RUDHEATH Senior Academy pupils had a taste of military life when they joined the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) for a training day.

The taster session, attended by children in years eight and nine, marked the start of the new partnership which will see a CCF unit based at the Middlewich Road school.

The youngsters trained with the 75 Engineer Regiment in Warrington, supported by the CCF from UTC Warrington, which is a specialist science, engineering and cyber college.

Rudheath have embarked on this link-up after new research, conducted by Nottingham University, revealed that a school's CCF has a direct link to improved educational outcomes and makes pupils more employable.

Other bonuses include better mental and physical well-being, stronger community links and increased social mobility.

Headteacher Lee Barber said: "It was a fantastic first session.

"We will have another one before the end of term and then the official launch of our CCF will be in September.

"It has been a great opportunity to organise and lead a school trip for a group of year eight and nine students interested in developing their teamwork, leadership and resilience skills.

"CCF units in schools give young people the life skills and self-confidence to take charge of their lives so they can reach their full potential at school and beyond, including in employment."

The CCF is a youth organisation in the United Kingdom, sponsored by the Ministry of Defence, which operates in schools, and normally includes Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force sections.

It offers young people in secondary schools across the UK the opportunity to take part in a range of challenging and adventurous educational activities.

The aim is to promote the development of personal responsibility, leadership and self-discipline.

This aligns closely with Rudheath's core value of excellence, further strengthened by the LORIC rewards system, in which students are rewarded for demonstrating acts of leadership, organisation, resilience, initiative and communication.

The school is one of 30 new cadet units recently approved by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, as part of the Cadet Expansion Programme.