What is the ease INTO programme?

Children across North Tyneside are invited to take advantage of a free programme of activities, created to help them be healthy and active while off school.

‘ease INTO’ is a programme that’s been created as part of the Holiday Activities and Food programme backed by the Department for Education.

More than 7,000 children who are eligible for income based free school meals can access the wide range of activities, all of which include a meal.

There are different programmes for the Easter, Summer and Christmas holidays with activities such as trampolining, swimming, cooking classes and sport.

It’s the perfect opportunity for children to try new activities and find new hobbies and interests, as well as explore new flavours and foods with healthy meals and snacks; so parents can buy with confidence in future knowing the smaller members of the family are on board!

'ease INTO' supports families during the school holidays when keeping children and young people entertained, getting them moving, and planning three meals a day can bring added pressure, financially and otherwise.

The activities will engage, entertain, and enrich young people’s lives during their time off school, encouraging them to develop a lasting interest in new sports and activities, and supporting a nutritionally balanced diet.

If you have any queries or questions on ‘ease INTO’, email easeinto@northtyneside.gov.uk

Activities included in the 'ease INTO' schedule are funded by the Holiday Activity and Food programme, via the Department of Education, specifically to bridge the gap in physical activity and nutrition provision for children on income-based free school meals during the school holidays.

This funding is ring-fenced to secure spaces for children on income-based free school meals on the various activities available. Children not in receipt of income-based free school meals can attend activities where paid for places are available.

In the online booking system, you may notice there are a small number of free spaces available on the majority of activities for children who don’t receive income-based free school meals. Local Authorities are allowed to use up to 15% of the funding to provide free places for children who are not in receipt of income-based free school meals but who could benefit from the programme.

North Tyneside Council works with other funders to increase the number of non-eligible spaces available on some activities.

How can I access a non-eligible free space?

There are a small number of free spaces available for children who are not eligible for income-related free school meals, these are called ‘non-eligible’ spaces. The criteria for these ‘non-eligible’ spaces includes:

• children with a special educational need or disability (SEND)
• children in care 
• young carers
• children on EHCP plans
• children and young people from low-income working families
• children and young people known to social care
• children of refugees and asylum seekers
• young people between 16 and 18 with SEND

If your child has a special educational need or disability (SEND), please make sure you fill in this information when you register on the booking system. Your child can then be approved to access non-eligible spaces.

If your child meets one of the other criteria for ‘non-eligible’ spaces, we will need to know your child’s name, date of birth, and reason for eligibility before you register for an account. If you would like to be approved under one of these criteria please email easeinto@northtyneside.gov.uk to self-refer.

The annual report for ease INTO (North Tyneside's HAF programme) 2022-2023 can be found below.