Parent Guide
key information and faq's

Each of our centres are as unique as the children who attend them and there truly is something for everyone. Some centres are smaller and have a more homely traditional feel, whereas others offer huge areas to explore and a larger number of other guests to make friends with! It is important that whichever centre you choose is the right fit for your child and therefore we recommend visiting our centre web pages to take a look at our galleries and further information prior to booking here. Our team are always on hand to provide advice and answer any questions on 0333 321 2114.

Our holidays provide challenge and enjoyment for everyone. Guests don’t need any previous experience to enjoy our activities and our staff are able and ready to instruct children of all standards of competence. A reasonable level of fitness is required for our Surfing, Wet and Wild and Xtreme Adventure holidays.

When placing a reservation for an Adventure Holiday, we will require some key information for the lead booker, this is to ensure that we have a clear communication channels with you, throughout the booking process. 

The personal Information that we will require is, name & surname, home address, mobile number and personal email address.  This information will be used to communicate with you for the purposes of the booking, including payments and for setting up your MyPGL account, where you will access your essential pre- travel documents. If you are booking for children other than your own as well as your own children (family friends etc) then the booking will be placed under your name as the lead booker and you would take responsibility for passing on any required information to the parents of these children. We can take individual payment from parents of each of these children, however only the lead booker will be able to make any amendments to the booking. 

Before any child arrives at a PGL centre we require that a Medical and Contact form is completed, these can be found in your online MyPGL account and can be shared by email to parents of children other than your own.   We require at least 2 people to be named as contacts for each child whilst they are on centre and at least one of these must be a next of kin and must always be available to collect the child 24 hours a day in the event of unforeseen holiday curtailments such as illness or conduct issues. 

Due to these requirements we are unable to process bookings placed by Social Services or Schools for individual children. We would gladly accept bookings for children that are being funded by such organisations, however, the booking must be placed by a person with parental or legal responsibility that resides at the home address of the child. We can accept payments from organisations and can provide invoices on request of the lead booker, however we can only accept these payments if requested at least 14 days prior to arrival.  If arrival is within 14 days we would require full payment at the time of making the booking, by credit or debit card. 

Contacts:

It is compulsory that you provide the contact details of at least two nominated people that we can contact 24 hours a day in case of emergency, at least one of these being a next of kin and authorised and available to collect your child at the end of their holiday or should they leave centre prior to this.

Booking Information:

We require various important information about your child throughout the booking process:

Point of booking:

• Your child's full name
• Your child's date of birth
• Any special medical/dietary/personal information
• Any Social or Behavioural conditions
• Swimming ability

Once your booking is confirmed:

You will receive a ‘pre arrival questionnaire’, this is to gather more information so we can get to know your child better (e.g. notable life events, conduct, pastoral care needs etc.), this will need to be returned within 72 hours of receiving it. 

Prior to arrival:

We require a Medical and Contact form to be submitted for all guests ahead of them arriving on centre and these can be completed within the ‘action required by you’ section of your MyPGL account. Don’t worry if you forget, we will send you a reminder nearer the holiday! 

All this information will be displayed within your MyPGL account and on your booking confirmation, therefore we ask that you check this is complete and correct and contact us if there are any additions or amends required. 

We have three main age groups in the UK:

• 8-11 year olds
• 11-13 year olds
• 13-16 year olds

The ‘overlap’ between our age ranges allows flexibility when there are a few years difference between brothers and sisters. It also means that, for example, a 'primary school' 11 year old may join our 8-11 age group, whereas a 'secondary school' 11 year old may join our 11-13 age group. You know your own child best but please feel free to discuss the options with our Holiday Consultants. Within these separate age bands, our practice is to group children of a similar age together for accommodation and activity arrangements, however, this may not be possible on some holidays when numbers are small, but this is rarely a problem because the interest in activities provides a common bond. 

We aim to ensure that your child takes part in as wide a range of activities as possible. Therefore the activity programme is planned in advance by the Centre Operations Team and will be advised upon arrival. Details of the activities are on the centre pages, but if you have any questions at all, please call and speak to one of our team. As there are large numbers of different activities available at each centre, we cannot guarantee to fit every activity into each holiday – there just isn’t time! This is particularly the case with shorter breaks.

For overseas holidays, please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that your child has his/her own passport and (if necessary) visa documentation. Holders of non-UK passports should check with their embassy whether a visa will be required. All UK citizens travelling abroad need to be in possession of a valid passport. Please allow plenty of time for the application process, as we are unable to allow guests to travel without a valid passport. For further information on the country to be visited, please check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-andlivingabroad or visit ABTA’s website www.abta.com.

For holidays within Europe, it is essential that you obtain a Global Health Insurance Card for your child. You can obtain  full details and apply for a GHIC online at www.ghic.org.uk. Should medical attention be needed whilst within the European Community, an GHIC can save both time and money, avoiding the need to pay a minimum £50 excess charge for any medical treatment claimed from our insurers.

Where a request is made for children to be in the same activity group and accommodation we will do our best to make sure this is possible, providing they are in the same age group, of the same gender and attending the same holiday. Please make sure you discuss the rooming request with our Holiday Consultants when booking so that this is noted on your account. Any request will need to be mirrored on all relevant bookings, therefore please ensure we have had contact from all parties prior to the holiday start date. Any rooming requests that cannot be honoured will not be communicated prior to arrival and we are unable to refund any holiday cancelled due to not being able to meet requests. 

Yes - if your child is staying for more than one week, we recommend that they either book onto a different holiday or try a different centre for the second week. Inter-centre transfers can be arranged between most centres. We will provide one machine wash at UK centres, usually at the end of their first holiday week. On the second Saturday of their holiday, guests will participate in activities on centre that are suitable for all age ranges and abilities whilst the centre prepares for new arrivals. 

We are able to support children requiring regular medication that can be self-administered. We do need to know the details and you will need to complete and submit the medical form found in your MyPGL account. If you are bringing medication (prescribed or otherwise) you will be required to hand this in on arrival. Please note that this will need to be in original packaging with dosage details enclosed. 

For full details of our policies, expectations and behavioural management system please see our 'Safe and happy' page here.

We do allow children to bring mobile phones with them to centre, however we operate a strict mobile phone policy. Further details can be found on our 'Safe and Happy' page or in our mobile phone policy below: 

PGL Adventure Holidays Mobile Phone Policy

All of our watersports activities require a level of ‘water confidence’, which is defined as:

• Ability to duck under water
• Confidently swim 15 metres* in a life jacket or buoyancy aid without signs of panic

*If your child is attending our Surfing holiday at Beam House and would like to swim without a life jacket or buoyancy aid then they will need to be able to confidently swim 50 metres. For our Extreme Adventure holiday at Osmington Bay they will also need to be able to confidently swim 50 metres and be happy jumping in the sea with a buoyancy aid.

The majority of our activities take place on centre, apart from a small selection of our Specialist Holidays with booked excursions or very occasionally when we take older children off site for evening ‘ents’. Where settings allow, the group will remain together with an accompanying adult but where this is not possible, children will be in small groups of no less than three and our staff will remain in designated contact/meeting points. 

At Boreatton Park and Marchants Hill we also offer a range of optional excursions throughout the summer in addition to the daily activity programme. Full details will be available at time of booking. Enjoy a day of rollercoaster fun at the following theme parks:

Alton Towers - £59 per child

• Boreatton Park

Thorpe Park - £59 per child

• Marchants Hill

Drayton Manor - £59 per child

• Boreatton Park

† Please call us for full details. Subject to availability on selected summer dates. 

If your child is celebrating their birthday whilst on their PGL holiday they will receive a PGL birthday card on the big day! Enclosed in this card is a ‘queue jump sticker’ which can be worn on the day and gives your child the opportunity to be first in the queue within their group, for everything they do that day from activities to dining room queues. 

You will be able to call the centre directly during your child’s holiday and arrange to speak to them or we will pass on any messages. We do ask you to try not to telephone the centre too excessively to speak to your child, as particularly during the day they will be out and about enjoying activities for most of the time. This makes it difficult to arrange contact quickly or relay messages. Centre contact details are included in your welcome pack, which can be downloaded from your MyPGL account. 

We work with leading catering organisations to ensure our food is the best. A vegetarian option is always available and we can accommodate most special dietary requirements. Please see Sample Menu for Kids Camps

Outdoor activities will run as long as it is considered safe to do so and would only be curtailed due to severe weather such as lightening, high winds or snow. Where possible alternatives will be organised subject to availability. If poor weather such as rain is forecast during your child’s stay, we recommend that you pack additional clothing and footwear so wet items can be changed between activities. 

Even the most active children feel tired after a full day of activities followed by our evening entertainment programmes, so we insist on sensible bedtimes for children to ensure that everyone gets a good night’s rest. Exact times may vary from centre to centre but are typically 20.30 for our 8-11 age groups, 21.30 for 11-13s and 22.30 for 13-16s.

It is part of our staff’s role to get everyone to bed on time – sometimes easier said than done! Once ‘lights out’ has been called at centres night duty staff take over. They reassure the anxious, encourage the high spirited to settle down and continue their vigil until all is quiet. Night duty staff patrol the campsite or accommodation area throughout the night and they can quickly be contacted at any time should the need arise. Bedroom doors are locked, although these can be opened from the inside in case of emergency. 

Of course, for some children, being away from home may initially be disconcerting. This is natural and only to be expected – even adults can experience ‘homesickness’! Our staff are fully trained in the sensitive skills of identifying and dealing with children’s concerns and worries. In the vast majority of cases, a day or two of getting to know new friends and being involved in exciting activities will dispel all but the most persistent worries. You will, of course, be kept informed if there are any persistent problems. 

Many PGL guests travel to our centres alone, however always come away with plenty of new friends!

In most circumstances we are able to accommodate early drop offs and late collections at centres. We will need to be notified at least 3 days in advance however and a charge of £10 per hour/per child will apply. Please note there is not any flexibility for drop off or collection times when using escorted travel. 

Please note that there may be other school groups on holiday at the centre at the same time as your children. These guests are supervised by PGL staff and will have completely separate activity programmes, accommodation and, where possible social facilities.

At PGL we are continually working to enable all guests to enjoy the many benefits of our holidays and are passionate about giving every child the best experience possible.
If your child has additional requirements, we will be pleased to discuss this with you prior to booking a holiday. We ask that you provide us with as much information as possible to ensure we can make a fair & thorough assessment of service provision and to also identify appropriate resources in relation to access, holiday programming, successful participation and the health and safety of our guests.

Please see our additional needs policy document for detailed information regarding:

• Behavioural, Social and Emotional conditions
• Disability
• Dietary requirements
• Religious requirements
• Cultural requirements

Click here to view/download our policy. We hope you find this helpful, if you would like to discuss your child’s requirements with a member of our team, please call us on 0333 321 2114. We’ll be happy to help you with any queries you may have.

If our Adventure Holidays are not suitable for your child then you may consider one of our PGL Family Adventures where we offer a carers discount of 50%. Please call our team on 0333 321 2114 for more information.

Once you have made a booking, it’s important you read your essential information pack which you can download from your MyPGL account, as it contains lots of useful information, including a detailed list of what to bring. However we have also set out a suggested packing list for both UK & French holidays below: 

We provide all the specialist equipment that is essential for our activities, although children do need to bring personal items such as a good waterproof anorak or cagoule, footwear and casual clothes. We ensure that children are kitted out with activity equipment that conforms to British or European standards. Approved buoyancy aids or lifejackets are provided and must be worn during watersports sessions, and safety craft are always on patrol or standing by. Strict range disciplines are enforced for archery and rifle shooting. Abseilers and climbers are always protected by safety ropes, and our motorsports vehicles have all had their speeds regulated. Please note that we are continually updating our equipment to reflect current best practices, and therefore equipment used may differ from that shown in photographs in our printed material or online.

In response to requests from parents/guardians/carers we have included some detailed guidance on what to wear and what not to wear for the activities we are most often asked about along with some helpful notes that others have found useful. Please note, activities vary at each centre and final activity itineraries are planned by each centre.

All of our centres have an on-site Gift Shop which sells a selection of useful items such as toothbrushes and deodorant (in case anything is forgotten in the excitement of packing!) along with drinks, snacks and souvenirs. We stock a variety of snacks and sweets to suit all tastes, with plenty of healthy choices available. Our souvenirs are designed with children in mind and gifts start from just 50p, meaning that there is something for every budget. Children will have access to the shop around their meals and activity sessions, supervised by centre staff. 

Suggested amounts of pocket money for each of our age groups are listed below. 

All PGL holidays in the UK are fully inclusive and there is little need for children to bring large sums of money. However, there are sometimes excursion days, and all centres feature a Gift Shop selling sweets and small souvenirs. Some centres for older children also have a pool table or similar in the chill out room at a cost of around 50p per game. There is no obligation for any guest to take part in these optional extras, and a free alternative activity will always be available on centre.

On our UK holidays we recommend pocket money of around £5 a day for purchasing everyday essentials and treats; plus between £5 and £20 to purchase gifts which will be on sale all week. We operate a secure system for holding and issuing pocket money in accordance with parents’ wishes.

The majority of our holiday centres do not automatically supply bedding. If for any reason your child is not able to bring a sleeping bag/duvet from home, it is possible to hire bedding for UK holidays at a cost of £25 per child per week. Depending upon the centre, bedding consists of pillow and pillowcase and either a duvet, duvet cover and sheet or sleeping bag and sheet inner.

Make great savings by purchasing bedding alongside one of our super Camp Kits. Find out more here.

• Bedding and pillow (if not pre-booked)
• Nightwear (slippers may be useful particularly for younger guests)
• Several changes of underwear
• 2 sets of swimwear
• Toiletries bag and contents
• 2 large towels (for swimming and wet activities)
• Bath/hand towel (for use in your room)
• 3/4 old sweatshirts or fleeces
• At least 6 t-shirts for 7-Night Holidays and up to 4 t-shirts for short breaks and weekends
• At least 1 long sleeved t-shirt (required for some activities)
• 2 pairs of shorts (knee-length essential)
• At least 4 pairs of strong, loose fitting trousers/ tracksuit bottoms for 7-Night Holidays, 3 pairs for short breaks and weekends
• At least 6 pairs of socks for 7-Night Holidays and up to 4 pairs for short breaks and weekends (inc. 1 thick pair for walking)
• 2 pairs of non-designer trainers (only non-marking soles allowed in sports halls)
• 1 pair of very old trainers for wet/muddy activities and/or water shoes if you own them 
• Additional pair of very old trainers/water shoes for getting wet when attending Aqua Explorer Camps
• Water socks with grip essential for Aqua Explorer Camps where an Aqua Park is included
• Waterproof anorak (and waterproof trousers if possible)
• 1 complete change of clothes for the evening
• Small rucksack for packed lunch and change of clothes when off-site
• Named bin liners (not black) for bringing any damp or wet clothes/towels home (black bin liners can be mistaken for rubbish bags!)
• Plenty of appropriate factor suncream
• A sunhat
• Small torch and spare batteries (if staying in a canvas camp or lakeside cabins)
• Packed lunch if travelling by Escorted Travel Medical/Contact form (fully completed and signed) and any medication required including spare asthma inhalers
• Refillable drinking water bottle
• Final Information Invoice

• Nightwear
• Sleeping Bag or Bedding and pillow (bedding is provided for Paris/Disneyland Holidays)
• Several changes of underwear and socks
• 2 sets of swimwear
• 2 large towels (for swimming and wet activities)
• Bath (for showering) and hand towels
• Toiletries bag and contents (including sun-screen)
• Up to 6 t-shirts
• 3 pairs of shorts
• 2 old sweatshirts/fleeces
• 2 pairs of strong, loose fitting trousers/tracksuit bottoms
• 2 pairs of trainers
• Waterproof anorak
• Complete change of clothes for the evenings
• Bin liner (not black) for bringing any wet clothing home
• Small rucksack for packed lunches and change of clothes when off site
• Insect Repellent
• Plastic water bottle
• Pocket First Aid kit
• Sun hat and sunglasses
• Medical contact form (fully completed and signed)
• Any personal medication
• EHIC and insurance details
• Valid PASSPORT!

For the Two Centre Adventure and Mediterranean Watersports holiday you will also need to bring:

• Canvas/plastic shoes or old trainers for watersports
• Torch and spare batteries

IMPORTANT:

The sun is very strong in all parts of France so please bring plenty of appropriate factor sunscreen.

Passport

Each person will need to have their own individual document as we do not provide guests with a group passport. The passport and any relevant visas are the responsibility of each guest to organise. Guests who are not British citizens must ensure that they have suitable documentation, which may include visas. Please note that 1-year passports are no longer available or valid.

Pocket Money

Based on past experience and comments from previous guests we recommend for one week’s holiday pocket money of about:

• £100 for the Paris and Disneyland® holiday
• £100 for Two Centre Adventure and Mediterranean Watersports

PGL provide full-board accommodation, but children will still need money for items such as drinks, ice-creams, postcards, stamps, souvenirs etc., and entrance fees to some places of interest (except excursions as advertised in brochure). Please give children the money in Euros as there are no exchange facilities at the centre. Pocket money can be kept in the centre safe if required.

Luggage

‘Soft’ type luggage is ideal for storing belongings during the holiday, as well as for carrying and loading. Holdalls are probably the best, but suitcases and rucksacks are fine. All specialist activity equipment is supplied by PGL. Clothes should be loose, casual and easily washable.

NB: Synthetic tracksuit trousers are warmer when wet, more comfortable and easier to dry than jeans.

All children are made aware of safety procedures and shown exits and assembly points before they go to bed on their first night at the centre. There is a weekly fire drill at all centres.

Help us to help you! PGL staff will do their best to return named lost property to owners. However, if lost clothing is not clearly marked, it is unlikely that we will be able to trace it. We strongly recommend woven type name tapes, which should be firmly stitched into an obvious place in each garment. We reserve the right to charge postage and packing for those items returned after your holiday. We retain lost property for two weeks after the end of your child’s holiday.