The Children's University™ (CU) aims to promote exciting learning opportunities and experiences outside normal school hours for children aged 5 to 14. At the heart of its work is the ambition to raise aspirations, boost achievement and foster a love of learning, so that young people can make the most of their abilities and interests.

Children’s University™ students use Passports to Learning in which they record the number of hours of completed CU validated learning activities. Children are encouraged to progress through the national certification scheme, based on the number of hours of attendance throughout their involvement with the Children’s University™.

The membership includes:

• Black paper Passport to Learning for each child participating in Children’s University*
• Use of the ePassport and the data that can provide
• National Bronze Awards posted to schools for the children who have achieved 30 hours of learning outside normal school hours
• Graduation ceremonies for all children who earn 65+ hours
• A full information pack containing all templates needed to register, promote and evaluate activities
• Coverage in electronic newsletters and websites promoting activities at a local and national level
• Invitations for school staff to attend optional network sessions, training and events
• Support to identify available activity and suitable providers
• Detailed newsletters which outline validated activities across the county where children and young people can collect credits using the Passport to Learning
• 1-1 operational support on request including E-learning module.

Benefits to schools

• Providing the opportunity for targeted support for the most vulnerable children
• Bringing coherence to an enrichment programme and allowing close tracking of uptake and impact of participation
• Providing instant reporting methods to meet all current Ofsted and internal requirements
• Supporting exciting opportunities for skills and employability as well as transition
• Impacting positively on attendance, attainment, achievement, attitudes, aspiration and adaptability.

* There is a £6 per pupil subscription cost for the Passport to Learning.

In addition to all the services available through the Advice and Guidance package, this package enables your school to participate fully in the national Children’s University Passport to Learning Scheme. As well as providing you with advice, guidance and training to set up and administer the scheme in your school, this package also entitles all of your students participating in the scheme to receive Children’s University certificates to recognise their achievements, and depending on the number of credits they achieve the opportunity to attend (with their family) a Children’s University Graduation Ceremony at a local University campus.

Full training will be provided on how to use the Children’s University 'Planning for Learning' framework that will enable you to identify and validate the additional learning that your pupils undertake outside of the classroom through your extra-curricular activities. It is also possible for students to earn credits through an increasing range of community based activities (such as sports and leisure clubs, etc.) or by visiting a growing number of tourist destinations and places of interest across the country (for example Leeds Castle, Halfords, Pets at Home, Kent’s Country Parks).