On International Women’s Day 2025, we are proud to celebrate the appointment of Captain Roberts, Glenalmond's Head of Modern Languages and EAL, as our first female Combined Cadet Force (CCF) Contingent Commander in its 150-year history.

Captain Roberts brings a wealth of experience to Glenalmond, having served in the CCF since 2017. Her journey into the cadet forces was preceded by a decade as a Highland Dancer with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and as a military wife. She played a pivotal role in establishing the first CCF unit in a Surrey state school as part of the Cadet Expansion Programme, leading it to become the first new unit affiliated with the Grenadier Guards in a decade. The unit grew to 150 cadets, including a newly formed Drums Corps and its first Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet appointed in 2024.

Beyond her hands-on experience, Captain Roberts has also conducted academic research on the impact of the CCF on pupils and schools. In 2021, she earned a distinction in her Master’s degree from the University of Cambridge, where her thesis explored the positive effects of cadet force participation, supporting wider research findings on the benefits of discipline, leadership, and resilience in young people.

Now, as Contingent Commander at Glenalmond College, Captain Roberts is committed to personal development within the CCF. She is passionate about ensuring that every cadet, regardless of their future aspirations, develops resilience and self-efficacy and creates lasting memories.

Her appointment stands as an inspiration to our pupils and a testament to the opportunities available to young women in leadership. On International Women’s Day, we celebrate not only this historic moment for Glenalmond but also the broader progress towards gender equality in military and leadership roles.

Since its inception in February 1875 as the second cadet corps in Scotland, the Contingent has seen significant successes. Many alumni have graduated from the Corps and gone into the Services to great acclaim and the College is looking forward to reconnecting with its alumni in celebration of everything that has been achieved.

Throughout the rest of the year, the CCF will be celebrating its 150 years, culminating in an event later in the year, the details of which will follow.