We get on really well with our local CCF, and plan all our training weekends to include them. We even get cadets from their Army and RN section. We also have competitions against the other cadets units and plan staff training together, especially for things like NGB’s when there is a cost to getting an instructor to run a course.
It took a few years to get to the that position, but it has been worth it.
Another huge thing is CCFs often have their own land/playing fields etc. Especially when a lot of CCFs are at grammar/private/wealthier schools. Having access to large areas of non DTE (esp with covid keeping units at home) land for mainly fieldcraft but honestly anything would be really valuable for ATC, but ik that we’ve never done anything with local ATC sqns
It seems clear to me. The CEP means loads of new funding to new CCF contingents (mainly state schools - the community cadets recruiting grounds).No extra funding for community cadets. Schools have premises, land, facilities, professional safeguarding staff, H&S staff/contracts and risk assessments etc. New CCF staff from within the school are paid as part of their job plus VA for courses.
Simple, the return for investment is much higher for the CCF so my prediction is that the community cadets will slowly be absorbed into schools.
Basically and I may be wrong we are refered to as Air Cadets, Air Training Corps (or even Space Cadets). The Royal Air Force Air Cadets encompasses ATC and CCF, however The Royal Warrant is most definitely Air Training Corps.
Uniformed staff fall under the umbrella of RAFAC.
Simples 
Only if they go to that school. We have a local trust which has set up a CCF (ACF) in one of its 2 secondary schools, kids from the other school go to it, but are allowed to leave early and get bussed there. The other sec school in our area doesn’t have a CCF and their kids could never get there in time, ergo there needs to be a community provision.
The premise of the CEP is that MPs were part of the CCF and apparently saw the benefits, but this would only apply to those who went to a grammar or public school.
When we were told about the CEP at an OC Conf, (probably 10 yrs ago) the fact schools were getting money chucked at them and we weren’t wasn’t lost on us and it got very hostile very quickly. As I recall schools needed to buy in to the scheme for at least 5 years and as the local one has found school staff who were doing it left for pastures new and as far as I can make out the new staff haven’t taken up the baton. The problem will come if community units close because of the CEP ones and the CEP ones do 5 years and then stop. Will anyone want to reopen a community unit … we all know the answer.
If the CEP does eventually happen as expected someone will need to force teachers to do it and stop them moving around like they do, but given the lack of teachers across all subjects, they know they can move almost on a whim into another job.
Perhaps HQAC need to grow up and not place the expectation on sqns having a specific number of cadets, if there are CEP units in their area. We haven’t suffered too much, but the local ACF is struggling to get new cadets as they drew heavily from one of these 2 schools, whereas we generally get cadets from all 3 local schools, but we have seen a reduction from the CEP schools.
CEP can be a threat to the community cadets however there are opportunities
if you have cadets in both CCF & ATC the cadets get quicker training free MTPs
community cadets can get access to additional training & support.
(The most ironic of all) - as CCFs need to have an an ARMY section, a second section is likly to be RN due to the fact the RAFAC have a different management system( Bader vs Westminster) & RAFAC has a reputation for excessive bureaucracy & cumbersome chain of command.
As long as HQAC keeps the admin high enough to put off schools but low enough so the organisation can technically function, the ATC units will be fine.
I can’t see the AEF or gliding fleet being expanded at the time being to provide an opportunity for all these new cadets so also HQAC just keeps units the same then everything will be fine.
Do any cadets do CEP ACF cadet and Air Cadets, given the differences, extra commitment interfering with schoolwork (dad head there) and then potential clashes at weekends. You cannot serve two masters. We all know this as staff, when work or family trump a cadet activity.
I know the local school tried to poach cadets pre pandemic, but they said no thanks.
While the different systems and OTT Air Cadet bureaucracy may deter schools from forming an RAF unit, if sqns do end up with lower numbers as a result, will HQAC accept this and allow them to continue?
Surely though where CEP is happening in state schools considering a CCF, they should be first encouraged to engage with the local units to see how they can both work together to support each others aims, for example, the community unit moving into school premises but keeping to evening parading, thereby removing the need for RFCA etc to maintain a dedicated building.
In light of recent news…
It’s because the ATC is run by morons and cancels anything of interest because someone looks at something a bit funny, while the CCF can actually do things that kids want!
CCF(RAF) have also been victim of this inability to let local commanders assess risk this weekend.
Not anymore. The army will still be in charge, but you don’t need an army section
CCF (Army) out running fieldcraft, CCF(RAF) can’t even run a PowerPoint.
Thankfully it is half term in lots of places.
Indeed. We’re not affected, but usually half term is when we go off and do stuff. Luckily we chose the first weekend this time
Activities on school grounds remain at the head’s discretion. The only impact on CCF(RAF) should be off site activities.
Our TEST officer has said no RAFAC activities whatsoever. However, if we weren’t on half term we could always have stood up the school “gliding club” for an afternoon
That’s because that is what his boss has told him. Someone needs to explain the limits of Comdt RAFAC’s powers over the CCF iaw the CCF Regulations…
Someone needs to explain to ccf that unfortunately they come under RAFAC, guess some don’t understand H&S plus don’t like being told what they can and cannot do by the boss, and if CCF are concerned with regulations start wearing the uniform iaw them
I feel like your understanding of the different chains of command is somewhat flawed…
Which bit of ccf comes under RAFAC is difficult for you to undestand. However I agree they shouldn’t and shouldn’t even wear same uniform.
You’re welcome to check out other discussions where the difference in CoC, regulations, and DDHs have been discussed previously. If you do, please keep it more civil than your message above, because it comes across as aggressive.
For this thread though, we’re getting well away from the original question so we’ll leave it there.