HNCP Summer Camp 2025 Report

Introduction: A Celebration of Learning and Friendship

The HNCP Summer Camp 2025 brought together pupils from six North London partner schools for a vibrant and enriching week of fun, learning, and personal growth. Children from Brookfield Primary, St Joseph’s RC Primary, Muswell Hill Primary, Hargrave Park Primary, Highgate Primary, and St Michael’s Primary School took part, with efforts also made to engage pupils from Whitehall Park Primary and Yerbury Primary.

The 2025 Summer Camp cohort included a high proportion of pupils meeting the “Eligible for Pupil Premium” criterion, alongside smaller groups identified with additional needs such as Special Educational Needs, Family Support Worker involvement, English as an Additional Language, Young Carer status, and Looked After Child. A small number were noted for other circumstances, including chronic illness or reliance on benefits, while only two families reported no additional needs and two did not respond.

Set in the spacious and well-equipped grounds of Channing Junior School, the camp was a celebration of collaboration, creativity, and curiosity. Through structured lessons and active afternoon sessions, our goal was to offer all participating children a joyful, safe, and inclusive summer learning and activity experience.

What Went Well

Morning Lessons: Building Skills with a Smile

The mornings were alive with engaging and varied lessons designed to stimulate both minds and imaginations. From Maths and English to Drama and Debating, children worked in small groups with enthusiastic teachers from Brookfield Primary school. The emphasis was on participation, confidence-building, and collaborative learning, with pupils especially enjoying activities where they could express themselves, ask questions, and share their views.

Two of our teachers shared their reflections on the experience:

Phoebe Rogers: “I found teaching at summer camp this past week to be an incredibly rewarding experience. I had the pleasure of teaching maths and it was lovely getting to know the children and engaging with them throughout the week. Planning and delivering lessons that were both fun and educational was highly fulfilling, and it was fantastic to see the students respond positively to the maths we were working on. The camp itself was exceptionally well-organised and efficiently run, creating an ideal environment for both teaching and learning. It was also wonderful to witness the children’s enthusiasm as they enjoyed the excellent facilities and well-equipped playground. Many of them spoke about how much they enjoyed the forest school garden as well as the swings and climbing frame and said how they wished they had these in their own schools. Overall, it has been a fantastic experience, and I would love to do it again next year.”

Charlotte Wilkins: “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the sponsors and donors whose generosity made the HNCP Summer School possible. Teaching humanities with a focus on the Roman Empire was a rewarding experience, supported by the exceptional organisation, structured programme, and outstanding facilities provided. These ensured that both staff and pupils were able to flourish in a positive, engaging, and well-resourced environment. Thank you for enabling such an enriching opportunity for all involved.”

Their words capture the enthusiasm, professionalism, and dedication that shaped each morning’s learning – ensuring that pupils not only developed new skills but also gained confidence, curiosity, and a sense of achievement.

Afternoon Active Camps: Movement, Teamwork and Laughter

The afternoons brought a change of pace, with children rotating through a series of outdoor and indoor activities designed to build teamwork, confidence, and a sense of joy. From ball games and forest school adventures to team challenges and creative workshops, every session provided a chance to move, laugh, and connect.

Pupils particularly enjoyed the playground equipment and forest school garden, often commenting on how much they wished they had similar spaces at their own schools.

Channing Junior School: An Ideal Setting

We are immensely grateful to Channing Junior School for hosting the camp once again this year. The welcoming atmosphere, excellent teaching spaces, and fantastic outdoor facilities played a crucial role in making the week a success. Children felt safe and supported, and teachers appreciated having access to high-quality resources and breakout spaces for different activities.

Organisation and Administration: A Smoothly Run Week

Feedback from both staff and families consistently praised the clarity of communication and the professional organisation of the camp. The daily routines were clearly structured, with smooth transitions between lessons, activities, and breaktimes. Special attention was paid to safeguarding and inclusion, with each child made to feel welcomed and valued.

Saoirse Cragg, also from Brookfield, wrote: “Thank you for organising everything, it has all run very smoothly! I would certainly like to consider working again at HNCP Summer Camp next summer.”

Parent and Carer Feedback: A Reflection of Resounding Success

Parents and carers shared warm and enthusiastic feedback, praising the atmosphere, organisation, and range of activities. Many reported noticeable boosts in their children’s mood and confidence. Here is a selection of parent comments:

• “My son had a great time and enjoyed all aspects of the week. The staff were a credit and were great with my son. Thank you again.”
• “My son really enjoyed this and we are so appreciative for the opportunity.”
• “Fantastic opportunity for my daughter. She absolutely loved it and made lots of friends.”
• “Amazing camp. Tony thoroughly enjoyed it! Massive thank you!”
• “You had one (I’m sure many more as well) very happy and satisfied customer. Especially as I had apparently ruined his summer holidays when he found out I had signed him up for it!”

Google Feedback Form: Quantitative and Qualitative Insights

The parent feedback survey for this year’s HNCP Summer Camp revealed exceptionally high levels of satisfaction across all areas of the programme. Almost every respondent (92%) reported being “Satisfied” or “Very satisfied” with their overall experience, with particular praise for the quality of activities, organisation, and staff.

Average ratings were consistently high across all core areas:

• Communication before and during camp: 4.9/5
• Organisation and structure (including application process and drop-off/collection): 4.9/5
• Safeguarding measures and supervision: 5/5
• Inclusiveness and sense of community: 4.9/5

When asked if their child enjoyed the camp, 92% of parents responded “Yes, very much.” Popular activities mentioned most frequently included go-karting, laser tag, handball, sports sessions, and creative activities such as maths challenges and team games. The variety of activities was cited as a major strength, ensuring all children found something they loved.

Suggestions for improvement were few and mostly minor, with mentions including improving the lunch offering, ensuring accurate assessment of children with additional needs, and enhancing hall facilities.

Interest in returning next year was extremely high, with all eligible respondents expressing a wish for their child to attend again. Proposed new activities for future camps included tennis, code breaking, slime-making, and maintaining the current popular format.

Final comments were overwhelmingly positive, with parents describing the camp as “amazing,” “well-run,” and “great for building confidence and friendships.” Several expressed heartfelt thanks to the team for creating such a supportive and fun environment, noting that their children “thoroughly enjoyed every aspect.”

ImpactEd survey: Peer Collaboration and Overall Enjoyment reach highest marks

The positive feedback from parents and carers at the school gate was echoed in the ImpactEd surveys. Pupils completed these at both the start and end of the Camp, allowing us to measure changes from baseline to final.

The survey results indicate positive gains across all measured social and emotional skills among participating pupils, with the most marked improvement in growth mindset (+3.3%), followed by self-efficacy (+1.1%) and extraversion (+0.6%). Feedback was overwhelmingly positive: 100% of pupils enjoyed working with peers from other schools, and 97% reported finding the sessions both fun and interesting, underlining the Camp’s strong social and educational impact.

Looking Ahead: Moving Forward Together

The 2025 Summer Camp was an outstanding success, thanks to the shared efforts of teachers, administrative teams, and host school staff. Looking ahead to 2026, we are keen to build on this strong foundation by:

• Strengthening outreach to a wider number of HNCP schools, with a focus on natural partners like Whitehall Park Primary School in north Islington
• Redesigning the structure of the day by implementing a morning assembly and rethinking breaktimes
• Further embedding pupil voice in the planning process
• Supporting the catering team by sharing feedback from parents/carers and children regarding the snack and lunchtime provision
• Introducing more targeted support for children with additional needs; requesting more detailed information on children identified as having SEN from the participating schools ahead of the camp.

We look forward to welcoming even more children and families into this joyful summer tradition next year and would like to express our sincere gratitude to all who made HNCP Summer Camp 2025 a week to remember. Please enjoy a selection of photographic highlights from the event below