Holiday Playscheme

 

 

  • Winter Playscheme (21 to 23 December – to be confirmed depending on funding)
  • February half-term Playscheme (15 to 19 February 2027) – bookings will open on 24 January 2027

 

We will take bookings for a full week only.

Our holiday playscheme offer is a childcare provision and we will always prioritise Islington and local families, especially those who work, study and are low-income families.

The playscheme’s fees are:

  • £30 per day, per child
  • £140 for a full week
  • £40 per day, per child for non-Islington residents (except families living in N4 2 postcodes in Hackney – evidence of address will be required)
  • £15 per day, per child for low-income families (evidence will be required – see details below)

Places are limited so make sure you contact us as soon as bookings open. It is your responsibility to contact Elizabeth House to book for the Playscheme.

  • Places will be given out on a first come first served basis.
  • We only consider booking requests from the date when bookings open (and not consider earlier requests).
  • Places will first be confirmed by email.
  • Once a confirmation is sent, payment must be received as soon as possible to secure your place(s).
  • Always include a clear payment reference so we can track your payment.

The Playscheme runs from 9 AM to 5.30 PM. 

Ad-hoc days bookings are subject to availability (if there are other families requesting ad hoc days we will try to match them). We need to ensure we have adequate staffing and remain financially viable to run the service. 

 

Huge thanks to Islington Council for supporting our Holiday childcare provision.

Booking your child for the first time?

The Holiday Playscheme is for children attending Reception to Year 9. Our Ofsted registration number is EY489588.

Our provision was inspected by Ofsted in May 2025 and here is their EYR Inspection Report.

All those wishing to book for any Holiday Playscheme will need to fill in a Childcare Registration Form. You can then email us on childrensactivities@elizabeth-house.org.uk  to book a place for your child(ren).

If your child has SEND, you will be required to complete this Childcare Registration Form SEND_2023 to ensure that we can fully support your child during the Playscheme.

Your child(ren) will then need to be assessed by booking a pre-visit to Elizabeth House. Without the assessment your child(ren) will not be booked.

Elizabeth House can only take a limited number of children with SEND. This is due to staffing ratios and ensuring all children are safely supported.

From July 2025, the price for a child attending is £30 a day or £140 a week.

The concession price for low-income families (with income of under £35,000 per year as an household) and those receiving universal credit or DWP support is £15 a day, or £75.00 a week. Evidence will need to be provided. This concession rate is only offered to Islington residents and families.

ALL FEES MUST BE PAID IN ADVANCE. If not, your booking will be cancelled and your place will be given to a family on the waiting list.

We accept payment by BACS and childcare vouchers or through the government’s Tax-Free Childcare scheme

For BACS payment:

Account Name: Highbury Vale Blackstock Trust

Account Number: 00006985

Sort Code: 40-52-40

Payment reference: child’s name + PS

For further information and an application form, contact our team or call us on 020 7690 1300.

For information on other playschemes, please visit the Council website

Lunch Bunch programme (formerly known as Holiday Activity and Food programme – HAF)

We hope to be able to offer 10 free places per day under the Lunch Bunch programme.

For more information, please refer to www.islington.gov.uk/lunchbunch for Lunch Bunch activities in Islington.

What’s on offer?

Our playscheme works in line with Ofsted ratio of 1:8 for under 8s and 1:15 for over 8 years old.

If your child requires additional staffing support such as 1:1, 1:2 or 1:4 then please contact Short Breaks short.breaks@islington.gov.uk or see additional SEND services delivered by HAF on Plinth where your child needs can be supported by a specialist team.

We ask parents to fully declare their child’s needs so we can ensure their needs are best met, failing to do so will result in cancellation of booking.

Each Playscheme provides a fun and varied programme including sports, cookery, team games, music, arts and crafts, quiet zones and computer sessions. 

There are also weekly trips to a range of exciting places. The trips vary, but previous trips have included rowing, ice-skating, bowling, wilderness challenge, adventure playground, picnics or trampolining.

The Playscheme is run by enthusiastic, experienced staff who aim to provide fun and challenging activities in a safe and secure environment. They also encourage all children to participate in all activities to ensure they are making the most of their time at the centre.

Children attending Elizabeth House can learn new skills, develop confidence and make new friends.