Children's University (CU Trust)

What Children's University (CU Trust) does

Children's University Trust is a registered UK charity (Charity No. 1118315, Companies No. 06018900) that validates, tracks, and celebrates learning activities undertaken by children outside formal classroom settings. Formally constituted in 2007 but with roots in early-1990s pilots in disadvantaged areas, the Trust operates across more than 1,000 schools and 66 English local authority areas, reaching over 110,000 children, and is supported by a licensed network of local delivery partners including universities, local authorities, FE colleges, and local charities.

The organisation's core technology is Children's University Online (CUO), a bespoke digital platform built and maintained by Tech Dept Limited. CUO provides a digital learning log, access to 6,000+ quality-assured activities, digital print-at-home certificates, and integration with the Skills Builder Framework for essential skills tracking. The platform sits alongside a paper-based Passport to Learning stamp system and supports an award scheme culminating in graduation ceremonies. Annual State of the Nation reports (published since 2021) draw on 1.5 million+ hours of recorded participation to evidence impact.

Revenue is generated through three streams: a £3.50/month direct-to-consumer online subscription launched in 2023, licensing fees from local partner organisations and international licensees (Australasia, New Zealand, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, India), and charitable donations from businesses, foundations, and individuals. Go-to-market is primarily channel-led via the local partner network, with schools also able to sign up directly in areas without a local partner; the 2023 subscription introduced a direct-to-consumer route for non-member schools and home-educated children.

Name

Children's University (CU Trust)

Legal name

Children's University Trust

Website

https://childrensuniversity.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Children's University Trust is a UK charity that validates, tracks, and celebrates learning beyond the classroom for 110,000+ children across 1,000+ schools in England, via a digital platform and a licensed network of local and international delivery partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Education and Extracurricular Learning Validation

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK)

Keywords

• Extracurricular learning validation
• Children's education charity
• Learning beyond classroom
• Digital learning platform
• Character education programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Online Subscription: Monthly subscription at £3.50/month for individual children to access Children's University Online. Provides digital learning log, certificates, activity database access, and skills tracking. Charged monthly with ability to cancel anytime.
2. Donations and Charitable Support: As a registered charity (no. 1118315), Children's University Trust receives support from businesses, charitable foundations and individuals to fund operations and reach more children.
3. Partner Licensing: Local organisations become Children's University licensees/partners, managing programmes in their areas with support from the national charity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Children's University Trust is a registered charity that encourages, tracks and celebrates learning beyond the classroom for children aged five and above. It delivers this through a network of local partner organisations that validate and curate quality learning activities, a Passport to Learning stamp-collecting system, and the Children's University Online (CUO) digital platform that lets children log participation, earn digital certificates, and access 6,000+ quality-assured activities tied to the Skills Builder Framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Children's University Online (CUO): Digital platform for participants to record their engagement with learning beyond the classroom, offering over 6,000 quality-assured activities and digital certificates
• The Etc Programme

Products and services

• Children's University Online (CUO) A digital platform for children to track and log participation in learning activities beyond the classroom, earn digital certificates, and access over 6,000 quality-assured activities. Available via subscription at £3.50/month for families outside member schools, or through school partnerships for children in member schools.
• Children's University Online Subscription A direct-to-consumer monthly subscription to Children's University Online at £3.50/month per child, giving access to the digital Learning Log, digital certificates, 6,000+ quality-assured activities and skills tracking. Available to families whose children are not in member schools or who are home-educated, with financial assistance offered so cost is not a barrier.
• Passport to Learning A paper-based system where children collect stamps in a physical Passport for participating in validated Children's University activities outside the classroom. Stamps can be posted online to unlock additional information, bridging the physical and digital systems.
• Children's University Award Scheme An award scheme that encourages, tracks and celebrates children's participation in learning beyond the classroom, with certificates (digital via CUO and physical via Passport) awarded as children accumulate hours of validated activity, culminating in graduation ceremonies at participating universities.
• Validated Learning Destinations Programme A programme through which activity providers (museums, sports clubs, arts providers, universities, etc.) undergo quality assurance validation to become validated Children's University learning destinations, giving children access to a curated catalogue of 6,000+ quality-assured extracurricular activities searchable on the CUO platform.
• Local Children's University Licensing A licensing arrangement for local organisations (Local Authorities, Universities, FE institutions, charities) to become regional Children's University partners and deliver the programme in their geographic areas, supported by the national Trust with branding, tools and strategic guidance. Currently active across 66 local authority areas in England, with international licensees in Australasia, Malaysia, China, Taiwan and India.
• State of the Nation Reports Annual evidence-based reports examining the impact of learning beyond the classroom, informed by data from Children's University Online. Reports are publicly available on the Children's University website and offer analysis of over 1.5 million hours of participation since 2021.

Quantifiable outcome

• Children participating in Children's University made 2 months additional progress in maths and reading at KS2 (Education Endowment Foundation, 2017)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• NestamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Funded a 2021 research project with University of Sussex into the impact of Children's University on essential skills development in children aged 11+, in partnership with Skills Builder.
• Mic MediaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Produced the first five episodes of the Children's University: Live! podcast, recorded at the Children's University Conference in October 2019.
• Leadership for Learning - The Cambridge NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Conducted independent evaluation in 2012 led by Professor John MacBeath of University of Cambridge in partnership with Fischer Family Trust.
• University of AdelaidecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManages Children's University Australasia, operating the programme across Australia and New Zealand through a partnership with University of Canterbury and Lincoln University for the Canterbury region.
• Di PURBA Centre for Professional ExcellencecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManages Children's University Malaysia, operating the programme in Malaysia under license from Children's University Trust.
• Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted 2017 evaluation of Children's University showing positive impact on attainment. Listed as a promising project. Currently recruiting for new EEF trial.
• University of SussexmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner with Nesta on the impact study showing direct link between participation and skills development aligned to the Skills Builder Framework.
• Skills Builder PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildren's University is a proud member of the Skills Builder partnership. All validated activities are linked to the Skills Builder Framework for tracking essential skills development.
• Tiller ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted evaluation report for University of Wolverhampton Children's University in September 2018.
• Tech Dept LimitedcoreTechnology or IntegrationBuilt and maintains Children's University Online digital platform. Has access to the site purely for maintenance and technical development purposes.
• Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDeveloped off-the-shelf resources for running extra-curricular STEM clubs for children, freely accessible through their website for Children's University network.
• University of the First Age (UFA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted evaluation through their Young Researchers and Evaluators programme in October 2017, with child-led hands-on research by youngest-ever researchers.
• University of Canterbury Te Whare Wanaga o WaitahacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOperates Children's University Canterbury Partnership jointly with Lincoln University in New Zealand.
• Lincoln University Te Whare Wanaka o AorakicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOperates Children's University Canterbury Partnership jointly with University of Canterbury in New Zealand.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Enabling Enterprise: UK education charity that partners with schools to build skills and aspirations through extra-curricular challenges and employer encounters. Highly comparable mission (school-based skills development for children) and similar partnership-led delivery model.
• IntoUniversity: UK education charity supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to attain university. Comparable as a UK education charity targeting attainment outcomes for school-aged children through local-centre and school partnerships.
• Speakers for Schools: UK charity connecting schools with volunteer speakers and work experience to broaden horizons for state-educated students. Similar target beneficiary (UK school children), similar mission (aspiration-building beyond the classroom), and similar school-partnership GTM.
• Skills Builder Partnership: UK social enterprise behind the Skills Builder Framework that CU's activities are mapped to. Directly comparable as a UK skills-framework and extra-curricular learning organisation serving schools and educators.
• University of the First Age (UFA): UK education charity that has previously evaluated Children's University and works on learner voice and engagement projects in schools. Comparable as a small UK education charity operating in the school engagement / enrichment space.
• Mayor's Fund for London: UK social-mobility charity championing life chances of 40,000+ young Londoners annually through school-based programmes. Comparable as a UK charity targeting educational and personal outcomes for school-age children, with similar trustee overlap (Louise Richmond).

Broad incumbents

• National Citizen Service (NCS): Larger government-backed UK youth programme developing confidence and skills in 16-17 year olds. Overlapping personal-development mission for school-age children but focused on older adolescents and at much greater scale.
• The Prince's Trust: Major UK youth charity supporting 11-30 year olds into education, training and employment. Operates in the same broader UK youth personal-development space as Children's University but at substantially larger scale and with a different age focus.
• The Scout Association: Large UK youth organisation offering skills, badges and extra-curricular programmes for children and young people. Comparable badge/award system and extra-curricular learning framework, though delivered through uniformed youth work rather than school partnerships.

Others

• Education Endowment Foundation (EEF): UK education charity that independently evaluated Children's University in 2017. Related as an evidence-generating funder in the same UK education charity ecosystem, rather than as a programme operator or direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CU_Trust
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChildrensUniversityTrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Children's University (CU Trust)