Welcome New Bees!
Welcome New Bees
It is an honour and a privilege that you’re considering us to help care for, nurture and develop your child during the school holidays.
We hope the information in this guide will give you lots of useful information about our clubs. If there is anything else you need to know, just get in touch and one of our team will be glad to help.
The experiences and opportunities provided for your little ones in these formative years have a significant impact on their future in many different ways. We know that developing healthy lifestyle habits and a positive relationship with sports and physical activity at a young age supports health, happiness and success in the future.
We believe that active children do better and that’s why we are totally committed to our company vision:
Every child in Stoke-on-Trent is healthy,
happy and active for life.
We want your child to enjoy every second of their time spent with us so they will look back with many happy childhood memories.
Our core values are empowerment, improvement and excellence and we thought it would be handy for you to know what makes Bee Active stand out from the crowd:
We’re looking forward to watching your child develop their skills and confidence, make new friends and most important of all … have lots of fun!
Over the years we have supported tens of thousands of children and families;
we’ve even had some that have grown up and joined the team, which makes us proud as punch
OFSTED
We are registered on the voluntary part of the childcare register with OFSTED.
You can read more about this and what it means for you here.
Our Holiday Club Venues
We believe that all children in the city and surrounding areas should be able to access our Holiday Clubs, no matter where the family lives or where the parents work. That’s why we operate at a range of locations across the county.
Key contacts at your Bee Active Holiday Clubs
Key contacts at your Bee Active Holiday Clubs
Safeguarding Lead
We are committed to keeping children safe in our care and will do everything that we can to ensure they are looked after and cared for.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any concerns or questions in relation to our safeguarding policies and procedures.
Office Manager
Nikki is our resident office supermum who keeps us all in check and the wheels turning. If you have any questions or need help with a booking or cancellation, she’s your gal!
Operations Manager
Tom is always on hand to support the Venue Coordinators and wider Bee Active team. Imagine spider man in a black and yellow Bee Active top, yep, that’s him.
Venue Coordinators
Venue Coordinators
Each venue will have a Coordinator that you will hopefully get to know very well over the years. They are the ones that will be having all the fun with the children and building those oh so important relationships with their delivery team!
Venue Coaches
Venue Coaches
We have a Deputy Venue Coordinator at each venue, along with a team of committed and hard-working staff to help us put on the best clubs possible. Our teams are fluid depending on numbers and availability, but we do try to maintain consistency of staff at the clubs, so you and your VILPs (very important little people) can get to know and trust them.
There is no doubt about it: our coaches make our clubs the talk of the town! But they don’t stumble in by chance. We have a rigorous recruitment process to make sure we get the very best people on board. There is a three-part recruitment process and every team member must have their certificate in paediatric first aid, safeguarding children and an enhanced DBS check at the very least.
Young Leaders
Young Leaders
You may notice some rather youthful-looking leaders at our clubs. Fear not, these are our committed Young Leaders who range from age 12-18 looking for a career in sports development in the future. Our Young Leaders course is a programme to nurture skills and offer volunteering opportunities for young people to get access to employment routes at Bee Active and beyond.
Note: Young Leaders will never be left alone with other children, and are be supervised at all times.
Day Structure at our Holiday Clubs
No two days are ever the same at Bee Active, but we always follow the same structure for the day.
Groupings
Groupings
Children will be grouped by age and ability for activities at the club: this will usually be 3 groups depending on the numbers at the club. Each group has a leader who will be responsible for the children throughout the day. We have a coach to child ratio of approximately 1:15, +1 Venue Coordinator. There will always be a minimum of two members of staff on site at all times throughout the day.
We usually operate at between 30-45 children per day – and 45 is the max!
We are committed to the quality of our Holiday Clubs, and so we cap numbers to maintain the safety and intimacy of the clubs.
Under 5’s
Under 5’s
Children will be grouped by age and ability for activities at the club: this will usually be 3 groups depending on the numbers at the club. Each group has a leader who will be responsible for the children throughout the day. We have a coach to child ratio of approximately 1:15, +1 Venue Coordinator. There will always be a minimum of two members of staff on site at all times throughout the day.
We usually operate at between 30-45 children per day – and 45 is the max! We are committed to the quality of our Holiday Clubs, and so we cap numbers to maintain the safety and intimacy of the clubs.
Huddle Boards
Huddle Boards
Following some valuable parent feedback around children not telling coaches about issues during the day, we have implemented ‘huddles’. Using the board above, we talk to the children in small groups about our values, the days activities and give them an opportunity to share any issues. As they leave the group, they can tap the face that describes how they are feeling. This will indicate to the coach whether they need a separate chat.
Activities
Activities
Our programmes are super varied to make sure there is lots of physical movement, sports, thinking games to get the cogs ticking, down time to reflect and lots of opportunities to get creative throughout the day. We know how to put together a show stopper of a programme and we know how important it is for the children that join us to go home feeling happy and filled with good memories and stories to tell you!
We always publish our activity plans on the website ahead of the club. Be sure to check that out so you get a sneak peak of what is happening and to check if your child will need to bring anything such as old clothes or shoes on particular days.
Special Activities
Special Activities
We cram as much fun into the day as we can, which means we might have some special stuff on the agenda! We organise trips and VIPs coming into the club, so keep your eyes peeled. Please note: some activities will only take place in the morning or afternoon, so please check the schedules before booking. Any special events and instructions will be listed on the website. Don’t worry though, you won’t need anything wild, it will be things like an old t-shirt for a colour run, wellies for the farm trip, or a helmet for a learn to ride session!
Price Freeze
Price Freeze
We know that costs are continuing to rise and this is a challenging time for many families in our community. Our holiday club pricing will be reduced for those that book in advance. At the point of booking, standard prices will display on your online booking form and our best available pricing will be automatically applied along with sibling discounts.
We offer payment at the point of booking via credit or debit card and the facility to use Childcare Vouchers / Tax Free Childcare where all working parents can save 20% on their childcare costs.
The booking windows encourage parents to book early whilst retaining flexibility for those who need it. Having an earlier understanding of attendance at our clubs helps our team to prepare staffing an purchase resources in advance, allowing them to focus on preparing the clubs to be the best they can be for your children.
Refunds / Cancellation Policy
Refunds / Cancellation Policy
If you cancel your booking, or any specific session in full, the following provisions will apply:
If you cancel your booking more than 7 days before the session is due to take place, no cancellation charges will apply. If you have paid for the booking or intended session in full, we will provide you with Bee Active credit or a full refund.
If you cancel your booking within 7 days but more than 48 hours before the session is due to start, a cancellation charge equivalent to 50% of the booking will be payable. If you have paid for the booking in full, we will provide you with Bee Active credit or a refund for 50% of the price of the booking.
If you cancel your booking less than 48 hours before the session is due to start, a cancellation charge of 100% of the price of the booking will be payable. In this case, we will not provide any credit or refunds.
If you have opted to pay on the day, any amounts owing on your account will need to be settled prior to making any further bookings.
To cancel a booking or session with us, please write to or email us using the contact details noted above (club questions page 9) confirming the booking or sessions you wish to cancel. Your booking or sessions will be cancelled when you receive confirmation of cancellation from us, which will be sent by email. If you have used childcare vouchers to pay for services and wish to cancel an order, we will be unable to issue any credit or refunds.
Passports & Prizes
Passports & Prizes
All our VILPs get a passport when they join us, which is a reward chart for our values…
Passports get filled with stickers for demonstrating our values, and stickers mean ONE THING – that’s right sports fans… PRRRRIZES!
Our prize box is always filled with goodies that kiddies can’t wait to get their hands on!
Your child’s passport is theirs to hold on to, so it is important that they are kept super safe. If a passport gets lost, we can replace it, but it means you start again with your stickers.
Behaviour Policy
Behaviour Policy
It is important to us that your child has a safe and enjoyable experience with us each and every time. We’re committed to managing children’s behaviour by creating a really positive culture. We believe in positive reinforcement, meaningful relationships, engaging activities, clear boundaries, routines, expectations … but most importantly; consistency.
We will give you feedback about your child’s behaviour, letting you know about the good days, any not so good days but in particular, any persistent disruptive behaviour. Foul or abusive language and threatening/violent behaviour of any kind towards other children or our team will not be accepted.
Collection & Drop Off
Collection & Drop Off
If someone different is collecting your child, we will need to know in advance, and they will need to have your PIN. A PIN is a six digit code that is stored on your online account. It is only to be shared with trusted people that you would be happy to collect your child. You can change your PIN at any time on your account.
If someone unfamiliar comes to collect your child without a PIN, we will call the main account contact to verify their identity. If you call to inform us that someone else will be collecting your child, we will ask some security questions to verify your identity.
Your Account
Your Account
Your account is where all thet important information abou you and your child and your collection pin code will be stored. It is vital you keep this up to date.
If you would like to let us know further information such as medical, medicine, allergies, dietary, special educational needs or disabilities you can inform us by completing the child profile form.
It is important that you do not provide any food to be shared with other children at our holiday clubs.
Media consent – Taking photos for social media helps us to promote our clubs, and we love to share smiley and happy faces of children enjoying the activities. Media consent can be updated on your account at any time.
Children with Additional Needs
Children with Additional Needs
We welcome children with additional needs to Bee Active, and we have a SEND questionnaire that can be completed with every new child that joins us. It is important that we get to know the needs of the child so we can make sure we are offering a quality service to them, and that we can help them get the most out of their time with us. If your child has more complex needs, please get in touch to arrange a meeting so that we can discuss them in more detail. At the meeting, we will talk about how we can support you and your child and the most appropriate length of time
to visit our clubs to begin with.
What to Bring
What to Bring
Food & Drink
Bee Active does not provide lunch unless you are accessing our provision through the Holidays Activities and Food Programme (HAF), but there will be water stations to refill a water bottle throughout the day.
If you’re with us for the full day, you’ll need a healthy packed lunch, with plenty of snacks and non-fizzy drinks. Please note that we will encourage your child to eat, but we will not force it. If there have been any eating concerns, we will report these to you.
If you forget a packed lunch, you can either make arrangements to bring it back before lunch, or speak with your Venue Coordinator and they may be able to help you out if this is not possible
Clothes
Ideal clothes are leggings/trousers/shorts and a T-shirt/jumper. Clothing should
be comfortable and appropriate for physical activity.
Footwear should be supportive, and we recommend trainers that support the foot and ankle.
Please do not let your child come in dresses, heels, or strappy sandals, as they can be dangerous, especially during ninja training school! Heeee-yahhhhh!
If your child is prone to accidents, please send them a fresh set of clothes, and let your Venue Coordinator know just in case. We will inform you by phone if anything does happen and you can decide the most appropriate course of action.
You may also want to pack weather-appropriate clothing in their bag such as a mac if it is going to rain or a scarf, hat and gloves if we have planned to head outside in the winter months.
Note: fun can often be messy, so please don’t send them in their Sunday Best! There will be mud, crayons, glitter, and plenty of rolling around on the fields.
Sun Cream
Please apply sunscreen before you arrive and put a top up in their bag. We will have some available but will encourage children to apply their own throughout the day.
Tech
Please do not send your child with tech in the form of tablets, devices or phones. We will not be responsible for any damage or loss. We foster an environment that is about connection and getting to know each other, as well as spending time in the great outdoors.
In our experience, it is a distraction from children putting in their best efforts and can often cause disagreements and issues.
Walking Home
If your child has permission to walk home alone and they need a phone, or there is another authorised reason,
it is to be handed to the Venue Coordinator upon arrival for safe keeping.
Compliments, Complaints or Concerns
Compliments, Complaints or Concerns
We love feedback and we are always looking to improve. Whether it is a compliment, complaint or concern, we want to hear it!
If we haven’t met your expectations, we want to know about it so we can put things right and improve our clubs.
If you had an incredible experience and you want to share it, you can leave us a review on Facebook, Trust Pilot or Google – it really helps us spread the Bee Active Buzz!
Staying up to date!
Staying up to date!
We love feedback and we are always looking to improve. Whether it is a compliment, complaint or concern, we want to hear it!
If we haven’t met your expectations, we want to know about it so we can put things right and improve our clubs.
If you had an incredible experience and you want to share it, you can leave us a review on Facebook, Trust Pilot or Google – it really helps us spread the Bee Active Buzz!
Questions
Questions
We know that coming to a new place might fill you and your child with lots of questions, and that’s okay – we love ‘em! We are on hand to answer any questions or queries you have, and we are just an email or phone call away. If you have general questions, we may have covered them in our FAQs (this ain’t our first rodeo!) so you can view them below.
We want our New Bees to feel totally at ease, and so we are here to make that happen. We offer Welcome Calls and even Welcome Walks around the venue with the Venue Coordinator, so you and your VILP can get a feel for things.
If you would like to arrange one of these, or maybe to come and see a club in action, get in touch and we can arrange a convenient time.
Have some questions?
Check out our list of our most commonly asked questions. If you don’t find the answer you are looking for, or would prefer to talk, please contact us!
