Can I use my discount code/credit voucher?
> Please email the details to firstname.lastname@example.org and we will contact you as quickly as possible
My question isn’t on here. What do I do?
> Please email us at email@example.com and we will do our best to help you
What is your cancellation policy?
> Find out more about change-of-weeks, refund & cancellation here
LIVE ONLINE CAMPS & CLUBS
How long are the sessions?
Cypher Live Online Camps
> Each session is 90 minutes long and includes a live introduction to camp from their teacher and help throughout - students will be able to log into Tynker or Touch Typing after the classes to carry on if they’d like to (after a screen break!)
> At 4.30pm every day students can log in to have an open Q&A session with their teacher - for help, hints and tips
Cypher Live Online Clubs
> Each session is 55 minutes
> We run Cypher Clubs at 4.30pm every day, Monday to Friday
What happens if I can’t log on?
> Email firstname.lastname@example.org. If you miss a session for poor connectivity, get in touch and we can help out and rebook you onto another
What will my children be doing?
Cypher Live Online Camps
> Each session has a fun and interactive programme - at the start of each session all students are welcomed by the teacher, there’s an outline of the day’s learning objectives and an introduction to the day’s theme
> Inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland our next October creativity & coding camps will be an amazing journey for the imagination. Each day we will explore a new Wonderland world and meet the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, the Caterpillar and the Mad Hatter
> Students will learn to code using Scratch, Processing, CoSpaces or Bitsbox depending on their age
> At the end of each session students will have time to work on Tynker or Touch Typing
> The first session each week will ensure all students are familiar with the programming language they will be working with
Cypher Live Online Clubs
> Each Club is run over a half-term (10 weeks)
> A range of challenges, creative projects, puzzles and game design will encourage your child to learn to code
> Each club is imaginatively designed to appeal to a specific age group
> As students progress the content becomes more sophisticated
How can I ensure my child’s safety online?
> We have worked with nearly 800 students since April 2020 and have made sure all our classrooms are safe and secure. All our teachers are DBS Enhanced checked and trained to Safeguarding Level 2
Will there be any homework?
> Each camp day or club is complete in itself - but our teachers are so excited they may be setting a few quizzes and challenges for kids to carry out before getting back together
Does my child have to have their camera on?
> Students get the most out of the session if the camera is on and it helps to create a sense of being ‘in’ the classroom
Can I see the teacher or other students?
> Yes, you will be able to see the teacher live on screen and the other students - it’s fun to sign up with your friends and keep in touch
Can siblings participate in camp together?
> Yes they can - but they will each need their own computer and be enrolled separately. If they are in different age groups it’s best if they are in separate rooms
Do you have sessions for 5 year olds?
> At this time, unfortunately, we can't offer our 4-5 year olds an online course as the tools we are using are too advanced for them - currently our Live Online Camps and Clubs are for 6+ only
Is the content different each week?
> Our weekly Camps usually have the same content each week - based on the exciting creative theme for each camp. For students who wish to return for a second or third week we are sometimes able to offer our Follow-On Camps to develop their coding skills and continue their exciting computational thinking journey
How many children are in a class?
Cypher Live Online Camps:
> 4 or 5 in the younger classes
> 5 or 6 in the older classes
Cypher Live Online Clubs:
> Clubhouse - 4-6 students
Cypher Live Online Private Tuition
> 1-1 tuition
How do I log in to my camp or club?
> You will receive an email prior to the event starting with all the details and helpful hints to get online smoothly - click the link to log on
> It’s important to have an adult around at the start of each session to help kids feel ready to learn
What equipment do I need?
> A laptop or desktop computer per child - we don’t support iPads at present
> Students will need to be able to access their admin controls
> An internet connection – broadband connection 3mbs+
> Speakers and a microphone – built-in or USB plug-in or wireless Bluetooth
> A webcam or HD webcam - built-in or USB plug-in
> All Windows and Mac operating systems of the past 5 years are supported
What if I can’t find the email with my log in?
> It’s probably ventured into your junk or spam folder - if you still can’t find it then please email email@example.com and we’ll resend it to you
Does a parent need to be present?
> You are responsible for your child throughout the session
> At the start of each session children will need some help to get started - full support and guidelines will be sent out before camp - and a great troubleshooting guide for parents and carers
> Once the lesson starts kids are happy on their own - in a safe space
When should my child log on?
> Please log on five minutes before the session starts – we’ll be waiting, ready
What’s the difference between Camps and Clubs?
Cypher Live Online Camps
> Held in the school holidays, are 90 minute sessions every day over a five day week
> Run every week of the holidays - in February we run for 1 week, April 3 weeks, May for 1 week, Summer for 8 weeks, October for 2 weeks and December/January 2/3 weeks depending on when Christmas Day falls
> Camps have creative themes that inspire all sorts of kids to learn to code - themes include, Magic, Big Blue Adventure - undersea worlds, Global Greening - conservation, World Explorer - virtual travel around the globe
Cypher Live Online Clubs
> Held during term time, instead of our regular after-school clubs
> Each club runs for a half-term on the same day of the week each week, for 5 weeks
> Sessions are shorter than Camps, 55 minutes
> Clubs have a termly curriculum to build a strong foundation in computational thinking
What platform are you using?
> We have tried and tested a number of platforms and we find that Zoom has the best functionality for Cypher Camps and Clubs where all of our classrooms are password protected
ON LOCATION CAMPS & CLUBS
What procedures do you have in place to safely run Camps during this uncertain time?
> We were lucky enough to run an On Location Camp for four weeks in August which means we have all our procedures in place to make the venues as safe as possible for our students and staff. This includes taking the students temperature before entering, lots of hand sanitiser and reminders to wash hands regularly, allocated ‘Stations’ for each student with their own equipment, continuous cleaning of equipment such as laptops/computers, bubbles (where necessary) and much more
What times are your camps?
> Our full day camps run between 10:00AM and 4:00PM. Half day camps such as Micro Coding or Touch Typing run at the times listed on the booking (although these aren’t available at the moment). We usually offer early drop-off and late pick-up but during this uncertain time we need to keep running times to 10:00AM and 4:00PM - thank you for your understanding
Do students need to bring a laptop?
> Students do NOT need to bring their own laptops. All computers, robots and teaching materials are provided by Cypher. If students would like to bring their own laptop, tablet or phone, that is completely fine. Please make sure and let us know at check-in that they have done so. We will take every care to ensure the safety of your child's device, however we cannot be held responsible for any damage caused at camp
Will my child be with other children of the same age?
> Yes. Once we know who is attending our holiday camps, we make sure students are kept within a suitable age group, for both educational and social purposes. If there is a wide variety of ages in the same classroom, children from our different age groups are given tasks appropriate to their age and ability within the lessons
Who are your teachers?
> Here at Cypher, we take education and inspiration seriously. As such, our safeguarding policies and training of our teachers is top priority. All Cypher teachers are DBS checked and great with kids. We have a variety of teachers from local schools, to professional tutors and also proper computer scientists - check them out here
What will you teach my children?
> At Cypher we aim to provide our students with all the essential tools they’ll need for the future, while having as much fun as possible! By having a rounded program and curriculum, we help educate and excite our students by teaching them essential computing skills and core computer sciences, as well as feeding their expression and wonder with our creative themes!
Will my child get breaks from the computer screen?
> Yes! Breaks from computers are written into our holiday camp schedules, but our varied curriculum also ensures that the projects they are working on are not always in front of computer screens. The importance of these breaks will also be reiterated to our students throughout the course
Do you provide lunch during camp?
> Cypher does NOT provide lunch at camps. We ask that you please pack a healthy lunch for your child. No nuts allowed! We do provide healthy snacks for both the morning and afternoon breaks as well as water throughout the day. If your child has any special dietary requirements or allergies, please provide details during booking or speak to a member of staff at check-in