Prince William has congratulated pupils on being among the first in the country to graduate from an award that bears his name.

Dover College is one of just a dozen secondary schools in Britain to take part in the pilot of the Prince William Award.

The pioneering award, run by educational charity SkillForcecorr, is designed to help children aged six to 14 develop character and resilience through workshops and activities.

The workshops are delivered predominantly by former servicemen and women.

In a video message, recorded at Kensington Palace, the Duke of Cambridge told the youngsters: “This is a special moment for you, your school, and your SkillForce instructors.

“I want to thank you for all of your effort, your energy and your enthusiasm – it means a great deal to SkillForce and to me.”

The Duke added: “Since starting the Prince William Award, you will have challenged yourself to do things that you may not have thought were possible.

“For some of you that may have been standing up and talking in front of your class for the first time. For others it might have been helping others or perhaps leading a community project.

“You have taken on a variety of challenges and dared to be your best.”

Thousands of children are set to follow in the footsteps of the Dover College students in the months and years to come as more schools in Britain register to take part in the programme.

Ben Slade, chief executive of SkillForce, said: “The results from the Prince William Award to date are absolutely fantastic.

“The achievements of the children and young people working in partnership with our great instructors and their own teachers gives us a great foundation on which to build.”

“We are so fortunate to have the support of the Duke of Cambridge and I am delighted for the children of Dover College that he was able to record a personal message for them to mark this milestone.”

SkillForce delivers educational programmes that develop character, self-confidence resilience, teamwork and problem-solving skills.

It was founded in 2000, and Prince Williams became its royal patron nine years later.

Dover College is a private school attended by pupils from across the district and further afield.