The Children’s University™ is a national organisation that encourages, promotes and rewards children, mainly 7 – 14 year olds, for attending out of school hours activities for subjects linked to a university course, such as cookery, sports science, art and crafts, journalism, science, history, film studies and many more.

The way it works is that children can buy a smart passport (similar to a real passport) for the cost of £2 from their school when their school joins the initiative. Children can only buy passports when their school has joined.  The passports are then used for children to record the time they spend at these special after school activities, either within their own school or at other approved organisations after school or during school holidays.  Places which have been approved by Havant Children’s University™ and run approved activities are called ‘Learning Destinations’. When a child attends an approved activity they get a stamp in their passport. 

Children are encouraged to collect as many ‘Learning Hours’ at after school activities as they can.  We then celebrate their commitment and achievement with a graduation ceremony at a local university.  The children are awarded certificates for key targets of bronze, silver and gold.

Havant Council of Community Service is one of the key partners of the local initiative. Our other partners include local businesses, Children's Services, Extended Services, Learning Destinations, Police, the Fire Service and Havant Borough Council.

We are always looking for new partners who are passionate about learning.  If you would like to help shape the future of the children in your community, then contact Amanda Fieldgate at childrensuni@havantccs.org.uk.

Why not visit our website www.havantchildrensuniversity.co.uk and find out about all the exciting activities that the children are getting involved in or join our monthly Newsletter. It is only a click away from our website.

Twelve schools and seventeen Learning Destinations have already signed up to Havant Children’s University™ but we would like to see a lot more.

220 children with over 10,000 Learning Hours have proudly received their certificates at graduation ceremonies at the Universities of Winchester (2010) and Portsmouth (2011).

HAVANT CHILDREN'S UNIVERSITY™ SCHOOLS

• Horndean Junior School
• Front Lawn Junior School
• Warren Park Primary School
• Emsworth Primary School
• Padnell Junior School
• Hart Plain Junior School
• Bidbury Infant School
• Mengham Infant School
• Mengham Junior School
• Warblington
• St Thomas More's Primary School
• Barncroft Primary School

LEARNING DESTINATIONS

• The Spring                    
• The News
• Music Fusion
• Staunton Country Park
• The Royal Armouries / Fort Nelson
• Beaulieu
• Libraries
• Southern Judokan
• Spirit in Sport
• StreetSport
• Warings
• Hampshire Music Service
• The King’s Theatre
• Tish Boom Drama
• The Vyne – National Trust
• Pompey Sports and Education Foundation
• Making Space
• SciHi
• Weald and Downland Open Air Museum
• Gemsdance
• Southern Water
• Queen Elizabeth Country Park
• University of Portsmouth - Up for It Juniors
• Portsmouth Chorus Junior Choir
• Emsworth / Bedhampton Junior PCSO