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Lumen Learning Trust

FAQs & Pre-start information

Below you will be able to find useful information about our Summer Camp which we encourage you to take a read of if you are interested in your child joining our Summer Camp.

We ask that all parents read our Terms & Conditions (which incorporates our Code of Conduct) prior to their child taking part in our Camp. Please click here to be taken to our T&Cs page. 

Pre-start information

We hope you are excited to join us at Lumen Summer Camp 2024! We wanted to signpost you to useful areas of our website for you to take a look at which will answer any questions you have prior to your child/ren joining us.

What is a Camp Assister?
We are again this year offering Camp Assister places for 12-16 year olds. Our Camp Assister places are for those children that are no longer at primary school, are more mature in their outlook and would enjoy a little more autonomy. Camp Assisters have the opportunity to assist Camp staff in a work experience set-up - they can even have their own Camp staff t-shirt to wear! Opportunities for work experience can be difficult to find so combining childcare with an exciting chance for your child to build their teamwork skills and problem-solving resilience within a safe environment is something parents value. Camp Assisters will be able to take part in all the activities on offer and will also have a personalised Camp Diary they can keep to use as evidence of their experience at Camp. 

Daily themes & activities 
This page gives you a full list of our daily themes. As well as this it will provide a list of any resources or materials that would be useful for your child to bring with them to Camp if possible to ensure they get the most out of the activities on offer that day.

Cut off dates for booking Camp day sessions 
We hope your child will have such a fantastic time at Camp that they will be eager to spend more time with us! If you wish to book additional sessions please be aware that there is a 48 hour cut off period for each day session. This link will show the latest possible time you can book a particular session for your child/ren.

News & Daily diary
Each day we will publish a diary so you can see what your child has been up to - it promises to be an action packed and fun filled three weeks so make sure you take a look!

Contact Us
This link will give you all our contact details including where to find us and how to download our app which will make it even easier for you to access information about the Camp via your mobile device.

Terms & Conditions
Time for the important bit - please refer to this link if you wish to know more about any aspect of the Camp such as our policy for cancelling or changing a session you have booked.

Our Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Lumen-Summer-Camps-296078941054455/?ref=bookmarks
Make sure you Like us to ensure you hear about everything and anything going on at Camp at the earliest possible opportunity.  We will be using our Facebook page to alert parents and carers to any important news, as well as posting plenty of updates on what the children are getting up to each day. 

If you need to cancel or change a day you have booked
You are able to cancel a day session you have booked but we regret that no refund will be forthcoming if it is within 14 days of the date in question. You can swap a day you have booked for an alternative day (subject to availability). Please email summercamps@lumenlearningtrust.co.uk if you wish to cancel or amend your booking.

Friendship groups at Camp
Children will not be placed in pre-determined groups for activities which means your child can be with their friends. They will be in groups only for short times during the day such as registration before moving quickly to their chosen activity for that session. For those children who are not sure if their school friends will be at Camp, please don’t worry - Camp is a fantastic way of making new friends and naturally happens remarkably quickly for the children. Camp is so much fun it is impossible not to enjoy yourself! 

And finally.....
As always if you have specific questions that are not answered online you can reach us via summercamps@lumenlearningtrust.co.uk where a member of the team will get back to you as quickly as they can.

This summer looks set to be an amazing time for your child and we can't wait to welcome them soon!

Booking and payments

Are you part of the Spelthorne Borough Council Summer 2024 Playscheme Vouchers scheme?
Yes, we are. For 2024 each voucher is worth £14.00. Eligible families are able to receive vouchers to a maximum value of £70.00 per child and for a maximum of three children.  

We are only able to accept vouchers for the child named on the voucher. When purchasing your chosen dates online please select ‘Spelthorne Playscheme’ from the list of CCV providers on the payment page and enter the value of the vouchers you have. Any remaining balance will need to be paid by credit or debit card to secure the booking. Please note we are unable to give cash refunds if the value of the sessions is less than the voucher amount.

Please contact your HSLW to find out how you could obtain these vouchers. 

Are you part of the government's Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Scheme?

No, we are not as we do not have any catering facilities on site or provide food for the children at Camp so we are not eligible to accept vouchers from their scheme.

How do I pay for my child’s place in the Summer Camp?
We ask that parents book and purchase sessions using our online booking system. This way, you can be ensured that you receive our early bird pricing if booking before 25th May 2024. If you don’t have access to a computer at home to be able to complete the process please feel free to visit any of the Lumen school offices and we will ensure a PC is made available for you to use.

You are able to pay using a credit or debit card, childcare vouchers or Spelthorne Playscheme vouchers. Please click here for more information on how to pay using childcare vouchers.

Can I cancel bookings that I have made?
If you provide us with more than 14 days’ notice, then yes, you can free of charge. Please contact the Summer Camp admin team to discuss a cancellation you wish to make by emailing summercamps@lumenlearningtrust.co.uk. 

If you cancel a booking within 14 days of the session starting no refund will be forthcoming.

Please note we cannot refund payments made using childcare vouchers. We recommend that you contact your childcare voucher provider to clarify the refund arrangements they have in place. Please refer to our Terms & Conditions for full information on how to cancel bookings you have made.

Can I swap days I have booked?
If you provide us with more than 14 days' notice then, subject to availability, yes you can, free of charge. 

If less than 14 days' notice is given we will endeavour to swap days booked but cannot guarantee availability of a preferred session. In this instance we ask that you contact the Summer Camp admin team to discuss further.

Please be aware that if you wish to swap a session after the Earlybird pricing has finished you will be required to pay the difference in price between an Earlybird day session (£28.00) and a standard day session (£32.00). 

My child is entitled to Pupil Premium but does not go to a Lumen school. Am I still eligible for a discounted price for Camp sessions?
Unfortunately not. As your child is not on roll at one of our Lumen schools we are unable to access the Pupil Premium funding your child’s school receives. You will need to book and pay the full price for the sessions required. It may be that you can discuss with your child’s school partial reimbursement for the cost of the sessions booked but agreement to this would be at your school’s discretion and is certainly not an automatic obligation they must honour.

Do you offer a sibling discount?
No, this is not available at our Camp for this year.

Child Needs

What is your provision for children with SEN?
Please detail any needs your child has when booking your child’s Camp place. The information you provide will enable us to plan appropriate provision for your child. A member of the Summer Camp team may be in contact with you prior to the start of the Camp to discuss further. If you would like to discuss with the Camp Leaders prior to booking please contact us via summercamps@lumenlearningtrust.co.uk.

We are unable to provide one to one support for children with SEN. For full details please visit our terms and conditions page.

What is your provision for children with a Disability?
As with SEN, please detail any disability needs your child has when booking your child’s place and a member of the Summer Camp team may contact you to discuss further. 

What happens if my child is ill and cannot attend the Camp?
Please ensure you contact the Summer Camp Administrator by latest 9.00am on the day of the absence to make our team aware. If your child has a vomiting and/or diarrhoea bug please note that they must remain at home until 48 hours after the last bout of illness. Please note that no refund will be made for any sessions you have booked that your child is unable to attend but we may be able to swap book sessions for an alternative date, subject to availability.

My child needs to leave a little earlier due to an outside appointment. How do I arrange this?
We are able to arrange an early pick up for medical appointments only. In this instance, please just make the member of Camp staff at the entrance know on the morning of the arrangement and we will be able to accommodate a change of plans. If you are using the minibus and will not be able to pass a message on personally please contact us via summercamps@lumenlearningtrust.co.uk or by calling the Camp mobile (while the Camp is in operation).

Please note we are unable to release any child between 3.15pm-4.00pm as we are carrying out our end of day procedures and all Camp staff will be utilised during this time period.

What happens if my child is hurt or unwell while at the Camp?
If your child suffers only a minor ailment or injury while at the Summer Camp we will make the responsible adult aware when your child is collected. If their illness or ailment requires them to go home early we will contact one of the responsible adults you have included when registering your child online and we will look after your child until they are collected. In the unfortunate event that further emergency assistance is required we will contact the emergency services in the first instance and then the responsible adult in order of the priority you have given. Please ensure you have ticked the consent to emergency treatment so that critical medical attention is not delayed unnecessarily.

What does my child need at Camp?

What can my child wear?
Children should be dressed appropriately for the weather conditions. We ask where possible that children do not wear skirts, see-through shirts, short-shorts, or clothing with inappropriate logos or writing. All clothing, including shoes must be worn at all times. If the weather is warm and sunny we encourage the use of sun hats. Any sunscreen should be applied prior to coming to the Camp each day but you may send your child with a named tube of cream to top up themselves.

Children are also welcome to wear fancy dress related to the themed day. Please note that it is in no way obligatory that your child wear a themed costume and they can come in everyday clothes if preferred.

Will food be provided for my child?
All children must come to the Summer Camp with a packed lunch and any snacks you wish them to have as well as a named water bottle.  We will provide your child with water top-ups throughout the day as required but there will be no lunch provision in place. Please can we remind you that we are a nut free Trust so we would be grateful that you ensure there are no nut or sesame seed products included in your child’s lunch or snack. This includes muesli bars containing nuts and sandwiches containing peanut butter or Nutella spread.

Transport & Logistics

Where and when do I drop off my child in the morning?
The Camp is based at our Echelford Primary school  situated in Park Road, Ashford and opens each morning at 8.30am.

You are able to park outside the school site in the neighbouring residential roads which offer ample parking. We ask that you are mindful and respectful of neighbour driveways and yellow lines. Signage for our Camp will be clearly visible so please just follow the signs. 

Where and when do I pick up my child in the afternoon?
Our Camp finishes each day at 4.00pm. We understand that factors outside your control may make you a little late in picking up but we ask that you collect your child by 4.30pm at the very latest.

Please note that the collecting adult will need to give to the Camp staff member releasing your child the security password you gave when registering your child on our payment portal.

How does the minibus pick-up and drop off service work? 
A school minibus, driven by a member of the Summer Camp team will collect and drop off pupil premium eligible children directly outside the school gate on each site.

The child’s responsible adult MUST stay with the child in the morning until they enter the minibus. More information about the timing of the minibus service will be sent to eligible families nearer the start of Camp. Of course, any timings may change due to adverse traffic so please be patient if the timings fluctuate a little due to this factor.

We will not be able to dismiss a child at their drop off point without an adult being present and supplying the correct security password. You will be asked to create a security password at the time of booking. This is to ensure that the safety and wellbeing of the children in our care is paramount. 

What happens if we miss the minibus in the morning?
It is the responsibility of the child’s parent/carer to ensure a child is there on time. As you can appreciate we will be responsible for transporting a number of children and will not be able to make individual allowances for lateness. If you arrive late and the minibus has already departed, you will need to make your own alternative arrangements to get your child to the Camp site. Please note that we will not be able to issue a refund for any hours your child misses at the Camp due to arriving late at the Camp site as a consequence of missing the minibus.

What happens if I am late getting to my collection location to collect my child from the minibus at the end of the day?
Again, it is the responsibility of the child’s parent/carer to ensure you are at the drop off point at the correct time. If an adult is not present, your child will be taken back to the Camp site and you will need to make your own alternative arrangements to collect your child from this location. You will be charged our late collection penalty rate if your child returns to the Camp site.

What happens if I am running late in the morning or evening? How do I contact the Camp?
Our Camp mobile phone will be in operation everyday from 8.00am to 5.30pm. The number to use can be found on our Contact Us page.  Texts cannot be replied to but calls are possible.

Can my child walk home alone at the end of the day?
Yes, but only if your child attends Echelford during term time and is aged 10 or above. Children attending from any other school must be collected by a responsible adult and will not be released at the end of the day to make their way home independently.

Consents

Will photographs or video of my child be taken while at the Summer Camp and where will they be used?
Your child will have the opportunity to take part in a number of exciting activities while at the Summer Camp. On occasion we may take photographs of the children during these activities. They could be used as part of artwork your child is creating or on our Summer Camp information pages on our Lumen website. In addition to this, images may be used by our Lumen Learning Trust schools to promote a Summer Camp in future years through a variety of different media such as school newsletters, websites or school social media accounts. At no stage will your child be individually named to ensure they cannot be identifiable to any viewer of the material. Our duty of care is to ensure your child remains safeguarded at all times and these measures will ensure their anonymity. If you would prefer your child not to be photographed or videoed please ensure you record this correctly when adding your child’s consent details in our online payment system.

Will face paints be used at the Camp?
We never rule out the use face paints at the Camp. If your child has allergies or you do not consent to face paints being used by your child please ensure you complete this information in your child's consent details in our online payment system.

Lumen Learning Trust