On the 10th and 11th July nearly all the Year 12s attended Salford Young Persons' University in order to complete the final stages of their course and to receive their certificates in a graduation ceremony.

• The event marked the culmination of all their hard-work over the year and is part of the Aim Higher project run at Salford by Ruth Bradbury.
  
  Although a degree of work was involved there was also time to do fun things too.

• After arriving at Salford University there was just enough time to leave the bags and suitcases before shooting over to Old Trafford, the home of the mighty Manchester United for a guided tour of the ground a visit to the Museum.
  
  Then back to the University for Lunch which was taken quickly in order to take part in the first activity of the day.

• This was called "Supermarket Sweep" although Dale Winton was nowhere to be seen. Basically, the students had to guess the price of various items from bags of items to washing powder.
  
  They wrote down what they thought the items would cost. Then, then the price of each item was revealed and the price of the shopping basket. This resulted in quite a few gasps around the room as people realised how far off the mark they had been.
  
  This was an activity equally relevant to the teachers, especially to me as Cook and Maid usually do the shopping in my household. This led to a wider discussion of the financial side of university life including accommodation and student loans and the need to budget effectively.

• After this the students chose from a number of activities including football, swimming and jewellery making. Following tea it was time to party at the Student Union. It was an evening filled with plenty to occupy students and staff alike. It started with a film and music quiz but just as we were all happy to be in the comfort zone we found that Ruth and her helpers had other plans in store for us all!
  
  They organised us into six teams of four, dressed in woolly hats, scarves and yellow marigolds in order to see who could move eight Malteesers from one bowl to another using only chopsticks. The staff team managed a credible fifth although I still feel we were robbed and that there ought to have been a Stewards' enquiry.

• Following the stresses and strains of this Olympian feat it was time for students to party on the dance floor. A pool school soon developed in the corner of the room where Mr Gardham organised a tournament. Never allow yourself to be fooled if you imagine that Mr Gardham is a poor player - he is a hussler and as sharp and as slick as they come with a pool cue - so be warned, never play him for money.
  
  Mrs Walsh and Mrs Thompson joined in the dancing to a great reception from the students. The disco finished at 11:30 and everybody went back to the halls of residence tired, content and looking forward to tomorrow.

• Throughout the following morning and into the early afternoon, the students were engaged completing the final part of their written work including an assessment of their achievements over the year.
  
  All were very positive about their time spent at the University but also the time spent with the project over the year. Such was the positive nature of the experience that many complained that the two days was too short a time and they wanted to stay over the weekend.

• At 4 20 p.m. the Vice Chancellor of Salford University, Professor Michael Harloe presented the students with their certificates. The Hall was charged with emotion as the ceremony began with a PowerPoint slide presentation featuring the work our students had carried out throughout the year.
  
  It was a marvellous sight to see our students, dressed in their capes walk onto the stage to receive their well-deserved certificates. Both Professor Harloe and Mrs Walsh congratulated the students on their achievements. Ms Bradbury also added that she hoped to see them at Salford University and if not at Salford at some other University in the future. 

• The sense of achievement on the faces of the students was clear for all to see. All sported smiles as wide as the River Irwell as we set off back to Manchester Academy. Many thanks to Ruth and her student mentors who did such a great job working with our students. The organisation was brilliant and our students were treated like royalty. All agreed that the trip had been hugely successful.

Stephen Evans