In their bright mortarboards and gowns, they looked like every other graduate - just a few inches shorter.
The first groups of almost 1,000 schoolchildren who will graduate from the Norfolk Children's University (NCU) in the next three weeks visited the University of East Anglia on Monday to kick off the ceremonies.
Each child who graduates the scheme will have completed 30 hours of voluntary learning outside of the school day, though a handful - who will collect Fellowship Awards - will have finished a remarkable 1,000 hours.
Howard Junior School, in King's Lynn, saw 125 of its pupils receive graduation certificates from author Alexander Gordon Smith on Monday - a record number for NCU.
Youngsters from Scarning Primary School, Norwich Primary Academy, Northgate Primary, in Great Yarmouth, Little Plumstead and Sprowston Junior School were also among the first to graduate, with other ceremonies - held at venues including the Green Britain Centre in Swaffham and Theatre Royal Norwich - planned until Thursday, July 20.
The scheme, which is run by Norfolk County Council's Educator Solutions, aims to raise children's aspirations.
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