Terms & Conditions

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Holiday Camps

‍Terminology

In these Terms the following definitions apply:

  • Holiday Camp means a childcare programme for Customers taking place outside of school term time. 
  • Customer means a customer of The Strings Club who purchases a childcare service such as a Holiday Camp. 
  • Agreement means a legally enforceable understanding between two or more legally competent parties

Additional Support Policy

Some children and young people require additional support and in line with the Equality Act 2010, we can make reasonable adjustments to provide a stimulating and inclusive environment for most children, regardless of their specific needs. You can obtain an Additional Support Assessment Form by contacting our Head Office team on info@thestringsclub.org .

  • We collect personal information about children at the point of booking or prompt parents to provide this if booking online. Data is used solely for the child’s care and is stored safely.
  • To meet the needs of all children, we require parents and guardians to be honest and transparent regarding any additional support a child may require at the point of booking. This is especially important when a child requires a higher level of supervision than we offer in our standard ratios and where their behaviour has the potential to detract from the welfare of other children.
  • Failure to provide information requested within 14 days (or the Friday before the first day of booking, if the booking is made less than 14 days prior to camp) will result in the cancellation of the child’s place(s).
  • For children with a high level of additional needs, attendance is considered on an individual basis. We expect children that require 1:1 care at home or at school to be accompanied by their regular carer.
  • Additional Support is considered on an individual basis and is reviewed by our Head Office team prior to booking confirmation
  • We reserve the right to contact parents and guardians at any point to collect their child when we believe it necessary to protect the welfare of their child, or other children

We reserve the right to decline a booking or prevent a child attending a programme if we believe that incorrect or incomplete information has been provided by a parent or carer at the point of booking that could or does detract from the welfare of the child or other children.

Arrival on Site without an Advance Booking

If an advance booking for a The Strings Club Ltd activity has not been made prior to the activity start date and the customer arrives at the site on the activity start date, access to The Strings Club Ltd activities will only be granted if:

  • The customer makes a booking online before their child enters the Holiday Camp. 
  • There are enough team members on duty to ensure compliance with required staff-to-child ratios.

‍Availability

  • Places are subject to availability – our booking system is regularly updated online and will show as a “Waiting List” if there are no spaces for the allocated session. 
  • We highly recommend you sign up to the “Waiting List” and should any spaces come available, we will contact you immediately via email.

Available Dates and Activities  

  • All the information in our literature is correct at time of printing.  
  • Changes may occur and, if so, The Strings Club will inform parents via our website as quickly as possible.  
  • Not every activity pictured in our literature is available at every venue.  
  • Please check venue-specific details using the Holiday Camp finder on our website to find what’s available and where.  
  • Activity programmes are subject to change in the event of unsuitable weather or other circumstances beyond our control. 

Behaviour

The Strings Club Ltd ensures that all staff and children attending services are treated with the same respect during all activities, with the use of effective behaviour management strategies to promote the welfare & enjoyment of all children attending.

The Strings Club Ltd expects its staff and children to be free from bullying, harassment, and aggressive behaviour. They will not tolerate such behaviour from children attending the services or from their parents/legal guardians.

The Strings Club Ltd will work in partnership with parents, schools, and children with the aim to manage behaviour using clear, consistent & positive strategies. Our staff will use encouraging positive behaviour and providing clear guidance for managing poor behaviour and maintaining the safety and welfare of children and staff.

We recommend that all our activities have clear ‘rules and agreements in place, these can be displayed for all to see, with the children taking an active role in each session and being able to discuss freely as and when required.

The Strings Club Ltd has a responsibility for ensuring the wellbeing and safety of all children in its care and has approved procedures for managing behaviour. The company follows a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination, bullying and persistent poor behaviour of any kind.

On rare occasions, and in more serious cases, The Strings Club Ltd reserves the right to ask parents/legal guardians to remove children from its services.

In the event of unacceptable behaviour by parents/legal guardians, The Strings Club Ltd reserves the right to terminate any current bookings and close the customer account.

In these events, no refund will be made for any remaining days booked, and any costs associated with the exclusion of the child, or the termination of the account, including transport home, will be the responsibility of the parents/legal guardian.

Booking Fees

  • To help us keep our administration costs low, there is a booking fee of £1 per transaction on all bookings. This includes both online and telephone bookings. ‍

Cancelling your Booking  

  • If you give us at least 48 hours’ notice before the date(s) you would like to cancel, we will refund all monies paid and there will be no fee.
  • If you give us less than 48 hours’ notice before the date(s) you would like to cancel, we regret that no refund is available.

Changing your Booking  

  • If you give us 14 days’ notice you will be able to change your dates within the same holiday season (e.g Summer, October Half Term), subject to availability, free of charge.  
  • If you give us less than 14 days’ notice we will endeavour to change your dates within the same week for free on a “like-for-like basis”, subject to availability. 
  • If you give us less than 14 days’ notice we will endeavour to change your dates within a different week on a “like-for-like basis”, subject to availability however this may be subject to a £10 fee. 
  • We are unable to make any changes with less than 24 hours’ notice and no refund can be issued.

Changes to Terms and Conditions

  • From time to time we may update these terms and conditions by sending you either an updated version or notification of minor changes. 
  • You are free to not accept these changes but we would ask you to notify us in writing of your non-acceptance within 14 days of receipt, failing which we will be entitled to treat our agreement with you as being subject to the updated version.

Child Safeguarding Policy

The Strings Club is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Safer recruitment is central to the way we work and all staff and volunteers are expected to share our commitment to safeguarding, always creating an environment where young people feel safe and can thrive.

We acknowledge that all children have a right to grow up in an environment that is not abusive. We are aware that child abuse occurs to children of both sexes, at all ages and in all cultures, religions, social classes and to children with and without disabilities.

We have a responsibility to everyone to report suspected child abuse. Procedures will be followed sensitively but absolutely. Our loyalty in such circumstances remains with the child.

When any person has knowledge or suspicion that a child is either being abused, or is at risk of abuse, or that a carer has seriously neglected or failed to protect a child, he/she has a personal duty to report this to:

  1. The Holiday Camp Manager/Designated Safeguarding Officer on site
  2. Designated Safeguarding Leaders at Head Office 
  3. The Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB)

Important information including full contact details of Designated Safeguard Leaders at our Head Office to direct contacts for local safeguarding hubs and LADO, see our Policies and Procedures or our “Local Safeguarding Info” posters found in every Holiday Camp venue reception.

We will investigate and act quickly if there is any suspicion of discrimination towards any child.  Any allegations against staff will be reported and appropriate action taken immediately.

Childcare Vouchers and Government Tax Free Childcare Scheme 

  • We accept all types of vouchers as full or part payment for bookings made in England.
  • For more information on the Childcare Voucher providers we are registered with, please refer to our “Paying with Childcare Vouchers” document found here. 

Complaints Policy

We are always happy to listen so please feel free to call our friendly Head Office team on 0121 296 9204. An Ofsted compliant “Parent Information” poster is displayed on site with contact details required to make a complaint. 

Our complaints process

  1. An investigation is undertaken in accordance with the principle that the welfare of the child is safeguarded and promoted
  2. We always record full details of any complaint, including any subsequent information, action taken and whether the complaint is complete
  3. If necessary, it will be investigated and a verbal or written report will be returned to the complainant within seven days or, by agreement, it will be extended by a further 14 days
  4. If the response is not satisfactory, stage two of the process will be entered and the complainant will be asked to put the complaint in writing
  5. Further consideration will be given and a written response, including investigation findings and action taken, will be forthcoming within 28 days
  6. If another agency, such as the police or an inspection authority investigates, we will consult with them on how to proceed and inform the complainant of progress. A written record of complaints will be kept and is available upon request

In England, Ofsted can be contacted by telephone on 0300 123 1231 or in writing at The National Business Unit, Ofsted, Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, Manchester M1 2WD.

Data Protection  

  • We will use your details to contact you via email/mail or text with future information about our services.  
  • You may opt out of our mailing list when booking or afterwards at any stage.  
  • The Strings Club is registered under the Data Protection Act. 

Equal Opportunities Statement

We welcome children of all religious beliefs, faiths, cultures and abilities and believe that each child attending the camp is of equal value.

The activities we run strive to provide equal opportunities for all children whatever their race, religion, language, culture, gender, health, disability, personality or lifestyle as set out by the characteristics listed in the Equality Act 2010.

The Strings Club recognises that there are inequalities within our society and that many people suffer discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, colour and religion. 

Education and understanding of other people’s needs and backgrounds will be fostered to promote positive behaviour and attitudes. Discriminating behaviour, attitudes and comments will be challenged, regardless of whether they are from members, staff, parents or carers and we will investigate and act quickly if there is any suspicion of discrimination towards any person at our Holiday Camps. 

Exclusions

  • We reserve the right to exclude or refuse any person at any time prior to and during the Holiday Camp if, in our opinion, that person is incompatible with the general well being of the Holiday Camp.
  • On rare occasions, if a child proves incompatible with the general well-being of the Holiday Camp, e.g. they are involved in bullying or are engaged in disruptive or aggressive behaviour, we reserve the right to exclude them. 
  • No refund will be made for any remaining days booked, and any costs associated with the exclusion, including transport home, will be the parents’ responsibility. 
  • To give the very best experience, we have a number of policies and procedures in place regarding the safety and welfare of the children in our care. To request a copy, please contact info@thestringsclub.org. 

‍Extended Care and Late Pick-up  

  • Our Standard Hours for all Holiday Camps are 9.30am to 4pm.  
  • Our Extended Hours are 8am - 5:30pm* (this is dependent on venue)
  • If you have not purchased Extended Hours and arrive outside of the Standard Hours, The Strings Club will charge you the extended care rate.  
  • All children MUST be collected by the last pick up time. 
  • If for any reason you are detained and unable to collect by then, we ask that you call us as soon as possible.  
  • Two Team Members will wait with your child until they are collected.  
  • You will be charged a late pick-up fee of £5 for every 15 minutes after 5.30pm to cover this staffing cost.  
  • If we have no contact from a parent/guardian by 6pm, we will contact the Local Authority to advise them we have an uncollected child.  
  • We reserve the right to refuse future bookings from parents who continually pick up late.

First Aid  

  • In the event of an accident, first aid will be administered to children in our care, and the emergency services will be called if necessary.  
  • Essential prescribed medication must be handed in to each child’s Holiday Camp Manager for safe-keeping, in accordance with Ofsted recommendations.  
  • We suggest that all parents whose children carry Epipens arrange for a qualified medical practitioner to demonstrate use of the Epipen to our first aider and Holiday Camp Manager on their first day at our Holiday 
  • Camp. If this is not possible then we will accept a demonstration given by a parent/guardian instead.

Food and Drink 

The Strings Club Ltd require parents/carers to notify its Head Office Team of any special dietary requirements or allergies when they complete the registration process and ensure that any changes are updated on their customer account. This information is made available to the The Strings Club Ltd  on-site team via the Child Information Form and Register.

Note: Drinking water will always be accessible to children throughout our sessions

The Strings Club Ltd have a strict NO NUT policy, which MUST be adhered to during all service provisions.

Health Policy 

  • The Strings Club requires that all children who are ill or infectious be kept home for the full duration of their ailment, and for 48 hours after the last symptom occurs. 
  • The Strings Club will only administer medication if it has been prescribed by a doctor or other health professional.
  • Any medical conditions must be fully disclosed at 1) the time of registration and 2) at drop off and sign-in on-site to the site manager. Essential prescribed medication must be handed to each child’s Site Manager for safe keeping, and a medication consent form is completed and seen by the Site manager.

International Bookings

  • Children booked from overseas are required to have a good level of spoken English so that they can follow the instructions from our team and are able to communicate with the other children.
  • We require a local telephone contact number once you are in the UK, in case of an emergency.

Insurance 

  •  All children in our care are covered by our Public Liability Insurance (up to 10 million)

Late Collection 

We understand that, at times, parents/guardians may be running behind schedule, and we will always ensure that we do our utmost to support our families where possible. If a child is collected late, it will have a knock-on effect on our teams, and therefore, a late fee of £10 per 15 minutes will be applied for late collections.  If you are running behind schedule and your child will be collected late, please make our head office aware so our team at the site can be notified in advance.

In the event of a child not being collected on time, we will attempt to call the parents/guardians. If we are unable to make contact, we will follow our safeguarding policy/uncollected child policy.

We always strive to offer parents/guardians the support needed; however, if late collections become a recurring event, we reserve the right to withdraw our service.

Personal Property

Valuable items should not be brought to The Strings Club Ltd services. The Strings Club Ltd  will not be liable for the loss or damage of any item of personal/valuable property brought to any of its venues. We advise parents to ensure that all bags and clothing are clearly labelled with the child’s name.

Mobile Phone Policy

We recognise that children are increasingly familiar with the use of mobile phones in society and many have their own device. We also recognise the potential risks involved with owning and using a mobile phone.

Our Holiday Camps are a screen-free zone and therefore The Strings Club enforces that all mobile phones and electronic devices are prohibited when on site. When a device is seen, the following steps are taken:

Stage 1: Electronic Device is witnessed on the first occasion

  • Child is asked to place the electronic device back in their personal belongings
  • Speak to Parent/Guardian about the electronic device that was used and ask that it is not used on camp

Stage 2: Electronic device is witnessed for a second occasion

  • Child is asked to hand over the electronic device to the Holiday Camp Manager
  • Electronic device is stored in a safe and secure location
  • Electronic device is handed to the parent/guardian at the end of the day and ask that it is not brought back to camp
  • Warning given to child/parent/guardian about witnessing a device on the third occasion

Stage 3: Electronic device is witnessed for a third occasion

  • Child is asked to hand over the electronic device to the Holiday Camp Manager
  • Parent/guardian is called immediately and asked to collect the child and take home

Please note The Strings Club will not be held responsible for the theft or damage to any electronic devices.

Our Liability

We do not exclude or limit in any way our liability for:

  1. Death or personal injury caused by our negligence of our employees, agents, or subcontractors.
  2. Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
  3. Breach of any term of the Consumer Rights Act 2015

If we fail to comply with these terms, we are responsible for loss or damage you suffer that is a foreseeable result of our breach of the terms or negligence. We are not responsible for any loss or damage that is not an obvious consequence of The Strings Club Ltd breaching these Terms.

One to One Support Process

We are unable to provide 1:1 support for children but welcome the attendance of an adult support worker when a child’s family/carer can fund and source this. Supporting adults must complete a suitability check prior to attending a Holiday Camp. 

  • A 1:1 supporting adult is defined as an adult who is above the age of 18 and has a personal or professional commitment to the support and development of a child who may need provision on a regular basis. Please get in touch with our membership team for further details on the criteria for 1:1.
  • 1:1 supporting adults have visitor status and are required to sign in and out and wear a visitor lanyard throughout their attendance.
  • 1:1 supporting adults are not responsible for any other children and they will not be left alone with any other children.
  • 1:1 supporting adults are there solely for a specific child and will provide such support to enable the child to participate in a Holiday Camp without detracting from the welfare and safety of other children.

Photography and Video  

  • Please be aware that we occasionally take photographs/videos of children at a Holiday Camp for our promotional material. This will be of those children whose parents have given us permission. 

Policies and Procedures

A full overview of all The Strings Club Ltd policies and procedures is available for inspection at each respective The Strings Club Ltd venue.

Promotional Codes/Discount Codes/Voucher Codes

  • Booking must be made before the individual code expiry deadline.
  • Voucher code can only be used to the value of the predetermined discount. Any additional charges will need to be paid at the time of booking.
  • All voucher codes are only applicable for future bookings and cannot be redeemed against existing bookings.
  • All bookings are subject to availability.
  • Our standard Cancellation Policy applies. The voucher code will be voided per any cancellation.
  • Any voucher/promo code redemptions are non-refundable upon cancellation and cannot be exchanged for a monetary value.
  • Discount vouchers or offers can only be used for the purpose stated.
  • Only one offer or discount code can be used per booking.
  • Each voucher code can only be used once per customer.
  • Any codes used outside the above terms and conditions will be voided, and you will be liable for charges relating to any accrued discount.
  • Sibling Discount is valid for wraparound bookings only and can only be applied to bookings containing two or more siblings. The 10% Sibling Discount is automatically applied to bookings at the checkout stage.‍

Recommend to a Friend Scheme

  1. Referrer Rewards
    • Referrer rewards can only be used in online bookings.
    • The referrer can refer to multiple friends. 
    • In order for the referral to qualify for the reward, the referred friend(s) must be a new customer of The Strings Club and over the age of 18, and the referred friend must meet the conditions of their reward. The referred friend must also not be a parent or legal guardian of the referrer's child/ren. The Strings Club Ltd has the right to review the referrer's account to check for linked accounts, emergency contacts and collectors.
    • Rewards can only be applied to 2024 Holiday Camps
    • The referrer must be an existing The Strings Club customer who has previously paid for a Holiday Camp with us.
    • A referrer cannot receive a promocode if they have not previously paid with either card, childcare vouchers or via Bright Horizons/My Family Car.
    • Any rewards will be revoked if a refund is requested on the booking for which the reward was offered.
    • The Strings Club Ltd reserves the right to refuse the issue of any reward to any Referred Friend or Referrer at any time.
    • The Strings Club Ltd  reserves the right to vary any and all elements of this offer at any time without notice.
    • Where a referrer can refer multiple friends, if The Strings Club Ltd believes there is any misuse, they have the right to refuse the issue of any reward to any Referred Friend or Referrer at any time. The free day will be cancelled should the Referrer claim their discount before making any successful referrals.
    • Multiple discounts can not be combined in a single order.
    • The referrer friend will receive an email within 24-48 hours with the discount code, following an eligibility check.
  2. Referred Friend Rewards
    • Referee rewards can only be used in online bookings.
    • The Referred friend is offered a free day when they place their first order, and the code can only be redeemed once.
    • Rewards can only be applied to 2024 Holiday Camps.
    • In order to qualify for the reward, the referred friend must be a new customer to The Strings Club Ltd and be over the age of 18. The referred friend must also not be a parent or legal guardian of the referrer's child/ren.The Strings Club Ltd has the right to review the referrer's account to check for linked accounts, emergency contacts and collectors.
    • Any rewards will be revoked if a refund is requested on the booking for which the reward was offered.
    • The Referred friend reward cannot be claimed by the same person making the referral.
    • Referred friend rewards cannot be combined with other discount codes in a single order.‍

Sign in and sign out of child/ren and Security

The Strings Club Ltd work in accordance with Ofsted’s requirements and have strict security procedures to ensure the safety of your child/ren, which is always paramount.

  • All children must be checked in and out of service at the start and end of the day by a parent/legal guardian or an authorised carer.

Please Note: children will only be released into the charge of nominated collectors detailed on the registration information on their customer account.

No child is able to access our Holiday Camp until the onsite team have full information. Should The Strings Club Ltd not have this, the child will not be able to participate until such information is shared. 

These actions follow the procedures set out in the The Strings Club Ltd Policy and Procedures.

Positive Behaviour Management

Every morning our Holiday Camp team start the day with an engaging and positive welcome that includes our Golden Rules. This is an important part of welcoming children, establishing rules and communicating essential behaviour expectations.

Our amazing teams will always provide praise and reinforce good behaviour on camp.

If a child displays poor or unacceptable behaviour our team will use different techniques to manage the poor behaviour and discuss the behaviour with parents to learn new ways in which to improve the behaviour.

We always ask parents to be as open and transparent with us about their child’s behaviour details to ensure our team are equipped to manage the behaviour. Should a child display poor or unacceptable behaviour continuously, we will ask for the child to take a temporary break from our Holiday Camp. All steps taken will be communicated with the parents and incident forms completed.

Standard Payment

  • The whole cost of the Holiday Camp is taken by credit or debit card when booking by phone or via our website.

Venue Cancellation  

  • In exceptional circumstances we may have to cancel particular dates. 
  • In this event, we will try to give those booked onto the programme at least 14 days’ notice and will offer a suitable alternative if one is available, or refund all monies paid for the dates cancelled, if preferred. 

Should you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact our parent line on 0333 577 1533.

We are delighted that you have chosen The Strings Club Ltd and look forward to your child joining us soon.

The Strings Club Ltd