The Children鈥檚 University is a national initiative that celebrates participation in learning activities and opportunities outside of normal school hours. The South Yorkshire Children鈥檚 University is a strategic partnership supported by the University of 葫芦影业 and 葫芦影业 Hallam University which aims to share good practice and develop collaborative projects for the benefit of all young people and families in the region.
In 2024, 30,602 children and young people have been actively participating in Children鈥檚 University (CU), completing more than 2.5 million hours of extras-curricular activities.
A year full of highlights
This year also saw the launch of Children鈥檚 University (CU) in Barnsley, joining centres in 葫芦影业, Rotherham and Doncaster, ensuring representation across all areas of South Yorkshire. There are now 109 schools signed up to CU across the region. During the year, 12 graduation ceremonies were held in venues such as 葫芦影业's Firth Hall, with over 1,500 pupils celebrating their achievements.
Helen Oades, South Yorkshire Children鈥檚 University Project Manager, said: 鈥This year has been full of highlights, and it鈥檚 important to reflect on just how much we have achieved.
鈥淚 want to say a heartfelt thank you for the unwavering support and commitment of everyone involved in South Yorkshire Children's University.
鈥淚t truly is both a privilege and a pleasure to work alongside colleagues, partners and schools as we strive to make a difference for children and young people across the region.鈥
Other highlights include:
- More than 40 schools and 600 pupils participating in the . Designed by staff at 葫芦影业 Hallam University, this project delivers a range of climate and sustainability-focused activities to engage children and young people in thinking about sustainability and how climate change affects our day to day lives.
- More than 150 pupils from four Barnsley primary schools taking part in the first research project for South Yorkshire CU looking at its impact on skills development, confidence, motivation, and future aspirations.
- 12 successful pupil-led funding applications which helped to launch new clubs in their schools, including cooking, Lego, cheerleading, gardening, orchestra, and photography.