FRIDAY 8 PROGRAMME

The Friday 8 programme involve activities which pupils carry out from 3:15pm on a Friday. They run until 4:30pm, and sometimes later depending on the nature of the activity each week. The programme is designed to enhance a wide-range of pupils’ ‘softer’ skills, such as leadership, teamwork and communication. During their Middle Fifth and Upper Fifth years at Exeter School, pupils choose to take part in either the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) or the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award. On reaching Sixth Form, they can either choose to stick with this option or choose one of the alternative options they now have open to them. Pupils can also pick CCF or DofE, even if they haven’t taken part in this activity before. Please be aware that numbers for each of these activities are limited, and are looking for pupils to be motivated and committed. Combined Cadet Force (CCF) Exeter School CCF is one of the largest in the region and offers an impressive range of options and activities to the cadets. The aims of the CCF are to develop pupils’ skills of leadership, teamwork and resilience through the structure of a cadet unit where these skills are nurtured and respected. Exeter School CCF is open to all Sixth Form pupils subject to capacity, whether or not they have been a member of the CCF in earlier years. The CCF has three sections reflecting the three services of the British Military. All of them share the common aims but often achieve them in different ways. The RN Section’s training is built around afloat training, the RN syllabus and outdoor expeditions, with cadets getting an impressive range of opportunities to develop their skills. The Army Section’s syllabus is built around basic infantry skills development, offering a range of opportunities such as field craft, weapon handling and survival training to name a few. The RAF Section has a strong ethos of teamwork, leadership, flying and high standards, also developing military skills, which are tested in regular competitions. All the sections enjoy visits to and courses with regular units of the three services. Recently these have involved damage control and firefighting with the RN, overnight and infantry exercises with the Army and flying Grob Tutors, DCCT shooting and Summer Camp with the RAF. Each section has its own unique style but all aim to train the cadets so that by the time they are in the U6 they are responsible for planning and delivering the training and leading the junior cadets, whilst, of course, being mentored by experienced and enthusiastic staff. Working towards becoming a Non Commissioned Officer (NCO), cadets will be trained in instructional techniques and leadership as well as section specific skills and knowledge. All cadets are encouraged to attend one of the camps, which run in the summer holidays, or our Adventure Training which usually runs at Easter. There is also a wide range of opportunities and courses, including leadership courses, run by the MOD at little cost to cadets. Exeter School CCF offers a great range of opportunities to pupils, which are not available elsewhere and enable the cadets to develop useful transferrable skills and a CV, which helps them to stand out. For more information, please see Sqn Ldr Smale, Contingent Commander CCF.

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