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Energise Luton Holiday Camps
Great Fun, Healthy and Active Holiday Camps
Energise Luton Holiday Camps is Luton’s Holiday Activity and Food programme, funded by the Department for Education, for school-age children up to 16 who are on income-related free school meals.
Please check out our FAQ for further information and how to become involved in this fantastic programme!
When do bookings go live?
Bookings will go live on 27th January 2024.
When is the next camp?
Monday 17th - Friday 21st February 2025.
What can children expect?
A great fun time, but also:
- The opportunity to enjoy nutritious meals with friends
- At least one hour of physical activity a day
- Enriching activities – arts and crafts, music, creative games and activities
Deliver a Camp
If you’re a school, community group, sports club, arts or creative group who’d like to deliver a camp, we’d love to hear from you. We’re keen to fund more camps across the town to make sure that as many children on free school meals as possible have free, fun and varied school holiday activities on their doorstep. Read our frequently asked questions here to find out more about funding criteria.
Get Involved!
If you’d like to help by volunteering at the camps, please get in touch. We need volunteers across the town to help make sure our children have the best time ever.
We’d also like to hear from companies and businesses who could make donations or sponsor something – equipment, food, items for care packs and even taxis are just a few examples of what we need.
Contact Us
Email: energiseluton@activeluton.co.uk
Telephone: 01582 400272
Funding Frequently Asked Questions
What is the application process?
For existing camp providers, we will be in contact with you directly, however if you have not run a camp before and would like to, we are always looking for new partners to become part of our Energise Luton Camp Provider Team. Please register your interest by emailing energiseluton@activeluton.co.uk and we will be in touch with further information.
What age group does this funding cover?
Funding is for children/young people aged 5-16yrs (school years R to 11).
What must the holiday camp include?
- A Healthy Meal
- Nutritional Education
- Physical Activity (60 minutes/day)
- Enrichment Activities
- Minimum of 4 hour delivery per day
Detailed guidance on standards required can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/holiday-activities-and-food-programme/holiday-activities-and-food-programme-2021#standards-for-holiday-provision
How do I ensure that the children booking on to the camp are children entitled to the funding?
All bookings made whether through the Must Luton booking system, or direct with provider, must provide an eligibility booking code supplied via the child’s school.
Is there a set ratio of adults to children?
Ratios will be dependent on the activities being undertaken and the associated risk assessments.
Can we use volunteers to support our programme and deliver activities?
We strongly encourage the use of appropriately trained volunteers to support the delivery of your programmes. This will help reduce costs and therefore increase access for more children/young people.
Can schools use their own staff to deliver activities?
Yes. We anticipate schools providing some staffing to support their on-site programmes.
How much funding can we apply for?
The Holiday Activity and Food funding is available to cover the cost of staffing, facility hire, catering, and sundry equipment to run the camp. All proposals and bids will be asked to itemise costs and will be encouraged to include volunteer time, in-kind contributions or sponsors/donations.
We particularly welcome applications from providers who can provide inclusive experiences for SEND children, and deliverers may apply for extra funding for this, again with an itemised budget of costs.
Can you provide guidance on appropriate menus?
Yes. Once funding has been awarded you will be provided with ideas and examples of activities and food.
Will the children attending be covered through Active Luton’s insurance?
Provision of Public Liability Insurance is the responsibility of the provider and a certificate of insurance will be requested as part of the application process.
How does the risk assessment work?
The applicant will be required to undertake and submit a risk assessment covering both the activities and the location. Support can be provided where required.
What are the safeguarding policies/procedures?
The applicant will be required to submit their safeguarding policy and confirm appropriate DBS and other safeguarding arrangements are in place. Support can be provided where required.
What about the food – how does this work?
The food provided for children must meet School Food Standards and preferably be hot. It may be provided through the school catering team or sourced from an alternative provider. The provider must be registered with Luton Borough Council and have a food hygiene rating of 4 or 5. We are also able to support with signposting you to appropriate caterers – please indicate any support required when submitting your application and do not be dissuaded from making an application if you will have difficulty providing the food element yourself.
What information is required as evidence of attendance?
This will be clearly explained with confirmation of awards and will involve recording:
- Number of children registered on the camp who receive income-related free school meals
- Number of children registered on the camp who are not on income-related free school meals
- Number of children booked on the camp who are SEND, have additional needs, or are considered vulnerable
- Number of days each individual participating child is booked on the camp and how many of those days they attended the holiday camp
Deliverers will be encouraged to use our online booking system to record all children attending to avoid the need for manual attendance records to be submitted. Full access and training on the booking system is provided.
How will funding be paid?
As a guide, we will provide up to 70% of the funding up front with the 30% being paid on submission of the evidence of attendance. To receive full funding, a minimum of 85% of participants must meet the income-related free school meals criteria.
What if the number of attendees is lower than expected?
If the bookings are lower than expected prior to the start of camp, we would expect you to manage your costs accordingly, such as reducing staff numbers, and meal orders. Actively engaging with the local schools to fill spaces is the responsibility of the provider. All effort must be made to fill the number of spaces funded, including overbooking to compensate for non-attendance, running waiting lists, and calling up parents of children who have not shown, and removing their booking if continued non-attendance. Prior due diligence is expected before applying for funding to ensure that you can fill the spaces for which you are applying for funding.
Can we charge children for the activities we will be providing?
The activities must be free of charge for those eligible for income-related free school meals or for vulnerable children. Other children can be charged but please be mindful of your target groups and ensure your prices are nominal/reasonable so as not to leave pupils unable to attend with friends. The aim is to make the camps inclusive for all but free school meals and vulnerable children should be offered places as a priority. To receive full funding, a minimum of 85% of participants must meet the income-related free school meals criteria.
Can the money be used to pay for transport to support children’s travel?
Yes in exceptional circumstances and where this is the only way that the child will be able to attend.
Are there any requirements around branding and marketing?
Yes. All approved applications will be expected to use the Energise Luton logo and also credit the Department for Education. Marketing guidance and logo files will be provided for approved applications.
Our school has a wish list of equipment. Can we apply for all of these things through this funding?
It is unlikely that such costs will be funded, as there is a minimal budget for sundry equipment. It will be considered on a case by case basis. Please consider other sources of funding, for example Pupil Premium, to cover these costs.
Can this funding be used to enhance the Opening School Facilities funding or is this double funding?
This funding can be used to add additional value to the Opening School facilities funding. We would not, for example, fund facility hire if this was already covered through other funding.
Can the funding be used to take pupils offsite to use a nearby facility such as a leisure centre?
Yes, this could be a part of the programme. ‘Superhubs’ will also take place at leisure centres.
Our school is over two sites and the funding could benefit both in different ways. Do I submit one application that includes the plans for both sites, or a separate one for each site?
One application is sufficient but please provide a budget for each programme.
What can’t the money be spent on?
Funding may not be spent on the following:
- Activities or costs which are already covered by other government funding or other Sport England funding, for example Opening School Facilities, Catch Up Funding, Summer Schools.
- Activities promoting religious or political beliefs
- Where there is personal benefit to an individual
How will the activities be marketed?
We expect each group to market to their known audience and we will also pull together all activities available and promote through our website and networks.
Is there any flexibility around FSM criteria?
The funding criteria specifies it is for FSM, SEND, or children classed as vulnerable, with a minimum attendance of 85% of children entitled to income-related free school meals.
Can we get support with the delivery of food?
We are able to provide details of a number of recommended caterers who factor in delivery to the price per head.
Can we use other funding, for example Children In Need, to provide the activities free of charge to other children?
Yes. The more children able to benefit from the programme the better.
Does the activity have to be based in a school?
No. Activities can be provided in community locations too.
Do all adults working at the provision need to be DBS checked?
Yes. The safeguarding of the young people participating is of paramount importance.
Parents Frequently Asked Questions
How many sessions can I book my child onto?
In Winter and Easter a maximum of four session, is Summer a maximum of 16 sessions.
What provision is there for my SEND child who has one to one support at school?
There are specialist SEND providers who offer provision for children with moderate to high SEND requirements. Other provisions are not able to provide that ratio of care for your child, where ratios can be up to 1:15. Get in touch for more information on appropriate SEND provision for your child.
My child is not entitled to income related free school meals; does that mean they can’t attend?
A number of provisions offer paid spaces for a very reasonable price. Check the website booking page to see available paid for provision.
My child is in year one where every child is entitled to free school meals. Are they entitled to attend the camps?
The funding is specifically for children who are on income-related free school meals. If your child is entitled to pupil premium funding they can access the programme for free. However, if not, there are provisions offering paid spaces.
What does my child need to wear?
Appropriate clothing and footwear for physical activity. Any specific camp requirements will be sent through once you are booked on.
My child is fussy. Can they bring their own lunch?
The purpose of the funding is to provide healthy food and activity. We work with caterers to ensure palatability for a wide range of preferences. We also ask you not to bring food in order to protect children with allergies.
We live in Luton, but my child goes to school out of the borough. Can they attend?
Any child living in the Luton Borough is entitled to attend, if accessing income-related free school meals in then school they attend, for additional information to see if your child is eligible for free school meals click here.https://m.luton.gov.uk/Page/Show/Education_and_learning/Schools_and_colleges/Pages/Free-school-meals.aspx.
Contact the energise team to secure a booking code: energiseluton@activeluton.co.uk.
My child is outside the age range advertised by the provider on the booking website. Can they still attend that camp?
All camps have designated age ranges according to the risk assessment conducted for their activities and the venue. Therefore, children must be within the age range specified.
Can my children be guaranteed being in the same group on the camp?
For safe practice, activities are grouped according to the age of the children taking part. This is in line with risk assessments and good practice. Therefore your children of differing ages are likely to be in differing age groups for most activities.
Can my child bring a mobile phone to camp?
For safeguarding reasons your child may not bring a mobile phone to camp.
Can I book my child onto different camps each day of the week, or from week to week?
As a good camp experience is built upon solid relationships with their peers and deliverers, we advise that children stay at the same camp for the entire week. If attending for multiple weeks over Summer, they are entitled to try differing experiences from week to week, but must only attend a maximum of 16 days.
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