KNUTSFORD Academy has been named a ‘champion school’ by the National Citizen Service thanks to its commitment to the youth programme.

According to the NCS, the school has ‘excelled at motivating students to take up extracurricular activities’, specifically encouraging young people to attend the two week programme during their Autumn half term break, leading to an increased interest in volunteering.

On the NCS, students from many different schools stay in university style accommodation while they learn more about social action projects.

Following this, the young people spend 30 hours dedicated to executing their own social action project in the local community.

Mike Cladingbowl, executive principal at the Academy, said: “It’s a great achievement to be given Champion School status at Knutsford Academy. Our commitment to the programme reflects the amazing feedback we receive from our students, and the noticeable difference we see in their attitudes when they return from the programme. On NCS our students meet people from different backgrounds, take on new challenges and, perhaps most importantly, learn about the community and how they can make a difference.”

This means that not only do young people return more confident, resilient and eager to learn but they are often much more eager to volunteer and help out in their local community.”

Students took part in various local social action projects across the area raising more than £1000 and awareness for various charitable organisations including The Royal British Legion, The Deafness Support Network amongst others.