Close

FAQs

We understand that you may have lots of questions for us. We are happy to speak with you at any time, but here are frequently asked questions and answers about life at Country House Camp.

What is the weather typically like?

The weather in the UK can be quite unpredictable. The average temperatures in Hampshire range from 16 to 21 degrees Celsius in the months of July and August. It may rain on several occasions throughout your child’s two week session but it rarely rains all day (we hope!).

Does my child need insurance?

All campers are required to be in full possession of a valid, fully comprehensive Medical & Travel insurance. We will require a copy of this policy before the start of the camp. If your child is European we also require that they bring their European Health Card. Please check the Parent Handbook for additional details.

What should I pack for my child?

Packing for camp is easier than it seems! A full packing list will be sent to you upon registration. We strongly suggest that parents follow this list, and pack as ‘little’ as possible; this means, to pack ‘correctly’. Bedsheets and bathing towels are provided.

 What is the staff to camper ratio?

Country House Camp has a 6:1 ratio of campers to staff.

Are electronics allowed at camp?

We are proud to be a tech-free camp. Mobile phones, tablets, laptops, IPods, etc. are not allowed during camp.  We understand that most children will want to have them for their journey to / from camp which is absolutely fine. We will simply require them to check them in with us upon their arrival.

How often do the children shower?

Campers are required to take showers every other day, or more frequently if they are very dirty!! They may shower everyday upon request.

My child takes medication, how will it be administered?

We ask all children to hand out their medication upon arrival. The medication will be stored in a safe place and administered by staff as per your instructions. It is very important that the medication you send is properly identified and with instructions in English. It is equally important that you fill out the Medication section of the Camper Health Form.

If your child takes medication this needs to me stated in their medical form. This will give us the information we need regarding how / when you want it to be administered and make the necessary arrangements for that to happen.

I would like my daughter to go to church while she is with you.
If there is enough interest, we may be able to take children to Anglican Mass on the middle Sunday of camp. You will need to communicate this to us beforehand, and depending on numbers, we can try to make it happen.

What happens in the case of an emergency?

We will make contact with you informing you of the situation as soon as possible. It is important that the contact numbers you provide are up to date and easy to reach.

Are special dietary needs accommodated?

Yes, we accommodate most MILD dietary needs including but not limited to allergies, vegetarianism and food sensitivities. The food at camp is healthy, delicious and varied. Any dietary needs have to be specified in the booking forms in order for us to plan accordingly. The quicker you let us know about this, the better.

 How can I find out how my child is doing?

You are welcome to contact us as often as you’d like.

To check on your child’s progress once he/she is at camp, you may do the following:

 1. Social networks

We will post some pictures on our blog and/ or instagram approx every 3 days, and normally create a whatsapp group for for each session (please download this if you do not have it!) and add you to it so you can ‘see’ the children very often, at work and at play.  We would aim to send you updates every 3 days or so via whatsapp– or more frequently, if possible.

2.Email us:

info@countryhousecamp.com

sacha@countryhousecamp.com

 3.Call us:

Sacha: +44 (0) 7837 747 515

 We will be available 24/7 but we ask you to please take into consideration any time difference before you make a phone call that is not urgent. We will set up a daily phone call schedule closer to date for any non urgent calls.

 Should there be any medical issue, we will of course contact you immediately.

How often can I speak with my child?

Campers will be able to take one phone call from you, halfway through the session. We will decide on an exact day closer to the time and will arrange a 15min time slot for you to call. This may seem a little harsh if residential summer camps are not a tradition in your home country and/ or you were never a camper yourself… There are over 20.000 residential summer camps in the world, a lot of them with over a hundred of years of experience and you will find that very rarely are children allowed to call home at camp; This is something that is usually only reserved to children staying for the whole summer. We run 2 week sessions at Country House Camp and it is our utmost belief that contacting home within that time will be detrimental to your child’s growth.  You are sending your child to a safe and fun environment with the opportunity for growth. Children can’t grow mentally if parents keep a tight grip on them. Sometimes things won’t go as expected for them, and other times, plans will fall nicely into place. No matter what happens, it’s a learning adventure that they need to embark on by themselves. 

What if my child’s birthday is during camp?

Let us know! We will celebrate with the whole camp and sing Happy Birthday to your camper. If you’d like to send a present or a card you may send it in advance and we will give it to your child on their special day!

What if my child is homesick?

Homesickness is a relatively common issue that usually lasts no more than a few days. Our small friendly environment makes campers feel at home from day one. However, in the event that your child feels homesick, our staff is trained to deal with it by acknowledging it and reassuring your child that being homesick is a completely normal reaction to being away from a home that they love. Our team will then help them adapt to Country House Camp through a variety of methods. We do our best to keep homesick campers busy and well supported and look at homesickness as an opportunity for children to build and realize their developing resilience while adapting to a new and dynamic environment. We have a lot of experience dealing with these situations and if we do feel that despite our effort, your child is struggling to have a good time, we will let you know and put you in touch so together you can make a decision. Our goal is for your child to have an amazing time with us, no child will be left at camp feeling homesick for longer than the normal adaptation period.

How do you handle bullying?

We take bullying very seriously. Because we are a relatively small camp, and a community that is open and trusting, there is not much that we do not find out about fairly quickly. When a conflict arises between campers, we strive to nip it in the bud through honest direct communication. Campers are encouraged in various manners to communicate with staff any time they feel uncomfortable.

 Is Country House Camp just for girls?

Yes, Country House Camp is exclusive to girls. This does not mean that we do ‘girly’ stuff all time! Our activities are gender neutral and children are free to choose what they want to do every day, from a large selection of activities in the areas of sports, adventure, cooking, arts & crafts and performing arts.

Are there any other expenses? Do campers need extra money?

We request that each parent send in spending money for their campers for out of camp trips. This money is kept in the office and will be given to the campers by their group leaders when needed. We advise children to bring £80 – £150 to camp.

Do you do laundry?

We have a limited laundry service that we will not hesitate to run when your child’s clothes get wet, too dirty to be used again or if there is any sort of accident. We do however kindly ask you to pack for the whole duration of the session. A packing list will be sent to you upon registration.

How are campers put into rooms?

Campers are usually grouped in rooms by age group. We do our best to honour friend requests but please remind your child that meeting new people from around the world and improving their English are two of the main reasons why they come to us. Acceptance is one of core values and we are committed improve children’s’ English skills, for what often we find it beneficial to have children mixed up in the rooms.

How many people are in each room?

The number of children per room varies from 2 to 7.

The rooms are equipped with modern conveniences such as electrical outlets and storage space for clothing including closets and cubbies for folded items. Our housekeeping staff cleans the bathrooms daily while the Campers and Leaders keep the main area of the rooms in order.

Is camp safe?

Absolutely. There is a lot to be aware of in order to keep children safe at summer camp, and though we would never be able to list all the things that we do to that effect, we can certainly guarantee the following: We follow all the regulations and laws to guarantee the safety of our campers. This includes staff background checks, yearly risk assessments, first aid training for all of our staff and a year round commitment to making camp a safe place for children. In addition, our camp is gated and only our staff have access to the gate codes. The swimming pool is also fenced off, and strictly out of bounds for girls while not under adult supervision. We keep a ratio of 1 adult per 6 children. Children are supervised at all times and we take special precautions when taking children on excursions. Our staff undergo training prior to the arrival of children. In addition, we have two great hospitals nearby should we have any accidents. Though we have never had an accident before, we understand that the nature of summer camp and the activities that we practice involve a certain degree of risk, so we plan ahead to minimize it as much as we possibly can.