For schools

The commitment of Children's University schools to child-led learning outside the classroom is key to great outcomes for children and young people, who can only aspire to what they know exists.

By encouraging and celebrating learning outside school hours, Children’s University fosters curiosity and a love of learning, warm relationships between families, schools and the university, and builds bridges to employment and higher education.

CU school coordinators, one or more staff members in a school, are supported by the CU Tasmania team to:

• organise annual launches and relaunches of the program;
• communicate with families;
• identify learning opportunities at lunchtime, recess and after school;
• provide regular meetings with CU members to stamp passports and discuss learning opportunities;
• assess student engagement with the CUA portal;
• maintain member registers;
• assist with graduation preparations; and
• celebrate with students at graduation ceremonies.

School principals play an important role in the celebration of their students' achievements at graduation.

"I think it is one of the best programs I have encountered in 40 years of education." - retired principal Denise Wotherspoon.

Benefits of Children's University

Attendance

Research has demonstrated that children who participate in Children’s University activities have, as a consequence, better attendance records than children in the same school who do not participate.

Aspiration

To be able to succeed in other contexts, to visit places beyond one’s own immediate neighbourhood, to see the inside of a university is demonstrated in the data as extending horizons of the possible.

Agency

Children’s University participants are encouraged to develop a sense of power, decision making and initiative, allowing them to take control of their own learning journey.