Duke of York's Royal Military School - Parading, Military Instruction, Adventurous Training

Parading, Military Instruction, Adventurous Training

Ceremonial Parades take place each Sunday morning; the grandest of these being Remembrance Sunday and the Grand Day at the end of summer. On Parade, as well as for all military activities, pupils are instead called cadets and are organised into ceremonial Guards or else play an instrument in the Band. Cadets wear the standard dark blue ceremonial uniform of the British Army. The Duke of York’s Royal Military School Ceremonial Band is the largest within the Ministry of Defence, being larger still than the Massed Bands of the Brigade of Foot Guards. The considerable number of notable musicians educated at the school over the last 207 years demonstrates the very high standards in music tuition. In recent years the band has performed at:

• Twickenham Stadium (for the annual rugby match between the Royal Navy and British Army)
• Lords Cricket Ground (for International Test Match Cricket)
• Chatham Historic Dockyard (Armed Forces Day), alongside The Band of HM Royal Marines
• Aldershot (for the Army Rugby League Finals).

The school employs a regimental sergeant major to co-ordinate ceremonial drill and military instruction.

All pupils are cadets, with ranks ranging from cadet to senior under officer, and entrance to the armed forces at all ranks - as either a ranking soldier or commissioned officer entrant – occurs regularly. There is regular cross-training with soldiers from the British Army as well as the school’s own military officers.

Adventurous Training is run by the school and is available to senior school pupils. Each training camp is completed on Dartmoor at Oakhampton Training Camp and lasts one week, comprising mostly fieldcraft and endurance skills; but always including an extended exercise. Two versions are offered: the first comprises 60 miles over 2 days with adult supervision; the second comprises 90 miles over 3 days without supervision.