A Meteoric Graduation

Over 450 children will process from the University of Teesside. The procession will be led by Councillor Javed Ismail, Chair of Middlesbrough Council, Professor Graham Henderson, the Vice-Chancellor of the University and University Governors and University staff and will proceed along Albert Road to Middlesbrough Town Hall on Tuesday 13 July at 10am, in order to attend a special graduation event.

The children, aged ten and 11, have all taken part in the University’s of Teesside’s Meteor Summer School, which introduces them to a range of activities and educational events, in the University environment. The graduation tops off the Summer School and will be attended by many of the children’s parents and family members.

The Meteor scheme aims to raise the aspirations of pupils, aged 10 and above, by inviting them into the University for a series of short taster activities. Student mentors then work in schools with the pupils throughout the year, prior to the Summer School that involves a wider range of activities. This year’s Summer School will end in a special mini-graduation for all the children at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Tuesday 13 July.

The University launched the Meteor programme in 1999 in collaboration with Middlesbrough Borough Council (funded by Single Regeneration Budget) initially involving six primary schools in central Middlesbrough. The programme now includes a further five schools from Middlesbrough and four schools from East Cleveland who are funded through the Rural Development Programme.

The graduating children are pupils at the following schools: Abingdon Primary School, Ayresome Primary School, Brambles Primary School, Breckon Hill Primary School, Caldicotes Primary School, Newport Primary School, North Ormesby Primary School, Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School, Saltburn Primary School, Skelton Primary School, St. Alphonsus R.C. Primary School and Thorntree Primary School.

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