Horsley Playgroup
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Rated Good by Ofsted in 2022
"Children clearly enjoy their time at the playgroup. They are enthusiastic and display positive attitudes to their learning."OFSTED |
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For all the information you need to know please visit The Horsley Playgroup website.
Horsley Playgroup is a community, voluntary managed early years setting based in the village hall in Horsley. We turn the community village hall into a very special place, a child centred place, transforming it at each session, to facilitate high quality early years care and education for children aged 2 years 9 months to 5 years. We have an excellent range of high quality resources which enables a varied environment to be set up which is continually evolving, led by children’s interests, play and abilities.
Play is integral to the work of the playgroup - it is the work of children. It helps children to learn and develop through doing and talking, which research has shown to be the means by which young children learn to think. The playgroup environment supports every child as they play, and carefully planned activities cover the 7 areas of learning of the Early Years Foundation Stage, to ensure children make good progress in the areas of learning and development. These activities are based around the children’s interests and the changing environment through the seasons and celebrations that often involve children in preparing food and cooking.
The group also follows an approach from Reggio Emilia in Italy and now very much part of the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage), where the children are valued and treated as individuals with their own ideas, desires and experiences, and they are actively encouraged to explore, be creative and develop their ideas in collaboration with other children and adults.
Friendships and warm relationships with caring adults who hold a belief in children’s abilities are fostered. Children are encouraged to make choices and their ‘active learning’ is supported by providing accessible resources which children select independently and through use of open ended resources like clay, play dough, fabric lengths and heuristic (everyday) items. Good relationships and a strong sense of community flourish.
Horsley Playgroup recognises that parents are the first and most important educators of their children. All of the staff work as partners with parents and carers in providing care and education for their child.
The playgroup facilities
The facilities at the village hall comprise a main room that allows children plenty of space to play, with tables for activities and a cosy quiet area with books and soft cushions. There are double doors that allow free flow to the area outside of the village hall that is secured with a fence and the lovely rural outdoor space is used each day. There is a park with play equipment, a hard surface area, a playing field for activities like running and footballs. In the wider community there is access to regular local walks in woods and there is also a small wood area where children experience a ‘forest school’ type approach.
The playgroup pre-school session in Horsley Primary school
The playgroup has a good working relationship with Horsley Primary School and we are able to offer a regular (pre-school year only) session in the school reception classroom and dedicated outside area. This session is on a Wednesday afternoon. It serves as a valuable opportunity for parents/carers and their children to become familiar with the school environment and can be a very important part of the transition to school.
Please note that, although Horsley Playgroup has close links with Horsley Primary School, it is a separate entity with its own parent /committee management body and admission to Horsley Playgroup is not related to gaining admission to the school; this process is administered by Gloucestershire County Council.
Playgroup session times (subject to change when social distancing measures are in place)
The playgroup sessions run on Mondays 9.00am-3.10pm*, Tuesdays 9.00am- 3.10pm and Wednesday 9.00am -3.10pm* in the village hall, with Wednesday afternoons including the pre-school year children in the school reception classroom (Note both *Monday and Wednesday afternoon sessions are for pre-school year children only).
The Playgroup participates in the 'Free for 3 & 4 year olds’ Nursery Funding Scheme.
Contact details
Hannah Vaughan
Playleader and Manager
Tel: 07918 931851 during sessions
Email: [email protected] (prefered method of communication)
Horsley Playgroup is a community, voluntary managed early years setting based in the village hall in Horsley. We turn the community village hall into a very special place, a child centred place, transforming it at each session, to facilitate high quality early years care and education for children aged 2 years 9 months to 5 years. We have an excellent range of high quality resources which enables a varied environment to be set up which is continually evolving, led by children’s interests, play and abilities.
Play is integral to the work of the playgroup - it is the work of children. It helps children to learn and develop through doing and talking, which research has shown to be the means by which young children learn to think. The playgroup environment supports every child as they play, and carefully planned activities cover the 7 areas of learning of the Early Years Foundation Stage, to ensure children make good progress in the areas of learning and development. These activities are based around the children’s interests and the changing environment through the seasons and celebrations that often involve children in preparing food and cooking.
The group also follows an approach from Reggio Emilia in Italy and now very much part of the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage), where the children are valued and treated as individuals with their own ideas, desires and experiences, and they are actively encouraged to explore, be creative and develop their ideas in collaboration with other children and adults.
Friendships and warm relationships with caring adults who hold a belief in children’s abilities are fostered. Children are encouraged to make choices and their ‘active learning’ is supported by providing accessible resources which children select independently and through use of open ended resources like clay, play dough, fabric lengths and heuristic (everyday) items. Good relationships and a strong sense of community flourish.
Horsley Playgroup recognises that parents are the first and most important educators of their children. All of the staff work as partners with parents and carers in providing care and education for their child.
The playgroup facilities
The facilities at the village hall comprise a main room that allows children plenty of space to play, with tables for activities and a cosy quiet area with books and soft cushions. There are double doors that allow free flow to the area outside of the village hall that is secured with a fence and the lovely rural outdoor space is used each day. There is a park with play equipment, a hard surface area, a playing field for activities like running and footballs. In the wider community there is access to regular local walks in woods and there is also a small wood area where children experience a ‘forest school’ type approach.
The playgroup pre-school session in Horsley Primary school
The playgroup has a good working relationship with Horsley Primary School and we are able to offer a regular (pre-school year only) session in the school reception classroom and dedicated outside area. This session is on a Wednesday afternoon. It serves as a valuable opportunity for parents/carers and their children to become familiar with the school environment and can be a very important part of the transition to school.
Please note that, although Horsley Playgroup has close links with Horsley Primary School, it is a separate entity with its own parent /committee management body and admission to Horsley Playgroup is not related to gaining admission to the school; this process is administered by Gloucestershire County Council.
Playgroup session times (subject to change when social distancing measures are in place)
The playgroup sessions run on Mondays 9.00am-3.10pm*, Tuesdays 9.00am- 3.10pm and Wednesday 9.00am -3.10pm* in the village hall, with Wednesday afternoons including the pre-school year children in the school reception classroom (Note both *Monday and Wednesday afternoon sessions are for pre-school year children only).
The Playgroup participates in the 'Free for 3 & 4 year olds’ Nursery Funding Scheme.
Contact details
Hannah Vaughan
Playleader and Manager
Tel: 07918 931851 during sessions
Email: [email protected] (prefered method of communication)
