Caring for your child at the ZAC
Regd Ofsted #EY2669978
The Zeals Youth Trust has run a youth club in Zeals since 1992. In the summer of 2014 the need for an after school club for local schools for children aged 5-11 years was identified.
In starting up the ZAC, the Trustees were able to draw on considerable practical experience as all 3 Trustees are parents of boys and girls.
Ross Coad is the lead Trustee for the ZAC. He (and his late wife) has 1 daughter and 3 sons and now enjoys 14 grandchildren aged 19 - 3. Since remarrying, Ross has acquired a further 6 grandchildren aged 16 - 5.
Team Leader is Sarah Upshall, who has 2 sons. She has, for many years, been a Scout leader. Taking up a lead role with the ZAC has encouraged her to study for the 'gold standard' National Vocational Qualification Level 3 course in Child Care. She completed this course in 2016.
Her assistant, Vicky Morse, has 2 sons in local schools. Vicky also completed this course in 2016.
Our 5 play workers include Hayley Travers who is also NVQ 3 qualified and specialises in care for "rising 5 children". All NVQ 3 staff have Paediatric First Aid qualifications. They all enjoy the opportunities to give the children their undivided attention - be it with listening to their reading; playing basket ball; helping with Lego creations; arranging painting or play dough sessions; or just playing outside in the large playground. We are conscious of the Government's wish that children may enjoy 'risky play' (and are not too mollycoddled) but also aware of the need to strike a balance between risk and danger.
Our mini bus collects children from Hindon, Whitesheet, Bourton, Mere and Milton on Stour schools. (This has been most generously sponsored by the South West Wilts Area Board of Wiltshire County Council.) Our drivers have all undertaken the Government's MIDAS minibus driver course, and are all parents of boys & girls. The mini bus run includes an 'outrider' play worker who sits in the back with the children to make sure seat belts are not removed and order prevails.
We are confident that we are ZAC offer as good and as caring an experience for your children as anywhere in the country.
Do please come in and meet us/see for yourself any school afternoon between 3.30 - 5 o'clock.
Zeals Afterschools Club CIC
Regd England Company No. 14029387
Directors: David Corbin; Ross Coad; Sarah Upshall; Amelia Patch.
We aim to offer 'a home after school that you'd like your child to have'