ALMOST 800 primary school pupils from across South Gloucestershire are  celebrating following their graduation from the Children’s University.

As part of its Recovery and Innovation Fund, South Gloucestershire Council has invested in the opportunity for 12 schools to be part of the special programme in partnership with UWE and delivered by the charity Children’s University, which works in schools to develop character, wellbeing and a love of learning in children from age five upwards.

In total, 785 children logged more than 100,000 learning hours collectively over the past academic year, learning in class how to become more active participants in their communities and their schools, encouraging extra-curricular activities that go beyond the school day.

They were also given the chance to visit UWE and were awarded points throughout the programme that were accumulated to go towards their overall certification.

To celebrate the achievements of the children and find out more about the programme, South Gloucestershire Council Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Employment, Cllr Erica Williams, joined pupils from Alexander Hosea Primary School in Wickwar to present their certificates and spoke at their graduation ceremonies.

She said: “I am delighted to see so many children being encouraged to take part in extracurricular activities inside and outside school through the Children’s University.

“Our top priority as a Council is to improve school standards and the way in which these children have learned how they can play a bigger part in their communities and their schools demonstrates how a holistic approach can give them the best possible outcomes.

"I cannot wait to see more graduations take place as local children continue to benefit from this programme.”

The schools taking part in the Children’s University programme in South Gloucestershire this year were:

Alexander Hosea Primary, Wickwar

Barley Close Primary, Mangotsfield

Bowsland Green Primary, Bradley Stoke

Christ Church Primary, Hanham

Christ Church Junior School, Downend

Little Stoke Primary, Little Stoke

Lyde Green Primary, Lyde Green

Our Lady of Lourdes, Kingswood

Parkwall Primary, Cadbury Heath

Tyndale Primary, Yate

Wallscourt Farm Academy, Stoke Gifford

Woodlands Primary, Yate