University of Cambridge Holiday Playscheme

Activities: Children have an enjoyable time in the playscheme, playing imaginatively and constructing dens from varied materials. They also introduce children to widely differing experiences, such as inviting street dancers and a ukulele teacher.

Skills , Knowledge and Behavior: Staff plan mystery trails for older children and encourage them to use their thinking skills to solve clues. Younger children have picnics in the park and learn to play team games.

Communication: Managers take account of the views of children and parents. They provide parents with a summary of their children’s experiences during the holidays.

Programs and Resources: Managers ensure staff have clear guidance on any changes to local safeguarding procedures. Training is provided on any new government initiatives, such as staff responsibilities under the 'Prevent' duty.

Welcoming and Professional Staff: Staff quickly develop good relationships with the children. Children are happy and settled, they involve staff in their play and are confident to ask them for help.

Safeguarding Training: All staff attend child protection training before each holiday playscheme starts. Managers ensure staff have clear guidance on any changes to the local safeguarding procedures.

Play and Learning Integration: Children benefit from a wide range of freely available resources, play imaginatively, and enjoy constructing dens from varied materials.

Transition to Primary School: Managers attempt contact with the many schools the children attend and provide parents with a summary of their children's experiences to share with teachers.

Child Safety Management: Training is provided on any new government initiatives, such as staff responsibilities under the 'Prevent' duty. Staff complete daily safety checks of the premises and supervise the children as they play.

Happiness and Settling: Younger children are allocated a key person who helps to support them and settle them in. Photographs of the key staff are displayed so children know who to go to if they are unhappy or need to ask a question.