HCS about our scheme activities and newsletters

About our scheme

The Tower Hamlets Holiday Childcare Scheme provides a good quality, safe and inclusive childcare service.
We encourage children to engage and take part in play-based activities indoors and outdoors. Highly qualified staff plan and provide a wide range of fun activities.

They follow the children’s interests, supporting them to choose their own activities and make decisions for themselves.

Your child/ren will be placed in the appropriate area in the scheme according to their age group.

Parents should provide their child with a packed lunch each day. Check our healthy packed lunch guidance.

Staffing

The Holiday Childcare Scheme is staffed by

a manager who takes responsibility for the scheme
a deputy or second in charge
an early year’s lead
a special educational needs coordinator (SENCO)
childcare workers

All staff have plenty of experience working with children and follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). They also follow the requirements of the Ofsted Childcare Register.

All staff members have a full, up-to-date Disclosure and Barring Check (DBS) and hold a valid paediatric First Aid certificate.

Holiday Childcare Scheme expectations

Within the scheme we support and expect children to respect each other and the scheme rules.

The rules are formed in collaboration with the staff and the children on the first day of each scheme, and are displayed. The rules include promoting positive behaviour and self-regulation.

Please dress children appropriately. The children will be taking part in physical activities and will need to be comfortable.

Please also ensure your child has clothes for all weather conditions. Please do not bring any toys from home. We cannot take responsibility for any loss or damage to toys brought from home.

Children aged 3 to 5 years old

Children who are in nursery or reception are placed in our Early Years’ area. In this space, the staff plan and provide activities following the children’s interests and under the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

The Early Years areas are set up with a range of activities, allowing the children to choose from sand, construction, trikes, arts and crafts and more.

Circle time discussions each day children will have circle time, where they can discuss different topics. For example, focussing on children’s wellbeing, supporting them to understand feelings and share their thoughts.

Children aged 6 to 10 years old

Children aged 6 to 10 are placed within our main scheme area. The children can take part in a range of activities.

We also provide a young people’s area for children between the ages of 10 to 13. The children in this area have activities available in a more youth-focused environment and can access the main scheme activities too.

Holiday childcare activities timetable

Below is an example of some of the main activities on offer. Outdoor activities will be weather dependant.

Summer 2024, Week 1 Theme: Summer fun
Area	Mon 29 July	Tues 30 July	Weds 31 July	Thurs 1 August	Fri 2 August
Creativity zone	Design your own finger puppets	Clay modelling	Fun badge making	Make your own comic	Fun fancy dress and party games
Active fun main scheme	Urban golf mini	Karaoke fun	Archery	Tennis	Hockey games
Active fun Early Years	mini golf	Musical games	Archery	Teddy bears picnic/lunch	Hockey games
Baking and cooking	Gingerbread cookies	Vegetable fun pizzas	Fresh cheesy wholemeal bread	Fruit tart	Carrot cake

Summer 2024, Week 2 Theme: Play from around the world
Area	Mon 5 August	Tues 6 August	Weds 7 August	Thurs 8 August	Fri 9 August
Creativity zone	Messy play	Create your own dens	Playday Celebration from around the world.	Design your own country cushion making	T-shirt printing (own t-shirt)
Active fun main scheme	Cycling training	Cricket	Olympics	Laser tag	Water play day (chidlren bring spare clother wather permitted)
Active fun Early Years	Cycling	Cricket	Olympics	Tag	As above
Baking and cooking	Italian Pizzas	Scottish shortbread	French butter cookies	Vegetable sushi	English scones

Summer 2024, Week 3 Theme: Messy fun and Competition week
Area	Mon 13 August	Tues 13 August	Weds 14 August	Thurs 15 August	Fri 16 August
Creativity zone	Be the best artist	Science club- Active volcano	Fun Slime making	Papier mache faces	Face painting
Active fun main/Early Years scheme	Team nurf fun	Team athletics	Team baseball	Team tag rugby	Water balloons play (children bring spare clothes weather permitting)
Baking and cooking	Healthy blueberry muffins	Cookies	Oat flapjacks	Wholemeal banana loaf	Vanilla sponge cupcakes

Summer 2024, Week 4 Theme: Carnival fun
Area	Mon 19 August	Tues 20 August	Weds 21 August	Thurs 22 August	Fri 23 August
Creativity zone	Fancy feather carnival mask	Carnival musical shakers	Carnival costume making	Carnival music makers	End of scheme fun fancy dress, fun party games
Active fun main scheme	Archery	Dodgeball	Water play day (children bring spare clothes weather permitting)	Mini Golf	Tennis
Active fun Early Years	Trike races	Parachute games	Mini didgeball	Parachute games	Mini football
Baking and cooking	Pizza	Cookies	Healthy flapjacks	Blueberry muffins	Fresh cheesy wholemeal bread

Newsletters

For more information on activiites at the holiday scheme please view our newsletters from each scheme . Through our newsletters highlights from the scheme are shared with parents/carers and partners.

Read the latest newsletter for May 2024.