Summer Youth Circus Camps

Join us in the summer school holidays for a week-long daytime camp at our Kingswood site in Bristol! Summer Youth Circus Camps are open to regular Youth Circus attendees and new students – no matter how much experience you have, there’s something for everyone.

About The Camp

Held in July & August, our Summer Youth Circus Camps give children aged 4-18 the chance to take part in a jam-packed week of circus fun.

Children aged 4-18 hone ground-based and aerial skills at our Kingswood site – home to our Further & Higher Education students during term time – and learn a mixture of acrobatics, manipulation & equilibristics, aerial, craft and performance. They’ll take part in a mixture of core skills sessions, fun games and warm-ups, and specialist sessions like flying trapeze or Chinese pole.

Students aged 6+ have the opportunity to build their own afternoon timetable, focusing on the sessions that interest them!

Our youngest students (4-5 years) fill their afternoons with a range of craft, storytelling, and games sessions to complement their mornings of circus skills sessions!

Key Information

Find full details of camp dates, times, locations, prices and more below.

Week 1: Monday 24 – Friday 28 July 2023

Week 2: Monday 31 July – Friday 4 August 2023

(You are welcome to book for both weeks, but please be aware that some of the programme will be repeated).

8.30am – 3.30pm daily

3.30pm – 5pm daily: optional After Camp Club (for families requiring later pick-up)

Ages 4 – 5: £200/£180 concession*

Ages 6 – 18: £180/£160 concession*

After Camp Club (optional extra): £5 per day, all ages

*Available to families in receipt of Jobseekers’ Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit or the Universal Credit equivalent

Circomedia is not Ofsted-registered, so unfortunately we are not able to accept childcare vouchers.

We are currently not able to offer a discount for booking in multiple siblings.

We can discuss deposit systems for families who wish to book ahead and pay in instalments.

Bursaries
Our Youth Circus Access Scheme offers funded places to students who would not otherwise be able to attend.

We are currently revising our bursary application form; to register your interest, please email youthcircus@circomedia.com.

Please note that all bursaries are subject to funding, and we may not have places available for all Holiday Camps.

Circomedia Kingswood
Kingswood Estate
Britannia Road, Bristol BS15 8DB

Our Kingswood site is home to Circomedia’s Higher Education students and regular after-school Youth Circus classes during term time. Students work in our spacious studios with professional rigging and equipment.

Students aged 4-18

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a regular Youth Circus student, have tried circus once or twice, or want to try it for the first time – you don’t need any previous experience and our Holiday Camps are suitable for all levels!

Groups
Students aged 4+ work in groups of up to 15 students, and will work in the same group with the same tutors for the full week. They’ll have their own dedicated studio to ensure they feel comfortable and familiar with their surroundings for the whole week.

Students aged 6+ work in groups of up to 20 students – they’ll break off into smaller groups for lots of activities. They work with their core group in the mornings, and may work in different groups in the afternoons depending on the activities they choose.

Activities
In the mornings, all students will start the day with warm-ups and games in their groups. They will work on three core skills sessions over the course of the morning, learning a mixture of aerial and ground-based skills throughout the week.

In the afternoons, students aged 4-5 have a varied programme of circus-themed activities ranging from puppet-making and crafting to balloon modelling, storytelling and more.

Students aged 6+ have the opportunity to choose their afternoon sessions, selecting from a mixture of game-based fun sessions, upskilling workshops, and specialist skills.

At the end of the day students will regroup in their main studios, reflect on the day, and get ready to head home!

After Camp Club
After Camp Club is an optional club for students who need to be picked up a bit later. Students will have the opportunity to join in with games or group activities, play board games, watch a film, do some colouring and crafts, or bring their own activities to keep busy. It’s not possible to practice circus skills in After Camp Club, but there will be plenty to keep everyone occupied!

Our core tutors specialise in working and engaging with children, while helping them grow through circus. Many are professional circus performers and trainers, and some tutors trained at Circomedia or even started with us in Youth Circus!

Our camps are run by the same tutors who run our regular after-school classes, plus specialist visiting tutors. Tutors are DBS-checked and are trained in safeguarding and child welfare.

At any time, qualified First Aiders and Paediatric First Aiders, as well as a Safeguarding Officer, are present during Holiday Camps.

Cancellations or changes to your booking

Up to one month in advance
You can amend or cancel your booking up to one month before the start of YCC without incurring any charges.

Less than one month in advance
If YCC is less than one month away, we can’t guarantee any changes but we will try our best to resolve any issues. If we can fill your space, we may be able to offer you a refund minus a 10% admin fee.

If we have to cancel for any reason, you will be offered a full refund or transfer to another Camp.

Injury, illness & self-isolation
If a student is required to miss some or all of Camp due to illness, injury, or self-isolation (including due to Covid-19), we are unfortunately not able to offer any refunds as we are still required to cover our core costs.

Does my child need to bring a packed lunch?
Yes, all students should bring a packed lunch, bottle of water and plenty of snacks!

Can my child work with their friend/sibling?
We’ll do our best to put friends or siblings in the same core groups when requested, provided they are in the same age group. You can request this on your enrolment form – remember, we can’t 100% guarantee this.

What should my child wear and bring?
Comfortable clothes that are easy to move in, not too baggy, and no accessories or jewellery. Students work barefoot for most sessions but should wear comfortable shoes such as trainers or plimsolls for warm-ups or outdoor activities.

Students can bring their own kit if they have it – we’ll send out a kit list in advance.

Can parents/carers stay and watch?
No, parents/carers should drop students off and collect at the end of the day.

Full information on everything you need to know will be sent out a week before the start of Camp. If you have any urgent queries, get in touch using the information below.

Email: youthcircus@circomedia.com

Phone: 0117 924 7615

Our office hours are Mon – Fri, 9am – 4pm.

It’s always best to email as well as leaving voicemails, to make sure that we receive your messages as soon as possible.

Book Your Place

Book now by clicking on the relevant age group below. Select the camp start date, and this will automatically book you in for the full week (part-week bookings are not currently possible).

You’ll have the opportunity to add After Camp Club to your booking on the next page – you can also add this on at a later date.

Please make sure you have read our booking terms & conditions above before going to checkout.