FAQ'S - Crazy Camps
Who is Crazy Camps?
We are small yet successful group of friends and former colleagues that are committed to providing the most exciting, safest, fairly priced and enjoyable school holiday camps in West London, where children get to experience some of the best days of their childhood whilst making new and fulfilling friendships. We are committed to providing an affordable childcare option with an outstanding offering.
What age can children attend Crazy Camps and how are they placed into groups?
The youngest group we usually accept at our camps are children that have started Reception class (age 4+).
The oldest age group includes children in school Year 7, so age 12.
We place children into age appropriate groups. Depending on how busy a venue is, we may pair year groups, such as Year 1 with Year 2, Year 3 with Year 4 etc.
My child is over 12. Can they still attend Crazy Camps?
Our Future Leaders Programme bridges the gap when children outgrow the activities but aren’t yet old enough to get into coaching (typically 16+). Our Future Leaders get the opportunity to receive guidance and mentoring from industry leaders and this valuable experience can be used towards awards, such as Duke of Edinburgh. Please get in touch with us if you would like your child to be considered for this.
Who are the Crazy Camps Staff?
Our staff are highly experienced teachers, sports coaches and events managers. We are fairly confident that there is no other similar camp in London with the same depth of skills and qualifications. Many of our staff are qualified teaching staff with years of EYFS and primary teaching experience, as well as being multi discipline sports coaches.
What are Crazy Camps’ staff to child ratios?
At Crazy Camps we keep the staff to child ratio low, usually two and even three times better than required. On top of that, our staff are really experienced and highly qualified (many of our staff are qualified teachers), so each group’s experience is of the highest quality.
How will Crazy Camps settle my child into a new holiday camp?
We completely understand how a new environment with new faces can unnerve some children. Our staff have supported scores of new children to settle into our camp. If you have concerns about settling your child into camp, please contact us and we will discuss how best to make the settling in period really positive.
Can I stay with my child at the camp?
In short, no. All of the adults at our camp are DBS vetted, trained and recruited using Safer Recruitment guidelines and our club is potentially not as safe if people are present at the club that have not been through this safeguarding process.
What should my child wear to a Crazy Camps day?
Appropriate footwear with good foot support, such as trainers (no sandals please). A raincoat and warm clothes are essential, as we will go outdoors when the weather is not too inclement. Snacks and lunch (no nuts please) and a refillable water bottle. In the summer months suncream and a sun hat is essential, even on cloudy days.
Does Crazy Camps offer any discounts or free taster sessions?
In order to keep the price reasonable and the quality high for all of the children on our camps we do not offer free taster sessions.
Are there any extra charges for activities at Crazy Camps?
No. We passionately believe that every child at our club should be able to have the very best day with the most exhilarating activities.
Are children expected to take part in every activity?
Yes and no. During some afternoons we offer children a choice from a range of activities, however each morning is highly structured with no choice. We would never force a child to take part in an activity that they do not want to do, however we do not lay on additional activities for reluctant children. Children are already used to taking part in activities at school without a range of choices and this is also not an issue at our camps.
Does Crazy Camps offer refunds?
Crazy Camps offers a full refund on any booked club, providing 48 hours notice is given. As parents ourselves, we understand that planning can be tricky and we exist to support the families in our community.
Does Crazy Camps accept childcare vouchers, or tax free childcare payments.
Absolutely! We accept all forms of childcare voucher and the government’s fairly new Tax Free Childcare scheme. More information is here.
Can I claim 85% of the cost through Universal Credit
If you are working, Universal Credit can help with the costs of childcare, no matter how many hours you work.
You may be able to claim up to 85 per cent of your childcare costs if you’re eligible for Universal Credit and meet some additional conditions. The amounts you can receive in childcare costs are:
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a maximum of £1108.04 per month for 2 or more children
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a maximum of £646.35 per month for one child
More information is at https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/new-to-universal-credit/children-and-childcare/
My child has additional needs. Are they still welcome at Crazy Camps?
Of course. Our staff have vast swathes of experience supporting children with extra needs. If you would like to discuss how we can best support your child please get in touch and we can ensure there is an individualised plan to make sure your child can access the same exciting experiences as all the other children at our camps.
How safe are Crazy Camps days?
We have been organising and delivering safe and inclusive kids clubs in our community for twelve years and counting. In that time we have never had a referral of substance to Ofsted or local authorities brought to our attention and we are incredibly proud of our impeccable safety record. Throughout this time we have seen thousands of children and clocked up hundreds of thousands of activity hours. Our first priority is the safety and well-being of everyone at our camps and our dedication to this is something we continually strive to challenge and improve in order to keep our sterling reputation intact.
Must my child attend the school that the camp runs at?
No. We hire facilities from schools to run our camps and are not affiliated to the schools we run at.