HAF Annual Report 2024
This is the annual report detailing the implementation and impact of the Holidays Activities and Food Programme (HAF) 2024 within Torbay. The HAF programme currently covers the Easter, Summer and Christmas school holidays and is for children and young people that are eligible for free-school meals. As of 2024, the arrangement for each holiday period is as follows:
- Easter: 4 days for a minimum of 4 hours per day
- Summer: 16 days for a minimum of 4 hours per day
- Christmas: 4 days for a minimum of 4 hours per day
It is designed to provide free holiday places for those children that are eligible, and ensures they have a healthy meal alongside physical and enriching activities. The programme aims to encompass a supportive provision for families and the local community, with offers of events for parents and signposting to relevant services.
Background of HAF in Torbay
HAF has been running in Torbay since the start of the programme in 2021. In this time, we have worked with a variety of providers to deliver the core offer of the HAF programme. Within our requirements set out by the Department of Education, we complete due diligence checks on all providers during every holiday period, this is to ensure high quality provision throughout Torbay. During our procurement process, we have tender opportunities that ensure sufficient provision is available for primary and secondary aged children and young people, provision for children with SEND and ensuring provision is geographically well situated. It is a requirement for all HAF provision to offer a range of physical activities; an enrichment activity which could be anything from crafts or a petting zoo coming in; and as well as the healthy meal there must be education around nutrition and a balanced diet.
Although the programme is aimed at children receiving benefits related free-school meals (FSMs), as a local authority we can allocate up to 15% of our funding to provide free or subsidised spaces for children who are not in receipt of FSMs but fall under another category that is within the local authorities' priorities. In Torbay, we have focused on allocating these spaces to children and young people that are electively home educated (EHE). This decision was made because of the number of children and young people who are EHE in Torbay and our understanding of the benefits of attending a holiday club.
We have recognised, along with many other local authorities, that our Christmas provision may not be able to meet the full offer of 4 days face-to-face; this is due to the way Christmas holidays fall. Therefore, we offer 2 days of this remote which has mostly been in the form of activity packs and food hampers.
Budget
The HAF budget is allocated by the government and is determined by the number of FSM eligible children and young people in Torbay. The budget is not expected to cover spaces for all eligible children as understandably not everyone will access the programme.
- Total grant allocated: £537,200
- Administrative expenditure (costs incurred in carrying out administrative
tasks): £50,000 - Capital expenditure (any equipment purchased to support the HAF
programme): £0 - Programme expenditure (payments made to providers to cover HAF places and any other services directly for families accessing HAF): £481,478.56
- Other expenditure (this is any expenditure that does not fall into the above categories): £0
- Total expenditure: £531,478.56
- Under spend: £5,721.4
Steering group
Part of our obligation as a local authority is to have a steering group that supports decision making around the HAF programme. Our steering group is part of the team that evaluates applications from the tender process and supports with visiting providers during holiday periods. By using the expertise and experience of the group, it ensures HAF is fair and supportive of all families in Torbay. We are reviewing our steering group for 2025 to include a wider variety of agencies.
Details of our members are below:
- Kirsty Parker-Calland: Senior Sport and Physical Activity Officer
- Nancy Meehan: Director of Children's Services
- Rachel Setter: Divisional Director Learning and Partnership Hubs
- Sarah Overton: Education Safeguarding and Assurance Advisor
- Sarah Pengelly: HAF Coordinator
- Victoria Glanville: Public Health Practitioner
| Provision and reach | Easter | Summer | Christmas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providers | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| Holiday clubs | 21 | 20 | 20 |
| Total places available | 2,596 | 9,516 | 2,132 |
| CYP reached | 795 | 1,288 | 664 |
| FSM eligible CYP | 585 | 1,081 | 585 |
| FSM primary CYP | 585 | 1,081 | 585 |
| FSM primary CYP | 497 | 703 | 404 |
| FSM secondary CYP | 88 | 139 | 78 |
| FSM eligible primary aged CYP with SEND | 119 | 197 | 92 |
| FSM eligible secondary aged CYP with SEND | 32 | 42 | 11 |
Based on this data, it is recognised we are only reaching approximately 10% of CYP that are eligible for FSM during our Easter and Christmas provision, and up to 20% for Summer. This level of reach is similar across other local authorities, and the government funding reflects this in the expectation that we will not be reaching the total number of CYP eligible for free-school meals.
The providers for 2024 were:
- Achieve4AllArgyle Community Trust
- Imagine - Torbay Multicultural Group CIC
- Kinetic Sports Group
- Libraries Unlimited
- Love Enterprise
- Play Torbay
- Premier Education Holiday Camp
- ProCoaching
- Shear Soccer
- Sporty Stars
- Turning Heads
Not all providers delivered during all holiday periods due to staffing commitments and venue
availability.
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
In HAF 2024, we did not have a provider for complex SEND but all our providers are inclusive for CYP with SEND. During the registration process parents/carers are asked to provide details of any SEND or additional support their CYP may need. Following this, the provider may organise a discussion with the parent/carer around how they can support the CYP, and they may look to speak to the CYP's school to gather further information. Some of our providers have found that in the holiday club environment, which is not as structured as an education setting, the CYP have been able to access all areas of the provision without additional support. They have reported CYP that have SEND with 1:1's in school, have thrived in their holiday club provision without the need for a 1:1, highlighting the fantastic inclusive offers available in our HAF programme.
What did HAF 2024 look like?
HAF 2024 has seen a vast variety of activities on offer to the CYP of Torbay. Some of them included walks in nature, cycling, sporting activities, kayaking, crafting, taste testing, petting zoo, magicians and many more! A few of the providers offered opportunities for parents to get involved and supported them with activities they could try at home!
As well as activities to try at home, the CYP also took home activity packs, food hampers, Easter eggs, pasties and lots of arts and crafts!
During the clubs, CYP learned new skills, met new friends and created lasting memories. They learned about growing their own food, nutrition and a balanced diet, physical skills like kayaking and riding a bike without stabilisers! Many of our providers have made strong relationships with families that attend and have seen the confidence of the CYP grow!
HAF 2024 feedback
We collected feedback and quotes from the CYP and their parents on their thoughts of HAF. Some of them are listed below:
"The children had a fantastic time; all the staff are so supportive and caring. Very welcoming and reassuring, you all do an amazing job. Thank you."
"It has been an amazing time with other families joining in the drumming workshop, arts & crafts and interactive story. Children had fun and team made sure parents got fun too. Session absolutely worth coming to. Many thanks for this opportunity to have a different kind of fun."
"My two boys were constantly entertained and thoroughly enjoyed the thought out activities. The healthy 'make your own lunch' was inviting and my boys ate more fruit and veg than normal. Super friendly environment and atmosphere for all parents and children involved."
"We have been to both Wildfox and Barton - HAF has been fantastic! The whole family are included; there’s something for everyone. It’s given me the opportunity to socialise with other mums whilst knowing A is safe and socialising with others. There has been so much choice of activities. Everything’s been really successful – very impressed."
"We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Sporty Stars team for their exceptional care of J. His daily return with a radiant smile speaks volumes about the positive experiences he's had. Despite his usual struggles to fit in, the team has managed to instil confidence and excitement in him. Thank you, Sporty Stars team, for your dedication and support!"
What's to come in 2025?
Following a successful HAF 2024 and the positive feedback from the families using the HAF programme, it has been well received that HAF has been continued for 2025. As every other year, high quality provision will continue, and Torbay Council will be working closely with providers to ensure HAF is continuing to grow and benefit the community. This will be done by speaking to families, finding out their honest reflections on the programme and what can be done to improve it. Additionally, in partnership with providers in 2025, Torbay Council are looking to provide more opportunities, signposting and support to families outside of the standardised HAF offer; this may be through a whole Christmas event, resources sent home to encourage growing your own food, easily accessible information on signposting to support services amongst others.
Torbay Council will be procuring a booking system in 2025 to assist with accurate data recording and to ensure booking onto a HAF club is easy and seamless for families. It is anticipated that this will support with advertising, discourage non-attendance, decrease administrative time for both providers and the HAF coordinator.
Torbay Council hope HAF 2025 will be another successful year providing food, education, socialisation, physical and enriching activities to our families in Torbay. HAF has proved to be a great success so far in Torbay and hopefully 2025 will see even more families accessing this valuable provision.