Schoolchildren have their extracurricular activities rewarded at Essex Children's University's special ceremony

Children at Lyons Hall Primary School, White Court Primary School, John Bunyan Junior School, Notley Green Primary School, Notley High School and Bocking Church Street Primary School all donned robes and capes to mark their time at the Essex Children’s University.

Essex Children’s University counts the amount of hours children aged between seven and 14 spend learning and volunteering out of school and rewards them.

Awards start at 30 hours and go up to 1,000 hours.

Proud parents turned up to watch the ceremony at Anglia Ruskin University on Tuesday and see their children presented certificates by Les Nichol, chancellor of Essex Children’s University, Di Bignell, manager of Essex Children’s University and Professor David Humber, provost of Anglia Ruskin University and vice chancellor of Essex Children’s University Braintree District Campus.

Braintree district campus coordinator Jane Collins said: “We were thrilled to be able to come to Anglia Ruskin University for a second time.

“It is a wonderful venue for our award evening.

“Student ambassadors Sophia, Chloe, Faith, Alexander, Matthew, Ella, Sam and Summer helped support the evening, either as hosts, presenting their PowerPoint about Children’s University or supporting our VIPs during the evening.

“The Children’s University in the Braintree District is growing and we now have even more schools ‘on board’.

“Schools involved are in Braintree, Halstead, Witham, Kelvedon, Coggeshall and Terling.”

Yong Gi Do Martial Arts entertained the families with a demonstration from some of their pupils accompanied by Master Maylon during the evening.