St Edward's Oxford

Contingent Commander

The Combined Cadet Force at St Edward's:

The Combined Cadet Force Ethos

The stated aims of the CCF are to develop a young person's powers of leadership through training, to promote the qualities of responsibility, self-reliance, resourcefulness and a sense of service to the school. The CCF also aims to give some background knowledge about the three services.

The Combined Cadet Force at St Edward’s

In the Shell year at St Edward's all pupils are introduced to the Combined Cadet Force as Army Cadets and everyone takes part in the full range of activities that the CCF has to offer.

This training is integrated in the Shells Circus programme and together with the compulsory games programme and the array of cultural activities on offer is the foundation of a pupil’s co-curricular life at St Edward’s.

The Shell year culminates in a four-day camp in Snowdonia where basic field craft, self-reliance and leadership skills are developed and tested and everyone has the opportunity to work towards their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

In the 4th Form pupils are encouraged to continue in the Army section or transfer to the RAF or Navy sections. A minority who feel unable to continue in the Contingent undertake a programme of Lifeskills which concentrates on adventure training, first aid and social skills with no military connections.

In this way St Edward's operates all three CCF sections: Army, Navy and Air Force, with Shells Army Section training taking place at various times on Mondays and Wednesdays and Navy, Army, RAF (and Lifeskills) Training for Fourths taking place on Monday afternoons.

During the Autumn and Spring Term all 4th Form pupils spend two days away on a Field Weekend (usually a Sunday and a Monday), when they will travel to Army, Navy and RAF bases and undertake the more adventurous activities which cannot normally be undertaken during the course of a normal Monday afternoon.

At the end of the Summer Term the CCF travels to various bases for a week of military and adventurous training. Optional Range and Flying Days are held twice a term on Friday afternoons and a 3-day Senior Cadet Camp is held once a year, generally early in the Autumn Term.

The CCF holds an Inspection day each summer term and also supports the local Wolvercote Branch of the British Legion each year at the Remembrance Day Parade and Service.

School facilities used by the CCF include canoes and kayaks based at the Royal Navy Hut at the school boathouse, a 12-element obstacle course, indoor and outdoor bouldering walls, a low-ropes course (built in 2009), permanent and temporary orienteering courses and a paint-ball area adjacent to the school fields.

The CCF maintains a 6-lane indoor shooting range (for .22 and .177 rifles) and an extensive store and cadet centre in the Esporta Leisure Complex which doubles as an outdoor pursuits store supporting the climbing club, DofE Expeditions and other adventure training within the school.

The CCF Contingent Commander is Maj Keith Shindler (CCF) and WO2 Simon Frazer.

Keith Shindler

tel: 01865 319 419

School Staff Instructor

Simon Frazer

tel: 01865 319 284

Royal Navy Section Commander

Einar Olive

tel: 01865 319 231

Army Section Commander

Philip Waghorn

tel: 01865 319 231

Royal Air Force Section Commander