Pembrokeshire's most deprived area is graduating with honours in producing graduates.
A unique scheme developed by Monkton Priory Community School together with Trinity St David's University is enabling learning support assistants to get degrees.
Following a pilot programme a few years ago, 30 students are now enrolled on a course to obtain a Foundation Degree in Education Studies for Learning Support Assistants and Monkton residents.
More people are now studying the qualification at Monkton than throughout the rest of the university!
"It's a wonderful scheme, which has opened up further education to people who might not otherwise have thought about it," said Claire Arnold one of the original pilot students.
"I left school with no qualifications and was the first in my family to get a degree. It's certainly inspired my children and now my eldest daughter is talking about when she is going to university, not if, but when. It's wonderful."
Seven years ago the 36 year old mother of two was a learning support assistant at Monkton primary school when her former head teacher William Rees suggested that she, along with other LSA's at the school, embark on the Foundation Degree programme.
Claire was one of 12 initial students from Monkton and the surrounding area and, after qualifying, she was one of four of the school's LSA's, who went on to study a full BA Honours Degree in Education and Social Inclusion.
Now she works at the school with Learning Pembrokeshire - the County Council's adult learning arm -and hopes to embark on a PGCE course to become a fully fledged teacher herself.
"I could not have done it without the support of the school," she said.
"They were so supportive. It just shows what you can do if someone believes in you."
Claire is now a mentor to the new crop of 32 students - the majority of whom are LSA's - who have embarked on the same educational path she first trod.
And with so many students on the new course university tutors now come to the school to give lectures which makes studying much easier.
"It's a remarkable success story made even more so by the fact that Monkton has one of the lowest per capita qualification levels in the country" said Councillor Huw George, Cabinet Member for Education.
"It just shows what can be achieved by the determination and effort of the students themselves - but it's also important they are given the opportunity and encouragement to succeed."
Monkton Priory headteacher, Shelley Morris said, "We are very much a community focused school and want to be a centre of learning for pupils, parents and the wider community.
"This is a very ambitious project and can make a real difference."
Associate Professor Sue Davies, Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Education and Training, and Head of the School of Social Justice and Inclusion said: 'This is yet another milestone in the development of the Foundation Degree for Teaching Assistants.
"The start of this innovative Community programme coincides with the launch of the Faculty's Continuing Professional Development portfolio which offers flexible programmes for education, public sector and community organisations. The Foundation Degree, which was developed initially in 2003 in collaboration with Pembrokeshire Local Education Authority, has since expanded throughout Wales, is delivered in both English and Welsh and embraces the widening access ethos of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David."
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