Croft Playgroup is open from 8am until 4pm.
Our core sessions operate between the hours of 9am and 3pm. We offer morning sessions from 9am to 12pm, afternoon sessions from 12pm to 3pm or all day sessions from 9am to 3pm.
There is an early breakfast club session which starts at 8am and an after-playgroup club which runs from 3pm until 4pm Monday to Thursday. These sessions are chargeable unless you are eligible for 30 hour funding.
We are open during term time only.
Croft Playgroup is a preschool for children from 2.5 years old to attend before they start school.
Each child receives government funding from the term after their 3rd birthday. Children can start as soon as they are 3, however parents/carers would need to pay for their sessions for the first term.
We do not have a uniform so that you and your children are free to choose whatever feels best. We do have 'Croft Playgroup' t-shirts which some of the children enjoy wearing. You are welcome to purchase these from us at Reception.
We know that play is the most vital part of children's development in their earliest years and at Croft playgroup it is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that play helps both the child and the parent whilst underpinning attachment.
Play helps your child to:
Play Helps you as parents to:
You can help support your child's development at home by playing with, listening to and communicating with your child. All the fun activities that you do with your child at home are important in supporting their learning and development, and have a really long lasting effect on your child's learning as they progress through school. Even when your child is very young and is not yet able to talk, talking to them helps them to learn and understand new words and ideas. If you make the time every day to do some of the following things with your child it will make a real difference to your child's confidence as a young learner.
Croft Playgroup is an independent preschool. We work closely with our local schools but are not part of any school or organisation.
This is a subject that often causes confusion but unfortunately the preschool your child attends does not affect the school your child goes to.
All applications for primary school are dealt with by Swindon Borough Council and decisions are made entirely on the catchment criteria of the chosen school. It is largely to do with wear you live.
Please pop in for a chat if you still have questions or concerns about this.
We generally expect that most children over the age of 3 will be toilet trained by the time they start playgroup. However, this is not always the case, and we would never turn anyone away who needed extra help. Whilst we encourage independence in using the toilet we are more than happy to help children and always ensure that several members of staff are available to support them and remind them to wash their hands etc.
Our toilets have been freshly equipped with nappy changing facilities for our youngest children to access. They are at child height so that they are easily accessible for both child and adult.
Yes. When your child starts at Croft Playgroup, one of our staff members will be assigned as your child's key worker. They will be responsible for your child's specific needs, encouraging and recording their development through the EYFS curriculum.
