Introduction
Welcome to Xplore! Nature Holiday Club. Xplore! Nature is one of the trading names of North Wales Science Ltd, a limited company and charity, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Wrexham Glyndwr University.
North Wales Science was established in 2003 and Xplore! Nature was started in 2022 to provide forest school and outdoor learning. Xplore! Nature Holiday Club is registered for out-of-school care through the Care Inspectorate for Wales (CIW) to run holiday clubs from Northop Campus.
Details about the children for whom care is provided
The maximum number of children attending on any one day will be 12. Places for children are open to those age 5-12 years old and must be booked and paid for in advance.
Sessions run on selected dates within the school holidays, Mondays to Fridays, 9.30am-3.30pm. For details of upcoming dates, please refer to our website, social media or use the contact details to enquire with our team.
We welcome families and children from all nationalities, regardless of gender, culture, or religion. Children with additional learning needs, reduced physical ability or mental health conditions will need to be accessed before a place can be booked, to ensure the service in suitable for them, given the nature of the outdoor environment of our setting.
Under exceptional circumstances the setting may not be able to offer a space for if we are unable to meet the child’s needs and requirements. The decision will only be made after all avenues have been exhausted and the setting will provide a reason for the decision of non-admission. Xplore! Nature Holiday Club reserves the right to withdraw access to the service due to behaviour, physical ability, or mental health of a child.
Wherever possible, staff running the holiday club will adapt to the individual needs of those attending and off additional support as required so that everyone can take part. Staff leading the sessions have experience and qualifications linked to working with and caring for children with additional needs, including those who identify as neuro diverse.
Staffing
Xplore! Nature Holiday Club implements and adheres to childcare setting regulations set out for those caring for children. All staff undergo strict recruitment checks to ensure they meet required training levels and suitable references are acquired. All staff working with the children have an Enhanced DBS.
All staff acting as the person in charge are qualified in level 3 forest school or outdoor learning. Other staff acting as forest school assistants for the session will be accredited to at least level 2 in a relevant qualification.
There will be at least the person in charge and one assistant at the session, to keep to the relevant adult to child ratio (National Minimum Standard = one adult to every six children aged 4-8 years, one adult to every 10 children aged over 8 years).
The children at the setting might also be engaged by other Xplore! staff visiting and observing the sessions. Occasionally work experience students or volunteers may also be in attendance.
Facilities available
Xplore! Nature Holiday Club uses the forest school area within the grounds of Wrexham Glyndwr University Northop Campus. It includes a campfire area, space for a tarpaulin shelter for inclement weather, compostable toilet, and handwashing and sanitising facilities.
Close to the main forest school base is a pond, managed woodlands, fields, and walking trails.
A selection of the type of activities offered
- Shelter and den building
- Knots and gadget making
- Fire building
- Basic campfire snacks preparation
- Woodland arts and crafts
- Orienteering
- Obstacle course
- Scavenger hunt
- Wide games / team games
- Skittles and other individual participant games
- Nature walks
- Pond dipping
- Nature identification
- Bird watching
- Map reading
- Relaxing in nature / forest bathing
What to bring to holiday club?
Children need to come to Xplore! Nature Holiday Club with a mid-morning snack and their lunch. Please provide a drinks bottle, which can be refilled on site as required during the day.
Children should wear long sleeves and trousers. Layers are important for keeping warm and a waterproof (not showerproof) coat is essential. Suitable footwear (trainers, walking boots, wellies but never open-toed i.e., sandals). A complete spare set of clothes and a bag for wet/dirty items is required. Please send suncream, sunhat, gloves and hat as required for the conditions on the day. Never send items that cannot get wet or dirty, or that you would be upset if they got damaged or lost.
Prescription medication needs to be in the original containers / packaging. It will only be given to the person named on the packaging for the dosage stated.
Mobile phones and other electronic devices are not required. Xplore! Nature Holiday Club takes no responsibility for any personal items brought along.
Collection of children
Under no circumstances will staff allow your child to be collected by any unauthorised person and it is important that details of all persons authorised to collect your child are provided on the Registration Form.
Authorised people on pick-up running up to half-an-hour late must let the person in charge know by telephone, and staff will stay with the child(ren) until they arrive. Repeat offenders will be issued with a late collection fee, with provision of the service revoked as a last resort.
Emergency contact details for two other authorised people in addition to parents / carers who could potentially collect a child must be given in advance. These will be used if a parent lets the person in charge know they are running more than 30 minutes late or will be unable to collect their child, or in the case of a no show and the parent is uncontactable for 30 minutes after collection time.
No child will be left unaccompanied or 1:1 with a member of staff. Two members of staff must always be able to stay in the event of an uncollected child. Social services will be contacted if the parent is uncontactable for 30 minutes after collection time and none of the emergency contacts are contactable or can arrange to collect the child.
Animals on the premises
Xplore! Nature Holiday Club has no pets. However, wildlife is free to move throughout the site. A first aid kit is always on site and is equipped to deal with insect bites and stings. Please inform us of any allergies on the medical form. Families are responsible for seeking further medical assistance if the wound does not heal or a tick bite is suspected.
Emergency care
If your child becomes unwell during the session, they will be made comfortable and monitored by a member of staff with a current first aid qualification. The person in charge will contact the parent to collect the child. If they are not contactable, the emergency contacts on the enrolment form will be used.
If your child needs urgent medical attention, a member of staff will accompany your child to the nearest accident and emergency department via ambulance. The parents will be contacted and told which hospital the child has been taken to; your child’s medical form will be given to the medical staff.
