*This is subject to DFE final confirmation

1. Introduction to the Holiday Activities and Food Programme 2025/26

Since 2018, the Department of Education’s (DfE) funded holiday activities and food programme has provided support to children in receipt of free school meals through holiday periods. Following successful pilots between 2018 and 2020, the programme was rolled out to all upper tier local authorities in 2021.

Research has shown that the school holidays can be pressure points for some families. For some children this can lead to a holiday experience gap, with children from low-income households being:

• less likely to access organised out-of-school activities
• more likely to experience ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition and physical health
• more likely to experience social isolation

Our HAF programme is a response to this issue, with evidence showing that free holiday clubs can have a positive impact on children and young people, and that they work best when they:

• provide consistent and easily accessible enrichment activities
• cover more than just breakfast or lunch
• involve children (and parents) in food preparation
• use local partnerships and connections, particularly with the voluntary and community organisation sector

In 2021, the HAF programme enabled us to support hundreds of thousands of children and their families throughout the Easter, summer and Christmas school holidays.

Devon County Council has 20,000 eligible Free School Meal children living in Devon. We have been awarded £1.91million to fund our HAF programme in 2025/26.

Within Devon County Council, we have chosen to manage and co-ordinate the HAF Programme ourselves, working with external providers in the various communities of Devon to deliver the various elements of the programme.

2. Who is the Programme For

This holiday provision is for school aged children from reception to year 11 (inclusive) who receive benefits-related free school meals. Benefits-related free school meals (FSM) are available to pupils if their parents are in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits, and have a claim verified by their school or local authority.

For further information on who may be able to get free school meals, click on Apply for free school meals – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Local authorities are asked to ensure that the offer of free holiday club provision is available for all children in receipt of benefits-related free school meals in their area, though this does not mean we expect all to attend as the provision is voluntary.

Devon County Council encourages providers to make the holiday clubs available to both FSM-eligible children and any children who can pay to attend.

This might be through operating:

• bespoke provision
• as part of already existing holiday provision in the area
• a mixed arrangement depending on the local supply and demand for provision

Please note that this does not include children eligible for Universal infant free school meals – all children in reception, year 1 and year 2 in England’s state-funded schools receive a free meal under the Department for Education (DfE) universal infant free school meal (UIFSM) policy.

Infant pupils who receive a free meal under UIFSM must also be eligible for benefits-related FSM to be able to access a place on the HAF programme or come under the “extended eligibility” criteria (see Item 3).

3. Aims and Eligibility

Aim

The aim of the programme is that children, young people and their families:

• eat more healthily over the school holidays and try new foods
• are more active during the school holidays
• take part in engaging and enriching activities which support the development of resilience, character and wellbeing along with their wider educational attainment
• are safe and not so socially isolated
• have a greater knowledge of health and nutrition
• are more engaged with school and other local services
• are able to develop their understanding of nutrition and food budgeting
• are signposted towards other information and support, for example, health, employment and education

Who is eligible?

• School aged children from reception to year 11 (inclusive) who are eligible for and receiving benefit related free school meals, and their families.

Priority should be given to providing places for children and young people in receipt of benefit-related Free School Meals. However, we have discretion to use up to 15% of our funding to provide free or subsidised holiday club places for children who are not in receipt of benefits-related Free School Meals but who the Local Authority believe could benefit from HAF provision. This means providers can choose to use up to 15% of your funding in this way – but they don’t have to.

This extended eligibility includes these 4 categories only.

• young carers
• looked-after children
• previously looked after children
• children with an EHC (education, health and care) plan

The Core Offer

Overall, Devon County Council is expected to offer the equivalent of 6 weeks’ holiday provision to eligible children (a total of 24 days of at least 4 hours, including a meal each day).

• Spring – a maximum of 4 days of face-to-face provision of 4 hours.
• Summer – 4 weeks of face-to-face provision, which cover a maximum of 16 days, each day should consist of at least 4 hours provision.
• Winter – a week of support which covers a maximum of 4 days

4. Department of Education Guidance

The Department of Education’s full guidance on the programme is available by clicking on Holiday Activities and Food programme 2024 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

This document was updated in February 2025.

5. Devon County Council HAF Programme Webpage

More information about our HAF Programme can be found on the Devon County Council Webpage – Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme – Education and Families (devon.gov.uk)

6. Standards Framework

The Department of Education (DfE) have developed a framework of standards to provide a benchmark of what they expect from those delivering the holiday activities and food programme (HAF). This framework sets out the standards the DfE expect for all HAF Providers.

The Local Authority are expected to:

• Improve the quality of provision across the local area
• Ensure that providers are supported to meet the high-level standards

Delivering the HAF programme to these high standards can be a challenge and we, as the Local Authority, will ensure that we support the providers we work with to meet them.

It is the Local Authority’s role to make sure these standards are met across the programme and to help local providers who do not meet the standards by providing adequate support including training, advice and partnership/network meetings, workshops and briefings etc.

Each of our funded providers will receive this support from our Programme Manager and Co-ordinators. Every provider will also get support (via email, visits, and telephone) from their local Early Years and Childcare Advisor (EYCA). Click here to find out who the EYCA is in your area.

Not all providers have to deliver all aspects of the programme, but it is the DfE’s clear expectation that all eligible children and their families should benefit from all aspects of the programme. This might mean that we, as a Local Authority, work with providers to adopt a blended approach to ensure children and families can access the different aspects and elements of the programme through a number of different providers.

Please note that if you cannot meet the HAF programme standards, then we will not be able to provide you with a grant.

7. Food Provision

Providers must ensure that the children attending can have a least one meal a day (breakfast, lunch and tea) and that all food provided (including snacks) meets the school food standards.

The Department of Education and our expectation is that the majority of food served by providers should be hot. We acknowledge that there will be occasions when this is not possible and we will fund a cold food offer, but it must meet School Food Standards. Providers must send us a sample menu for hot & cold food. We expect you to help children at least try different foods and involve the children in the cold food offer.

All food provided as part of the programme must:

• comply with regulations on food preparation
• take into account allergies and dietary requirements (see the allergy guidance for schools)
• take into account any religious or cultural requirements for food.

Providing food on site can provide an opportunity to engage children and families in food preparation and nutrition. Providers have reported that when children are involved in designing menus and the preparation of food, they are more engaged and more willing to try new and healthier food.

This year the Department of Education wants Local Authorities to consider prioritising funding to providers who are involving children and young people in the planning and preparation of food. Such a developmental approach is key to effecting long-term change in engagement with food and nutrition. Devon County Council will consider whether clubs preparing food on their own premises or in their venue would produce less food and packaging waste and result in fewer food-miles than off-site, centralised provision.

Food providers

We have been asked to ensure that the providers we work with are, where applicable, registered as a food business. This provides reassurance to those involved that food safety standards are being met.

A food business is defined as anyone preparing, cooking, storing, handling, distributing, supplying or selling food. Please see the government website for further information about food business registration.

Local authorities are responsible for enforcing food hygiene laws and can inspect any registered food business at any point in the food production and distribution process. It has been recommended that HAF coordinators within each Local Authority are in regular contact with their food safety inspectors to ensure that HAF providers are fully compliant.

8. Enrichment and physical activities

Enrichment activities

Holiday clubs must provide fun and enriching activities that provide children with opportunities to:

• develop new skills or knowledge
• consolidate existing skills and knowledge
• try out new experiences
• have fun and socialise.

This could include:

• physical activities, for example, football, table tennis or cricket
• creative activities, for example, putting on a play, junk modelling or drumming workshops
• experiences, for example, a nature walk or visiting a farm
• free play, for example fun and freedom to relax and enjoy themselves

Physical activities

Holiday clubs must provide activities that meet the physical activity guidelines on a daily basis.

In line with those guidelines we expect:

• all children and young people participating in the HAF programme should engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for an average of at least 60 minutes per day – this does not have to be in the form of a structured activity session, but can include active travel, free play and sports
• children and young people participating in the HAF programme should engage in a variety of types and intensities of physical activity to develop movement skills, muscular fitness and bone strength
• children and young people should aim to minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary, and when physically possible should break up long periods of not moving with at least light physical activity

9. Nutritional education and food education for families and carers

Nutritional education

Providers must include a variety of nutritional education each day aimed at improving the knowledge and awareness of healthy eating for children. These do not need to be formal learning activities and could, for example, include activities such as:

• getting children involved in food preparation and cooking
• growing fruit and vegetables
• taste tests
• discussing food and nutrition
• including food and nutrition in other activities

Food education for families and carers

We expect HAF providers to look at how they can include weekly training and advice sessions for parents, carers or other family members. These should provide advice on how to source, prepare and cook nutritious and low-cost food. This could be combined with the nutritional education aspect of the programme, for example, by inviting children and their families to prepare and eat a meal together.

10. Signposting and referrals

HAF providers should be able to provide information, signposting or referrals to other services and support that would benefit the children who attend their provision and their families. This could include sessions provided by:

• Citizen’s Advice
• school nurses, dentists or other healthcare practitioners
• family support services or children’s services
• housing support officers
• Jobcentre Plus
• Early Help
• organisations providing financial education
• early years and childcare, including help to pay for childcare (such as Tax-Free Childcare, Universal Credit)

We are happy to support you with providing this, but this can also include signposting to these services.

11. Policies and procedures

There are a wide variety of organisations and individuals involved in the delivery of the holiday activities and food programme, including but not limited to:

• schools
• colleges
• nurseries
• private providers
• charities
• youth clubs
• community groups
• sports providers
• childminders

All of these groups must be able to demonstrate that they have in place relevant and appropriate policies and procedures for:

• safeguarding, including the recruitment of staff and volunteers
• health and safety
• relevant insurance policies
• accessibility and inclusiveness

12. Safeguarding

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. We want every HAF club to be a safe and happy place for children to be and for parents, carers and families to feel confident that their child is well looked after and that robust safeguarding arrangements are in place.

Local Authorities are statutorily responsible for safeguarding in relation to children in need, under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, and looked after children under section 20 of the Children Act 1989.

We work closely with our local Devon Safeguarding Children’s Partnership, The Devon Safeguarding Children Partnership (Devon SCP) so that we can offer appropriate training and resources so that we can support our providers to make sure robust safeguarding arrangements are in place.

As set out in working together to safeguard children, safeguarding is defined for the purposes of this guidance as:

• protecting children from maltreatment
• preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development
• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
• taking action if you identify children to be at risk of harm

We are expected to produce and maintain a central register of all of the providers we fund through their HAF programme including putting in place a robust system for inspecting each provider and ensuring all adhere to the standards set out in the standards framework.

13. Children with SEND or Additional Needs

As a Local Authority we need to ensure that we have sufficient high-quality places for children with SEND or with additional needs who are in receipt of Free School Meals or who fall within the extended eligibility criteria (see Item 3 of the HAF specification).

We will make sure providers plan how they will accommodate children with SEND or additional needs, and work with providers to ensure children and young people with more complex needs are able to access suitable provision – for example, by working with special schools in Devon.

14. Funding Application – Requirements

How to Apply

It is anticipated that there will be many organisations across Devon applying for a grant and we recognise that some organisations will have the capacity to take on more than others. We need to ensure there is good geographical spread, particularly in those areas where there are high numbers of Free School Meal children.

Organisations who apply to deliver two or three holiday programmes, should note that funding can be withdrawn at any time if we feel that your programme did not follow the eligibility criteria, did not provide appropriate appropriate meals and/or did not attract enough children.  We can also withdraw our offer of funding if we feel that the Department of Education Standards Framework was not followed.

Application Requirements

All applications are required to specify:

• How their organisation plans to deliver against the eligibility criteria and Standards Framework
• Total number of HAF funded places being offered*
• Number of HAF-funded children who will benefit
• Holiday provision delivery dates, times and length of sessions
• How you aim to meet the school food standards
• How you will meet the physical activity standards
• How you propose to staff the provision including experience, qualifications & DBS of all the staff.
• Details of how your provision will be inclusive and accessible
• Confirmation of how you will collect the monitoring data we require
• How you will reach benefit-related Free School Meal children and their families
• Details of your risk assessments, including how you’ll meet health and safety requirements

Please click on this link to view the numbers of children eligible for Free School Meal (FSM) in each school in Devon. 

GUIDE TO THE NUMBER OF PLACES YOU CAN APPLY FOR:  100 FSM children in a school would generate a need for 30 HAF places.  50 FSM children in a school would generate a need for 15 HAF places.  25 FSM children in a school would generate a need for 7 HAF places.

We also require you to tell us:

• How you will link up with other local HAF providers to ensure there is no duplication of activities or dates that clash
• How you will create and build on existing and new partnerships with other local providers
• How you can complement other local provision
• About joined up approaches and links in respect of supporting and signposting families to local services (e.g. health, employment, education)

Your application must clearly state, via a detailed budget:

• Amount of grant you are requesting
• Programme budget specifying how the funding will be spent (for example, staff costs, any training requirements, venue hire, insurance, resources etc)
• Average cost per child, per session offered, without food
• Paid for places, what are your costs?
• A separate costing of food costs, per child, per session
• Evidence of good value for money

15. Supporting Documents

If successful in applying for a grant, we will ask for copies of the following documents:

• Constitution or governing document
• Health and Safety Policy
• Safeguarding Policy/Child Protection Policy and Procedures
• Risk Assessment
• Statement evidence that all staff and practitioners are DBS checked to the required standards
• Equality and Diversity Policy and Procedures
• Quality Monitoring processes (for example, how you log complaints/incidents and how these are reported and managed)
• Public Liability Insurance documents
• Financial information to prove solvency

We will also require evidence of:

• Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene training for staff where appropriate
• Level 2 and Level 3 Safeguarding & Child Protection training, depending on their role
• Relevant first aid training
• Appropriate GDPR training by at least one member of staff
• Information about your HAF programme on Provider Self Update & The centralised booking system. Further training to follow re the chosen booking System
• The following link provides guidance on how to use and upload information to Provider Self Update – Provider Self Update – Information for childcare providers

16. Scoring and Assessment of Applications

Applicants should ensure they answer all questions on the application form and include all of the applications requirements, as specified in Item 14. Applications will be assessed against a fair and transparent scoring procedure.

Funding applications will be scored against set criteria, including:

• Meeting the key aims and criteria of the programme including the Department of Education’s Standards Framework
• Ofsted registered & offering paid for places (blended model)
• Value for money
• How the holiday provision is delivered (number of days, hours, weeks etc) in line with Department of Education specification for each holiday (see Item 3)
• Delivery of the required aims and outcomes linked to children (see Item 3)
• Organisation’s track record/ability to deliver proposed provision to the standard required
• Quality of the enrichment activities proposed
• Provision of cooking activities or involvement of children in food preparation & food education
• Number of places offered
• Partnership working – building on/developing local partnerships and linking with other providers and organisations to develop your offer and widen attendance
• Geography – while children in receipt of benefit-related Free School Meals live across the county, we know that more provision will be required in particular areas. We therefore may need to prioritise these areas.

The Funding Panel discuss individual bids and make recommendations for grant award based on the above.

17. Application – Process and Timeframes

The grant application is electronic:

Devon Holiday Activities and Food Programme 2025 Application Form

Closing date: 28^th February 2025, 12:00pm

Decisions communicated by: 14th March 2025

Please see Item 21 regarding payment of grants should your application be approved.

18. Approved Provider Status

Once the grant is approved you will become one of our Approved Providers and you will receive regular communication and support from your Early Years and Childcare Adviser as well as from the Devon County Council HAF Programme Team.  See Item 6 for more information about your Early Years and Childcare Adviser.

19. Implementation and Approvals

We intend to offer funding to ensure we cover a wide area of Devon during Spring, Summer and Winter holidays in 2025/26. Those meeting the minimum quality and price requirements will be put forward for approval.  In the event of duplication of services, providers will be offered the chance to work together, or to change location to a less well covered area (but reserve the right to prioritise one bid over another based on the scoring should no compromise be possible).

There is a limited amount of funds available. Should the grant applications exceed the total grant amount, providers with a high score will be prioritised to ensure the programme remains in budget.

Please note that Devon County Council reserves the right to request financial information on your organisation and your offer to ensure due financial diligence.

20. Support in respect of this grant

If you have any questions or queries, please contact Melissa Filby by emailing the HAF mailbox at haf@devon.gov.uk.

Successful organisations will be allocated an Early Years and Childcare Adviser to provide support as needed throughout the set-up and delivery of the HAF Programme (refer to Item 6).

21. Funding Awards

Funding Agreements

Successful organisations will be issued with:

1. A funding agreement
2. An expenditure spreadsheet
3. Complete the chosen Centralised Booking System

Payment Terms

In your application, you will provide information of the total amount of grant required for the whole year, breaking this down into the amount you require for each holiday (Spring, Summer and Winter). Once you have signed your funding agreement, you will receive six payments as follows:

• Payment 1 (80% of the amount requested for Spring) before the Easter holiday.
• Payment 2 (20% balance of the Spring holiday grant requested) will be paid on receipt of (1) the expenditure spreadsheet and (2) the data collection spreadsheet holiday evaluation.
• Payment 3 (80% of the amount requested for the Summer holiday) will be paid before the Summer holiday
• Payment 4 (20% balance of the Summer holiday grant requested) will be paid on receipt of (1) the expenditure spreadsheet and (2) the data collection spreadsheet.
• Payment 5 (80% of the amount requested for the Winter holiday) will be paid before the Winter holiday
• Payment 6 (20% balance of the Winter holiday grant requested) will be paid on receipt of (1) the expenditure spreadsheet and (2) the data collection spreadsheet.

Please note:

• the second payment (20% balance) may be adjusted based on targets not met and/or to take into account any underspend
• if there is an underspend, Devon County Council may require the return of funds.
• if funds are to be repaid, you will be invoiced by Devon County Council.
• If places are not attended, Devon County Council will require the funds to be returned. Contracts will be adjusted for other holiday periods. This could include extra places for those schemes who are successful.

22. Monitoring Requirements

Funded providers will be required to report back on their grant and update the centralised booking system.

Information required will include, but is not limited to:

• Centralised Booking System
• Outcomes/records of activities (organisations may be asked to evidence how delivery has met the minimum programme standards)
• Participants’ feedback
• Parental feedback
• Case studies and photographs and videos of activities, where possible with written permission to use them for Devon County Council

As detailed in Item 21, financial reporting will include:

• A completed HAF Programme Budget Monitoring Spreadsheet
• A breakdown of any unspent grant funding

Early Years and Childcare Advisers may conduct planned and unplanned site visits when provision is underway to ensure compliance and to undertake quality monitoring of the HAF programme across Devon.

All data and information collected by providers should be done so in strict adherence to GDPR.