Key Information
Please click here to access a copy of our policies.
Safeguarding
All of our staff hold an enhanced DBS (Criminal Records Bureau) check which is renewed every three years. Our playgroup has very specific safeguarding policies and procedures in place, and OFSTED’s requirements in respect of references and CRB checks are abided by.
Our designated person who co-ordinates child protection issues is Mrs Joyce Sprason.
Our deputy designated officer is Mrs Dawn Long
Special Educational Needs
Northway Preschool Playgroup is committed to meet the needs of all children who use our playgroup. The playgroup works to the requirements of the 1993 Education Act and the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice 2001.
The Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinator (SENCO) for our playgroup is Mrs Dawn Long.
Starting at our Playgroup
We understand that the settling in period is important for both children and parents. This will take longer for some children than others and parents should not feel worried if their child takes a while to settle.
Children cannot play or learn if they are anxious and tense and every child has different needs. To ensure that starting playgroup is a positive experience and children leave feeling happy and secure, our staff will work with parents to achieve the best plan for settling their child.
How parents take part in playgroup
Parents are quite rightly the first and most important educators of their children. Our staff see themselves as partners with you in providing care and education for your child. There are many ways in which parents can take part in making the playgroup a welcoming and stimulating place for children and parents such as:
- Exchanging knowledge about your child's needs, interests and progress with the staff, particularly their keyworker
- By helping us to reward their efforts with a “wow” voucher
- By accepting our invitation to attend the AGM
- By attending ‘Share a Story’ mornings at our nursery group.
Achieving 2 Year Olds
This is a scheme funded by the Government aimed at giving children aged 2, up to 15 hours of free nursery sessions per week. Children can take up their place the term after their second birthday. Families who are in receipt of any of the following benefits are eligible for funding:
- Income Support,
- Income Related Employment and Support Allowance,
- Income based Job Seekers Allowance,
- Guarantee element of State Pension Credit,
- Support under part vi of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit)
- Please refer to the Gloucestershire Family Information service to see if you are eligible.
Children who have additional needs can also be referred via their health visitor for a place through Common Assessment Framework (CAF) if they meet certain criteria. Further information is available from your health visitor.
Free for 3 and 4’s
Three and four year old children can access up to 15 hours of free nursery/preschool sessions per week regardless of how much money you have or how much you earn.
Methods of Payment
If you are not eligible for funding under the Achieving Two Year Olds Scheme, or the Free for Three and Four’s Scheme, then payment for fees can be made by cash through the office, child care vouchers, 30 hours eligibility code or via Internet Banking.
For more information on choosing the right option of funding for your circumstances, go to Childcare Choices.
Admissions
Statement of Intent:
As a community playgroup located in Northway, we offer placement to all children living in Northway and our surrounding communities. The majority of our children who attend our group feed into Northway Infant School and then go on to Carrant Brook Junior School.
We work with Northway Infant School in partnership and our Pre school group is run from a classroom within the school. The children who use our playgroup benefit greatly from being able to use the facilities within the school and the school teachers are a great source of support to our staff. This prepares the children for starting school well as they are used to the environment, staff and will have already made friends with peers who will join school with them.
The number of places we have in any group is dependant on the number of staff and the ratio's appertaining to the age of the children in each group and the charity remaining financially sustainable.
In order to achieve an open fair and clear admission procedure we will administer the following criteria if we are over subscribed for places.
At the time of allocating spaces each year, a scoring system for admission into all groups will apply to all children and will be driven by spaces available. This criteria will only be applied if we are over subscribed i.e. we don't have enough places for all children.