Stage One is a fun-filled Drama camp including creative activities to develop children's self-confidence and performance-awareness. Each day, different stories and acting adventures are created. Our camps are taught by experienced Drama teachers, along with a teaching assistant. Friends will be placed in the same group if requested (please let us know if your child has friends attending, as we may have more than one group.) Our aim is for children to develop their communication skills, cultivate their empathy, explore their emotions, and fire their imagination within the framework of a safe, nurturing and creative environment.

Stage One is for pre-Reception and Reception children. Pre-Reception children must have been attending Pre-Reception school for at least a term and be confidently toilet trained, as children cannot attend wearing nappies or pull-ups. Children will be taken on regular toilet trips by the group assistant; however, we are not permitted to enter the cubicle with your child to provide intimate care. If your child does not meet these criteria now, don’t worry! We look forward to welcoming them to Dramarama, once they are ready, on a future holiday camp. We run camps regularly throughout the year, during Half Terms, Easter, Summer and Christmas Holidays. Please note: Stage One is just for the children! All Dramarama camps are drop-off sessions and unfortunately, parents and carers cannot stay to watch (or join in!)

You will be advised of your child’s drop-off/collection points before the start of the camp. We will also let you know which group your child is in the week before the camp start date. Please let us know in advance if you think your child may have separation anxiety, and we will explain our caring and nurturing approach to this.

Please provide a named, nut-free packed lunch each day, in packets/containers that your child can open and close. If you give your child food items such as grapes or cherry tomatoes, please ensure that they are sliced in half, as they can otherwise pose a choking hazard. Please ensure all lunch items are fully named, as there are often many similar-looking lunch boxes, bags and cups! Please only provide food that you know your child will eat! Unfortunately, we do not have the facilities to warm food, and cannot provide tableware or cutlery. You may also provide a small, named, nut-free, mid-morning snack. Children should not bring any other items to the camp (eg. toys, games, personal/valuable items). Children should wear comfortable clothing - please ensure that all removable clothing, such as cardigans, hoodies and jackets, are clearly named. Children are welcome to attend wearing their favourite dressing up outfits, although this is not compulsory - again, please name everything! Alternatively, your child can bring a prop eg. crown, tiara or similar. To ensure a happy, positive environment, please do not provide toy swords, guns or scary masks, etc.

It is very common to find at the end of the day that your child does not provide you with much/any information about what they have been doing all day! This is normal; it is usually because we do so many different activities with the children throughout the day. Just before the children leave to go home, we remind them of all the different games and exercises they have done all day. Here is a selection of some good questions to ask: What was your favourite game? What was your favourite story? What part did you have in the story? Which songs did you learn? Which was your favourite song? Did you use the parachute today? Which was your favourite finger puppet? A combination of any/all of these questions should remind the children of the activities they participated in, and should help them to answer your questions.

If you have any concerns that your child will suffer separation anxiety, please consider first if now is the right time to try the camp, it may be too soon for your child. If your child is not ready to be left yet, don’t worry! We look forward to welcoming them to Dramarama on a future holiday camp. We run camps regularly throughout the year, in Half Terms, Easter, Summer and Christmas Holidays. We have several proven, successful ways of dealing with this delicate issue, including distraction techniques with our drama props. We know that it helps if the parent/carer is enthusiastic and positive about the camp in advance of the child starting. Please try not to vocalise any anticipated issues with your child. It helps if your journey to Dramarama s as stress-free as possible, and that your child is comfortably dressed, and not hungry or thirsty. We ask that parents leave the vicinity as soon as possible, and also to allow our Drama teachers and assistants to engage with your child immediately, and positively. Please try to arrive on time, as arriving too early, or late, can be disconcerting. If your child is attending with a friend, it may help to drop them with the friend first, so that they can arrive together at Dramarama. Please note that under no circumstances are parents/carers allowed into the Dramarama classrooms with children.

Please email the office info@dramarama.co.uk in advance to arrange this, or inform your child's Dramarama teacher in the morning.

Children attend Dramarama in age-related groups, so siblings can attend together if they are the correct age to be in the same group.

Unfortunately, parents/carers are not permitted on-site to watch any part of the camp, or sit with their children as they participate. When space permits, parents may be invited to join us for a special open session, and we will let parents know about this at the start of the camp.

We will email the drop-off and collection points the week before the start of the camp, along with your child's group name. Please make sure whoever is dropping off your child on your behalf is aware of their group name so that drop-off is made to the correct group.

If you are more than five minutes late, please drop-off at the drop-off point. However, if you are going to be more that 5 minutes late, please email info@dramarama.co.uk to let us know when you arrive. We will then arrange for someone to meet you at the drop-off point when you arrive.

Please drop-off no earlier than 9.15am.

Please provide a named, nut-free packed lunch each day, in packets/containers that your child can open and close. If you give your child food items such as grapes or cherry tomatoes, please ensure that they are sliced in half, as they can otherwise pose a choking hazard. Please also provide a refillable water bottle. Children should not bring any other items to the course (eg. toys, games, personal/valuable items).

Siblings can be collected together - please collect all children with your youngest child.

Your child should wear comfortable clothes, and can attend wearing their favourite dressing up clothes. Please ensure that all removable clothing is clearly named. If the weather is warm, please apply sunscreen in the morning, and provide a sun hat or cap.

Our camps take place in a well-ventilated indoor classroom. Stage One children do not play outside.

Yes, please include the names of all adults authorised to collection your child on the online registration form. Please inform your child’s teacher of any additional collection information at drop off. If you’d prefer to email any information not included on the registration form, please email info@dramarama.co.uk

Please be mindful that there are restrictions on entering certain roads at certain times of the day (during state school term time). If restrictions apply during our camp times, we will let you know of this in advance of the camp. Please make a note of this, as if you enter a road during restricted hours, you will receive a Penalty Charge Notice. Most of the surrounding roads have pay-and-display parking; please ensure that you pay for parking if you park in a pay-and-display bay.

Unfortunately no personal items, including bikes or scooters, can be left on site.

In the first instance, please direct all questions and queries to the Dramarama office - email info@dramarama.co.uk If there is any personal information you need to discuss related to the camp, please contact Jessica Grant directly on 07721 978503.