Roberts Centre Holiday Playscheme for 5–13 year olds
Holiday Playscheme for 5–13 year olds
We run an activity based Playscheme each school holiday for children living in our Temporary Accommodation Service.
Playscheme provides them with an active, stimulating time, a welcome alternative to the difficulties they are experiencing in their young lives. If children are new to Portsmouth or the surrounding area, it also allows them to make new friendships and explore local attractions. The Playscheme provides fun, education and consistency for the children and their families at a time when they are experiencing a particularly difficult period.
Annually, our Playscheme provides a place for 80 children, offering them different and exciting activities to explore every day.
This year, 38 children from across our resettlement service have attended our play scheme. The children benefit from a wide variety of activities that they may not otherwise of been able to access, whilst also learning about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, making friendships, having fun and developing their confidence. The Holiday Playscheme supports children and young people to feel and be safer, have improved mental health and wellbeing, form better, more positive relationships and be given more equal opportunities to flourish.
Our Environment
Our nursery provides excellent facilities including a multi-sensory room, educational resources and a spacious garden. The children benefit from a variety of interactive experiences designed for each child’s stage of development, with an emphasis on learning through free play, challenge and discovery.
Our main room is spacious, bright and designed to nurture children’s imaginations. The room is furnished with age-appropriate toys and resources, with the scope for adventurous and imaginative play.
Our multi -sensory room is also used as a focused activity room which is perfect for small group work.
Our Vision and Mission
To meet the needs of each individual child.
To provide a secure, positive, safe and stimulating environment.
To ensure outcomes for our children.
Activities
We ensure that we are offering enriching opportunities every day to our children. There is a wide range of planned, challenging and stimulating activities. We also focus closely on the needs of children with special needs by setting up meaningful activities to support their learning and development.
Creative
Creativity promotes children’s ability to explore the world by making new connections and enabling them to reach new understanding.
Outings
We include visits and outings in our curriculum and this is planned within our monthly topics. In the past we have enjoyed trips to the Blue Reef aquarium, parks etc. as well as trips on trains, buses and boats. When planning trips we ensure that we exceed the recommended staffing ratio from Ofsted and encourage parents to come and join the fun!
Problem Solving
Problem solving is the foundation of a young child’s learning. It enables children to formulate new ideas, try things by using the trial and error methods.
Messy Play
Messy play nurtures an early form of writing. It enhances good concentration and fosters curiosity for further experimentation and it is fun!
Role Play
When children are engaged in a role play activity, they pretend to be different characters. It allows them to experiment with the social and emotional roles of life and how they fit into the world. They develop empathy, learn how to work with others and take turns.
Outdoor
We have a secure outdoor space and garden which provides the children with an area to run around in, ride bikes, and grow fruits and vegetables. Once a year, the children and parents meet farm animals which come to spend a day at the nursery. Children go out every day and in all weathers.
Sensory
Sensory play can be beneficial for children’s development as it gives the opportunity for the child to investigate different materials which helps them to develop their social, emotional, physical, and speaking skills.
Free Flow Play
Free flow play sessions are great for children to explore and learn about the society they live in and the world around them. It allows them to develop a sense of who they are and to value the thoughts and feelings of others.
How the Holiday Playscheme has positively affected Lloyd (names changed)
Lloyd, 10, was referred to play scheme to support their Mum, Ruth, have much needed respite and to be able to go to work and to give Lloyd some time with other children to have fun.
Lloyd always joins in the activities with enthusiasm, meeting new people and making new friends are just an additional perk for them! Ruth comments that she can “trust the Roberts Centre to keep them safe and does not need to worry about Lloyd”.
Lloyd has developed in confidence through attending play scheme accessing activities they would not normally be able to do such as canoeing, ice skating and martial arts. Ruth feels this benefits Lloyd as it allows for them “to get out of their comfort zone”.
The activities organised through play scheme are centred around physical development and health and fitness, Lloyd prefers the active opportunities offered to them and when giving their feedback always suggests other activities for the future such as swimming and indoor play areas, Ruth appreciates the physical activities play scheme offers as she does not want Lloyd to “be stuck at home sitting on the sofa”.
Ruth feels that play scheme has benefited Lloyd in many ways but most of all feels “it is a great opportunity for Lloyd to develop and have fun!”
The Team
Our practitioners are qualified, caring and passionate and place a great emphasis on creating a loving, nurturing and warm environment for your child. Each member of staff follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) with a focus on learning through play and actively encourage parents to become involved. All our staff have enhanced DBS checks and hold a pediatric first aid certificate. Each child has a named Key Person to ensure that your child is cared for by a member of staff who gets to know you and your child.
Important Information
Safeguarding Children's Policy
SEND Policy & example IEP/SEN support plan
To see another of our other policies please ask a member of staff or email info@robertscentre.org.uk
For full details regarding Starting Nursery And Key Worker Information, Curriculum, Healthy Eating, Parental Involvement, Security, Physical Play and Visits please click the button below.