Combined Cadet Force and Duke of Edinburgh Award News

In September 2023, 56 new recruits from Cardinal Wiseman joined the St Benedict’s School Combine Cadet Force. This swelled the ranks of the contingent to a total of 153 cadets of which 108 (71%) of the Contingent is made up of Cardinal Wiseman Students.

Through their participation in the Cadets, our students learn discipline, resilience and self-reliance. Students who stay in the Cadet Force for 2 years will start leadership training, which means that by the time they are in the 6^th Form, they will become the Non-Commissioned Officers (Corporals and Sergeants) who run the Cadet Force. They plan and teach all the lessons that the junior cadets learn and they command the junior cadets on the tactical training exercises. It is these leadership skills that will be most valued by employers in the future.

All of the Cadets have taken part in three tactical training exercises this year. The new intake have been learning the basics of surviving outdoors whilst the more senior cadets are learning military tactics.

Cadet’s learning camouflage skills

The Year 10 Cadets have continued their Weapons’ Training and were firing on a live range in February, meaning that many of them have now earned their Silver Cadet Proficiency Award.

Live Firing, February 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alongside the tactical and weapon’s skills that the Cadets have been learning, they have had the opportunity to participate in a number of Ceremonial events throughout the year.

In November, the Cadets lead the School’s Remembrance Day event. In addition to this, on Remembrance Sunday he Contingent was asked to lead the Borough of Ealing’s Parade.

 

Cardinal Wiseman Cadets on Parade in Ealing Broadway for Remembrance Sunday

The Cadet Force Corps of Drums take part in many musical events throughout the year.

On 31 November, the Cadet Corps of Drums proudly welcomed guests to the Lord Mayor’s Appeal Impact Reception at the Lord Mayor’s Mansion House in London.

The Cadets have plenty more planned for the rest of the academic year. At the end of March, this year’s intake of Recruits will be taking part in a 4-day tactical exercise to pass their training tests and earn the promotion from Recruit to Cadet. There will be rock climbing and parachute training in the Summer term and during the Summer holiday, the contingent will be completing their annual Summer Camp.

Any students interested in joining the Cadets should speak to Mr Elliott. Year 8 will be given the opportunity to sign up to the Cadet Force in the Summer term, ready to start training at the start of Year 9.

Duke of Edinburgh Award.

72 Students at Cardinal Wiseman are currently undergoing the Challenge of trying to earn their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award and a further 17 are attempting to earn their Silver Award.

The Duke of Edinburgh gives young people the opportunity to show their determination and selflessness to take part in a challenge that lasts 12 months. In this time they will volunteer in their local community, learn a new skill and develop their fitness or sporting ability for at least 1 hour a week.

Whilst completing their volunteering, skill and physical challenge the students conduct expedition training ready to complete an arduous hike. For the students completing the Bronze Award, this is a 2 day hike and for the students doing the Silver Award, it is a 3 day hike. The expedition is one of the first times that students have complete independence from teachers and adults. They hike for hours completely relying on themselves to map read, set the pace of the hike and decide when to break for meals. All students, even though they are exhausted by the end, talk about how much more confident they become as a result of knowing that they can look after themselves on an arduous expedition.

Any students looking to complete the Duke of Edinburgh Award should speak to Mr Elliott

Student’s completing their Silver Award Expedition in May 2023