Young people who join the cadets do better at school, have
improved attendance and behaviour and are more likely to go to
university, a new report has found.
The Ministry of Defence, in collaboration with the University of
Northampton, today launches its latest report, The Impact and
Value of School-based Cadet Forces in the UK. It highlights the
transformative impact of the Cadet Forces on social mobility,
employability and mental health, demonstrating the immense value
cadets bring to wider society, but particularly schools.
Having a cadet unit in school also has a positive impact on the
resilience of pupils that are cadets according to 98.9% of head
teachers surveyed.
Minister for Veterans and People said:
"Joining the cadets is more than just an opportunity—it's a
transformative experience. It empowers young people to build
character, resilience, and teamwork. They learn to lead with
integrity, serve with purpose, and grow with honour.
“This new report unequivocally demonstrates that being a cadet
gives pupils an ‘edge' in applications for college, university,
apprenticeships and employment. This Government has a Plan for
Change, and that includes an unwavering commitment to investing
in our youth with programmes like the Cadet Expansion
Programme.”
As publicly funded national youth organisations for
12–18-year-olds, the Cadets Forces' goals and values are
reflective of the Government's aims, as laid out in the Plan for
Change. That includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for
all and making the country fit and secure for the future.
To mark the publication, and celebrate the significance of cadets
and their contributions, the Defence Minister joined active cadets and
notable former cadets and advocates at Frimley Park Cadet
Training Centre, in Surrey.
During the event, Army cadets completed an obstacle course before
being joined by the minister – along with Jordan Wylie – for a
group race carrying a log. Navy and Sea cadets, meanwhile,
competed on a Field Gun run and a rope tying course, while the
RAF cadets stepped into an immersive VR activity.
Whilst at the training centre, the Minister also awarded the
medals to cadets who are medal recipients for their participation
in the King's Coronation in 2023.
The report findings build on previous research which found that
if every year the cadet experience helps just 1% of cadets change
their life outcomes so that they're in employment, education or
training, the annual costs of the cadet forces is completely
covered. In terms of health and wellbeing alone, participation in
the Cadet Force produce an annual return on investment in the
region of about £120 million each year.
It has been estimated that each year a lifetime value of
vocational qualifications gained by the most disadvantaged cadets
is well over £130 million. Adult volunteers also see significant
benefits from supporting the cadet forces by gaining confidence
and additional skills and qualifications that are transferrable
to their wider workplace.
Notes to Editors
The 2025 report from The University of Northampton highlights:
· Improved
school attendance - The new report highlights the
link between participation in the Cadet Force with improved
school attendance; and with the cost of one persistently absent
child being up to £2,166 annually, if the cadet units in the 529
schools that have them, stop the absence of just one pupil a year
the financial saving is to the education budget is £1.14 million
per annum.
· Improved
behaviour - The cost of delivering behaviour
improvement programmes comes in at £171 per child. In April 2023
there were approximately 52,000 pupils in school-based cadet
units, thus the potential saving from the initiative could be in
the region of £8.89 million per annum.
· Attainment
- The Unit Cost Database points out that the
lifetime economic benefit of a one-grade improvement in GCSE
results, per subject, is £9,337. If we assume that c. 12,000
pupils in cadet units take GCSE or SQA Level 4 examinations a
year, and that just 50% of these cadets improve their results in
one GCSE/SQA subject by one grade, then the potential economic
benefit is circa £56 million, per
annum.
· Exclusions -
Persistent truancy rates are now double those pre-Covid with 11%
of secondary school age children now regularly not going to
school. The report notes that some schools, especially those that
are part of the CEP, are using their Combined Cadet Force (CCF)
contingents as part of their strategy to reduce
exclusions.
