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Welcome to Pirton Playgroup
Pirton Village Hall |
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The Prospectus
About our Playgroup
Pirton Playgroup has been in existence for over 25 years and meets in the Village Hall on weekday mornings from 9:15 to 12:15, we also run a lunch club, numbers permitting. We can offer up to 28 places for children aged from 2 years 9 months to rising fives. Our term dates follow that of Pirton School which is situated adjacent to the Playgroup.
Our aims are to:
 | Enhance the development and education of children under statutory school age in a parent-involving, community based group. |
| Provide a safe, secure and stimulating environment. |
| Work within a framework which ensures equality of opportunity for all children and families. |
| To work with parents in helping their child to learn and develop. |
| To give parents the opportunity to help shape the service Playgroup offers. |
We offer your child:
| A well-planned and varied curriculum leading to approved learning outcomes (Early Learning Goals). |
| Generous care and attention because of our high ratio of adults to children. |
| A chance to join with other children and adults to play, work and learn together. |
| The support of a personal keyworker (see Keyworker section). |
Admissions
Children may attend from the age of 2 years and 9 months subject to the criteria listed below.
| 3 years old and plus take priority over rising 3s for admission. |
| Rising 3s are only admitted to Playgroup when there are spaces. |
Parents are always welcome to make a preliminary visit to see Playgroup in action. Children must attend a minimum of 2 sessions a week in the first instance and can then add extra days as they gain in confidence.
Special Needs
As part of the Playgroup's policy to make sure that its provision meets the
needs of each individual child, we take account of any special needs which a
child may have.
The Playgroup works to the requirements of the 1993 Education Act and the
Special Needs Code of Practice (2000). The Playgroup's Special Educational Needs
Co-ordinator is Jayne Edwards.
What are the costs involved?
| Should you experience any difficulty in making payment please do not hesitate to approach the staff or the Treasurer to see if suitable arrangements can be made. |
| Fees - £.8.50 per session. There is no rebate for missed sessions. Payment terms are flexible and may be made each day, week, month or half term as desired, but payment should be made within 2 weeks of receiving the invoice. Cheques made payable to Pirton Playgroup or cash should be put in a sealed envelope with the child's name on it and handed to the Playleader or the Treasurer. |
| Funding - Children aged 3 and over are eligible to receive government funding to cover the fees for up to 15hours a week, 38 weeks of the year. This includes sessions that are taken at other nurseries or playgroups. You will be invoiced for any sessions attended for which the Playgroup cannot claim funding. |
| Non-payment of fees – in cases of non-payment unfortunately the child will not be accepted at Playgroup until settlement is made. |
How we operate
Playgroup sessions run between 9:15 and 12:15. Parents of new children may stay for all or part of the first two sessions.
Please dress your child in clothes and footwear with fastenings that they can manage and which will not be ruined by paint or glue. For the first few sessions please provide a change of clothing which may be left with your child's coat. You may purchase a ‘Pirton Playgroup’ T-shirt or sweat shirt. Please see staff for more details.
We would like parents to leave promptly so that the Playgroup session can get underway. The staff are very experienced in settling any child who needs a bit of extra attention and a cuddle.
Parents are asked not to bring into the playgroup any child who has been vomiting, had diarrhoea or a high temperature, until at least 24 hours after the symptoms have passed.
If a child is taken ill during the Playgroup session a member of staff will contact the parent / carer if it is considered necessary and the collection of that child deemed appropriate. In the event of an emergency the child will be taken to hospital and the parent / carer will be contacted immediately
When the number of children in the main playgroup room exceeds sixteen, another room is set up to accommodate some of the older children. The Playgroup enjoys good links with Pirton School and our outdoor play is carried out within the security of the school playground. These visits are also to familiarise the children with school and help ensure a smooth transition from Playgroup to School. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these visits please bring them to the attention of the staff.
Curriculum
While your child is at playgroup, they are at the foundation stage of their education which covers ages 3 to 5 years old. The curriculum for children at the foundation stage is divided into six areas:
| Personal, social and emotional development |
| Communication, language and literacy development |
| Mathematical development |
| Knowledge and understanding of the world |
| Physical development |
| Creative development |
For each area the curriculum sets out early learning goals. The goals state what it is expected that children will know and be able to do by the end of the reception year of their education. For each early learning goal the curriculum sets out stepping stones which describe the stages through which children are likely to pass as they move to achievement of the goal.
Within the Playgroup, all children are supported in developing their potential at their own pace. Our keyworker system enables us to ensure a planned curriculum tailored to the needs of each individual child.
Play helps young children learn and develop through doing and talking, which research has shown to be the means by which children think. The Playgroup uses the early learning goals and their stepping stones to plan and provide a range of play activities which help children to make progress in each area of learning and development.
Working together for your children
Pirton Playgroup has a high ratio of adults to children. This helps us to:
| give time and attention to each child talk with the children about their interests and activities |
| help children to experience and benefit from the acticvities we provide |
| allow the children to explore and be adventurous in safety |
The staff who work at Pirton Playgroup are:-
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Name Jayne Edwards Amy Elen Karen Roberts Jennifer Jeffries Tanya Testa Sarah Knight |
Job Title Play Leader Deputy Play Leader Playgroup Assistant Playgroup Assistant Playgroup Assistant Playgroup Assistant |
Keyworkers
Our keyworker system ensures that each child is allocated to a particular member of staff who will monitor, and record as accurately and objectively as possible, their development. Members of staff are always happy to talk to parents about their child outside of Playgroup hours. Please ask for an appointment.
How parents take part in Playgroup
As a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, Pirton Playgroup recognises parents as the first and most important educators of their children. All the staff see themselves as co-workers with you in providing care and education for your child. There are many ways in which parents take part in making the Playgroup a welcoming and stimulating place for children and parents such as: exchanging knowledge about their children's needs, activities, interests and progress with the staff.
| Sharing their own special interests with the children |
| Becoming part of the management of the Playgroup by joining the committee |
| Helping with and supporting fund raising events |
| Joining in community activities in which the Playgroup takes part |
| Building friendships with other parents in the Playgroup |
How the Playgroup is run
| Committee – A management committee is elected from parents each year at the Annual General Meeting. A list of members and telephone numbers is posted on the bulletin board. |
| Funding – The Playgroup receives government funding for eligible 3 and 4 year olds. Fees are charged for sessions not covered by government funding. This covers the Playgroup's day-to day costs. Additional or replacement equipment is generally bought with money from fundraising events. We rely upon parents giving their time to run and/or support these events. |
| Newsletter – A regular newsletter is produced to keep parents informed of activities and developments. |
| Queries, Suggestions, Complaints – These can be made to any committee member or to the staff. Please do not hesitate to put forward your opinions as we are always looking for ways to improve the playgroup. Regular meetings are held by the committee and attended by the staff. They provide the ideal forum for discussion of parental concerns and/or suggestions. All parents are welcome to attend. Minutes from the committee meetings are circulated to all parents. |
A copy of all our policies and procedures are available on request.
Playgroup’s future
Playgroup is on the move! We have been fortunate in our recent application for capital funding to build a new facility within the security of the school grounds. We anticipate moving into our new home in the Autumn of 2010! For more information, please contact the committee Chair, Carol-Anne McConnellogue or feel free to attend any of our committee meetings, but until then its business as usual!
We look forward to welcoming you and your child to Pirton Playgroup, if you have any queries please contact either Jayne Edwards (Playleader) on 01462 711736 or Carol-Anne McConnellogue (Chair of Playgroup Management Committee) on 01462 712110 cmcconnellogue@talktalk.net.
Updated August 2009 -CAM