What is CASP all about?

Thank you for taking an interest in the work of Camberwell After School Project (CASP), and welcome to our world!
CASP provides excellent and affordable childcare with a range of services available that accommodate an average of 100 children a week. Our mission is to enable children to develop both socially and academically with the provision of structured learning and group play activities.

This is done via a multitude of services which include breakfast and school drop off, after school collection and activities, early years nursery as well as a play scheme during the school holidays. Across all play and care provision, we provide an engaging environment where children enhance their social skills and build relationships all whilst having fun is a safe and friendly environment.

History of CASP

CASP first started operating from Crawford Primary School in Camberwell using the school’s disused dining hall as our first premises collecting children after school from three other local schools. After lobbying Councillors and our local Member of Parliament for a purpose built building we moved to a purpose built centre at 14 Badsworth Road in 1991. Through increased demands for our services we acquired the lease at the Jack Hobbs Centre in Maddock Way, Walworth. In 2003 and after substantial building works we opened in 2004 enabling us to offer our services to John Ruskin Primary School. However, due to increasing costs of building maintenance, we transferred our services operating from the Jack Hobbs centre to Badsworth Road, on the 29th March 2018.

CASP is a registered charity and is accountable to a Board of Trustees. Our trustees consist of parents and professional people who attend monthly meetings to make decisions to move the organisation forward.
CASP is registered with Ofsted and works in line with the Children Act 2004, it is regularly inspected to ensure that the organisation meets the required national standards. Our latest Ofsted inspection was on 24th March 2017 at Badsworth Road and we were award a GOOD for the EYFS. The standard relate to the organisation’s suitability as carers of children, the safety of premises and facilities, insurance and record keeping. See our Ofsted Report 2017 reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/CARE/107507
We opened our doors again for a new project, which we named the ‘Beanstalk Climbers’ which launched in 2016. Our early years childcare provision provides free early years learning for 2, 3 & 4 year olds in the community. On the 5th September 2019, CASP celebrated its 34th anniversary!

In 2006 Carmen Lindsay was awarded an MBE for her work at CASP and for her service to children and families in the community. In 2017, Carmen received an Honorary Exemplary Enterprise Life Achievement Award for Long Service to Children and Families in the Community. In 2019, CASP was honoured with a Southwark Civil Award and was given "The Liberty of the Old Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell" Award by the Mayor of Southwark.

Our Mission

Our mission at CASP is to deliver a coherent range of services, which meet the needs of local parents, particularly lone parents, who wish to work, study full-time, or are actively seeking full-time work. Our services are aimed at primary school children (4-11 year olds), and entails the provision of a safe and happy environment before and after school, safe travel to and from school and a full day service during school holidays. Our free child care service aimed at 2-4 year olds, this will entail the provision for 15 hours per week per child, where young children can learn, play, explore and develop. The overall mission is also to enable children to develop both socially and academically both by the provision of appropriate group play and through structured learning.

CASP Message Statement

Here at CASP we value the involvement of local parents and schools in our programme and work, and welcome their comments and involvement in every aspect of our work at all times. Should you be interested in using our services then please do get in touch with Carmen Lindsay MBE, our CEO and her team are here to help and ensure that our services and facilities meets the expectations of our parents and local schools.
CASP is a registered charity which is managed in a 'business like' manner by a board of volunteer trustees. Trustees meet on a regular basis to discuss staff reports on our activities, and to oversee our developments, and of course our finances! CASP has to 'balance its books' as we are also a 'not for profit' company. This we are currently able to do, through the 'fees' we charge to our parents, which meets some 90% of our outgoings. Additional income is gained through 'letting out' our premises, and through our many other fundraising efforts. This is a major challenge as we need to keep charges affordable for parents, but still need to pay them rent for the buildings we use.
Should you wish to learn more about our day to day operations, or offer us your support in any way for example, by making a donation or by becoming a trustee of CASP, then again please feel free to get in touch to discuss further. We very much welcome such involvement and can always do with any extra support to help us fulfill our aspirations of delivering the best possible services for local children and their families.