FAQs

Booking FAQs and Attending FAQs

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Please note that we no longer (since 2021) accept Child Care Vouchers for payments – see below for information.

The Perse Summer School is held at The Perse Upper School on Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 8QF

Booking system instructions can be found here or via the side menu.

Booking FAQs

How do I register?
Can I use my account from last year?
Do I need to register if I am already a Perse parent?
What information will I need to register?
What are the payment options?
Can I pay with childcare vouchers?
How do I know if a course is full? Is there a waiting list?
Do you take group bookings?
Do you take international pupils?
Can I cancel a booking and get a refund?
My child isn’t quite in your age range, can they still attend?
My child has allergies or other medical needs, how will you look after them?

How do I register?

If you booked last year the system will hold your details so just sign in again.
Please book one child at a time. This is key – each booking cycle is for ONE child. Then repeat for any further children.
You will be asked for your details once you have placed the items in your ‘basket’.
If you used our system last year your child’s details will be stored but you will need to review the medical / other information for them and make appropriate changes.
Parents are required to complete a full medical declaration for their child(ren) at the time of booking and are responsible for ensuring that if there are any changes to the child’s health prior to Summer School starting. Please do NOT make a booking for any child other than your own.

Can I use my account from last year?

Yes. You will need to sign in again or follow the on-screen instructions for resetting your password – the system will identify if it has seen your email before and will prompt you. Just indicate that you don’t know the password and follow through the rest process as normal. You can then return to your booking.

Do I need to register if I am already a Perse parent?

The Summer School Booking Portal and the Perse Parent Portal are completely different systems. So, yes, you will need to use the Summer School booking system.

What information will I need to register?

Once you have placed your courses in the checkout basket you will need to complete a form which provides parental contact details. This form need only be completed once for each family.
You will also need to provide medical and dietary details and consents for your child(ren). You must complete an individual form for each child and update the form if there are any changes prior to summer school starting. Please do not complete a form/make a booking for a child which is not yours.
If you have never used this system before you don’t need to create an account with a password first but you should do afterwards or if you wish to add any further bookings for your child or for other children. Go to you ‘My Account’ on the booking website (you will also receive a link to this in the confirmation email from bookinglive).

What are the payment options?

You can pay by credit/debit card. When you check out on the Booking Portal, you will be asked for your card details.
We do not accept Child Care Vouchers. If you have vouchers that we hold for you at The Perse School due to refunds etc on other activities please make your booking and make full payment via card and then contact summerschool@perse.co.uk to discuss with us.

Can I pay using childcare vouchers?

We are sorry that we no longer accept Child Care Vouchers for the Summer School. This is due to the complexities of the CCV administration via many different companies which makes it unviable.

How do I know if a course is full? Is there a waiting list?

This website will display availability for the courses on the course tiles, it is not updated in real-time.
The Booking Portal is updated live and automatically calculates the available places. Once courses are full you will no longer be able to select the course.
If you are not able to book a course because it is full and would like to be added to the waiting list please email summerschool@perse.co.uk If we receive a cancellation we notify the first person on the list via email, based on a first come first serve basis. We are not able to make or hold places for families so early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. If we do not receive a response within 24 hours we will offer to the next person on the list.

Do you take group bookings and agents

No, sorry. The Perse Summer School will not accept group bookings or booking from agents (unless booking your own child(ren)).

Do you take international pupils?

Our Summer School is open to everyone but there is no ‘international’ section. We expect all children attending the Summer School to have a high standard of English fluency (B2 standard). The Perse Summer School reserves the right to decline a child or family if the child’s level of spoken and written English is not of a sufficiently high standard when the course begins, parents may be asked to collect their child. If you require a visa, we strongly recommend you obtain your visa prior to booking as you will not be guaranteed a refund if you cancel your booking after 14 days from purchasing (see Terms & Conditions).

Can I cancel a booking and get a refund?

If you find that you need to cancel a booking please first see our Terms & Conditions and then contact the Summer School office by email summerschool@perse.co.uk.
Refunds will only be made in line with the Summer School Terms & Conditions which can be found in the footer of this site and on the Booking Portal.
We will refund if you change your mind about the booking within the standard ‘cooling off’ period. We cannot refund courses after this unless we are able to resell the place and this is not always possible.
We staff our courses for the entire week and this staffing is contracted early on which is why refunding a place on courses below their ‘full’ (capacity) number is problematic.
We regard a ‘full’ (capacity) multisport course to be bookings that average 19 children across a given week of mornings or afternoons.

My child isn’t quite in your age range, can they still attend?

The age range is 7-10 and 11-14 for all courses except where stated. There are a few exceptions to this, for example; Piano Duets is 7-14 and Multi Sport is 7-12.
Children who are more than 14 years old, with the exception of Adventure Travel (15-19), will not be able to attend.
Children who turn 7 during the summer holiday (July – August 2023) will be able to attend.
Children who turn 11 during the summer holiday (July – August 2023) will be able to choose either age category when selecting courses.
If your child turns 7 or 11 during the summer holiday please inform summerschool@perse.co.uk

My child has allergies or other needs, how will you look after them?

One of The Perse School nurses (qualified) will always be on site during Summer School.
Parents are required to complete a full medical declaration for their child(ren) at the time of booking and are responsible for ensuring that if there are any changes to the child’s health prior to Summer School starting, that they inform the summerschool@perse.co.uk in advance. Please do not make a booking for someone else’s child.
If the child is on any medication it is the parent/legal guardian’s responsibility to bring the right medication(s), clearly named and in its original box/packaging, with the child on a daily basis or as required. (Please refer to the medical declaration made at the time of booking for specific details)
There can be perhaps 350 children on site at once. This is not a small primary school environment and children will need to respond positively and proactively to this. We will ensure that all are welcomed and supported in full for any specific needs. Children need to follow the Summer School Rules in full, including any rules of off-site providers e.g. the golf course or the watersports venue which will also help them to keep safe.
Our staff, including our catering staff, will be briefed with the medical information that parents have provided. Notices on site will indicate specific problems or allergies to be aware of and staff will intervene as is expected.
If you would like to talk to our nurses or administrative staff in advance of the Summer School we welcome this. Please contact us at summerschool@perse.co.uk If we have any questions regarding your medical declarations we will also contact you.
Please note that, in extreme situations, it may be difficult to accommodate a particular need e.g. severe allergy to wheat flour on a baking course. In such cases, please discuss matters with us in advance.
To ensure we have the correct medical information on each child attending, it is important that you do not make a booking for any child(ren) other than your own.

Please contact summerschool@perse.co.uk as soon as possible to confirm if your child is not able to attend summer school (and for each day they will be absent).

Attending FAQs

What to do if your child is ill?
What are the timings of the day?
How does drop off and pick up work?
What’s for lunch and how does it work?
What if I don’t know anyone else on the courses?
What happens if I am late arriving or late to pick up?
What do I need to bring / where do I go?

What to do if your child is ill?

In line with public health guidance, Summer School participants who have a temperature of 38°C or over should stay at home until their temperature has returned to normal and they feel well enough to attend.
If your child is suffering with diarrhoea or vomiting please keep them off school until 48 hours after the last episode of diarrhoea or vomiting.
If your child becomes unwell at Summer School and feels unable to continue with the day we will contact you on the number you have provided to discuss arrangements for them to be collected (please make sure you have registered a UK number).
The school nurses will be on site from 8.00am to 4.30pm. Trained first aid staff will be available until 5.30pm.
Please ensure your child’s medical information is up to date. You can do this by logging into your account / my orders / child icon / personal information can be updated here. If making a last minute change please also notify Summer School by emailing us.

What are the timings of the day?

Morning session is 9am to 12pm (break at 10.30 to 10.45am)
Afternoon is 1pm to 4pm (break at 2.30 to 2.45pm)
Early and late stay is possible from 8am until 5.30pm (you can book this via Booking Live and it is a daily charge)
If you are only attending morning sessions please sign out form our site by 12.45pm
If you are only attending afternoon sessions please arrive and sign in by 12.50pm
If you are not in the morning session but are arriving for lunch and the afternoon session you are welcome from 12pm (lunch will be served until c.12.35pm)

How does drop off and pick up work?

The Perse Upper School on Hills Road has a car park but we ask you to follow our site signs very carefully and adhere to the speed 10mph limit. We have limited spaces available this year due to building works over the school holidays so please park considerately. There are usually parking spaces available in the streets nearby.
We will register all children coming onto our site at the gate. We also register departure so it is essential you arrive and leave from the main Summer School gate.
Where early drop off/late stay are not pre-booked the School has a right to charge these fees if the child is dropped off early or collected late from the School outside the published course hours.

What’s for lunch and how does it work?

The lunch menu will be available to see here.
If you prefer to bring your own food that is fine. We request no nuts on site please (allergies!).
Any child can stay for lunch even if they are only booked for morning or afternoon sessions (as long as you have selected it on your booking form originally). There is no extra cost for lunch. Lunch will be served from c.12.05pm until c.12.35pm.

What if I don’t know anyone else on the course?

Well over 500 children come to our Summer School each year. We will look out for you and do our best to help you feel at home.

What happens if I am late arriving or late to pick up?

You can book our early or late stay. They are charged at £5.40 per morning session and £6.50 per afternoon session. If your arrangements change just contact us to let us know and we will help. Our site will close at 5.30pm so we can’t help later than that though.

Where these are not pre-booked the School has a right to charge these fees if the child is dropped off early or collected late from the School outside the published course hours.

What do I bring / Where do I go?

The Summer School is held at The Perse Upper School site on Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 8QF.
Bring: water bottles, sunhats and suncream (weather dependent!) – all items to be named clearly.

Watersport Course will be held at The Cambridge Sports Lakes, Milton Country Park (MCP). We will contact you nearer the time to establish levels of competency in swimming and experience in paddling. Please ensure your child has the following (named) items for this course each day:

Towel
Clothes that you are happy to get wet in (no jeans)
Shoes that you happy to get wet (old flat soled trainers if you don’t have water shoes)
Full spare change of clothes (including shoes and underwear)
Sun hat/ Sun cream
Glasses retainer/ string if you use glasses
Waterproof jacket
Wetsuit (optional)
Snack

Changing pods are available at Milton Country Park however it is recommended that you arrive in watersports clothing at the start of the session. Buoyancy aids will be provided and must be worn by all participants, at all times when taking part in water activities.

There will be minibuses to and from The Perse School to Milton. The minibus will leave promptly at 9am / 1pm and will not wait for latecomers. Please ensure you arrive 15 minutes prior to departure. It is NOT possible for children to make their own way to or from Milton Country Park or to be dropped off / collected from Milton Country Park. All children are to be registered at The Perse School before and after the course.

Sports courses – you must bring suitable footwear. We will provide all the equipment required for each sport but you may wish to bring your own (named) racquet, bat, stick etc. There is no need to wear cricket ‘whites’ but you can if you like. Just be comfortable.

Bushcraft

Please bring the following items of equipment:

Clothes that you are happy to get dirty
Waterproof Jacket
Waterproof Trousers
Hat and Sun cream
Water Bottle

Please be aware that children likely to be working outside for the whole session and so appropriate clothes should be worn to deal with all weather conditions. Please ensure each item is named.

Golf Course – is held at Kingsway Centre Golf Course on Trumpington Road, Cambridge. You must bring suitable footwear but this doesn’t have to be golf shoes (trainers are suitable). There will be minibuses to and from The Perse School to Kingsway Centre. The minibus will leave promptly at 9am and 1pm and will not wait for latecomers. Please ensure you arrive 15 minutes prior to departure.

Photography courses – please bring your own (named) camera if you have one, with sufficient charge and enough space on memory (SD) cards. We will have a small supply of cameras and lenses to lend as well. You can use your mobile phone as a camera if you wish but you will need to know the cloud storage and the account details for it so you can extract the images to desktop computers too. The advanced photography course requires a camera with settings (shutter, aperture and ISO) that can be adjusted manually – please see the course description for details. We have some spare cameras to borrow if necessary.

Cookery courses – please bring your own (named) apron if you can but we have plenty of spare ones if needed. You may bring a large Tupperware/box to take your food home, according to the health and safety requirements of that particular dish – sometimes we can’t let you take it as it needs to be temperature-controlled.

For all other courses just bring yourself and your enthusiasm to take part!