Children's University
Te Mātāpuna Mātātahi | Children’s University encourages tamariki aged 7 to 14 to take part in innovative learning activities outside their school day.
On this page:
What is Children's University?
Te Mātāpuna Mātātahi | Children’s University is a programme for children aged 7 to 14 that celebrates learning outside the classroom.
Tamariki take part in approved learning activities in their own time, collect hours in their Passport to Learning, and celebrate their achievements at a formal graduation ceremony.
The programme encourages curiosity, confidence and a love of learning that lasts beyond school. Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki Lincoln University and Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) work in partnership to deliver the programme.
1. Join the programme
Students join the programme through participating schools or rūnanga.
2. Get a Passport to Learning | Uruwhenua ki te Ako
Each student receives a Passport to record their learning hours.
3. Visit Learning Destinations
Students take part in approved learning activities outside school. These include a wide range of organisations and experiences that support learning. An online portal is available to discover Learning Destinations and online activities.
4. Collect learning hours
Time spent learning is recorded and validated in the Passport.
5. Reach milestones
Students work toward hour milestones and achievements.
6. Graduate
Reach 30 hours or more of learning in your passport and celebrate your achievements at a formal graduation ceremony.
Graduation
Graduation is a formal celebration of student's achievements.
Students who reach the required number of learning hours are invited to attend a ceremony where their commitment and progress are recognised.
This milestone reinforces the value of effort, persistence and curiosity.
FAQ's - for students and caregivers
No, the focus is on tamariki exploring different subject areas and new topics of their choosing, in their own time. Children can earn their hours in a variety of ways, including visiting some of the more than 150 community learning destination providers, participating in before or after school clubs, completing online activities, and more.
There is a small membership fee for each child who enrols and there are scholarships available to ensure that this is not a barrier.
No, many destinations are free entry, some offer discounted entry, all online activities are all free and we can provide printed activities if needed.
The Passport to Learning | Uruwhenua ki te Ako is where Children’s University members ‘collect’ their learning. Each activity is recorded, along with the time spent, and validated with a stamp from the Learning Destination. As learning hours accrue, they build towards Children’s University certificates awarded at graduations.
The school coordinator will oversee this for all school-led Children's University activities. Members are encouraged to take responsibility for handing in their passport to be stamped. Some schools will update passports after each activity, some will do so on a termly basis. For activities at a Public Learning Destination, the provider will usually stamp the passport. If this is not possible, the school coordinator can add the hours if provided with proof of participation.
The Children’s University Portal holds all of the important information regarding Learning Destinations and validated activities, while also offering a range of online activities which children can complete on the site. Members are able to complete and submit online forms for review by their in-school coordinator.
Learning Destinations are organisations or locations that offer educational opportunities and activities for tamariki. The Learning Destinations can be visited by tamariki outside of school hours either at the weekends or over the school holidays.
Tamariki can choose from any of the more than 150 Learning Destinations they want to visit. After tamariki complete an activity, they will receive a stamp or sticker in the passport.
Learning Destinations can include:
- Wildlife parks
- Museums
- Art galleries
- Libraries
- Local parks
FAQs - For Learning Destinations
Contact our team through toby.johnson@lincoln.ac.nz . We will get back in contact to discuss options with you. Once we can progress the partnership, an agreement will be signed. After that we will settle on the activity or activities that will be a part of the programme. These activities will be loaded into the online portal that tamariki have access to.
To be a Learning Destination, organisations work with Children’s University and identify activities that are suitable. These are often activities that are already running. Information about the activities is then loaded onto the online portal that tamariki have access to.
When children attend a Learning Destination with their caregivers and complete the activities, they will approach a staff member for a stamp in their passport.
In exchange the Learning Destination is promoted to members: a page is created on the CUA Portal and relevant activities conducted by the Learning Destination are highlighted on Facebook etc.
Many schools report improved attendance and engagement with classroom learning as a result of participation with Children’s University.
If you wish to find out more about your school joining the programme, please contact georgia.binnie@canterbury.ac.nz.
Schools that join the programme identify a coordinator who will be responsible for:
- Liaising with Children’s University to arrange enrolment and schedule events such as on-campus days and graduation.
- Approving completed activities on the online portal and stamping the children’s passports.
- Keeping track of children’s passport hours and providing an update each term.
- Attending graduation.
FAQs - for schools
We can be very flexible and tailor this to individual school’s needs.
Children’s University activities take place outside of school hours. Parents and caregivers can visit Learning Destinations with their tamariki after school, weekends, and holidays. Tamariki can complete activities found on the Portal anytime. Clubs and activities before or after school can also be counted.
There is a small membership fee for each child who enrols and there are scholarships available to ensure that this is not a barrier.
We thank our sponsors for their ongoing support in delivering Te Mātāpuna Mātātahi | Children’s University in the Waitaha | Canterbury region.
- Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki | Lincoln University
- Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | Canterbury University
- Rātā Foundation
- Riccarton Rotary Youth Trust
- Pub Charity Limited
- Lottery Community Grants
- Lincoln University Centennial Trust
- Canterbury Branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand
- Christchurch Adelaide Sister City
If you would like to discuss how you can support Te Mātāpuna Mātātahi | Children’s University, please contact the Programme Manager at jack.swannell@canterbury.ac.nz.
Get in touch
If you are part of a school or a Learning Destination who want to be a part of this amazing opportunity for tamariki, please contact us.
