Welcoming pupils onto campus
Children from across Leeds stepped onto campus to experience university life and earn a 'Degree in a Day', as part of a programme with Leeds City Council’s Healthy Holidays scheme.
Over two days in August, primary and secondary school children explored the University of Leeds, getting hands-on experiences including rocket building, writing their own books, eating lunch in the University Refectory and visiting the Treasures of the Brotherton library before ‘graduating’ – complete with a mock graduation ceremony.
The days were part of an ongoing series called ‘Degree in a Day’, run by the School of Education to give young people experience of life on campus. This latest programme also gave students in the School of Education the opportunity to gain experience working with school-aged pupils.
Degree in a Day is a wonderful example of how education can make a positive impact beyond the classroom.
Schoolchildren aged 11-16 took part in a STEM-themed day, participating in a Sustainable Development Goal-themed Scavenger Hunt around campus, making terrariums and creating a rocket that could be launched into the air.
During the second day, primary pupils aged 8-11 had a tour of campus before meeting with author Kate Pankhurst, who provided guidance on writing their own books.
Kate illustrates children’s books from her home studio in Leeds. Her Fantastically Great Women books are currently celebrating their ten-year anniversary and explore how women used their talents, followed their dreams and refused to take ‘no’ for an answer.
The School of Education worked with Healthy Holidays, a scheme run by Leeds City Council and funded through the Department for Education’s Holiday Activity & Food Programme. It offers fun and enriching activities during the school holidays together with a hot meal and is principally aimed at children and young people eligible for free school meals.
A place for everybody
Sarah Shackleton, Employability and Placements Manager at the University of Leeds and Lead for the Degree in a Day programme, explained: “Degree in a Day is really about making universities a place for everybody.
“These pupils have now seen that University is accessible to them. They saw that the day was fun, maybe some of the students they met were like them, the lecturer was really friendly and wanted to involve them, and they got a certificate at the end and felt good.
“Maybe this day changes one small thing and gets children thinking – I am going to try just that bit harder and get my homework in on time, I am going to choose that subject for my GCSEs because one day, I may be able to go to University.
“And for our University students, they can count their interactions with the pupils as work experience for their CV – and with this experiential learning we’ve seen a massive rise in our students getting the jobs that they want, getting on the graduate programmes that they want, getting through interviews with a bit more confidence.”
Sarah hopes this may be the first in many partnerships with Leeds City Council’s Healthy Holidays scheme.
Catherine Bell, Deputy Head of the School of Education at the University of Leeds, said: “Degree in a Day is a wonderful example of how education can make a positive impact beyond the classroom.
“Through our School’s partnership with Leeds City Council's Healthy Holidays programme, our students gain hands-on experience while local children enjoy engaging activities that build confidence, expand their cultural experiences, and encourage a lifelong curiosity for learning.”
Sarah Duffy, Senior Financial Inclusion Officer at Leeds City Council, said: “The Healthy Holidays team at Leeds City Council are delighted to have partnered with the University of Leeds’ School of Education, starting with Degree in a Day offering a fantastic taster of university study and life. We had a super day last week involving coding, dry ice, building our own eco systems and much more!”
Further information
Image credit: Simi Suman
