NEW 2025 WORKSHOP DATES!

Textile Arts Summer Club FAQs

What do children do at the Textile Arts Summer Club?

Our Summer Club is more than just childcare! With small groups and experienced teachers, children who attend our Summer Club will come away with an appreciation for weaving, the Textile Arts and a new community from the only creative studio specialising in weaving in Oxfordshire!

As the only Textile Arts studio offering tuition in the unique craft of weaving in Oxfordshire and with the Textile Arts under-supported in the school environment, there are few opportunities for children to really engage with this medium.

During our Summer Club we work closely with children to develop their knowledge and understanding of the Textile Arts through a focus on weaving. Working with different materials and learning new techniques, children will create original woven projects each day.

Children will also be encouraged to learn and draw upon other Textile Arts skills such as sewing, embroidery, needlepoint and crochet to complete and/or embellish their work.

What is the structure for the day?

Children are expected to be dropped off at 9am and collected at 4pm promptly. We will run a morning session from 9am – 12pm with a short snack break in the middle. Lunch is from 12pm – 1pm. The afternoon session begins at 1pm and finishes at 4pm with a short snack break in the middle.

What does my child need to bring?

Children should bring a healthy lunch, water bottle and 2 snacks to keep them fuelled for the day. No nuts please!

As we will be working or having breaks outdoors as much as possible we ask that children must also bring a cap/ sun hat and that parents supply suncream for their children who can apply it themselves or apply suncream to their child prior to arrival for those who can’t.

All materials and equipment will be supplied to children each day.

Can I drop my child off earlier/later or collect them earlier/later?

The advantage of having small groups of children on a daily basis is that we can do our utmost to accommodate exceptional circumstances. However, sadly we cannot offer an earlier drop-off than 9am or later collection than 4pm due to minimal staff.

Please also note that we will be doing our utmost to have children outdoors as much as possible in good weather. This means we will take full advantage of our canalside location by working or having breaks in the nearby Aristotle Lane Recreational Park (5 minutes walk) or in the shaded areas around the Makespace community building.

If you are running later than 9:15am and we have already set off from Makespace to the park, then we would ask you to drop your child round to the park. The same would apply if you would like to collect your child early. If you are expecting to be later than 4:15pm upon collection due to unexpected circumstances, then we would appreciate you getting in contact with us at your earliest convenience so that we can make arrangements.

We would ask that in all situations you advise us of your plans on the day when signing-in (or earlier as possible), so that we can do our best to help your child stop their project in advance with minimal disruption to all.

Is the Textile Arts Summer Club suitable for boys and girls?

Yes! Weaving is a skill that is great for both boys and girls. In addition to teaching children about the broader textile arts through colour, texture, materials and cultures, weaving helps children develop skills in maths, problem solving, pattern recognition and design. These are important, transferable skills that enable creativity across all areas of education.

What are bubbles and how do you decide who is in each bubble?

We are following (current) educational guidelines to separate children into smaller groups (bubbles) to slow the spread of Covid-19. But the bubbles will also serve to help us divide children into appropriate age groups so that teaching is more effective. This will be done just prior to each day to allow for late bookings.

Is lunch provided?

Sadly no, it isn’t. We do not have a kitchen available to prepare lunches so we ask that parents pack a healthy lunch, water bottle and 2 snacks for their child each day. We also ask parents to avoid packing nuts as they are a known allergen.

What if my child has allergies?

Please notify us in advance if your child has any allergies so that we can ensure their safety. We ask that parents make us aware of any medications or the use of an epi-pen in advance.

Is there parking?

The Makespace community building has a limited number of drop-off/ collection parking spaces available to parents that should only be used for these purposes. Please do your utmost to walk, cycle or take public transport if this is a possibility.

Vehicles cannot park in the parking bays for a longer duration as these are in constant use by other members working inside the building.

 

What are your drop-off/ pick-up guidelines?

We have set in place new guidelines for dropping children off and collecting them at the end of the day. Please see more below.

Cancellations

Cancellation requests must be received in writing via email to info@oxfordweavingstudio.com a minimum of 2 weeks before the date of the booking to receive a full refund. Any requests made after this date sadly cannot be refunded.

Date Changes

Date changes can be made free of charge up to 2 weeks before the date of booking and are dependent on availability. Change requests made after this time will incur a £10 re-booking fee and will be dependent upon availability.

What are your precautions for Covid-19?

We have put in place a number of measures to help families feel at ease to join our summer club. They are as follows:

CHILD SAFETY

  1. Following current guidelines for educational institutions, we will be splitting children into bubbles of a maximum 6 children and 1 teacher.
  1. Children will remain in these bubbles both indoors and outdoors and within similar bubbles day by day where possible.
  1. Hand-washing and hand-sanitising will be carried out throughout the day.
  1. Masks are not (currently) mandatory indoors for children or adults as per Government guidelines, but this may change. We will notify parents accordingly. Staff will not be wearing masks indoors, however we do have masks on hand if the need arises.

STUDIO SPACE & EQUIPMENT

  1. All the studio surfaces (and other areas in the building where we might host the children) will be washed before and after their use.
  1. We have designed new acrylic looms & tools (specifically for Covid-19) for the children to work on which can be washed before and after each use to minimise the spread of infection. Children will use the same loom if they attend the camp for consecutive days.
  1. All shared equipment (scissors, crochet hooks, needles etc) will be wiped down regularly during the sessions and at the end of the day.
  1. To maintain good airflow in the studio, windows will be open throughout the day.

What is your signing-in procedure?

GOOD WEATHER

  1. Sign-ins each day will take place from 9am outside the Makespace building on the picnic bench by the North door. This will be the case every day unless it is raining to avoid entering the building unnecessarily.
  1. There will be hand sanitiser on hand at the picnic bench for parents and children to cleanse their hands before signing in.
  1. Children or staff do not (currently) need masks outdoors as per Government guidelines, but this may change. We will notify parents accordingly.
  1. Once children have been signed-in, we will wait until 9:15am for others in their bubble to arrive and then proceed to our preferred space. 

BAD WEATHER

  1. If you do not see a member of staff at the picnic bench outside by the North door (due to rain), we ask that parents ring the doorbell to the right of the North door to gain entrance. A member of staff will greet you at the door and sign your child in and escort him/her through the building into the studio upstairs.
  1. Makespace have implemented measures such as using hand sanitiser or washing hands upon entering the building. There is a one-way system to follow once in the building and all members of the public must be escorted through the building. These rules must be adhered to at all times.
  1. Once inside the building, children will be split into their respective bubbles and escorted to their studio for the duration of the day. 

What is your checking-out procedure?

GOOD WEATHER

  1. If it is raining, we ask that parents aim to arrive as close to 9am as possible so as not to enter the building prematurely for the safety of others in the building.
  1. Sign-outs each day will take place from 4pm outside the Makespace building on the picnic bench by the North door. This will be the case every day unless it is raining to avoid entering the building unnecessarily.
  1. We ask that parents wait outside the building promptly at 4pm and do not enter the building unnecessarily. Children will be escorted out of the building and will await your arrival by the picnic bench by the North door.
  1. There will be hand sanitiser on hand at the picnic bench for parents to cleanse their hands before signing their child out.

 BAD WEATHER

  1. If it is raining, we ask that parents aim to arrive as close to 4pm as possible so as not to enter the building prematurely for the safety of others in the building.
  1. If you do not see a member of staff at the picnic bench outside by the North door (due to rain), we ask that parents ring the doorbell to the right of the North door to gain entrance. A member of staff will greet you at the door, sign you in and escort you through the building to your child.
  1. Makespace have implemented measures such as using hand sanitiser or washing hands upon entering the building. There is a one-way system to follow once in the building and all members of the public must be escorted through the building. These rules must be adhered to at all times. 

Still have questions? Please get in touch with us at info@oxfordweavingstudio.com