This holiday provision is for school aged children who receive benefits-related free school meals.
Benefits-related free school meals (FSM) are available to pupils if their parents are in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits, and have a claim verified by their school or local authority.
Local authorities are asked to ensure that the offer of free holiday club provision is available for all children in receipt of benefits-related free school meals in their area, though this does not mean we expect all to attend as the provision is voluntary.
The local authority carries out checks to ensure all children who have booked are eligible for the programme. If your child is seen to not be eligible, then your booking may be voided.
We operate 2 types of courses which are:
- Holiday Activities and Food Multi-activity
- Holiday Activities and Food Multi-skills
Aims of the programme
As a result of this programme, we want children who attend this provision to:
-
eat healthily over the school holidays
-
be active during the school holidays
-
take part in engaging and enriching activities which support the development of resilience, character and wellbeing along with their wider educational attainment
-
be safe and not to be socially isolated
-
have a greater knowledge of health and nutrition
-
be more engaged with school and other local services
We also want to ensure that the families who participate in this programme:
-
develop their understanding of nutrition and food budgeting
-
are signposted towards other information and support, for example, health, employment, and education
When does the programme run?
The programme generally runs at 3 points during the year and excludes half terms
- Summer Holidays
- Easter Holidays
- Christmas Holidays
This programme is funded by the Department of Education and coordinated by the local authorities. We are operating as a provider for the various local authorities. More information about the programme can be found here.