The report, compiled by ForcesWatch, is based on figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act from the armed forces on their visits to Scottish schools. It has been co-sponsored by the Educational Institute of Scotland which has expressed concerns that some armed forces visits may have a recruitment purpose.

The report discusses the aims of the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces’ ‘youth engagement’ programme and concludes that:

“Despite assurances by the Ministry of Defence and the three armed services that the armed forces do not recruit in schools, it is evident that many of the activities provided by members of the armed forces in schools are recruitment-related and the recruitment potential of visits is a key purpose of many, if not most, of their visits to schools.”

Key findings

• Across Scotland, 83% of all state secondary schools were visited at least once during the two year period (2010-12).
• 42% of visits to state secondary schools were made by the British Army, 31% by the Royal Navy and 27% by the Royal Air Force. Together the three services visited state secondary schools in Scotland an average of twice each year.
• Edinburgh, Fife, North Lanarkshire, Angus, Dumfries & Galloway, and Perth & Kinross had the highest number of visits to state secondary schools from all the armed services.
• Half (50%) of the 32 Scottish local authorities, had armed forces visits to all or almost all of their state secondary schools (95% or more).
• 31 state secondary schools in Scotland were visited 10 or more times during the period. Six were visited over 20 times.
• Independent schools in Scotland were visited less frequently and not at all by the Army.
• Career-related activities were recorded as the reason for 35% of all visits to state secondary schools by the armed forces. Curriculum-related visits accounted for 20% of all visits. Activities around student development accounted for 42% of all visits. Visits not expressly described as careers-related may nonetheless promote armed forces careers.
• Overall figures for each country in the UK for the number of visits to secondary schools and colleges for 2011-2012 show that visits to Scottish schools represent 11.2% of the total UK visits. However, its population accounts for only 8.4% of the UK population, indicating that proportionately more visits are made to Scottish schools. A similar picture emerges for Wales and Northern Ireland. (5)

Read the press release

Also see Armed forces visits to schools in Scotland: An update for 2016-2017