The staff and children at Bolton School’s wraparound and holiday childcare service, Kidzone, are celebrating this week following a glowing report from OFSTED after its inspection in January 2026.
In the report, which was in OFSTED’s new, ‘report card’, format, the childcare offered at Kidzone was graded as being of a Strong standard for behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines, children's welfare and wellbeing and inclusion; as being at the Expected standard for leadership and governance; and with all Safeguarding standards, Compulsory Childcare Register requirements and Voluntary Childcare Register requirements being fully met.
During her one-day visit, the inspector observed the after-school care offered at Kidzone; met with children, staff and Kidzone’s leadership team (including the SEN coordinator and the Designated Safeguarding Lead); reviewed a range of policies and other documentation; and spoke with parents who use the service, in order to reach the conclusions which form the report.
Key findings from the report included that:
- Staff get to know each child in their care well, building very secure relationships with them within Kidzone’s calm and supportive environment;
- Staff provide experiences that keep children engaged and stimulated, with focused activities designed to support children positively;
- Children at Kidzone play collaboratively with one another and with staff, sharing ideas and building deep friendships;
- The behaviour of children at Kidzone is exemplary, and the children demonstrate high levels of confidence and self-esteem;
- Staff provide children with highly effective, thoughtful support, which ensures that every child can fully participate in the experiences offered at Kidzone; and
- Staff and leadership have established effective safeguarding arrangements which promote the safety and welfare of every child who attends Kidzone.
Reflecting on the inspection report, Head of Primary Division Sue Faulkner commented:
“It was lovely to read OFSTED’s description of the “high-quality service” that Kidzone offers each day to the children in its care in the inspector’s report. In particular, I was delighted that they identified the personal relationships that our staff build with the young people in their care, which means that each child has a “strong sense of belonging”; and were able to document Kidzone’s “calm and supportive environment”, where everyone is able to “fully participate in the experiences and activities” offered, recognised. Most importantly of all, it was wonderful to read the children at Kidzone described as “happy”, “confident” and “secure” - the highest praise of all for any childcare provider.
I would like to particularly thank the staff and leaders at Kidzone, whose dedicated efforts and consistently high standards have led to the wonderful feedback contained in the report, as well as the children and parents who met with the inspector during her visit and offered their insights into their daily experiences there.”
Head of Foundation, Philip Britton, MBE DL added:
“In the year in which Kidzone will celebrate its 25th birthday, I am delighted that OFSTED has recognised what makes it such an invaluable and well-loved childcare setting for families within the Bolton School foundation and across the town.
In particular, I was pleased to see the inspectors’ appreciation for Kidzone’s “well-designed” facilities and the contribution of the “wide range of nature spaces available” on the main School site to the wellbeing of its charges. It was also heartening to read of the consistent sharing of good practice between the Kidzone staff and leadership, and colleagues in other settings, in which Kidzone of course benefits from its place within the wider Bolton School Foundation.
I would like to take this opportunity to offer my congratulations and thanks to Kidzone’s leadership team, including Sue Faulkner, the Head of Primary Division, whose commitment and collaboration - with one another and with colleagues from across the School - have ensured such a fantastic inspection report for the setting.”
Kidzone is inspected by OFSTED because it is a registered childcare setting which is separate to the Nursery, Infant and Junior Schools. Overseen by Bolton School Services Limited, the School’s trading arm, it sits alongside those other settings, ensuring true ‘all-through’ care for every Primary Division family whose children use its services.
For more information about the personalised, engaging childcare provided at Kidzone, both before and after school and in the holidays, please click here.
Read a full copy of the inspection report
