Learning Destinations Children's University Scotland

What are learning providers?

The after-school or lunchtime club. The local museum. The library, leisure centre, nature reserve, or the local youth club down the road. Learning destinations can be anywhere that a child can take part in high-quality, fun, innovative and engaging learning experiences.

Each venue displays the Children’s University learning provider logo, clearly visible to children who want to use their Passport to Learning to collect a credit there.

What happens at a CU learning activity?

There are three types of CU Scotland learning activities:

Activities that happen in the community: Passport holders may visit a learning provider in the community to take part in a learning activity. That could mean a self-guided visit, a venue tour, an interactive workshop, lesson or session. Community providers may also create fun learning activities children can do from home.

Activities that happen in a child's school: Passport holders might take place in fun activities in there school, that happen outside normal lesson time. That could mean a fun club that happens before or after the school day, or during break times. Schools sometimes provide extra learning opportunities for children to take part in at home or beyond the school gates. As long as the activity happens outside normal lesson time and isn't part of the curriculum, it can be counted towards CU credits and awards.

Activities that happen at home: Passport holders can also collect credits for taking part in a wide range of activities at home, with their families. These could be part of a Children's University Scotland free downloadable activity challenge, a fun worksheet or online activity produced by one of our learning partners, or even a free online learning activity - like Sumdog maths games.

This approach helps to connect classroom learning with other learning that takes place in our communities, city centres and countryside. Everyone’s involved — teachers, families, friends and local activity providers — at every step.

The process of becoming a learning destination

When you see our logo, you know a learning destination meets our criteria for the quality of learning it provides.

Only validated learning destinations can award Passport credits for their activities.

Find out about the validation process.

Different types of learning destination

There are different types of learning destination. Some are open to the public while others have restricted access.

Restricted learning destinations

Places that are not publicly accessible and which have restricted membership conditions. They include school lunchtime and after-school clubs, as well as certain clubs and groups that you have to apply to join.

Public learning destinations

Open to all Children’s University Passport Holders, they include educational venues like art galleries, zoos, and libraries as well as less obvious sites for learning, such as local radio stations, restaurants and shopping centres.

Online and distance learning

Downloadable learning activities that children can complete in their own time with family and friends. Some are completed at home, some are resources to support activities at a learning destination.

Learning providers

What are learning providers?

What sort of places are learning destinations?

Large learning centres

Museums, science centres, galleries and learning festivals

Small local venues

Libraries, sports centres, parks, community centres

National organisations

Who have multiple venues across the country

One-off events