Holiday Activities and Food scheme
Brighter Futures for Children co-ordinates the Holiday Activities and Food scheme on behalf of Reading Borough Council, funded by the Department for Education.
Please note: HAF registration is only open to children eligible for pupil premium free school meals.
The HAF programme provides activities and lunch with our HAF funded providers, for children across Reading eligible for pupil premium free school meals and those identified as vulnerable by the DfE.
The activity clubs are offered over Christmas, Easter and summer holidays providing a range of energetic physical activities, exciting new experiences and delicious meals too!
Half term weeks are not covered by HAF.
If your child/children is not currently in receipt of pupil premium free school meals but you think your circumstances mean they could be eligible, please fill in an application form and submit it to your child’s school. The form and more information can be found on our free schools meals page.
Please take note of the Privacy Notice supplied by the Department for Education about the handing of personal data relating specifically to the HAF scheme – HAF Privacy Notice.
The Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF) is a DfE funded programme to support children aged 4-16 years (reception -Year 11) who are in receipt of pupil premium (or benefits related) free school meals (FSM) to access enriching activities and food during Easter, summer and Christmas school holidays. Holiday activities and food programme – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Brighter Futures for Children (BFfC) is taking part in the HAF programme and is working in partnership with holiday activity clubs to provide free places for eligible children who attend schools in the Reading Council area.
BFfC is also able to use up to a maximum of 15% of its HAF programme funding (subject to availability of funds) to provide free or subsidised holiday activity club places for children who live in Reading and are not eligible for pupil-premium free school meals. However, priority will be given to those pupils eligible for pupil premium free school meals.
For more information about discretionary funding, please email: michelle.williams@brighterfuturesforchildren.org.
2023 Summer HAF Feedback
We hope your children enjoyed the activities provided through the HAF scheme this summer! We’d love to hear about their experiences, and how you found the new registration and booking system. Please let us know by completing the short feedback survey linked below – it really helps us get things right for the next season, which will be at Christmas.
If you have any queries, please email michelle.williams@brighterfuturesforchildren.org
New HAF booking system
We are now using a new booking system with Wonde, which provides a Holiday Activity Fund platform built specifically to support the Holiday Activity and Food Programme and e-vouchers.
How it will help:
This new system will keep everything in one place, allowing parents/guardians to book eligible children on to holiday activities via one website, where you will be able to see all available providers and spaces.
The activity providers will be able to accept a child and confirm their place on an activity more efficiently and easily update details and spaces available for each activity.
Watch the video to learn how to book your child on to an activity.
What families have said about the providers and activities on our HAF programme
The club’s activities, energy and staff were absolutely amazing and definitely saved us mentally and financially this summer. With all my heart I can’t thank this group enough for giving my boys a fun and sporting time. It means so much when you have fallen on hard times and feel guilty as a parent. Well done all!”
“I would like to say thank you all for the joy, kindness and holiday that you have given to our children. Some of them couldn’t go on holiday but you gave them a fun one. It was a joy and happiness for them looking forward every morning for 11am to join the different activity during the day. They were all commenting about the fun and the positive action given by your people. We are so grateful that something like that was done. We hope in some way that you came to impact on the Southcote community. It would be fun to come again next year maybe for Summer holiday. We look forward to see you back. WELL DONE.
Thank you all Brighter Futures for Children.”
“This was fantastic, we had to isolate and missed some. I as a parent found this a great help and would love things like this to continue!”
“The club was fantastic and my children enjoyed getting active, meeting friends and playing the games.”