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FAQs

We understand that choosing school-holiday childcare can be confusing, so we have provided answers to some of the most common questions parents have when booking with SuperCamps. If the answer to your question is not provided below, please contact our Customer Service Team via Live Chat or on 01235467300, as they are happy to help.

About SuperCamps

For a child to be eligible to attend SuperCamps they must be at least 4 years old by 1st September of the current academic year and therefore in Reception at school. 4 year old children who are in Nursery/Rising Reception are not eligible to attend*.

*We offer places to under 4s at select sites:

Glenesk School - 2 years and up (ONLY for children who attend this venue)

Northwood College for Girls - 3 years and up (open to public)

The Beacon Nursery - 3 years and up (ONLY for children who attend this venue)

Kingshott School - 3 years and up (open to public)

The Royal Masonic School for Girls - 3 years and up (open to public)

St Mary’s Preparatory Nursery School - 3 years and up (ONLY for children who attend this venue)

St Swithun’s School - Pre-school Ages 3 and up (3 year old ONLY for children who attend this venue)

To book places at these camps please contact SuperCamps directly at 01235 467300 or info@supercamps.co.uk.

All SuperCamps venues are Ofsted registered and therefore comply with all welfare and learning and development requirements. Not only can you rest assured that the staff caring for your children are fully vetted, but also our high standards are delivered at each venue for your peace of mind. Our policies and procedures are regularly updated to ensure we meet all necessary requirements and the welfare of the children in our care always takes priority.

Our Multi-Activity camps are on the Early Years Register for the 4 and 5 year olds and the Voluntary Register for our aged 5+ children. Specialist Courses are on the Voluntary Register. 

Each of our venues has a separate registration and a unique registration number. This number will be required if you need to set up childcare vouchers with us, give feedback or view previous inspection reports.

We run camps throughout the school holidays (Half Term, Easter, Summer and Christmas), although these vary for each camp. We also offer term-time wraparound care at a handful of venues through our SuperClubs. Please check individual venue pages to see specific dates.

At SuperCamps, we understand that children can feel nervous or shy, especially if it is their first time coming to camp. It is important that each child enjoys their day and makes friends, so we provide staff with training to ensure that they welcome children and support their integration into the group. Ofsted reported that SuperCamps staff make a huge effort to get to know individual children and in turn, the children clearly feel welcome, settled, and happy to engage.

Making a Booking

Our standard hours for the majority of our camps and courses are 9am to 5pm please see exceptions below. Please note all our standard prices are based on these hours. We also offer extended care between 8am to 9am and from 5pm to 6pm at an additional cost.

Extended care times may vary depending on venue.

*St Mary's Preperatory School standard hours 9.00am - 4.30pm (8.30am - 5.00pm with extended care)

*Duncombe School 9am-5pm (8am-6.30pm with extended care)

Extended care must be booked in advance with morning, afternoon or combined options available.

The cost for extended care is £7.50 for each end of the day (8am to 9pm or 5pm to 6pm). Additional charges will be enforced if you do not collect by 6pm (see terms and conditions for further details).

We accept all Childcare vouchers. Please see our Childcare Vouchers Page for more information.

We are aware that your childcare requirements may change and therefore, we offer a “SuperFlex” option at checkout.  

For just £4 per day, our SuperFlex product allows you to change or amend your booking including the removal of days, for any reason including illness. You will be entitled to credit on you SuperCamps account of the full amount of the days removed (minus the £4 per day SuperFlex charge).

Please note any claim for credit through SuperFlex must be made within 4 weeks of the date in question.

For more information, please read our Terms & Conditions.    

 

The cost for extended care is £7.50 for each end of the day (8am to 9am or 5pm to 6pm). Additional charges will be required if you do not collect by 6pm (see terms and conditions for further details).

The SuperCamps ethos ensures that children will make new friends on camp. As we group children together by age, children of the same age are likely to be in the same group. Although there is no guarantee that friends - or siblings - can always be placed together, especially if they differ greatly in age. Please be aware that we put the children in groups based on dates of birth, not school years. 4 and 5 year olds cannot be moved up an age group due to being on the Ofsted Early Years Register.

If you have a grouping request, we ask that you email our Customer Service team at least 10 working days before the camp starts at info@supercamps.co.uk. We will endeavour to meet these requests as best as possible, however due to the high volume of bookings at some our venues this may not always be possible even if your request is submitted within the given timeframe. Please ensure you provide us with your child’s name and the camp they will be attending.

We accept payment via the following methods:

  • Debit/Credit Card

There is no charge for a debit/credit card payment. Please note, we do not accept American Express.

  • Childcare Vouchers

We accept all types of childcare vouchers.

  • Credit

If you have accumulated credit from a past booking, you will be required to call our Customer Service Team to book and use this form of payment.

  • Free day

Vouchers can be redeemed online or by phone. You will need the 4-digit reference number and they will need to be redeemed by the date stated on the individual voucher. The voucher number must be quoted at time of purchase. Valid on our Multi-Activity Camps, for the standard 9am-5pm only. Extended care can be purchased separately. All places are subject to availability. One voucher equals one day and cannot be exchanged for money or used on sales merchandise. This voucher is not transferable and non-refundable. Free place day is subject to the standard SuperCamps terms & conditions.

Where possible, we try to leave a few spaces for any childcare emergencies you may have. Check availability and book online as normal.

Please print off and take your booking confirmation with you when dropping off your child to ensure a speedier sign-in.

Please see full Terms and Conditions for details on changing and cancelling bookings.

At Camp

Wear and bring…

  • Comfy clothes for an active day, including practical shoes (i.e. trainers) and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.
  • An apron or shirt for creative activities.
  • Swimming costume and towel.*
  • For sunny weather: 
    • sun hat, suitable clothes and sun cream (ensure the latter is applied prior to arrival – we will then advise/assist your child in reapplying throughout the day unless you advise us otherwise).
  • Warm comfortable clothes including a jacket/coat and jumper for cool weather.
  • During our Summer season, Friday is "Friday Finale" day, where children participate in water-based activities (weather permitting) for an optional £1 donation to our current charity partner, Scope.

*swimming takes place where venue facilities allow.

 

Food and Drink

  • Healthy and balanced packed lunch, plus additional snacks for break times/extended hours.
  • Refillable drinks bottle (all children will be advised to keep this filled throughout the day).
  • Please provide ice packs during hot weather as we are unable to provide refrigeration facilities.
  • We kindly ask parents not to pack nuts into their child's lunch due to allergies. 

Do not bring…

  • Money.
  • Mobile phones or any other electronic equipment.
    All non-approved electrical devices are prohibited on camp. If found, children will be asked to place the device in the Camp Manager box, which will be locked and secured at all times. Parents/Guardians are required to contact the Camp Manager if they wish to speak with their child during camp.
  • Other valuables.

SuperCamps cannot be held responsible nor can they compensate if items get damaged or go missing.

From the minute our doors open until the very last child is picked up, every day at SuperCamps is filled to the brim with action, adventure and fun. From the energetic to the creative, from the classics to the unusual, your child can expect to take part in around six engaging activities each day. Our philosophy when it comes to activities is to ensure every session is bursting with energy and fun. We also want children to try things they wouldn’t normally get to do, learn some new skills in the process and go home tired and happy after each day. You will also be able to see what your child is doing by viewing the timetable at the registration area when you sign your child in on camp.

Can children choose their activities?
Early Years Children follow a structured timetable based on staff and parent feedback and created in line with the areas of learning outlined in Ofsted's EYFS.

Children aged 6+ years, follow a semi-structed schedule, which allows for periods in which the group can collectively decide on a chosen activity. 

With new themes each season and a different timetable every day, children's on-camp experiences are always unique.

Highlight activities at no extra cost...
Much-loved highlight activities such as Pedal-Karts(8+), Swimming(4+) and Archery-Tag™(8+) are periodically available at selected venues at no extra charge.

Free-choice activities run during the extended hours.

Each season we have different Themes of the Week so children can always enjoy new activities on camp. In addition to arts & crafts, sports and games, there are also Festival Activities which will visit camp on selected days during our Summer season.  

Our Festival Activities visit different venues each day, allowing as many children as possible to have a surprise experience! Please note our Festival Activities are a free additional extra to our Multi-Activity Camps schedules, they are not timetabled to be part of our specialist courses.

Due to the nature of these activities they are all subject to availability and we are unable to outline the expected dates for these activities at each venue. In addition, differing facilities and access across our venues, means we are unable to offer all of our festival activities at some of our venues.

For Health & Safety reasons, some of our festival activities are age restricted. Children aged 4-12 will be able to take part in our Giant Inflatable Obstacle courses and Kit Camp. SuperCamps TV will be available to children aged 6-12. Laser Tag, Archery Tag and Zorb Bump and Bounce are for children aged 8-12.

Please be aware, that if there are high winds or poor weather conditions the Giant Inflatable Obstacle Courses are subject to cancellation.

Every child is unique and we recognise that some children prefer art and other creative activities. In order to ensure that all children are active throughout the day, we incorporate a variety of active and fun games that emphasize play and imagination. As such, many children forget that they're doing sport and enjoy these sessions. 

SuperCamps requests that parents be punctual in dropping off and collecting children. We also request that parents inform Head Office/Camp Manager when a child will be absent due to illness and other unforeseen circumstances. If no prior notice is given, the Camp Manager will attempt to contact parents in the case of absence.

  • Parents are asked to tell Head Office/Camp Manager if their child is going to be absent and ask them to provide a reason i.e. they are sick.
  • We ask parents to contact at the beginning of the day.
  • Parents can ring or text the camp manager or call head office to inform us if their child is not attending.
  • If a child doesn’t attend the camp for their sessions, the camp manager or head office would be responsible for contacting the parent to find out the reason why.
  • We would speak to the parent personally.
  • If there is no reply and the child does not come to the camp, we would refer to our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy as the welfare of the child is a priority.

If for any reason your child is unable to attend camp, please contact either your camp manager or Head Office to report the absence. To ensure infection or illness is not brought on to camp, we ask that children please stay at home for the full duration of their illness, and for 48 hours after their last symptom occurs.

We offer the option of adding Illness Protecting to your booking, meaning you can claim back any missed days due to illness as a credit on your account. To make a claim, please fill out our IPS Form.

For Multi-Activity, we divide the whole camp into crews containing similar-aged children each week. This ensures we can run great activities and team games with children of similar ages and interests and they can make loads of new friends.

How many children are in each crew?

On Multi-Activity, our ratios are 1:8 for children aged 3, 2:16 for ages 4-5, 1:15 for ages 6-7 and 1:16 for ages 8 and over.

The ages in each crew will depend on the age distribution across the whole camp which can change from venue to venue and from week to week. Sometimes we might have a dedicated crew for each age and sometimes we will group different ages together, it does depend on how many children we have on camp on each day. Please note that we put the children in groups based on dates of birth, not school years.

For Rise Cookery courses we aim for maximum ratios of 1:10 across all age brackets.

LEGO® Play we aim for ratios of 1:10 across all age brackets.

Chelsea Foundation we aim for ratios of 1:12 across all age brackets.

Mad Science we aim for ratios of 1:14 across all age brackets.

Take The Stage we aim for ratios of 1:10 across all age brackets.

Bushcraft we aim for ratios of 1:10 across all age brackets.

The camp experience is all about making new friends, getting to know other children and trying out new experiences all with the support of our superb SuperCamps staff. If you have a grouping request, we ask that you email our Customer Service team at least 10 working days before the first day of your child's camp at info@supercamps.co.uk. We will endeavour to meet these requests as best as possible, however due to the high volume of bookings at some of our venues this may not always be possible even if your request is submitted within the given timeframe. Please ensure you provide us with your child’s name and the camp they will be attending.

As we group children together by age, children of the same age are likely to be in the same group. Although there is no guarantee that friends - or siblings - can always be placed together, especially if they differ greatly in age. Please be aware that we put the children in groups based on dates of birth, not school years. 4 and 5 year olds cannot be moved up an age group due to being on the Ofsted Early Years Register.

Food is not provided on camp, so we ask that you please send your child to camp with a packed lunch, as welll as two additional snacks. We encourage parents to prepared a well-balanced lunch packed with the nutrients needed to keep your child happy, healthy and energised for an active day on camp. 

We operate on a strict no-nut policy at SuperCamps to protect children with allergies. 

For further guidance on what to pack, visit out blog for some super lunch box ideas.

Children have an hour for lunch: the first 30 minutes is spent eating with friends and instructors, and then there’s another 30 minutes to run around, play games, or chill out. We also have two 20-minute breaks – one in the morning and one in the afternoon – during which the children can enjoy their snacks. Lunch and breaks are fully supervised and children are encouraged to eat all of their lunch.

At the start of each week children are assigned to a Colour Point Team to help boost morale and comradery amongst the different crews and age groups. Then throughout the week points are awarded by instructors to celebrate and reward team spirit, positive contribution, good sportsmanship, helpfulness and much more!

To end the week with a bang, all crews will participate in a series of similar activities to give their Colour Point totals one final boost before the weekend. Our younger children on camp, do their very own Friday Challenge suited to their age.

During the day children have two 20 minute breaks and a 30 minute lunch break, during this time children are encouraged to sit down and recharge. In addition if children feel tired during an activity, staff can incorporate additional breaks and/or quieter side line activities. Younger children have two sessions a day (Golden Time & Time for me) where they can enjoy a quieter time in their base room with their Instructor.

After 6pm, late pick-up fees are charged at £20 for every 15 minutes to cover the additional staffing cost.  If you think you might be late to collect your child, please let your camp manager or Head Office know as soon as possible.

Parents are not permitted to stay on camp during the day due to stringent safeguarding policies; all adults on camp must undergo background checks and an enhanced DBS.

We want parents to be able to be a part of their child’s on-camp experience however, so a timetable of the day’s activities is available to view at registration and your camp manager is contactable throughout the day. There’s also the possibility that our SuperCamps photographer will visit your camp. To ensure you don’t miss out on photos from the day, please complete a consent form at registration. 

Our Policies

SuperCamps has completed thorough Policies and Procedures to ensure the efficient and safe management of our camps, aimed to promote the welfare, care and learning of the children who attend. All Policies & Procedures reflect the statutory guidance in “Keeping children safe in education” published by Department for Education.  

If you would like to read our Health & Safety Policy, please click - Health and Safety Policy 2024

SuperCamps are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and an enhanced DBS will be required. SuperCamps believe that all staff need to be vigilant and act on any concerns they may have regarding the welfare of the children they are working with. If any member of staff has any suspicions about the treatment of a child, or actions of an adult, they must immediately raise it, either to the SuperCamps DSL team, local authority safeguarding services or the police. Please see the full SuperCamps Safeguarding Policy here.

Please see the section HERE for SuperCamps Limited Cookie Policy.

It is part of our commitment to the health and safety of all children attending our camps, that each season high standards of hygiene and cleanliness are regulated and upheld in line with current NHS and Government updates and advice.

We would like to reassure all parents that existing control measures are in place on camp, ensuring that children are encouraged to maintain good personal hygiene and that appropriate sanitary provisions are available to all. Please refer to our illness and infection policies and procedures for further details.

Please see here for our official statement regarding coronavirus.

See our full Terms and Conditions here.

SuperCamps operates a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination, bullying and persistent poor behavior of any kind, irrespective of any special needs. If you would like to raise a concern, please speak to your camp manager or contact customer services on 01235 467300.