Essex After School Clubs @ Upminster Junior

And Infant School

Unique reference number (URN): EY550490 Address: Upminster Junior School, St Marys Lane, Upminster, RM14 3BS Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 29/07/2017 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Essex After School Clubs Ltd

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Exceptional

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face barriers to learning or accessing out-of-school provisions, receive exemplary levels of support. Leaders and staff demonstrate a deeply embedded commitment to inclusion and work with real purpose to ensure every child can access and participate in the setting. For example, leaders proactively secure funding so that children requiring additional support can attend consistently and benefit fully from the provision. Leaders model an inspirational inclusive ethos, supported by highly effective partnerships with parents, teachers and other professionals.

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Inclusion Exceptional

Staff are highly trained and instinctively adjust the environment to prioritise the individual needs of all children. They recognise children's strengths and intuitively provide sensitive support in areas where they find things more difficult. For instance, some children find large, busy spaces overwhelming due to increased noise levels. Staff skilfully redesign the room layout, ensuring children can engage confidently and regulate their emotions within a nurturing and responsive environment. For some children, this means accessing out-of- school provision becomes a reality. Over time, the need for high levels of one-to-one support from staff reduces, due to the significant progress children make to play cooperatively with others when attending the setting.

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Inclusion Exceptional

Children receive precisely targeted support that enables them to make meaningful progress and feel confident in the setting. All children engage positively and contribute their ideas and requests in the knowledge that their voice is heard and valued.

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Leadership and governance Exceptional

The provision benefits from insightful, purposeful leadership that puts children's needs and experiences at the heart of every decision. The leader is sharply focused on continually

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Strong standard

evaluating and enhancing the quality of the setting, ensuring all children, especially those who may face additional challenges, make excellent progress in building social skills and positive behaviour. Families who require extra support are well guided, with the leader ensuring staff are equipped with the knowledge, confidence and skills needed to respond effectively to a wide range of needs. High standards are shared across the whole team, and a culture of reflection and ongoing professional development drives sustained improvement throughout the provision.

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Strong standard

Leadership decisions are purposeful and consistently drive positive outcomes for children across the after-school provisions. They are recognised as a leader in their field, influencing policy and practice for wraparound childcare at both a local and national level. They are accredited to provide professional qualifications in playwork. The leader successfully championed the extension of specialist medical training to include after-school childcare staff. They also played a key role in revising the wider training programme, ensuring it is now accessible and relevant to out-of-school childcare providers. These strategic actions strengthen staff confidence and enhance the quality of care offered to all children.

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Strong standard

Leaders share their remarkable practice and strategies with other out-of-school settings, strengthening inclusive practice beyond their own provision. Their collaborative work ensures that high-quality, child-centred strategies are understood, embedded and sustained in multiple settings, further demonstrating their commitment to lead inspirational practice and inclusive support for all children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff manage daily routines extremely well, enabling children of all ages to participate in a wide variety of meaningful activities and experiences. Children's behaviour is notably positive. They demonstrate steadfast social skills, politeness and respect towards others. Their secure understanding of behavioural expectations allows them to follow these independently. Staff skilfully support this by encouraging children to resolve conflicts themselves and by teaching them the strategies needed to do so effectively. As a result, children naturally remind one another to share, invite peers to join their play and confidently seek guidance from staff when required.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders recognise that school-age children often have fewer opportunities for high-quality, unstructured play. In response, the provision places a keen emphasis on creating purposeful play experiences that reflect their interests and developmental needs. Traditional playground games are thoughtfully incorporated to encourage teamwork, cooperation and shared enjoyment. These experiences help children develop social confidence, build problem- solving skills and form positive, trusting relationships.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children's voices are highly valued throughout the setting. They contribute to menu planning, resource choices and vote for the 'staff member of the term'. This helps them understand that their views matter and introduces them to democratic processes. Leaders and staff know families well and respond swiftly to emerging needs, ensuring all children, including those facing barriers to learning, receive timely and effective support.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's wellbeing is an important part of the provision's ethos. Across all age groups, children demonstrate elevated levels of independence and self-assurance. All children benefit from consistently high-quality support from staff who know each child well, enabling them to provide highly individualised care and guidance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children feel safe, nurtured and able to take responsibility for their personal needs, with staff offering sensitive and well-timed support. The long-standing commitment to children's safety is evident in the provision's continued offer of a safe space for former attendees, who may feel vulnerable within the local community, reflecting a deeply embedded culture of care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are consistently supported to develop healthy choices through well-embedded routines and positive staff modelling. They are encouraged to try a range of nutritious foods, stay active and drink water regularly, helping them build early habits that promote long-term wellbeing. Staff reinforce these messages through mealtime discussions and everyday interactions, enabling children to understand how their choices affect their bodies.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Strong hygiene practices, such as handwashing before meals and after toileting, are clearly established and explained in age-appropriate ways. Children gain increasing independence as they learn why hygiene matters and how it helps prevent illness, supported by a clean, well-maintained environment that promotes their health and confidence.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities thrive in this provision. Staff meet these children's needs exceptionally well, following each child's education, health and care plan carefully to ensure the right support is in place and that every child can achieve their fullest potential. Children settle quickly into the provision and arrive eager to see their siblings, friends and the staff team. They greet adults warmly and independently organise their belongings. Staff clearly communicate the activities available, any changes to routines and details of planned visitors. Children show secure confidence in familiar routines, gathering for registration and beginning to tidy up without needing prompts. These behaviours demonstrate that children feel safe, secure and well supported within the provision.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children demonstrate consistently high levels of engagement in their play. They engage with new tasks thoughtfully and persistently, strengthening previously acquired skills with confidence. Staff know each child incredibly well and use this knowledge to motivate, support and extend their learning effectively. Children develop an enduring sense of belonging within the provision, showing kindness and respect by praising and thanking one another.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Staff build extremely positive relationships with the children, interacting with them in a warm, respectful and encouraging manner. They skilfully spark children's curiosity and provide calm, nurturing support, especially for those who are new to the setting, helping them to feel settled and secure. Nurturing, trusting relationships are evident across the provision. Children benefit greatly from sessions with the sports coaches, where they develop a wide range of physical skills, such as throwing, catching and kicking a ball. They enjoy taking part in team games, including football, which helps them practise cooperation, turn-taking and following simple rules. These activities build their coordination and confidence and

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Address:

Upminster Junior School St Marys Lane Upminster RM14 3BS

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Essex After School Clubs Ltd

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 15:00 - 18:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. contribute positively to their overall health and wellbeing. Children show enthusiasm during these sessions and proudly demonstrate the new skills they have learned.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and children during the inspection.

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About this inspection

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage. This data is from 14 January 2026

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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