Apprentice Graduation Ceremony
Friday 16th October 2026
Rochester Cathedral
 

What happens after I complete the registration form?

You will receive a notification via email from our system. Please check your spam / junk folders.

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How do I know I have got a place at the ceremony?

After your registration is received we validate them with your training provider (not employer). Once this is completed we will then contact you with further event details confirming your place. Validation is live and takes place between May and end of July so do check your email inbox and spam and junk folders for our messages.

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Can an apprentice complete their own registration?

Yes, but we will undertake an additional check with your training provider (college, independent training organisation or university) and we ask that you contact us prior to self-registration via our contact form.

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Is the gowning free to all apprentices?

Yes regardless of level or training provider / employer, thanks to our sponsors and supporters we are able to provide gowning costs which are usually around £50 free.

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What benefits do attending apprentices receive?

Free gown, hat and stole hire, free portrait photography in the Quire and scroll photo in the Nave, a free printed programme (Ceremony Memoir), a graduation badge, and 2 ticketed guest places for friends and family (or whoever the apprentices choses to invite as part of those 2 places).

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Can I have more than two guests?

We limit the guest numbers for each attending apprentice to 2. This is because the ceremony is usually fully subscribed and we reach our maximum capacity for the venue each year. We may offer extra places from August on a first come first served basis (ticket fees may apply). We will email all registered apprentices in August to offer this if possible. We cannot offer extra places in advance of this or outside of our registration communications system.

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Does the venue have disabled access?

Yes, this is best via the North Door. We recommend disabled guests enter via this door and that they sit at the end of aisle rows. Disabled toilets are on the south side of the Nave.

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Can babies attend with guests?

In exceptional cases babies and small children can attend but please contact us about this. We require guests to leave if children become agitated or upset. Note the seated ceremony can take 2 hours.

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What happens when the registration list is full?

You can still register for our waiting list. As soon as a place comes free we will contact you to invite you to complete a full registration. Please keep a look out for our comms in spam / junk folders. Note the waiting list remains open and final places are only finally confirmed by 1st September. We will not be able to respond to waiting list queries or prioritise individuals in the interim. Places will be offered in date order of waiting list registrations.

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I am registering for employer or provider guest places. How many can I register for?

The provider, employer and stakeholder registration is first come first served, but we will place a limit of 4 per organisation. Note that these may be additional to places an organisation may have for the pre-ceremony reception. The latter will also receive a direct invite to register.

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Are there guest tickets?

We will issue tickets in 2026. These will need to be booked by the apprentices using a link we will supply to validated registrations after 1st August 2026. Tickets may have a fee which is used to help us ensure we can continue to run the graduation prioritising the free gowning and apprentice inclusion.

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Can we buy extra guest places?

We may offer extra places if we have capacity and ticket fees may apply. We will issue an invite on a first come first served basis if we are able to accommodate extra apprentice guests for the Ceremony. This will usually be in August / September.

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