The Collegiate has its own Combined Cadet Force (CCF) contingent. Its aim is to promote the qualities of leadership, responsibility, self reliance, resourcefulness, endurance and perseverance and to foster a sense of service to the community. The CCF is not a recruiting organisation for the armed forces, but one of its objectives is "to encourage those who have an interest in the services to become Officers of the Regular or Reserve Forces".

Students can volunteer to join the CCF at the start of Year 9 and recruit training focuses on turnout (looking smart), drill (marching) and skill at arms (weapons training). Learning how to iron trousers can be as difficult as re-assembling the Cadet GP Rifle after it has been stripped, but both demand of the cadet self-discipline and attention to detail. Once cadets wear their uniform with pride they can take part in visits to various military establishments.

Recruit training lasts until Christmas when the recruits decide whether to join the Army or the RAF Section of the contingent. Although the emphasis of training is different in the two sections, both offer training which is varied and exciting and which places great emphasis on self reliance and responsibility. If a cadet enjoys the CCF way of life and stays on beyond Year 9 the emphasis of training switches increasingly to leadership as the senior cadets are encouraged to motivate and train the younger cadets. With this added responsibility comes promotion and the opportunity to attend external courses to develop their leadership potential.

CCF cadets not only learn valuable life skills such as first aid and map-reading but can also gain nationally recognised qualifications including the BTEC First Diploma in Public Services and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The Army Section
After recruit training, the emphasis for those who join the Army Section shifts to marksmanship, field-craft, map and compass and first aid. Becoming a good shot requires self-discipline and control and live firing clearly demands a responsible attitude. Field-craft covers a wide range of skills from how to improvise a shelter and cook food in the field to remaining hidden from the enemy. All cadets learn how to navigate with a map and compass and practise planning and walking a route, an aspect of training which is formally assessed for those enrolled for the Duke of Edinburgh Award. First aid training is practical and hands on and can lead to civilian qualifications.

For the senior cadets planning and carrying out a patrol or an ambush with up to 10 junior cadets is hugely demanding. There is an awful lot of information for them to assimilate, they have to come up with an effective plan and then brief their troops. They then have to ensure that their plan is carried out by leading the patrol. A successful lead of this type gives a cadet a huge sense of achievement and if it all goes horribly wrong there is always next time to get it right. This is real leadership under pressure and the cadets love it. But the Army Section is not just about military skills, there are a wide variety of opportunities available to the cadets:

• Practical leadership tasks which make high demands of resourcefulness, command and control and teamwork.
• The obstacle course which requires courage, determination and teamwork to complete.
• Adventurous training which puts individuals in challenging situations.
• Visits to Army units when they can see and even try out high-tech equipment. Camps when they are taken out of their comfort zone and their self-reliance is developed.

The RAF Section
The CCF (RAF) revolves around flying and aviation. The cadets must learn basic aviation theory such as principles of flight, aircraft operations, and meteorology, academically demanding subjects which are not only important for pilots, but which also have considerable cross-curricular relevance to mathematics, physics and geography.

They get to put this theory into practice in the air in both powered aircraft and gliders, and that is the most exciting aspect of the CCF for RAF cadets. Flying with experienced RAF pilots in a light aircraft, cadets are given the opportunity to experience all the thrills of flying including aerobatics. They are encouraged to fly manoeuvres themselves and this is incredibly exciting for them as well as doing wonders for their self-confidence.

For cadets who show aptitude and a positive attitude there is scope to undertake a gliding or flying scholarship, either of which gives them the opportunity to accrue a lot of flying hours, which would be very expensive to achieve through a civilian club and could be a stepping stone to a rewarding sport or career. Within the CCF (RAF) the sky really is the limit.

Inter-school Competitions
There are several major competitions each year when CCF contingents from all over the Northeast of England compete against each other. For Exercise Colts Canter a team of 8 cadets complete a 10-mile speed march as quickly as possible and en route are tested on their map reading, first aid and weapons handling. At the end when they are totally exhausted they have a competition shoot and must complete a command task. There are other competitions solely for shooting and first aid and the winning teams at regional level can go on to compete nationally.

Adventurous Training

• Canoeing
• Caving
• Mountain walking and rock climbing
• Sailing
• Skiing
• Sub-aqua diving

In recent years cadets from the Collegiate have undertaken rock climbing, canoeing, mountain walking and skiing.These activities require determination, courage and willpower. Expeditions such as the national 3 Peaks Challenge and the Welsh 3000s Challenge were long and arduous and the cadets raised hundreds of pounds for charity. Involvement in these types of challenging events looks great on a university application or curriculum vitae, but more importantly our cadets gain a huge sense of achievement and that does wonders for their confidence and self-esteem.