About Us
Our Aims
Our aim at Carlton Playgroup is to provide the children with an environment where they are free to develop their social skills and learning, through play, in a friendly and courteous atmosphere. To help the children settle into a routine to enable the smooth passage from Playgroup into the school environment.
We also believe children should be encouraged to develop self-discipline and self esteem. They should also be taught to respect each other regardless of race, religion and social backgrounds.
Throughout Carlton Playgroup we work towards the government guidelines detailed in the Early Years Foundation Stage, which covers children from the age 0 - 5 years.
The EYFS states every child deserves the best possible start in life and support to fulfil their potential. A child's experience in their early years has a major impact on their future life chances. A secure and happy childhood is important in its own right, and it provides the foundation for children to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up. Here at Carlton Playgroup we understand when parents choose to use an early years provider, they want to know that the setting will keep their children safe and help them learn to their full potential. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the framework that helps to provide this assurance.
The EYFS is split into separate areas. The prime areas, which are :
- personal, social and emotional development,
- physical development
- communication and language
The four specific areas are :
- literacy
- mathematics
- understanding the world
- expressive arts and design
Opening times & fees
Opening Times
Please note we are only open during term time.
Monday - Friday / 9:15 - 12:15 / 12:15 - 15:15
Lunch session / 12:15 - 13:15
Children staying for the lunch / afternoon session should bring a packed lunch.
A snack is provided.
Baby Room Times
Monday / 9:15 - 12:15 / 12:15 - 15:15
Thursday / 9:15 - 12:15 / 12:15 - 15:15
Friday / 9:15 - 12:15
Fees
£12 / session
£4 extra / lunch session
Our facilities
The Team
At Carlton Playgroup we have a small yet well experienced team who are responsible for the caring and nurturing your children, promoting their individual development and helping them to enhance and flourish. Whilst each child is appointed their own Key Person, all staff members are involved in the day to day care of children and strive to build relationships with them to ensure that all staff are aware of the likes/dislikes and the needs of each child. All our staff are qualified to a minimum of Cache Level 3 in child care or equivalent qualification.
Funding Information
All three and four year old children in England are entitled to 15 hours of free early education and childcare each week for 38 weeks of the year. Some two year old children are also eligible.For a two year old child to be eligible for the funding, you must receive one of the following benefits or credits:
-Income Support
-Child Tax Credit and have an annual income not over £16,190
-Working Tax Credits and earn no more than £16,190 a year
-The Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
-Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
-Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
-The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit/ support through part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act
-Your child receives Disability Living Allowance
If your child is eligible, you can take up their place from the beginning of the term after their second birthday. The date you can claim will depend on when their birthday is. Here are the dates when you are eligbe to claim:
-1 January to 31 March the beginning of term on or after 1 April
-1 April to 31 August the beginning of term on or after 1 September
-1 September to 31 December the beginning of term on or after 1 January
If you unsure whether your child is eligible, please contact the Families Information Service on 0845 6011 630 or email fis.information@northyorks.gov.uk.
Please contact your local children's centre for more information.
A list of children centres can be found here.
Policies
Local Offers
A Local Offer for Children with Special Educational Needs and/ or Disabilities (SEND) promoting inclusive practice and quality provision that reflects the needs of individual children.
How does Carlton Playgroup know if a child needs extra support?
We have an embedded system to ensure that each child has an allocated a key person, the key person is appointed based on whom a child appears to establish a relationship with or ‘warm to’. This key person will complete regular observations of a child’s interests and developments, information collated is then used to form the bases of a child’s individual planning that compromise of a series of relevant and appropriate activities and tasks. We encourage parent and families to take an active role in planning for their children, asking that interests from home and any new skills development are written down on our home learning sheets and given to their child’s keyworker. In addition the key person will complete a variety of assessments and observations to monitor a child’s development, allowing them to understand the rate of development and identify if there are any areas of development which require some additional support. Then implementing a joint approach to care and supporting development, assessments are shared with the parents who are then encouraged to provide any comments, thoughts and ideas how future learning and development can be supported both at home and within the setting.
When a child initially starts at playgroup we provide an opportunity for children and parents to attend a number of settling in sessions. During these times whoever it is that a child picks as their key person, that designated person would then work to familiarize themselves with the child gaining an understanding of their individual needs, interests and abilities. This is the initial opportunity for the parents to discuss any needs with the key person allowing time before a child starts, to implement any action plans or support plans to enhance the care and development of children. The parents and the key person complete an initial starting point of development form on this settling in session to identify any concerns.
How will the staff support the child?
We have a Playgroup SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) who has been trained through the local authority as well as Carl ton Playgroup to support the key person, child and families to ensure that the child’s individual needs are met.
At Playgroup we adhere to a robust number of policies and procedures that are reviewed and changed when necessary, this enables our setting to ensure that our resources and environments are suitable and accessible for all.
The SENCO will work closely with the key person to differentiate resources, experiences and activities to support the child. Additionally the SENCO will work with the key person to provide personal plans for each individual child based around their abilities and interests and next steps for how development will be supported.
The SENCO will liaise with other professionals (with the parental consent) such as Early Years Inclusion Officers, Speech and Language Therapists and Health Visitors to seek further advise and knowledge of the best ways in which to support each individual child. The SENCO and the key person will work collaboratively to ensure that these targets and strategies are implemented, and ensure time frames in which to review and reset targets are complied with.
How parents / carers are are included within a child’s education and curriculum?
Parent’s communication is valued and the key person will work together with the parents to ensure that every child’s learning is supported and reflects as best we can how children are cared for and supported at home.
At the initial settling in sessions the parent/ carers will work with the key person to settle the child into the nursery. Throughout this time the key person will complete the information sheet to understand the child’s individual routines, needs and interests and use these to tailor care to suit the needs of children.
The parents are encouraged to work together with the key person completing observations and activities for home to keep them informed of new interests so that this can be incorporated in the activities that are planned for that child. Parents are also invited to attend regular meetings to review the child’s progress. Every child has their own learning journal that the parents can view at any time. The parents are encouraged to add their views and comments creating a holistic approach to learning and development.
How accessible are the environments?
The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning. Enabling environments encourages children to play because they feel relaxed, comfortable and ‘at home’ in them. When children feel emotionally safe and secure they are able to explore and find out about the place they are in and the things they can see, touch, maneuver or manipulate. The main playgroup room Is set out to enable children to use independence skills to choose their own resources, but also together utilizing needs and interests of children, a key person will develop planning to support the implementation of activities and resources to support and enhance further learning and development.
Due to the build and layout of playgroup we are most accessible. There are no stairs and all areas can be reached via a front door which hosts ramp, with each room entrance coming from one main spacious corridor. Toileting facilities are child and wheelchair friendly, with aids being in place to support children getting onto toilets and lower sinks to promote independence during personal hygiene routines, helping with transitions
Understandably transitions are a key time for any child, it is important at such times that the process of change is supported by all people involved within a child’s life helping to make the process as seamless and calm as possible. It is the role of the key person ensures that each transition is well planned and thought out, ensuring the needs of the children are considered when creating a plan of action, thus ensuring such plans reflect the emotional needs and developmental stage of children and is inclusive of any strategies and techniques used within the tailored care of children.
When a child is ready to transition to School the new teachers will be invited into School to meet the key person and all relevant transition supporting documents are completed and relayed to the new school. Children will also have the opportunity to attend school settling in’s with their fellow peers and key person. This provides time for school to become familiar to a child and also allow teacher and playgroup key person time to discuss any matters of importance to help the transition from playgroup to school run as smoothly as possible.
For further information please contact the Playgroup Manager.
Contact Us
Feel free to contact us via email, Facebook or over the phone.