Advice For Parents
Introduction
Based in Ampthill, Ladybird Pre-School Playgroup is a friendly pre-school playgroup offering up to 24 places at each playgroup session. The group aims to provide a happy and stimulating environment for your child.
Ladybird Playgroup is a registered charity. We are Ofsted registered and are inspected every 3-4 years. Please refer to the Ofsted website (www.ofsted.gov.uk) to view Ladybird’s latest excellent Ofsted report (April 2006). The playgroup also operates the LEA Nursery Voucher Scheme for 3 and 4 year olds, is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and is registered with Social Services under the 1989 Children Act (Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000).
Ladybird Playgroup operates out of a brand-new, purpose-built portacabin in the grounds of Russell Lower School. In addition to our own facilities, we are very fortunate to be able to take advantage of the extensive facilities and infrastructure of Russell Lower School, like the outdoor playground, playing field, large hall, etc.
Ladybird Playgroup runs as a fully independent pre-school playgroup and children attending Ladybird feed into both Russell Lower School and the Firs Lower School in Ampthill.
Aims of Ladybird
Ladybird Playgroup aims to prepare your child for school and for life in general in a happy and friendly environment. We encourage your child’s personal and social development and aim to increase his/her confidence through a variety of activities. We hope to see a happy sociable child who is friendly, willing to share with others and prepared to co-operate with other children and adults.
Ladybird Playgroup operates a ‘free flow system’, which enables the
children to control their own learning agendas and to meet their personal
needs with greater independence. Offering ‘free flow’ means the children
are able to choose from a wide range of activities throughout the day.
The children are able to mix with their entire peer group during each
session.
Foundation Stage Curriculum
Ladybird Playgroup assesses all children over the age of 3 using the Foundation Stage Curriculum. The Foundation Stage Curriculum is based on the following learning areas:
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Communication, Language & Literacy
- Mathematical Development
- Knowledge and Understanding of the World
- Physical Development
- Creative Development
Key Workers
Your child is allocated a Key Worker from the day he/she joins Ladybird Playgroup. This member of staff is your main contact during your child’s stay at the playgroup.
Themes and Activites
Each half term the children cover several ‘themes’. Parents/carers receive an ‘Activity Sheet’ at the beginning of each half term to inform them what those themes are.
Communication Books
Ladybird Playgroup is currently ‘trialling’ communication books for those children who have been identified as having ‘special requirements’. Children identified as having ‘special requirements’ includes children with toilet training or behavioural ‘issues’, children working with speech therapists or children who are particularly gifted in any one area (languages, maths, and so on).
Parents Consultation Evening
Once a year Ladybird Playgroup has a Parents/Carers Consultation Evening. This is a social event where you have the opportunity to see how you child is progressing.
Leaver's Report
When your child leaves to go to school, you are given a folder containing observation sheets, some photographs of your child during his/her time at Ladybird Playgroup and an ‘End of Year Report’. The report gives details of how your child has progressed in each of the Foundation Stage educational areas.
Parents Events
Annual Christmas Nativity Play – takes place at the end of the Autumn
Term.
Annual Sports’ Day – takes place towards the end of the Summer Term.
Admissions Policy
Ladybird Playgroup operates an ‘equal opportunity’ admissions policy. Children are admitted from the age of 2 years and six months. Our waiting list is arranged according to date of birth (priority may be given to children living in Ampthill). If you would like to add your child’s name to our waiting list, please fill in the ‘Application Form to go on the Waiting List’ section, which you can find on the 'Downloads' page on our website.
Our sessions run as follows:
Monday - Friday
Morning 9.05a.m. - 11.45a.m.
Lunch Club 11.45a.m. - 12.30p.m.
Afternoon 12.30p.m. - 3.10p.m.
Fees & Funding
For children who are not eligible for Pre-School funding, the fees are £5.50 per session plus £2.50 per ‘Lunch Club’. A fee notice is issued at the beginning of each half term, based on the number of sessions and lunches your child attends per week.
There is a one-off non-refundable registration fee of £5.00 per child that should be paid with your child’s first set of fees. Fees must be paid in advance to the Treasurer within two weeks of receipt of notification each half term.
Your child is eligible for funding for up to 5 Pre-School sessions per week, from the start of the term following his/her 3rd birthday.
If you wish to terminate your child’s place at Ladybird Playgroup, we ask you to give two weeks’ notice.
Lunch Club
New from September 2006 is the introduction of our Lunch Club, which has proved to be very popular and successful. Since February 2007 we are employing two Lunch Club Supervisors per Lunch Club session. Your child is able to attend the Lunch Club by either staying for lunch after the morning session, attending the Lunch Club followed by the afternoon session, or by staying at playgroup all day. Please provide your child with a packed lunch, which can be kept refrigerated in the kitchen.
Disabled Parking
Ladybird has one disabled car parking space in the school car park, next to our boundary fencing.
Uniform/Book Bags
We offer a partial uniform for all children attending Ladybird Playgroup: red T-shirts (£5.50 each) and red sweatshirts (£7.50 each) printed with the Ladybird logo and name. We also offer red Ladybird book bags (£3.50 each) with the ladybird logo. These book bags are designed to take home your child’s artworks, any newsletters or correspondence from the playgroup without getting them damaged, creased or indeed wet.
Volunteer Parent Duties
Parents/carers are not routinely required to undertake parent duties, except in the event of an unforeseen staff absence, when it would be necessary for a parent/carer to assist the staff during the session. It would not be possible for that session to run without a parent helper, as the adult/child ratio would be inadequate for our insurance cover.
Open Door Policy
Ladybird Playgroup operates an ‘open door’ policy. Even though we do not require our parents/carers to undertake ‘parent duties’, we welcome parents/carers at any time to assist in the running of any session, as we believe that it gives an invaluable opportunity for you to observe how your child is progressing at playgroup, and to see how the sessions are run.
Fundraising
Ladybird Playgroup could not continue to offer such a wide range of activities for your child without raising additional funds during the course of the year. We ask each parent/carer to help with this essential work by supporting and helping with one of our fundraising activities during the year - the main two activities being the Christmas Bazaar and the Easter Party.
Committee
The Pre-School Learning Alliance requires that we elect a committee each year; without it Ladybird Playgroup cannot continue! The positions available include Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Membership Secretary, as well as others.
Worries, Concerns and Problems
Should you or your child have any concerns regarding your child or
the running of Ladybird Playgroup, please do not hesitate to speak in
the first instance to a member of staff. Alternatively, please contact
any member of the committee. A copy of the Ladybird Pre-School Playgroup
Operational Policies is always available, should you wish to see them
Ladybird Pre-School Playgroup
March 2007
Ladybird Pre-School Playgroup
Russell Lower School
Queens Road
Ampthill, Beds.
MK45 2TD