The Leadership for Learning team at the University of Cambridge were tasked with evaluating whether or not the Children's University™ had an impact on pupils' attainment, attendance and attitudes towards learning.
Key Findings
- 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 have positive relationships.
- Pupils and teachers testify to life changing experiences.
- 'Opportunity costs' are hight 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 inspire and raise aspirations for children, and their parents.
- Children's University™ has helped to "make learning a reality beyond academic studies."
Links to the Impact Evaluation for the National Children's University™ 2010 (author Professor John MacBeath) can be found below.
John Kennedy, HMI Inspector, outlined the new school inspection framework `out of hours' learning element and it's link to the work of the Children's University™.
An adapted version of the presentation, given at the National Children's University™ Conference, December 2010, is provided below. The full version is available to download from the national Children's University™ website. Please click here.
Key findings from the
Evaluation of Children's University™ 2010 and their relevance for Government Policy.
Professor John MacBeath has produced a paper which links the key findings from the Evaluation of the Children's University 2010 to Government Policy and this is attached below.
Relevant Files for Download:
Here are some resource documents for download, to accompany the information on this page.