Extra Curricular Clubs & Activities

There are various extra curricular clubs that your child can take part in. They are run during the lunchtime period or after school. Some are delivered by teachers whilst there are others that are organised by outside agencies (PAFC and Stageclub). For these there is a charge.

Please see individual club details for more information.

Children’s University

What is it?

Children’s University is a nationwide scheme where children from the ages of 5-14 are encouraged to take part in extracurricular activities. They are given a ‘Passport to learning’ and in this passport, they record the hours of activities they complete. These hours add up to certificates and the scheme goes all the way up to 1000 hours. Once children have reached any Gold level, they will be invited to a graduation at Plymouth University for Devon and Penryn University Campus for Cornwall.

Learning activities must take place outside the normal school day. This includes before school, lunchtime and after school clubs, as well as weekend and holiday activities. All educational school clubs can be included in your passport, but only activities that have been quality assured (validated) by us can be included if they are external to your school.

If you would like to nominate an activity provider, then please send them this link, which will take them to our online validation form, which they will need to complete: https://childrensuni-p-web4.azurewebsites.net/activity-create

There are currently over 90 local Children’s Universities across the UK, this includes Plymouth

Children are all given their own “Passport to Learning” in which they are encouraged to collect hours of learning towards nationally recognised awards for between 30, and 1000 hours of learning. We currently have over 5000 children who attend Children’s University events

Where can Children use their passports?

At validated ‘Learning Destinations’, these may be clubs at school or more public destinations such as Plymouth District Scouts, City Museum and Art Gallery, Plymouth Youth Music Service,The Ski Centre, local libraries or the Mountbatten Watersports Centre. All these Destinations have been checked for quality by a team of nationally trained validators and will display the following logo.

More and more venues across Plymouth are becoming Learning Destinations

Passports are available from school or from some Learning Destinations

Who is it for?

The Children’s University is aimed at 5 to 14 year olds of all abilities.

How does it work?

Once children become members of the Children’s University they are encouraged to progress through the national certification scheme, based on their number of hours of attendance throughout their involvement with the Children’s University. Bronze, silver and gold certificates are awarded at CU Undergraduate, CU Postgraduate and CU Doctorate levels, rewarding participation in CU learning from 30 to 1000 hours. Honorary certificates are also awarded for outstanding achievement and commitment.

We are working closely with Plymouth University and every year we will work with them to provide a formal graduation ceremony for young people when they have participated in 100 or more hours of learning.

Children’s Lectures

Children’s University lectures on the life of insects and insect model making hosted by the University of Plymouth proved popular with children and parents alike. Arctic explorer Antony Jinman’s recent Children’s University lecture was also a great success. Antony has become chancellor of Plymouth Children’s University and he attended the 2010 National Children’s University conference. To find out more about this, go to Antony’s website www.antonyjinman.com

Plymouth Children’s University will continue to organise additional FREE evening lectures in partnership with leading providers. Information about these will be sent schools and will be posted on our local website

What are the benefits?

The 2010 national evaluation undertaken by Cambridge University found that

Being in the Children’s University significantly improves school attendance.
Achievement is significantly better at Key Stages 1 to 3 for children who participate in Children’s University compared with non-attenders.
The further children engage with Children’s University, the better their attendance and achievement.
Children’s University provides an environment for self-driven, confident and collegial learning.
Children’s University provides a safe haven and models positive relationships.
Pupils and teachers testify to life changing experiences.
‘ Opportunity costs’ are high for children in disadvantaged areas who do not attend Children’s University.
Certificates, credits, Passports To Learning and graduations are valued incentives and rewards.
University settings help to inspire and raise aspirations for children, and their parents.
Children’s University has helped to “make learning a reality beyond academic studies.”