More than 400 young learners from across Flintshire and Wrexham have graduated from North Wales Children’s University.
The ceremonies at Wrexham University celebrated children and young people who completed a range of extracurricular learning activities and experiences. Further ceremonies are planned for another 200 children and young people from Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd and Anglesey.
The Children's University (CU) scheme celebrates participation in learning activities and opportunities outside school hours by encouraging children and young people to try new learning experiences, in a bid to nurture a lifelong love of learning and raise their aspirations.
The graduation ceremonies across two days in Wrexham University celebrated the hard work from children who achieved 30 or more hours of extracurricular learning, and their teachers who put on extra clubs for the children. Two performances during the ceremonies were from Sophia Isabella Roberts Victoria CP and Scarlett Thompson Flint High School.
Sophia Isabella Roberts during her performance.
Nina Ruddle, Head of Public Policy Engagement at Wrexham University, said:
“This work is part of our commitment to supporting the communities we serve across the region.
“Our aim now is to develop this work further across North Wales to support leadership, mental wellbeing and a love of learning for young people.
“This is a really inspiring way to enable young people to develop life skills and to create broader opportunities.”
Graduates were congratulated personally by the Vice Chancellor and received their certificates.
Following a successful pilot in Wrexham and Flintshire last year, the scheme expanded across North Wales thanks to funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW).
This funding enabled Wrexham University to work with Bangor University and other regional partners to roll out the scheme to more than 50 schools as part of a shared civic mission to work in partnership to end social inequality.
More than 200 learning destinations were recruited across Wrexham, Flintshire, Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd and Anglesey.
Mr Rob Williams, Teacher at Southdown Primary in Flintshire, said:
“Since starting the CU pilot scheme there has been a positive impact on all the children involved. It was clear to see how engaged they were in completing extracurricular activities in their own time, whether that be an activity or sport they have already taken part in before the scheme or something new they decided to try.
“It also gave the children time to think about what they attained from each activity. They were even able to assess themselves to see what they did well and how they could improve.
“It was great to see the children taking the responsibility upon themselves to gain hours of extra learning and experiences which will hopefully help them all along their journey.”
Maria Hinfelaar, Vice Chancellor at Wrexham University, who led the graduation ceremonies in Wrexham University, said:
“People often ask me what I’m really proud of looking back at my time as VC with Wrexham University. A strong contender for the proudest moment is the North Wales Children’s University.
“The aim of the project is to build confidence and aspirations, because these children have so much to offer.
“Seeing each one of them walk across the stage in our auditorium to receive my personal congratulations and their certificates, their beaming smiles and their proud family members in the audience, gave me real confidence that they have now developed a taste for learning.
“It also gave me hope that the graduates realise they have the ability to be the future engineers, nurses, IT experts, architects, accountants, designers and so many more professionals that our economy and society is desperately going to need.”
