As a charity, Westbank has a wide-ranging remit to provide services for young and old alike. I consider myself very fortunate to be in charge of the Kidzone at Exminster, where we currently look after 23 children from the age of two during the week in our Preschool. We also provide Ofsted-registered care and activities for Primary School children during term time in our After School Club. 

When school’s out, our Holiday Club kicks in to support working families with childcare. Over 170 children up to the age of eleven spent some of their summer holidays with us this year, and our team goes all out to make sure there are lots of fun activities on offer for every age group, as well as making sure our charges are well fed and nourished. Our Holiday Club includes a scheme funded by the Government called HAF (Holidays and Food) where we provide a two-course lunch and snacks for children who usually receive free school meals during term time. 

Kidzone took on two new members of staff just before the summer holidays as part of our growing team, and we’re hoping to further expand our services in the near future. Right now, we’re about to extend our outdoor play space. 

We’re lucky to have a really big, bright indoor area, with spaces for active and messy play and corners where kids can cosy up and have some quiet time. Now work is about to get underway to fence off some land at the back of Kidzone to allow more free-flow to the outdoors. This secure, sheltered outside space will open up more opportunities for play and learning, and we plan to erect some sails overhead to make it more user-friendly for Devon weather

I took on the role of Kidzone Manager about eighteen months ago. It’s been fantastic to see so many of Westbank’s plans to support families come to fruition during that time. Our pre-schoolers come from Exminster, Kenton, Starcross and Dawlish, but our Holiday Club caters for children from a much wider area, including many from Exeter.

Click here to find out more about Kidzone and the tailored, play-based learning experiences we provide. Or get in touch, we’d love to hear from you and have an opportunity to show you around.

This article was first published in Moorlander Magazine