We look forward to welcoming you to the Learning Capability and Development Group.
The Learning Capability and Development Group (LCaD) is one of three groups at the Defence Academy. LCaD supports course design, development, accreditation, and research. They work in accordance with the Defence Systems Approach to Training to ensure the UK and its partners receive the highest standards of defence education.
Please bring photo ID.
Please arrive in good time and ensure that you have contact details for your visit sponsor upon arrival.
If you are travelling by vehicle, please abide by the 20mph speed limit and adhere to the Highway Code when commuting across site.
The Defence Academy is a smoke-free and vape-free site. For information surrounding our smoking policy, please contact your visit sponsor.
Internet access
Guest Wi-Fi and phone signal are available in most areas across site.
Toilet facilities
Single-gender, gender-neutral, and disabled toilets are available across site.
Disabled access
Ramps are available to access all areas of the Slim Building.
Food and drink
In addition to any refreshments that your host may have arranged for you, the Fieldhouse Café and Grass Roots Café are centrally located. The cafés are open to staff, students, and visitors. They offer a range of hot and cold drinks and meals, open-plan seating areas equipped with electrical sockets, and accept cash and card payment.
We are keen to celebrate our collaborations and partnerships with other nations and organisations, so our Communications Team may reach out to you before, during, or after your visit. We also encourage you to talk about your time here. See some of the options available below:
Photography by the Defence Academy
To mark your visit, our Communications Team may ask to take photos or videos of you while you are here. These photos or videos will be used on the Defence Academy’s, and possibly MOD’s website, social media, and internal communications systems.
If a photographer or videographer is present during your visit, they will make themselves known to you. If you do not wish to be featured, please let them know. They will be able to anonymise photos (e.g. by only including backs of heads) or may decide not to cover the visit at all.
If photos are planned for external use, you may request digital copies of the photos taken during your visit. Due to MOD licencing rules, these will need to be attributed to ‘Crown Copyright’.
Taking photos yourself
If agreed with your visit sponsor, you are welcome to take your own photos in areas of LCaD activity. However, for security reasons we ask that you do not take photos of classified information, security systems, or people who have not given you their explicit permission to be photographed.
Please note, different areas of Shrivenham Station have different rules surrounding photography. If you visit areas other than those listed above, please check the photography rules with your visit sponsor before taking photos.
Sharing your visit
We encourage you to publicise your visit to LCaD. For security reasons, we ask that you do not post publicly about your visit beforehand. However, once you have left Shrivenham Station, we look forward to seeing your coverage on social media (unless there are specific sensitivities told to you by your sponsor).
You can engage with the Defence Academy on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, or LinkedIn. To request copies of photos or official quotes from Defence Academy representatives, please contact the Communications Team via the ‘Contact us’ form, selecting ‘Media enquiry’, on our website. They will be happy to assist before and after your visit.
Representatives of LCaD attended the 106th NATO Learning and Technology Operability Group and agreed new standards of e-Learning courses and modules. LCaD work to ensure NATO standards are reflected in current training and education.
LCaD works closely with our livery partners, the Worshipful Company of Educators and the Worshipful Company of Entrepreneurs, to recognise Defence Academy staff who have made outstanding contributions in their respective fields; individuals have been celebrated for innovative course design, inspirational teaching, and their contribution to improving operational effectiveness. The partnerships also offer valuable networking opportunities across business, education, the city, and defence.
As well as proving training and education support to the schools and colleges within the Defence Academy, LCaD also performs an outward-facing function. The Defence Centre for Training Support delivers high-quality training across the MOD and to our international partners.
Please use this site map to navigate during your time with us. The map highlights your route, parking, emergency evacuation points, and the nearest food and retail outlets to your area of visit.
