ICAP Sector Insights: Schools • SEND • Safeguarding • Employment • Vocational Learning
This week’s ICAP Sector Insights covers: 1. Schools — what the latest PE and Sport Premium guidance means for providers2. SEND — why inclusion is becoming increasingly important3. Safeguarding — what the new Information Sharing Duty means for you4. Ofsted — changes that matter if you provide early years or childcare5. Employment — a new […]
The Art of Resilience: Strategies for an Unbreakable Mind and Body
Ross Edgley, resilience and what it can teach us about running a children’s activity business Have you ever had one of those days? You know the ones. The phone won’t stop. A member of staff calls in sick. A parent is unhappy. Bookings are down. Your inbox looks like it has developed a life of […]
Blindsight: Why Your Customers’ Brains Have Already Started Buying Before They Know It
Have you ever walked into a supermarket intending to buy one thing… …and walked out with a trolley full of things you definitely didn’t plan to buy? Or perhaps you’ve picked up a bottle of wine because the label looked nicer. Ordered the “chef’s recommendation.” Or convinced yourself that Coca-Cola simply tastes better than Pepsi. […]
Deep Work: Why Focused Thinking is the Secret to Building Exceptional Children’s Activity Programmes
Have you ever sat down to do an important piece of work… Only to check your emails. Reply to a parent. Answer a WhatsApp. Look at Facebook “just for a second.” Make a cup of tea. Remember you need to order certificates. Answer another email. Then suddenly realise it’s lunchtime and you’ve done absolutely nothing […]
Children’s Photographs, Social Media and AI: What Happens When Consent Changes?
By: Annabel Kaye, KoffeeKlatch A parent asks for a photograph of their child to be removed from social media. That sounds straightforward enough. The child attended a class, club, activity or event. A photograph was taken with parental consent and later shared on a website, social media page or newsletter. Months later, the parent changes […]
Atomic Habits: The Tiny Changes That Create Massive Results
You know those moments when you decide you’re going to completely transform your life? You buy a new notebook. Write a colour-coded plan. Create a schedule worthy of a military operation. Promise yourself that this time you’re definitely going to stick to it. Then three weeks later you’re back where you started, wondering what happened. […]
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: The Business Book That Feels Like a Life Upgrade
You know when someone recommends a book and says, “This completely changed how I think”? Normally, that sentence is followed by disappointment, confusion, or a man on page 47 telling you to wake up at 4am and eat cold grapes for “mental clarity.” Thankfully, The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson isn’t like that. […]
Staying Strong Through Economic Uncertainty
Economic uncertainty can feel relentless for children’s activity providers, clubs, holiday camps and education-based businesses. Rising costs, cautious consumer spending and shrinking margins are creating pressure across the sector. Yet challenging periods also create opportunities for businesses that remain focused, agile and customer-led. The key is understanding where the real pressures lie and taking practical […]
Something BIG Is Coming for the Children’s Activity Sector
For years, children’s activity providers have been quietly doing extraordinary work. Across the UK, thousands of providers are helping children build confidence, discover new talents, make friends, get active, express themselves creatively, and find a sense of belonging. You are the people creating spaces where children thrive. But despite the incredible impact this sector has […]
The Richer Way: Why It Matters for Children’s Activity Providers
Children’s activity providers play an important role in shaping young people’s experiences outside the classroom. Organisations providers create environments where children learn new skills, build confidence, and develop friendships. Because these environments influence children’s growth, the values and leadership approach of the organisation matter greatly. In The Richer Way, Julian Richer shares lessons from building […]
