Parental consent for participation in North Wales Children’s University

Dear Parent/Carer,

Your child’s class has been asked to take part in an exciting pilot, with the North Wales Children’s University. The project works with schools and external organisations to develop a love of lifelong learning in children and young people. By encouraging and rewarding participation in extra-curricular activities, both inside and outside of school, the Children’s University also aims to raise aspirations so that all CU members can discover their potential.

The North Wales Children’s University is one of a growing number of Children's Universities in Wales and the UK, working with children aged 8-18.

More information on the Children’s University can be found here - https://glyndwr.ac.uk/childrens-university/ and a short 4 minute video describing the project, can be watched here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBTUNsWgHEU

What does the Pilot involve?

There is no cost involved.

The pilot will run from September 2023 to February 2024 and will involve a small number of schools across North Wales, who will offer activities for your child to participate in, to gain stamp codes. Your child will receive a FREE Activity Record booklet and their own login details for the Children’s University Online portal.

If your child takes part in the pilot, they will be asked to fill in a survey and will be involved in a class discussion both before, and after the pilot, to assess their engagement levels in extra-curricular activities, their aspirations and their knowledge of College and University. They will also be asked about their expectations and experiences of the Children’s University.

Finally, we would like to invite the children involved to be part of promotional pictures and videos. More details will be provided during the pilot.

What does my child have to do?

Children and young people who participate in the Children’s University decide what they want to learn, choose their own activities and, most importantly, have fun!

They will have the opportunity to gain stamp codes by:

• attending school clubs on school property
• participating in voluntary, extra-curricular activities within school time such as music lessons
• completing online activities
• attending activities from Learning Destinations such as Xplore!, and local sports clubs, theatre groups and other organisations. The ever growing list of providers can be found here - https://www.childrensuniversity.co.uk/activity-search/
• Completing holiday challenges from the North Wales Children’s University Team

How does it work?

Children and young people receive a stamp code for every activity they take part in. They log their codes, every week, into their CU Online portal to convert their stamp codes into hours. Activities completed at school will be added by their school teacher.

Most importantly, once your child has completed 30 hours of Learning Activities they will be rewarded with a certificate and an invitation to a graduation-style celebration event, including free mortarboard and gown hire.

What will happen to my child’s data?

The data from the questionnaire and the class discussion will be collected by the Children’s University and their evaluation partners, Wrexham Glyndŵr University. The information gathered will form an overall evaluation of the Children’s University’s impact and will steer the planned expansion of the project across North Wales. The name of your child will not be identified in any written report.

What do I need to do now?

Please fill in and return the attached consent form to your child’s school teacher as soon as possible.

More details on the Children’s University can be found at https://glyndwr.ac.uk/childrens-university/

If you have any questions about the pilot, please email childrens.university@glyndwr.ac.uk

Kind Regards

Natalie Edwards – Children’s University Lead Project Manager