IT MAY be years before these youngsters go to university, but pupils at Hillside Nursery School donned gowns and caps this week.

To celebrate the last class of pupils to finish at the Blaenavon school, which is due to be amagamated with two primary schools, teachers held a graduation ceremony for the children.

Staff were helped by Kier Western, the company developing the new Blaenavon Heritage VC Primary School, which forked out £1,500 for the growns and stoles for the 62 two and threeyear- olds, according to head teacher Jane Howells.

The graduation was a surprise to parents, who saw their children process on stage at St Peter’s Church, Blaenavon, in the outfits embroidered with the school logo and year of graduation.

There was also a special leavers concert for the children celebrating the opening of the nursery in 1944 to the present day.

Children from the nursery will join the new primary school when it opens next April.

The headteacher said: “These really are exciting times for us all in the nursery and, although we have loved every minute of our time at Hillside, and have had lots of fun in our wonderful grounds, we are looking forward to all the new experiences and challenges the new school will bring.”