Open Day
Keep an eye on our Facebook page for our next open day.
Alternatively make an appointment for you and your child to visit the setting at any time.
Little Sunbeam's aims to create a "home from home" feel for your child while encouraging learning through play. We have skilled and experienced staff who are enthusiastic about working with children.
The staff and parent's management committee feel that being involved in Little Sunbeam's is a rewarding way of building a strong sense of community.
Full Time Places
We provide PESP funded places to children in their preschool year.
They will attend the playgroup 5 days a week from 9.00am to 11.45am.
Part Time Places
We also offer part time places to children from the age of 3 years once toilet trained.
We usually offer 2 or more sessions per week depending on availability from 9.00/9.10am to 11.45am.
Fees
Part time fees are £12 per session billed monthly. Subject to annual review
Childcare vouchers are accepted!
Settling In
We endeavour to make the settling in process a positive experience for the children and we will work in partnership with parents/carers to ensure this is achieved.
More about settling in...
We recognise that in some cases there may be particular difficulties experienced by children, parents/carers, and staff during the settling in period.
Parents/carers are encouraged to provide staff with information on their child’s likes/dislikes, interests, achievements etc.
All children are individuals, and we plan to meet their individual needs and resolve any difficulties quickly and smoothly.
The playgroup will offer phased/staggered settling in if children are unsettled i.e., shorter sessions until child is totally settled.
Parents/carers are welcomed into the setting in order to settle their child if needed.
Some children are confident in coming in independently, others may need the support of their parent/carer
Staff will provide support and encouragement to parents/carers during the settling in period should the transition period be difficult.
Parents are encouraged to separate from their children for brief periods at first, gradually building up to longer absences
Parents/carers know their children best and will know if they will settle easily. If children are unsettled, we may contact you to lift your child early so as not to distress them and put them off playgroup.
More about our daily routine...
9.00-9.10 Free Play
9.10-9.20 Circle Time/Registration
9.20-10.20 Free Play Indoors
Break On going
10.15-10.20 5 Minute Warning
10.20-10.30 Tidy Up Time
10.30-11.15 Free Play Outdoors
11.15-11.30 Story Time/Rhyme Time
11.30-11.45 Table Top Activity
Children pick up between 11.30-11.45
Time table varies according to weather & opportunities for extended outdoor play.
Healthy Break
Provided for all children every day.
The children are encouraged in groups to visit the snack table and select from our food and drink selection, providing them opportunity to develop social skills and independence.
A variety of bread, crackers, cheese, fruit and yoghurts are on offer.
A weekly fee applies for the healthy break.
Healthy Teeth
We are part of the Dental programme and all children are provided with toothbrushes to use after their break.
Healthy Links
Links with parents are essential during your child’s first stage in to the world of education.
Some of the ways we try to achieve this include:
Open door policy for parents to speak with staff at start and finish times
Monthly newsletters and songs
Parent – preschool meetings twice a year
Open days twice a year
End of year concert and Fun day
Updates via Facebook and SeeSaw
Opportunities to become more involved in the Management Committee
Fundraising events and volunteering
Little Sunbeams Playgroup is a committed provider of equal opportunities; we support the local community by providing access to our setting regardless of religions, disability, linguistic needs, sexual orientations, gender or age.
Little Sunbeams Playgroup will ensure the setting is genuinely accessible to all children and families from all sections of the community.
“Settling in is an interim stage in the transition between home and the outside world. Children’s whole future, attitude to new experiences could be affected by how this whole situation is managed. Due care and attention must be paid to a child’s needs for time to settle into any new setting”. NIPPA (1996)
At little sunbeams pre-school & playgroup we aim to ensure children feel safe and secure in the absence of their parent/carers.