When it comes to showing their children what doing your homework can achieve, these mums are top class.

It’s been a bumper year in education for Kassandra and Kirsty who both not only achieved GCSEs in the summer, but this week got to celebrate first class honours degrees as well.

Taking to the stage at Stockton Riverside College’s graduation ceremony at the Stockton Globe, with their families in the audience, Kassandra, 32, of Eaglescliffe, said: “This is what it has all been for, this is the moment we have been working towards.”

Kirsty, 34, of Billingham, added: “We finally got to wear the black gowns!”

Pursuing their dream of a career in teaching, the classmates joined the college’s graduation celebrations last year after completing foundation degrees in supporting teaching and learning.

“That was exciting and a great moment,” said Kirsty.  But moving on to the BA Hons Education and Training, she added: “We already had our eyes fixed on the black caps.”

After another year juggling the demands of research, dissertation writing, GCSEs and, of course, family life, for both mums, finally getting to put on the black gowns marked the culmination of all that hard work – or so they thought.

In fact, each is now continuing with their studies as Kassandra has signed up to study a PGCE at the college while Kirsty is on a school centred initial teacher training placement.

With children, Hugo, eight, and Harper, seven, and husband Daryl in the audience, Kassandra said: “It’s lovely to have them all here to see what all the hard work was for.”

Joined by Lexi, 14, and Freddie, 10, Kirsty said: “It’s important to be able to show them what hard work and resilience can achieve.”