Getting Started

Our Playgroup offers FOUR sessions per week - Monday to Thursday mornings from 9am 'til 12.30pm. On these days we also offer a supervised lunchtime session following on from 12.30pm until 12.55pm. Children bring their own packed lunch and a drink.

You are welcome to visit playgroup with your child before they come on their own. You can decide how long to stay and you can talk to the staff and other children and have a good look around. There is no charge for these “coming to see” sessions. You may like to accompany your child at their first full session. Feel free to discuss arrangements with the playgroup staff. Every child is different and they have different requirements. We aim to help all children settle in quickly.

Children of all nationalities and ethnic backgrounds are welcome at Blakesley Playgroup, together with those with disabilities - provided we have the necessary facilities.

Signing In

We operate a signing-in register. Please try to remember to sign your child in and out each session and make a note if your child is to be collected by someone else. For insurance reasons we ask that all children be picked up promptly at the end of the sessions so that the staff can finish packing up safely. Children can get distressed having to wait to be picked up when everyone else has gone home.

Health and Safety

Common sense prevails here! It's obviously best to keep a sick child at home. Please inform the staff as soon as you can if your child has something contagious e.g. chicken pox, nits etc. All information will be treated with discretion.

If your child falls sick during a playgroup session a member of staff will ring the emergency number on your registration form, so it is important that these numbers are updated with us if they change. If your child has any medication (medicines, inhalers etc) they should be left with a member of staff with accurate instructions for use. You will also be asked to sign our book stating you have done this.

Ofsted regularly inspects playgroup. We have to pass a thorough and stringent inspection which covers all aspects of the care we offer - not just health and safety. Copies of these reports are on display on one of the noticeboards in the hallway. Please feel free to request a copy to take hope at any time.

Policies / Aims and Objectives

Please make time to read through our policies which are held at Playgroup (copies on request), we would appreciate you signing the Playgroup copy to acknowledge that you have read and understood these documents. Enclosed is a list of our committee members with their telephone numbers, our Aims and Objectives and our Daily Schedule. Copies of these are also kept at Playgroup.

Role of Parents

We recognise that parents are the first and most important educators of their children and we aim to support you. We welcome you to take part in assisting with fundraising when you can and to join the committee if possible. It is worth remembering that our Playgroup is a charity and without an active and enthusiastic committee the group would not be able to continue. We value your input and encourage suggestions and feedback. There is a snack rota on the noticeboard so please check this regularly. We provide biscuits, juice and milk for the snacks but we appreciate a good variety of other snacks (i.e. fruit, cheese) to be brought in by parents. The children feel very important handing around their food from home and even some unusual foods are welcomed for a change! We also appreciate help cleaning toys and equipment throughout the year.