28/08/2025

A Round-Up of Fun, Friendship and Unforgettable Moments

Overview of Summer

What a summer it’s been! Across 46 camps, running over 7 weeks, we welcomed over 16k children through our doors, supported by an incredible team of just over 1.2k staff. We clocked up over 920,000 hours of fun. From high-energy activities to quieter creative sessions, every moment was packed with laughter, discovery and adventure.

Champions of Fun!

At Barracudas, fun is at the heart of everything we do. Our dedicated staff bring energy and creativity into every day, making sure every child feels part of something special. Alongside our much-loved sports and creative sessions, we offered unique Barracudas-only activities that children can’t experience anywhere else.

We’re more than just a holiday club, we’re a community. Children joined our camp family, built lasting friendships, discovered new skills, and developed confidence in a safe, supportive environment. Whether running around the sports field, testing their creativity, or diving into new challenges, children stayed active, made memories, and left camp with big smiles.

Weekly Themes

Our Weekly Themes added extra sparkle to camp life. From Wonders of the World to Sports Stars, these themes transformed each week, giving children fresh inspiration and new adventures. The excitement was contagious and it was a joy to see imaginations take flight as children threw themselves into the themed games, challenges, and crafts. These moments helped shape a summer of unique, magical experiences.

Specialist Courses

This summer, children also had the chance to try something extra special:

Official Football Camps led by Norwich City CSF and RDP, Palace for Life Foundation and West Ham United Foundation, giving kids the chance to sharpen their skills with top-quality coaching.

Coding courses, delivered in partnership with BlueShift Coding, where young innovators learned the foundations of digital creativity.

Skills Builder Courses, including Swim School, Motor Mania, Discovery Squad, and Dance Fusion—designed to help children explore their passions, gain confidence, and develop lifelong abilities.

Charity Fundraising

We were proud to partner with Children with Cancer UK, raising awareness and funds for a cause close to our hearts. The highlight? Our legendary Soak the Staff event, always a camp favourite, with plenty of laughter (and wet t-shirts!) in aid of charity. With online donations and cash donations on camp as well as parents also supported generously through pennies microdonations online, this shows how our camp community comes together to make a real difference. We look forward to sharing the total amount raised soon!

Parent Reviews

We’re thrilled to have received so many glowing independent ratings on Trustpilot this summer. Parents praised our staff, activities, and the safe, happy environment we create.

"My 2 daughters have been to barracudas for the past 2 years and absolutely loved it. From the variety of experiences to the front door staff everything is excellent. Best summer camp around. Many thanks for all your hard work and commitment to all the kids and parents." Suzana

"Simply the best holiday fun. My children love everything barracudas. They like the interaction with staff, the range of activities and making new friends. They always come home exhausted." Karen

"The best camp we’ve tried by miles!!! My sons attend this camp most school holidays, the reason I favour this one is they are open longer hours (I work) and I don’t have mum guilt as they offer a massive range of amazing activities- more than I could offer in one day! They swim everyday, go quad biking, play archery, and many many more actives that they may not normally get to try. The staff are very professional and friendly and engage with the children - my kids come home and talk about how amazing their day was for hours and are always so excited to attend!!" Joe

"My 7 and 5 year old have just spent two weeks at Cobham Barracudas and had the best time. My 7 year old does not normally enjoy holiday camps but both absolutely raved about this one. Thank you Barracudas!!" Sarah

"My 5&8 year old was at Letchworth Barracudas for the first time this summer. They came back saying ‘ officially the best camp ever’." Sophie

We’re proud to say that our Trustpilot scores reflect the dedication of our team in making Barracudas the best choice for holiday activities.

Ofsted Ratings

All of our camps are Ofsted registered, giving parents peace of mind that their children are in safe hands. This summer, we were delighted to receive the highest ratings available for school holiday activity providers for 6 of our camps this summer. Here's what they said:

Chelmsford camp:
"Children are excited as they arrive, keen and eager to start their day. They happily leave their parents and are warmly greeted by an enthusiastic team of staff who help them organise their personal belongings in their base room. Children settle quickly and engage in activities provided as they wait for their friends to arrive. The club is very well organised and is designed to offer children a broad range of exciting, fun experiences and sporting opportunities, such as archery and swimming sessions." 

Ely camp:
"Children enjoy their time at the camp. Staff enthusiastically guide children during a wide variety of sporting and craft activities. Children make choices about the activities they join in. Children make new friends at the camp. This helps to strengthen their social and personal skills and build on their confidence. Interactions between staff and children are positive. Staff take time to listen to children and take their views into considerations."

Maidenhead camp:
"Children are greeted by friendly staff at this welcoming setting. They separate confidently from the parents as staff take them to their relevant groups. Staff are good role models and children behave well. Staff plan activities that encourage children to learn teambuilding skills. This supports children to build and make new friendships."

Romford camp:
"Leaders and managers run the holiday camp with care and compassion to create a place where staff welcome and support all children and their families. Children are happy and feel safe here because staff place a strong emphasis on their well-being and happiness. They are positively engaged in meaningful play from the moment they arrive."

Twickenham St Catherine's camp:
"Barracudas (Twickenham) is a vibrant and welcoming camp that offers children a safe and engaging environment in which to play, learn and grow. The atmosphere is lively and full of energy, with staff consistently showing genuine enthusiasm and warmth towards the children. Children are encouraged to take part, share ideas and support one another, which promotes teamwork and builds confidence."

Upminster camp:
"Children arrive happy and ready for their day at Barracudas activity camp. They have a wealth of exciting and fun activities on offer throughout the day. These include swimming, drama, play sessions and sports activities. Staff are enthusiastic and fun. Children state that they love coming to the camp. Children are very engaged in play and demonstrate that they feel happy, safe and secure."

These results underline our commitment to providing not only fun, but also a safe, structured, and nurturing environment.

A Summer to Remember

We’ve shared some of our favourite summer memories across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Head over to our pages to relive the fun and see the smiles for yourself! From our Photo and Session of the Day, to our camp takeovers and fun photo albums, there's loads to enjoy.

As the summer sun sets, we’re already looking forward to our October camps. With 20 camps open, the most we’ve ever had!, we can’t wait to welcome even more children to experience the magic of Barracudas.

Thanks for all the children, parents and staff who've been part of our 'Champions of Fun!' this summer. Here’s to more excitement, friendship, and unforgettable adventures ahead!