Please share the highlights and successes of the programme you’ve delivered.
Gloucestershire has had yet another successful year of delivery of the HAF programme with 43,763 individual sessions booked and 17,275 unique participants attending sessions across the county.
In comparison to last year (2022 – 2023) in which 15,566 unique children and young people attended sessions across the county. 2023-24 delivery of HAF saw an increase in the number of unique participants by 1,709 (an 11% increase).
The overall average percentage of children and young people attending the provision throughout 2023-2024 who were in receipt of benefits-related school meals was 22%.
This data tells us that additional funding used to support and enhance the Gloucestershire HAF programme has enabled us to reach an additional 6558 children and young people who are not eligible to attend fun, enriching HAF activities as well as access a hot meal. Additional funding has enabled whole families to come to groups and has helped to ensure young children and older children who are not benefits related free school meals eligible from HAF funding are fed alongside their parents who are also offered a meal. In addition, it has supported children and young people to be ready to return to school after the school holidays. 2,461 children and young people were supported in spring, 3,398 in the summer and 699 in the winter.
Throughout 2023-2024, Gloucestershire has seen an increase in the number of secondary school aged children attending. 74% of attendees were primary school aged, 26% of attendees were secondary school aged compared to 81% primary school aged and 19% secondary school aged in 2022. Although the number of primary aged children attending has not reduced, the percentage of primary age attendance has reduced to allow for the increase in percentage of secondary aged children.
We have seen a steady increase over the year of BAME and SEND children attending. In 2022 the percentage of SEND participants were 11% and in 2023 that figure increased to 17%, in 2022 the number of BAME participants was 3358 and in 2023 this figure increased to 4428.
Analysis of our Easter parent survey shows
- 87.3% of parents and carers responding rated the range of provision good or very good.
- 96.1% of parents and carers rated the quality of the provision as good or very good.
For the summer HAF holiday
- 85.4% of respondents rated the range of provision good or very good, this is a 4.7% increase from summer 2022.
- 98.8% of respondents rated the quality of provision good or very good and is a 4.6% increase from summer 2022.
Of these respondents there have been increases in satisfaction levels with the information provided and the sufficiency of places, with the following results in the summer survey.
- 66.7% agreed that there was sufficient accessibility information for individuals with SEND on our websites and the CABS (Children’s Activity Booking System) pages
- 56% agreed that there were sufficient activities for children with SEND
- 61.2% said that they did not face any barriers when it came to booking HAF provision for their child
Whilst there is evidence that positive ratings are increasing, we have embedded further resources and processes that will support the sustainability of continuous improvement particularly for SEND families. This year we have designed a feedback survey specifically for SEND families which will be used following the summer and winter HAF 2024.
Throughout 2023 – 2024, 86 providers delivered activities for children and families across Gloucestershire, this is an increase of 16 providers (23%) in comparison to last year. The range of organisations commissioned included:
- Activity Camps
- Sports camps – football and rugby
- Arts and craft activities
- Drama and music and performance
- STEM sessions including computer programming and making Rocket cars
- Forest Schools
- Gymnastics and climbing
- Archery and amateur boxing
- Craft session
- Family cookery sessions
- Hip Hop Music Days
- Christmas Parties
- Family Festivals
- Canal Boat Trips
- Basketball Camps
- Family Trips
- Multi sports camps
We have produced a number of HAF videos which show the impact of the programme for children, young people, and their families across Gloucestershire
HAF (Holiday Activities & Food programme) - YouTube
At the end of the summer holidays 2023, Gloucester City held a HAF event at Kings School which is centrally located in the city. Local organisations joined to run free fun activities for whole families. The HAF Eat Well Wagon provided healthy, nutritious food along with a smoothie bike which proved to be extremely popular. This event was well attended by families, children and young people who provided great feedback about the day. Local ward and County Councillors attended the event. Our Director of Childrens services, alongside our lead cabinet member, DFE representatives and other local partnerships such as Police and Crime Commissioning attended to present awards to providers nominated by children, young people, and their parents/carers across 10 categories from ‘most innovative’ to ‘best support for young people’. This event was extremely successful, and we will be running a much larger summer event in 2024 inviting families and providers from across the county.
© Crown copyright 2023
