Sunderland University mock graduation for youngsters

Jun 20 2009 by Nicola Juncar, The Journal

THEY may be a bit young to study for a degree, but these youngsters have been experiencing life at university.

A special graduation ceremony was held for the children to mark their final year at nursery.

The four-year-olds donned traditional gowns and mortarboards for the event yesterday.

The group of 20 youngsters will be saying goodbye to St Mary’s Childcare nursery at the end of the summer and making the big jump to primary school.

The nursery, based on Sunderland University’s campus, is a popular facility for students and staff and this is the third year it has held a graduation.

Senior childcare officer Trudy Burton said: “The children have been planning the graduation ceremony for the last month during activity time in the nursery.

“Staff have brought in photographs of themselves graduating and have explained that the ceremony is a positive change, which means the children are growing up and moving on.”

Certificates were presented to the children by Judith Green, director of marketing and communications at the university.

She said: “The years these children have spent at St Mary’s have given them a solid start to their educational lives, and hopefully one day we’ll be welcoming them back as undergraduate students.”