Reading Blue Coat’s Biennial Combined Cadet Force (CCF) inspection offered a brilliant opportunity to showcase the talents, teamwork, and development of our Navy, Army, and Air Force cadets. The event brought together cadets of all ages for a day packed with engaging and challenging activities.

The inspection was made even more meaningful as we welcomed back an Old Blue, Alexander Woodward-Court (1998), to lead the event. It began with a Guard of Honour, headed by cadets and accompanied by the Headmaster, setting the tone for a proud and purposeful inspection. Younger cadets participated in a variety of hands-on exercises, including shooting, sailing, command tasks, model aeroplane building, and bushcraft – providing a taste of the wide-ranging skills developed through CCF. Meanwhile, the older cadets demonstrated their growing leadership and teaching skills by delivering lessons in fieldcraft and tactics, showcasing the core values of responsibility and initiative.

Although the primary objective of the day was inspection, the occasion served as much more than that, it was a celebration of teamwork, resilience, and personal growth.

A standout moment of the day was the impressive finale: a 1/3 size gun run by the Navy section, supervised by regular Navy personnel.  Initial feedback from the inspection was overwhelmingly positive, with particular praise for the clear progression evident throughout the different year groups.

The inspection not only affirmed the quality of the School’s CCF programme but also highlighted the strong sense of community, service, and leadership among its young cadets.

Sergeant Smith, Officer i/c Army Section