FOUR Rudheath Senior Academy students are celebrating their achievements in a new boxing leadership course.

The students enjoyed a graduation ceremony at the school on Tuesday, December 11, after completing the 12-week programme with Queensberry Alternative Provision.

The '12 Rounds' programme saw participants work towards a number of awards and certificates, including their England Boxing JBO Award – a sports leadership qualification.

The successful quartet are Libby Slater, Chantel Wood, Daniel Andrews and Ryan Green.

Nic Martin, a co-founder of Queensberry AP, said: "We are so proud of all the students and it was fantastic opportunity for everybody to come together to celebrate the progress that they have made over the past few months.

"To have the students delivering speeches and a practical session to everybody shows just how much they have grown in confidence from the young people that walked through our doors in September."

The graduation event was attended by family members of the students, along with a number of dignitaries and professionals including Cheshire East Council mayor Cllr Lesley Smetham, senior staff from HMP Thorn Cross, North West Academies Trust CEO Steve Docking and Rudheath Senior Academy staff.

Queensberry AP's Paul Cooper said: "The graduation event was a brilliant way to bring the programme to a close. To see all four students achieving so many AQA awards and the all important England Boxing JBO Award is testament to the hard work they have all put in."

Queensberry AP uses the disciplines learned through boxing as a vehicle to promote an improvement in the classroom.