Children are grouped with others of a similar age where the maximum age difference of children in a group will generally not be more than two years.
We group the children by taking the youngest on roll to form the first group and then continue this process for all of the children booked in for that particular week, based on our maximum group sizes for each age band.
Siblings are not automatically grouped together. Children are grouped according to the appropriate age groups.
With a maximum of 24 children in the group, this age group are looked after by an Early Years Leader who has relevant childcare experience/qualifications, along with two assistants. (The staff ratio for these children is 1:8.)
Find out more about activities for 4 ½ to 6 year olds here.
With a maximum of 32 children in the group, this age group are looked after by a Group Leader along with additional Group Support. (The staff ratio for these children is 1:12)
10 year old children may be placed in either a 7-10 year or 10-14 year group, depending on the age make up of the camp.
Find out more about activities for 7 to 10 year olds here.
With a maximum of 28 children in the group, this age group are looked after by a Group Leader along with additional Group Support. (The staff ratio for these children is 1:15)
10 year old children may be placed in either a 7-10 year or 10-14 year group, depending on the age make up of the camp.
Find out more about activities for 11 to 14 year olds here.
These children will join the 11-13 year olds for activities but will also spend time with younger groups when shadowing staff.
Find out more about our BX+ course here.
Our groupings are organised week by week. There will be no changes to the groupings within the week. If you're booking for more than one week you may find that your child will be placed in different groups on the different weeks. This is because the age profile of the camp changes week by week. Please don't be alarmed by this as your child will always be in the right age band and therefore with children of a similar age. Please be advised there are no group movements after Monday morning of that week as this can be unsettling for the children.
As long as both children reciprocate the request and are a similar age (maximum difference 2 years) we can usually accommodate this. We can only offer one grouping request per child and we must be notified at least one month before the date of attendance in order to be guaranteed.
Please be aware that this also applies to siblings and they will not automatically be grouped together at camp.
Of course, we'll always try and accommodate any group requests, but it may not be possible if that request is late and the group is full, as our staff ratios mean we can't just squeeze in an extra child. Grouping requests made within one month of the date of attendance cannot be guaranteed as we will have allocated children to groups at this stage and there may not be room to move them around. If you're booking within one month of the date of attendance we will be able to confirm at the time of booking whether or not we'll be able to accommodate the request.
We will not group children together if there is a grouping chain. If one child wants to be with another, who wants to be with another and so on, then grouping becomes impossible. That's why we only guarantee one advance and reciprocated grouping request per child.
Don't worry at all, most children do - they're either on their own or with a sibling in another group. Our staff always encourage children to get involved with small activities right from the moment they arrive, which helps them make friends in their group and builds confidence right from the start.
Yes, each child will be assigned a Keyworker, also known as their Group Leader, during their time at camp. They will be responsible for your child's welfare at Barracudas. You'll be notified of who this is when you arrive at camp. You can speak to their Group Leader at any time, just contact the camp directly to arrange this.