Hundreds of children graduate with honours

Hundreds of children as young as five beamed with pride as they put on caps and gowns to celebrate a year of learning outside the classroom.

More than 170 pupils from across the district took part in the annual Wakefield Children’s University Graduation ceremony in the grand surroundings of Theatre Royal Wakefield.

They had all collected dozens of stamps, each one representing an hour of learning they had gained through extra-curricular activities and visits to destinations including The Hepworth Wakefield and Wakefield One.

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Entrepreneur and former BBC The Apprentice finalist Claire Young was guest speaker at this year’s ceremony.

She recounted her time as a student and offered advice to an audience full of teachers, parents and pupils.

James Pennington, Wakefield Children’s University Manager, said, “We are delighted to be holding our fourth CU Graduation Ceremony and recognising the efforts and achievements of our young members. We’ve been established for just over four years now and the support we’ve received from schools, learning destinations and parents has been fantastic.

“But above all, Children’s University is all about the children, participating in activities, having new experiences and learning new skills outside the conventional school hours.

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“It is proven that being involved with Children’s University equips them with a thirst for knowledge and learning and also helps their attendance and achievement at school.” Children received a bronze certificate for 30 hours of learning outside the classroom, a silver award for 65 hours and gold prize for 100 hours.

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