Sunderland youngsters achieve national Prince William Award

Year 4 and 5 pupils from South Hylton Primary Academy have spent the last year taking part in the Prince William Award, a scheme aimed to build up key skills that will help them in later life.

Known as the prequel to the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, it saw youngsters engage in a series of activities and tasks during weekly sessions in school.

Delivered by staff and company SkillForce, around 67 children from across both year groups took part in the sessions, which included workshops and community projects.

Sessions were centred around key themes including working together, community and personal development.

The key themes enabled young people to develop an understanding of their individual character, their character within a team and developing leadership and responsibility.

They also provided opportunity for reflection to give youngsters the chance to embed knowledge and behaviours through experience.

Pupils spent two hours a week in school taking part in activities that seem them work together collaboratively as a team, as well as achieving a first aid certificate and sports leader certificate.

The programme finished with an awards ceremony at the school on Union Street on Thursday, July 11, which recognised pupils for their achievements in taking part in the programme.

Each youngster was presented with a certificate.

Head teacher Julie Cort, has been a big supporter of the programme, which was also completed by last year’s Year 6 pupils.

Year 5 teacher and Key Stage 2 lead, Suzanne Gilley, said: “The awards have been absolutely fantastic and all of the children get so much out of it.

“They have all had a massive jump in their confidence and the children believe that they can do things now.

“It has been a really worthwhile programme and it is a great basis to step them up to take it further through the likes of the Duke of Edinburgh Award.”