NEWS
Booking for UCHP October Half Term is now open!
The University of Cambridge Holiday Playscheme (UCHP) has had a fantastic summer, filled with laughter, creativity, and sunshine! From Water Games, Recycled Tech Robots, Kitchen Science Experiments, Clay Coasters and Dance Battle, it’s been a joy welcoming so many children to our Holiday Playscheme.
As the school term begins, we are now busy preparing for UCHP October Half Term. Please find details below.
Venue: Trumpington Meadows Primary School
Dates: Monday 27th October – Friday 31st October
Opening times: 08:15 – 17:45
Age range: Reception year – 14 years 11 months
When can I book?
Booking will open for Groups 1 and 2 Wednesday 17th September at 09:00.
Booking will close on Friday 17th October at 23:59.
For full details on Staff parent groups and fees, please visit: Fees | Childcare Services
Where can I book?
In order to book, you must register an account with us on Magicbooking. Once you have registered, contact us via email at playscheme@admin.cam.ac.uk to inform us of your place of employment. Please wait for confirmation from the UCHP Management Team before you make any bookings. We will approve your eligibility discount and let you know when you can begin booking.
Please visit our Registration and Bookings page for further information.
How can I pay?
Payment is due at the time of booking via credit/debit card, childcare vouchers, or Tax-Free Childcare.
Amendments and cancellations can be made until Friday 17th October, and will generate a credit note to your account.
September 2025
To ensure the University of Cambridge Holiday Playscheme (UCHP) can continue to run sustainably while maintaining the high-quality care and activities families value, we will be applying a small, gradual increase to fees over the next year.
UCHP has been operating at a financial loss for a number of years, and while we remain committed to affordability, these adjustments are necessary to secure the long-term future of the service. Even with the revised fees, our prices remain lower than many comparable local providers, and we have carefully benchmarked these rates to stay competitive.
Don’t forget – you can use Tax-Free Childcare or Childcare Vouchers to pay for University Holiday Playscheme bookings, which can save you up to 20%
Please see our Fees page for more information.
Group 1 – University of Cambridge employees and students, Cambridge Assessment & Cambridge University Press staff, College Staff and College Teaching Officers
Group 2 – University visiting scholars and researchers, University workers engaged via CCWS
Group 3 – Community
A 10% sibling discount applies where appropriate.
From Summer 2026 the fees will be reviewed on an annual basis. If you have any questions, please contact the Playscheme management team at playscheme@admin.cam.ac.uk.
The October half-term Playscheme will run from Monday 27th – Friday 31st October. Booking for Groups 1 & 2 will open on Wednesday 17th September at 9:00.
July 2025
West Cambridge Day Nursery receives third 'Outstanding' Ofsted grade
We are delighted to announce that West Cambridge Day Nursery has received an 'Outstanding' grade for the third time. Click here for the full article.
Changes to Early Years Funding
There are now additional funded hours of childcare available for eligible working families.
To find out more about the scheme, support with childcare costs and to see whether you are eligible please follow the link to the government's Best Start in Life website.
There are spaces available for certain booking patterns and age groups across all the University's workplace nurseries. For information about our nurseries and how to apply, please follow the link here or contact us on childcareservices@admin.cam.ac.uk.
