Who is Camp Crusoe for?

Everyone! Well, everyone between 8 and 15 years old at any rate. We have kids from all differnet places and backgrounds, and it's a great environment to make new friends or meet up with friends from previous years. Whether you're a seasoned camper or a newbie, we are a welcoming camp where you'll discover the joys of a sleepaway summer camp.

Can campers with special requirements attend?

We aim to accomodate everyone at Camp Crusoe and make every effort to ensure no one is turned away. We can adapt most activites to allow for most special circumstances. As a rule, we require campers to attend mainstream education without the need for one-to-one care as we do not have the staffing to cover this. If your child has extra needs, please do get in touch and we can discuss the exact requirements and plan accordingly.

When is camp?

Summer Camp 2024 runs from 21st July to 17th August. The season is broken into 4 seven day sessions, each running Sunday to Saturday.

What time does camp start and finish?

Each session starts at 4pm on the first day, with parents asked to drop their children between 2pm-4pm, and ends at 11am on the last day, with parents asked to collect their campers between 11am and midday. Those taking advantage of the accompanied travel to London will be given details specific to them regarding drop-off and pick-up times and locations.

How much is camp and what does it include?

Camper fees are £650 for UK campers and £850 for international campers, reduced to £599 and £799 respectively for early bird bookings. The camp price includes all accommodation, food and activities plus, for international campers, an online language assesment and registration with our UK guardianship providers Alpha Guardians for the duration of their session. The only thing not covered is travel to and from camp, which can be added separately at registration.

Do you offer discounts?

We do. A limited number of earlybird discounts are available before 31st March. We also offer a £50 discount for two siblings (and a further £50 for each additional sibling thereafter). These discounts will be applied at checkout on registration. The best way to save on the cost of camp is to register for Tax-Free Childcare and save 20% courtesy of the Government! Additionally, we reserve some spaces for deserving children who require financial assistance. For more information please contact us.

Do you accept Tax-Free Childcare/Childcare Vouchers?

Yes! Our Ofsted registration means we can accept both, which is a great way for you to save 20% of the cost. If using one of these to pay, simply register as normal and select the Tax-Free Childcare/Childcare Voucher option at checkout then email us for further instructions.

How do I book?

Easy - book here. You will be asked to open an account on Jumbula, our camp administration platform, to register a camper.

At the time of registration you can pay in full or reserve each place with a £200 deposit (after June 1st payment in full is required).

Once your booking is processed you will receive an email confirming registration, including details for payment of the balance (where applicable).

Camp fees must be settled by July 1st. Places will be forfeited and the deposit lost if the balance is not paid by this time.

What happens after registration?

Once registration is complete you will receive a confirmation email including your invoice for the balance due (if applicable). You will receive updates from us and in June parent packs will be sent out containing all the details you will need regarding your child’s stay at Camp Crusoe. If you need to need to change anything please get in touch and we will do our best to help.

Will there be lots of children there who know each other?

While some children come to camp with siblings or a couple of friends, most come alone. There is sometimes a short period of nerves at the beginning but this soon goes as they settle into their dorm groups and their counsellor gets them playing games together.

Will my child fit in at camp?

Children of all sorts and from all places come and enjoy Camp Crusoe. Most are at school here in the UK, though we have a number of international campers join us. Wherever they are from or what their life is like at home, every camper is equal at camp and it is a great opportunity for them to get away from the pressures of their everyday life and make new friends is a new environment.

Are there rules at camp?

Yes. Camp Crusoe is all about fun but we do set some rules to make sure everyone has fun in a safe way so things don't start to resemble Lord of the Flies! We find that overwhelmingly campers are well behaved but we do have policies in place to deal with problems should they arise. Should bad behaviour persist, we will call the child's parents immediately to explain the situation and, as a last resort, we reserve the right to have any child collected from camp.

What should I pack?

A full packing list will be sent out with the parent pack in good time before camp. Please read it carefully and be sure to name absolutely everything and be prepared for clothes to come home dirty!

What activities will the children do?

Camp is a great opportunity for kids to try new things and to spend time doing things they already know they love. We offer numerous fun and adventurous activities such as ropes courses and watersports as well as quieter ones like cooking and handicrafts. There is also the chance to take part in special events like our 'SAS experience' or a photography masterclass with our resident specialist. For more info on all the activities, look here.

Where will my child sleep?

Senior campers sleep in single-sex cabins, in groups of 5 of similar age. Cabins are located close to the main house where there are male and female washrooms. There is also a standalone ablutions block closely located to each cabin glade. Junior campers will sleep within the main house in single sex dorms.

Will my child need pocket money at camp?

Campers will not need money at any point, however, we do have a small tuck shop selling sweets and souvenirs so if campers want to bring some then we recommend no more than £30. Pocket money is handed to staff on arrival for safekeeping and distributed when the tuck shop is open.

What if my child gets homesick?

Homesickness, especially amongst younger campers, is natural and to be expected. We are always on the look out for signs of homesickness and are ready to offer support to those who may start to miss home. Keeping busy is often the best prevention and there is plenty of opportunity for that here! In our experience if you have any doubt about homesickness it’s better to avoid speaking directly to your child as this can exacerbate the problem and be traumatic for both of you. Writing a letter or e-mail which we can print off and give to your child is a much more lasting way of showing you care. We will always contact you if we have any concerns regarding your child.

Can I contact my child while on camp?

Experience has shown us that contact with parents can disrupt campers and therefore we discourage parents from contacting their child while at camp. However, each night you will receive a short update and a few photos from the day’s activities from the Camp Directors. If you’d like to speak to someone while your child is at camp you can ring or email the office. Additionally, there is a 24-hour emergency hotline to camp, but we stress this is for emergencies only.

Can I visit my child at camp?

As mentioned above, campers do best when left to get on with things at camp so visits are not allowed. It is a break for you guys too - enjoy it!

Can my child be in the same group as a friend?

If you make a request for campers of similar age then yes, we will do our best to make sure this happens.

Will there be any animals at camp?

Archie, the trusty old camp dog, is never far from Camp Director Jeremy's side and is always on the lookout for strokes. He is extremely friendly and is well used to being around children, and has even been known to convert the most ardent cynophobe!

What happens if my child leaves something at camp?

All lost property is collected on the last day of each session and campers are given the opportunity to collect it before they head home. If you notice something important is missing when your camper gets home then get in touch and we will endeavour to send it to you at your expense after camp has ended, however we cannot guarantee this. We do suggest adding nametags to your children’s clothes as we know they have a habit of dissappearing!

Do campers come to Camp Crusoe from abroad?

In short, yes, but in order to give UK campers the chance to try summer camp and to allow those that do come from abroad to enjoy an immersive British camp, we limit numbers from overseas to 20% of each session.

Why is the international camper fee more than UK campers?

For two reasons: Firstly, we love having campers from overseas but there is always more administration to do on our end so this xtra cost is to cover that. Secondly, it is mandatory for campers to have a UK based nominated guardian and we have found it easier to arrange this for our international campers than to ask them to do it. The fee includes registration with Alpha Guardians, our local partners, and their retainer during camp. The international camper fee does not include fees accrued in the event of them having to act we can give you prior to registration.

Can campers be collected from the airport and returned at the end of camp?

Yes. This is a service Alpha Guardians offer and can be negotiated directly with them.

What if flights arrive a day early or leave a day after camp ends?

No problem. Alpha Guardians have a number of wonderful homestay families available to help if an extra night is needed before and after camp, or if accommodation is needed between sessions for those doing more than one session.

Do international campers need to speak English?

Yes, it is important that campers can understand safety instructions, but it's also essential for making friends at camp and having a great time. We will ask for a quick online chat with international campers once registered so we can confirm they will get on ok at camp.

What is the staff:child ratio?

Our staff to camper ratio is 1:5.

Are camp staff enhanced DBS checked?

Yes, everyone who works at camp has an enhanced DBS check done.

Will there be male & female members of staff on duty?

Yes, always. We have a good mix of staff so there will always be male and female staff on duty.

Will there be a member of staff on duty at night?

Yes. Counsellor cabins are amongst the campers' cabins and campers will be made aware of where these are during orientation. In addition, a Director will be on duty throughout the night.

Will there be somebody at camp who is First Aid trained?

Yes, our matron is a registered paediatric nurse and handles all dispensing of medication, special dietary requirements and bouts of illness. Our Camp Directors are Paediatric First Aid trained, as are many of the counsellors. We have measures in place should a doctor or trip to hospital be required.

Is Camp Crusoe Ofsted registered?

Yes. We are proud to be be registered on Ofsted’s Voluntary Register. We work closely with them and ensure camp is run to their high and exacting standards.

What is your mobile phone policy at camp?

Brace yourself - Camp Crusoe is a mobile phone free environment! We kindly ask parents to keep hold of their child's phone (and, while you're at it, pads, pods and all other internet gizmos!) while they are away at camp. We are very aware that for many it is an important link to their friends and family, but in our experience the children are far happier being immersed into their stay and prefer telling you all about their experiences once they are home. Additionally, we have found that if they are going to get homesick it occurs when they they have a chat to their parents! There is ample time to write a post card home so we recommend packing stamps instead.

There will always be a way for parents to get hold of their children in an emergency by calling camp HQ.

What is your image and video policy?

There are occasions at camp when photographs and video will be taken for publicity purposes.

Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998, all photographs and video images of children and staff alike are classified as personal data. This means that no image can be used for display or for publicity etc. unless consent is given by or on behalf of the individual concerned.

Parents are asked during registration to give consent allowing their child to be photographed or videoed while at Camp Crusoe and for the image to be used for publicity purposes.

All pictures taken will be appropriate and Camp Crusoe will ensure that due sensitivity is shown in the choice and composition of these images.

Only appropriate images will be used on the Camp Crusoe website and children will never be identified by their name.

What is your cancellation policy?

You can find our cancellation policy along with all our terms and conditions here.

Have risk assessments been carried out?

All venue and activity risk assessments have been carried out and each member of staff is fully trained in the incident and emergency management plan.

Do you have an appropriate insurance policy in place?

Yes, we have public liability insurance provided by Activities Industries Mutual.

More questions?

There is lots of information on our Summer Camp 2023 pages but if you have any more questions for us please dont hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you!