Our Playgroup specialises in looking after two year olds. We are virtually a "pre-nursery school playgroup" not just a pre-school playgroup! Most of our children stay for 1 to 3 terms, attending 2 days a week (although there is occasionally the opportunity to do up to 4 days a week) and then go on to one of the local nursery classes or nursery schools in the term after they are three years old. We concentrate on teaching the children social skills - taking turns, making friends, being kind and polite to each other and learning to be without their parent/carer, building good relationships with other caring adults. All this helps the children when they go on to Nursery.

Children of this age learn through Play and we ensure that there is always a variety of toys and activities in our lower hall, which we vary every day in order to give all our children lots of new experiences. We have a large hall upstairs where we often go for physical play - running, riding trikes, dancing to music and playing ring games and ball games. As we don't have an outside play area this hall is invaluable and can be used in all weathers!

We won't be formally teaching the children their numbers or the alphabet but we will be reading them stories, to help develop a love of books and their communication skills. They'll be doing painting, gluing, drawing, threading and other activities which help their "fine motor skills" leading to good pencil control and singing songs such as "5 little ducks" and doing jigsaws which all help with pre-maths skills.

We have an excellent team of professional, caring and, in most cases, qualified, staff, all of whom (at present) are mothers themselves, who work a rota system so that they get variety and the chance to take part in all the children's activities. They build up good relationships with the children and we use the child's "favourite adult" as a "key worker" when settling them in. We have a team of regular volunteers and use parent volunteer helpers in order to maintain our ratio of 1 adult to 4 children which is a requirement set by Ofsted's National Standards for Daycare. We also work closely with the Local Authority Early Years Advisory Team and Childcare Development Advisors.

We want your child to be happy at our playgroup and we encourage you to visit - with your child - before deciding whether or not you wish him/her to attend. We also draw your attention to our Policies and Procedures document which has more information about the running of our playgroup and the ways in which parents can get involved (see 'Parental Involvement Policy').

Children's development and learning

"Birth to Three Matters"

A strong child

A strong child is about babies and young children being strong, confident, capable and self-assured. To do this they need to be secure within loving relationships at home and within the nurturing care of the key adults in their early years setting. Babies and young children are getting to know themselves and what they can do; the respect, care, love and emotional support they receive helps them develop trust and positive self image. The way we acknowledge and affirm young children leads them to gain confidence and inner strength. Having close relationships with them promotes self assurance and a sense of belonging in our playgroup as a secure base to learn and try new experiences.

A skilful communicator

Through being with people who love them at home, and through the caring adults who care for them in the playgroup, the children will become skilful communicators. They will make friendships where they will learn about other people, communicating and sharing their feelings and experiences. They will learn they have a voice, that they are listened to and responded to in a way that supports their understanding and search for meaning, helping them to learn the skills they will need for communicating with others. Through opportunities for talk with adults and the other children, through sustained interactions, through stories, songs, mime and gesture, children will learn to become skilful communicators.

A competent learner

Children are learners from birth. They are actively involved in exploring their environment, using their senses to build up their knowledge about the world. Our playgroup offers young children the opportunity to take part in planned and unplanned activities that will help them to make connections with what they already know and build new understandings to help them form more complex ideas about the world. They will have opportunities to be imaginative and creative; to express their ideas and represent them.

A healthy child

The healthy child is one who is emotionally secure and knows that he or she can depend on carers to meet his or her needs. Through the care of our warm and friendly staff, we aim to provide young children with secure relationships as a firm foundation for them to gradually learn to become independent at their own pace. The children learn good nutrition at snack time (milk, fruit and one plain biscuit), and their needs for play, physical activity and rest are met. We provide an environment that protects children from harm and abuse; we minimise risk to children, but at the same time provide a safe structure in which they can learn to take their own risks, such as climbing or riding a bike. We provide boundaries within which they learn about being with others in a social group.