INTRODUCTION

							In partnership with Angus Council Education Department
                               INTRODUCTION

This booklet has been produced to give parents some information about Letham
Playgroup. We hope that you find this useful and ask that you take the time to
read this as it does contain some important information If however, you require
any additional information, please don't hesitate to ask any of the play leaders or
a member of the committee - they are very willing to help.

FACTUAL INFORMATION
LETHAM PLAYGROUP
VILLAGE HALL
AULDBAR ROAD
LETHAM
ANGUS

MOBILE: 07986 118588
(Available between hours of 9am and 12 noon Monday to Friday only)

STAFF
MANAGER - Janette Henderson
PRACTITIONER - Sandra Wood
SUPPORT WORKER - Anne Smith

COMMITTEE
AS THE COMMITTEE CHANGES YEARLY PLEASE CONSULT ATTACHED SHEET.

ROLL
The playgroup is registered to cater for 24 children at each session.

VISITS FOR PROSPECTIVE PARENTS
An open day is held once or twice throughout the year to allow parents to view
the work of the playgroup.
Once your child has been allocated a place at the playgroup you will be invited
along to meet the staff and children, find out more about the pre-school
curriculum and to share information about your child.
Don't hesitate to ask the playleaders about anything that concerns you. They
are there to help.
SESSION INFORMATION
The playgroup operates for 5 sessions per week from 9.15am to 11.45am. Staff
appreciate the time prior to each session to prepare, therefore early arrivals
are welcome to wait in the hall area until the session begins.
To ensure that your child has settled please help them to hang up their coat
and find their name and inform a member of staff of their arrival.
Children must be brought and collected from the playgroup by an adult (a
person aged 16 or over).
Please write in the communications folder if a change from routine means
that someone else new/different will collect your child. They will be required
to sign when they collect your child.

Snacks
A healthy snack choice is available during each session. If your child has any
food allergies you must discuss this with the playgroup staff.
When your child's birthday comes around, we ask that you provide a simple
sponge cake so that your child can blow out the candles and share their
birthday with the other children.

Clothing
We aim to make the children as independent as possible. Please help by
dressing your child in clothes which are easy to manage........ Elastic trousers,
Velcro shoes etc. The playgroup does however have a change of clothes
available should any unplanned mishaps occur. Non slip footwear such as gym
shoes should be worn, aprons are provided for the 'messier' activities in the
playgroup, but accidents can happen, so please do send your child in play
clothes.
Outdoor play is an important part of the pre-school curriculum. We have an
excellent outdoor play area and we are out when the weather is suitable. We
supply outdoor clothing, if you could bring wellies.

HALL ACCESS
For security reasons the hall door is locked. There is a door bell to the left of
the outside door, this is situated at the rear of the building. Ringing the bell
will summon a playleader.
Wheelchair / pushchair access via a ramp at the side door situated on the north
side of the building.
PLAYGROUP OUTINGS
Opportunities to visit local places of interest i.e. the shops, the library, and the
post office are part of the curriculum and are considered important for the
children are developing knowledge of the local community. Parents will be
asked where possible; to participate in these outings to ensure necessary
adult/child ratios are met. Parents are asked to sign a blanket consent form.

FUNDING & FEES
Fully funded places are available to children from approximately 3 years of age.
When your child is eligible for funding you will be notified. In the meantime, if
you have any queries about funding, please contact the Manager.
Parents with children who are not yet eligible for Local Authority funding have
to pay for their child's place at playgroup. Current fees are £5.90 per daily
session. This is reviewed yearly at the AGM held in June.
Fees are still payable if your child misses a session, but not if admitted to
hospital. This arrangement keeps fees as low as possible.

Snack & Toy Fund
Parents, whose children attend on a funded basis, are asked for a voluntary
contribution of £0.80 per day towards this fund. This is paid per term. Smaller
items are bought from this fund e.g. glitter, card, jigsaws, games.

ATTENDANCE
In accepting a funded place for your child, you are agreeing to attend for a
minimum of 2 x 2.5 hour sessions up to a maximum of 5 x 2.5 hour sessions per
week.
Children who are attending in this regular pattern settle well into the
playgroup routine, build firm relationships with peers and adults and develop
good practices for future school life.
During the "phasing in” period, however, we adopt arrangements to suit the
individual child.
A message to staff is required when your child is unable to attend - through
another parent or by calling us on our mobile phone. We will call you by 10am
if no call is received.
Leaving; If for any reason, you decide you no longer want a place at playgroup
for your child; one month’s written notice must be given.
HEALTH CARE
If your child has a minor accident in the playgroup it will be dealt with by the
playleader's and you will be informed of the accident at the end of the session.
The accident will be recorded in the accident book which you will be asked to
sign.
Emergencies such as more serious accidents and sudden illnesses affecting
your child will be dealt with in the following manner;
(i) Parents (or emergency contact) will be notified immediately
(ii) Expert medical help will be sought if necessary, preferably with the parent
present.

If your child is not well, please do not bring them to playgroup even if they
want to come! We do our best to protect your child from infection by firmly
encouraging hygienic habits.
Please support us in this. It is particularly important in cases of sickness and
diarrhoea when a child should not return to playgroup until they have had two
day clear at home.
This is also the case with younger brothers and sisters, if they are ill and you
are on duty please arrange a swap with another parent.
We have head lice & scabies information leaflets available if you are concerned
about these conditions.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
In order for the group to run efficiently parents must participate in rota duties.
Support from the parents is actively encouraged and is important to the
smooth running of the playgroup. Parents (this term incorporates all main
carers, grandparents etc.) are also encouraged to participate in all other
aspects of the playgroup including social events, fund raising and visits. If you
feel you have a particular skill ...e.g. baking, woodwork etc. which you can
share when you come, please let us know beforehand so that we can
incorporate this in our daily plan. The parent notice board will keep you
informed of the day to day aspects of the playgroup with regular newsletters
giving more important information, updating of events and dates for your
diary. Any suggestions you have about the playgroup or any matters of concern
can be discussed at any time with the staff.
The most important way you can help is by being interested in what we are
doing in the playgroup and supporting this.
FUNDRAISING
Fundraising is vital to the existence of playgroup as fees & funding barely cover
basic running costs.
The committee and staff work hard throughout the year arranging events and
we ask that all parents support these events and help in any way possible. All
monies raised directly benefit the children, through, for example new
equipment, quality resources and educational trips.
You may also be asked to help with Village Hall Fundraisers as all groups using
the hall are expected to participate in its upkeep.

ROTA DUTIES
1. Parents on duty please arrive no later than 9.05 am to help with setting up
   and any other preparations. Take an antibacterial wipe round sink and
   toilet.
2. Fill sink in toilet with water, half fill basins with water and liquid soap and
   put out at painting and sandpit. Fill up clean container with water for the
   portable sink and make sure the dirty container is empty, make sure there
   are enough paper towels in all the hand washing areas.
3. Prepare snack. Supervising snack area, encouraging the children to be
   independent i.e. pouring own drink, spreading, serving etc. Ensure children
   wash their hand and post their name before sitting at the table. (See snack
   procedure in kitchen.)
4. Clearing away snack and washing cups and plates.
5. Washing paint pots, brushes and glue pots.
6. Reading with children in the story corner if time permits.
7. Tidying toys, tables and activities at group time. This involves putting
   things in relevant boxes and stacking everything at the store cupboard
   door for the practitioners to put away.
8. Taking any cloths and towels home to wash as we use our own towels.
   Empty all bins and take to outdoor bin.
9. Going on visits in the local area with the playleader and small group of
   children

Please ask any of the practitioners to deal with any toilet accidents or injuries,
as they are all trained to deal with these.
Likewise if there are any inappropriate behavior incidents they are trained to
deal with these situations.
Hopefully you will enjoy spending time with the children, if you are not sure
about anything just ask, or sit down at an activity and I can guarantee you will
have children joining you in no time at all.

THE CURRICULUM
Letham Playgroup is delivering the Curriculum for Excellence 3-18. This
curriculum provides explicit statements of the aims of education in Scotland,
concepts which have long been explicit. In summary, the purposes of education
are to enable all young people to become;
    Successful Learners
    Confident Individuals
    Responsible Citizens
    Effective Contributors
Learning through play is at the centre of the early year’s stage of this
curriculum, recognising that children learn better from first hand experiences.
Children will be given the opportunity to participate in a wide range of
activities geared towards the all round development of the individual child.
Encouraging independence and responsibility is the key to our playgroup. To
achieve this, the children are encouraged to make a broad choice of activities
from a well-resourced playroom, or from choosing from catalogue books of
resources.
Each area has been set up to allow the children to be as independent as
possible with everything needed to complete a task being available with in
reach. This organisation is paramount and aids all the positive learning
experiences which are fostered.
The children lead the planning and their needs are assessed by the staff
through systematic and regular observation taking into account the 8 key areas
for learning and development.
     Sciences
     Languages
     Mathematics
     Expressive arts
     Social subjects
     Technologies
     Health and Wellbeing
     Religious and moral education
MONITORING YOUR CHILD'S PROGRESS
Effective assessment means finding out about what children learn, do and feel.
This information is then used to plan the next steps in their individual learning
process. A range of approaches are used to assess how playgroup children are
progressing. Parents and children will be actively involved in the process.

Each child's progress is reported informally to parents at contact time’s e.g.
when bringing and collecting your child. More formal parent's meetings will be
offered and Children's reports will be shared with parents at these meetings. A
copy will also be sent to your child's school in due course.

POLICIES
The playgroup operates to a range of policies relating to children's welfare and
the curriculum.

These policies along with others include:-
 Health and Safety
 Equal Opportunities
 Child Protection
 Behavioral
 Special needs
 Curriculum for Excellence

These policies offer guidance to staff and committee and information to
parents. Please try to take some time to read them.
Please consult with the staff or a committee member if you require further
information.

If your child has a specific medical requirement or any allergies it is important
you discuss their individual needs with staff.

The curriculum policies are summarized below.

Expressive arts.
Experiences in the expressive arts involve creating and presenting and are
practical and experiential. Evaluating and appreciating are used to enhance
enjoyment and develop knowledge and understanding.
My learning in, through and about the expressive arts:
  enables me to experience the inspiration and power of the arts
  recognises and nurtures my creative and aesthetic talents
  allows me to develop skills and techniques that are relevant to specific art
   forms and across the four capacities
  provides opportunities for me to deepen my understanding of culture in
   Scotland and the wider world
  is enhanced and enriched through partnerships with professional arts
   companies, creative adults and cultural organisations.

Health and Wellbeing.
Learning in health and wellbeing ensures that children and young people
develop the knowledge and understanding, skills, capabilities and attributes
which they need for mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing now and
in the future.

Each establishment, working with partners, should take a holistic approach to
promoting health and wellbeing, one that takes account of the stage of growth,
development and maturity of each individual, and the social and community
context.

I can expect my learning environment to support me to:
   develop my self-awareness, self-worth and respect for others
   meet challenges, manage change and build relationships
   experience personal achievement and build my resilience and confidence
   understand and develop my physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing and
    social skills
   understand how what I eat, how active I am and how decisions I make about
    my behaviour and relationships affect my physical and mental wellbeing
   participate in a wide range of activities which promote a healthy lifestyle
   understand that adults in my school community have a responsibility to look
    after me, listen to my concerns and involve others where necessary
   learn about where to find help and resources to inform choices
   assess and manage risk and understand the impact of risk-taking behaviour
   reflect on my strengths and skills to help me make informed choices when
    planning my next steps
  acknowledge diversity and understand that it is everyone’s responsibility to
   challenge

Religious and Moral Education .
Learning through religious and moral education enables me to:
 recognise religion as an important expression of human experience
 learn about and from the beliefs, values, practices and traditions of
   Christianity and the world religions selected for study, other traditions and
   viewpoints independent of religious belief
 explore and develop knowledge and understanding of religions, recognising
   the place of Christianity in the Scottish context
 investigate and understand the responses which religious and non-religious
   views can offer to questions about the nature and meaning of life
 recognise and understand religious diversity and the importance of religion
   in society
 develop respect for others and an understanding of beliefs and practices
   which are different from my own
 explore and establish values such as wisdom, justice, compassion and
   integrity and engage in the development of and reflection upon my own
   moral values
 develop my beliefs, attitudes, values and practices through reflection,
   discovery and critical evaluation
 develop the skills of reflection, discernment, critical thinking and deciding
   how to act when making moral decisions
 make a positive difference to the world by putting my beliefs and values into
   action
 establish a firm foundation for lifelong learning, further learning and adult
   life.

Sciences .
The sciences framework provides a range of different contexts for learning
which draw on important aspects of everyday life and work.

Learning in the sciences will enable me to:
 develop curiosity and understanding of the environment and my place in
    the living, material and physical world
   demonstrate a secure knowledge and understanding of the big ideas and
    concepts of the sciences
   develop skills for learning, life and work
   develop the skills of scientific inquiry and investigation using practical
    techniques
   develop skills in the accurate use of scientific language, formulae and
    equations
   apply safety measures and take necessary actions to control risk and
    hazards
   recognise the impact the sciences make on my life, the lives of others, the
    environment and on society
   recognise the role of creativity and inventiveness in the development of the
    sciences
   develop an understanding of the Earth’s resources and the need for
    responsible use of them
   express opinions and make decisions on social, moral, ethical, economic
    and environmental issues based upon sound understanding
   develop as a scientifically-literate citizen with a lifelong interest in the
    sciences
   Establish the foundation for more advanced learning and future careers in
    the sciences and the technologies.


Social Studies.
Learning in the social studies will enable me to:
 develop my understanding of the history, heritage and culture of Scotland,
    and an appreciation of my local and national heritage within the world
 broaden my understanding of the world by learning about human activities
    and achievements in the past and present
 develop my understanding of my own values, beliefs and cultures and those
    of others
 develop my understanding of the principles of democracy and citizenship
    through experience of critical and independent thinking
 explore and evaluate different types of sources and evidence
 learn how to locate, explore and link periods, people and events in time and
    place
   learn how to locate, explore and link features and places locally and further
    afield
   engage in activities which encourage enterprising attitudes
   develop an understanding of concepts that stimulate enterprise and
    influence business
   establish firm foundations for lifelong learning and for further specialised
    study and careers.


Technologies.
The technologies framework provides a range of different contexts for learning
that draw on important aspects of everyday life and work.

It includes creative, practical and work-related experiences and outcomes in
business, computing science, food, textiles, craft, design, engineering, graphics
and applied technologies.

Learning in the technologies enables me to:
 develop an understanding of the role and impact of technologies in changing
  and influencing societies
 contribute to building a better world by taking responsible, ethical actions to
  improve my life, the lives of others and the environment
 gain the confidence and skills to embrace and use technologies now and in
  the future, at home, at work and in the wider community
 become an informed consumer and producer who has an appreciation of the
  merits and impacts of products and services
 be capable of making reasoned choices relating to the environment,
  sustainable development and ethical, economic and cultural issues
 broaden my understanding of the role that information and communications
  technology (ICT) has in Scotland and in the global community
 broaden my awareness of how ideas in mathematics and science are used in
  engineering and the technologies
 experience work-related learning, and establish firm foundations for lifelong
  learning, and specialised study and careers.
Literacy and English.
The development of literacy skills plays an important role in all learning.

I develop and extend my literacy skills when I have opportunities to:
 communicate, collaborate and build relationships
 reflect on and explain my literacy and thinking skills, using feedback to help
    me improve and sensitively provide useful feedback for others
 engage with and create a wide range of texts in different media, taking
    advantage of the opportunities offered by ICT
 develop my understanding of what is special, vibrant and valuable about my
    own and other cultures and their languages
 explore the richness and diversity of language, how it can affect me, and
    the wide range of ways in which I and others can be creative
 extend and enrich my vocabulary through listening, talking, watching and
    reading.

Numeracy and Mathematics.
My learning in mathematics enables me to:
 develop a secure understanding of the concepts, principles and processes of
  mathematics and apply these in different contexts, including the world of
  work
 engage with more abstract mathematical concepts and develop important
  new kinds of thinking.
 understand the application of mathematics, its impact on our society past
  and present, and its potential for the future
 develop essential numeracy skills which will allow me to participate fully in
  society
 establish firm foundations for further specialist learning
 understand that successful independent living requires financial awareness,
  effective money management, using schedules and other related skills.
 interpret numerical information appropriately and use it to draw conclusions,
  assess risk, and make reasoned evaluations and informed decisions
 apply skills and understanding creatively and logically to solve problems,
  within a variety of contexts
 appreciate how the imaginative and effective use of technologies can
  enhance the development of skills and concepts.
Physical development and movement
 enjoying active play and becoming confident in movement
 energetic activity indoors and outdoors
 developing skills like running, climbing, throwing and catching
 learning to make delicate movements with fingers and hands, for example
  doing jigsaws, fastening zips or using small tools
 becoming aware of the importance of health and fitness.

ADMISSIONS POLICY -
Children are accepted on the waiting list at the age of two years. Places at
playgroup are allocated in waiting list order under the following priorities.

PRIORITY 1 -   Children in their preschool year living in Letham, and require
               their funding at Letham Playgroup.
PRIORITY 2 -   Children aged 30 months to 4 years, living in the Letham area,
               available places allocated on an age basis and require their
               funding at Letham Playgroup.
PRIORITY 3 -   Children in their pre-school year living out with Letham area
               and require their funding at Letham Playgroup.
PRIORITY 4 -   Children aged 30 months to 4 years, living out with the Letham
               area and require their funding at Letham Playgroup.
PRIORITY 5 -   Children who have a funded place elsewhere. Children will be
               accepted on an age basis with the understanding that the
               numbers of sessions per week which can be offered may have
               to be altered. This would happen if a child in category 1 or 2
               comes onto the waiting list. This change would not be
               implemented before consultation between parents, staff and
               committee.

Children identified and referred to the group as having a particular need may
also be given priority over the waiting list.
Time on the waiting list does not guarantee a playgroup place.
A full copy of the adopted policy is available for perusal in the policy folder.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Due to the above policy, we request that Rota mums do not carry more than
four (4) chairs at any one time. Likewise, no attempt should be made to lift
heavy play equipment without assistance.
Letham Playgroup will accept no responsibility for injuries sustained if the
above rules are not adhered to.

FIRE DRILL
Should the fire alarm sound during playgroup, you should assist the
Manager/staff who is assembling the children at the appropriate fire exit. The
fire drill procedure is detailed on the rear of the playgroup door.

Please do not hesitate to ask staff or committee any questions you have.

LUNCH CLUB
A lunch club may be available for your child running between 11.45 and 12.45
Children can be picked up or dropped off at school nursery. The cost is £4 per
session. See manager for day’s club is running.