City of London Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF)

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme provides children and young people with opportunities to enjoy fun and enriching activities during the school holidays, alongside a nutritious meal.

Who funds the programme?
The national HAF programme is funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and delivered locally by the City of London Corporation. The City’s holiday offer is also supported by additional local funding. Kids Activities and Bootcamps (KABs) has received funding from the City of London Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Fund (CILNF), helping us to make holiday activities available to more children who live in the City of London, including children who may not meet the national HAF eligibility criteria.

Who can take part? 

• DfE-funded HAF places are primarily for school-aged children and young people who meet the national HAF eligibility criteria, which are linked to targeted benefits-related free school meals.
• The City also wants to make sure that children who may benefit from holiday activities are not excluded simply because they do not meet the national HAF criteria. Additional funded places may therefore be available for City of London resident children, including those who face financial, cultural or other barriers to accessing holiday activities and children with additional needs.
• Children do not need to attend The Aldgate School to be considered for these additional City-resident places.
• Eligibility and age ranges may vary between individual holiday programmes, so families should check the information provided when registration opens.

What does the programme offer?
Our holiday programmes provide a range of activities which may include:

• sports and physical activities
• arts and crafts
• games and creative activities
• trips and visits
• opportunities to socialise and try new experiences
• a nutritious meal during programme sessions

Activities vary between holiday periods.

When does it run?
HAF provision is primarily delivered during the Easter, summer and Christmas school holidays. The City may also provide activities during other school holidays where funding and provision allow.

Dates, times, venues and the number of available sessions are advertised separately for each holiday programme.

Who delivers the programme?
Kids Activities and Bootcamps (KABs) currently delivers holiday provision for primary-aged children on behalf of the City. The City may also work with other organisations to provide activities for different age groups and needs.

Children with SEND or additional needs
We want children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to be able to take part in our holiday activities.

Please tell us about your child’s needs when registering so that we can discuss any reasonable adjustments or additional support they may require. Where appropriate, additional support, including 1:1 provision, may be available.

How do I register?
You do not need to apply for free school meals before contacting us about a place.

Before each holiday programme, registration information will be published on the Family Information Service What’s On page and shared with families and local partners.

The registration form will explain the eligibility criteria for that particular programme. Families will be asked to provide the information needed for the City to identify the appropriate funded place for their child.

If you are unsure whether your child is eligible, please contact the Best Start Family Hub team rather than deciding not to apply.

Check our What's On page during school holidays to find out HAF programme details.