LSF win third consecutive Royal Air Squadron Trophy, making CCF history

Loughborough Grammar School CCF wins third consecutive Royal Air Squadron Trophy 

Cadets from Loughborough Grammar School’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF) have secured the national title at the Royal Air Squadron Trophy (RAST) for a third consecutive year – a remarkable achievement in the history of the School’s CCF. 

Fourteen RAF cadets from both Loughborough Grammar School for boys and Loughborough High School for girls travelled to RAF Wittering on Sunday 21 June to compete in the national finals, having qualified by finishing first in the regional competition earlier this year. Despite having only a few days to prepare as a team following their GCSE and A Level examinations, the cadets delivered an outstanding performance against some of the strongest competition in the country. 

The prestigious competition tests cadets across a wide range of disciplines including foot drill, air rifle shooting, space, cyber, first aid and leadership – demanding exceptional teamwork, resilience, communication and technical skill. 

The day began with a flawless performance in the drill round, immediately boosting team confidence. While a complex leadership task later posed challenges and resulted in an incomplete solution, the cadets demonstrated remarkable resilience, regrouping to deliver a stellar performance in the space round. 

Further tests followed, including a demanding and highly realistic disaster response scenario in the first aid round, before the team made a final push in the cyber and shooting events. It was in shooting where they particularly excelled, achieving multiple groupings as small as 4mm. 

Their combined efforts saw them place: 

• 1st in shooting 

• 2nd in drill, space and cyber 

• 3rd in first aid 

• 5th in leadership 

These results secured overall first place and the title of National Champions once again. 

Section Commander, Flt Lt Jo Smith, said: “Three RAST wins in a row – I’m speechless! I am so proud of the entire team for their commitment, determination and talent, especially while balancing the demands of GCSE and A Level exams. This is an incredible achievement and a testament to the high level of training at Loughborough Grammar School CCF.” 

This historic accomplishment cements Loughborough Grammar School CCF’s reputation as one of the leading RAF cadet contingents in the country. 

We are blessed to have such hard-working young people in our RAF section; their appetite for achievement is huge. The enthusiasm we see amongst our cadets and staff, and the support they show for one another, is what makes them remarkable. To hold this title again is a real honour – the cadets truly deserve everything they have worked to achieve.

Contingent Commander, Lt Col Ben Ward

📸 Media permissions for the use of this image on our social media and websites have been obtained