised from banks following the LIBOR scandal.

The Prime Minister said:

"Being a cadet is a fantastic opportunity that gives young people the skills they need to get on in life.

“I want many more people to gain this type of experience no matter what their background, and that is exactly what this new funding will help deliver.”

The government has committed to setting up 100 new cadet units by 2015 and, while the set-up costs will be covered, schools have to fund running and staff costs as part of their curriculum funding.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said:

"The Cadet Expansion Programme will help schools sustain and grow cadet numbers to ensure that as many young people as possible can benefit from gaining access to military-themed activities.

“This will help more young people develop important life skills such as leadership, self-reliance and endurance whilst increasing their self-confidence so they can reach their full potential at school and beyond.”

The new ‘Cadet Bursary Scheme’ will help schools cover this cost, with new units given support with their running costs and access to a roster of trained instructors. The money will help fund activities including expeditions, first aid, sailing and leadership training.

The ÂŁ1 million from LIBOR fines will be matched by private sector contributions, with ÂŁ300,000 already committed from organisations and individuals. Further investment is expected across all military cadet programmes over the next 4 years.

The government is keen to use the cadet programme to give more young people the opportunity to learn about a military ethos – self-discipline, teamwork, punctuality and self-confidence.

Good to see LIBOR fines going to a good cause; just hope it is spent well…

So it is not actually ‘new’ money for the CFs, we are having to use fines to cover expansion

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[quote=“romeo bravo” post=19016]Good to see LIBOR fines going to a good cause; just hope it is spent well…

So it is not actually ‘new’ money for the CFs, we are having to use fines to cover expansion[/quote]

Suppose it’s better than Osbourne just “printing” more cash…

Not sure that in reality this will amount to much more than just a bit of politics in the great scheme of things.

14

We already have a well established cadet network CCF-SCC -ACF-ATC. All successful in their own right. I accept that all have faults but generally they are in good order.
The old adage of “if it ain’t broke -don’t try to fix it” is very correct here.
If Central government want to expand the cadet forces they should be investing in what we already have.
The funding would I believe be put to far better use.

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[quote=“397k” post=19112]If Central government want to expand the cadet forces they should be investing in what we already have.
The funding would I believe be put to far better use.[/quote]
We and all of our compatriots know this and I sincerely hope our respective senior management know this.
I realise that a large part of this is due to where the money comes from, but rather than put into the MOD money pit, give the money directly to the units. They have our addresses. As a sqn cdr a bit of extra cash, even if we have to ringfence it and show how it was spent, would be well recieved.
However the vast majority of our senior politicians of all colours come from background that would have included school based cadet units and for that reason open squadrons and the potential for cross community cohesion don’t even exist, despite the fact when they turn up to a parade or similar the cadets there will be from open units, not school.
I am intrigued as to who will staff them? There have been teacher strikes in recent months and I get a general impression teachers don’t want “extra responsibilities/duties” that already exist, so to add something else doesn’t seem like it will work. I also get an underlying view that schools are best placed (in the politicians view) to bring up children and sort all of societies ills, so a cadet unit in every school is just another layer to this.

16

It doesn’t just have to be teachers these days. In a contingent I worked with a tear or so ago, the majority were from support staff, ie teaching assistants, welfare staff, pupil support staff etc.

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17

The majority are in new schools and academies opening up so it can be part of the contract. They also buy in external support.

18

Does anyone on the forum have any accurate insights into the reported decision by the UK Labour Government “to cut funding for Combined Cadet Forces (CCFs) in state schools”?

I missed the printed edition of The Telegraph where this seems to have been first referenced.

I’m hoping the apparent lack of media coverage elsewhere is an indication that any cuts are not too drastic (although: any reduction in funding or strategic support for the Cadet Forces is always A Bad Thing).

Because worst-case, it sounds as if HMG might be pulling all funding for state school CCFs…

In your on time, at the target ahead, carry on.

19

In a word, no. I read some of the letters in the Telegraph and was, TBH, none the wiser.

20

Have put cadets in to the Parliament website and the only thing that came up was a Hansard report from earlier this year.