Admissions...

Playlanders has no specific catchment area, and no admission criteria other than age. We are happy to accept children with Individual Needs, and of any ethnic background or religious belief.

Children are usually admitted (if we have space) from the age of 2 years or over, depending on the child’s readiness and family preferences.

Children are listed by date of registration, with the oldest children usually being accepted first in order to give them some pre-school experience before admission to Primary School, although each case is considered individually. Priority will be given to children whose families have previously had children attend, and priority may be given to children with individual needs.

Children are normally admitted in September, November or January. If places become available at other times then they will be offered to the next person in order on the list.

A place will normally be offered for three mornings a week, although we will consider a child attending just two mornings if parents prefer. The older children have the option of also taking Lunch Club and one or two afternoons. We are sometimes able to offer a third afternoon, depending on numbers and the availability of the premises, but this changes on a termly basis, so please check.

Normally you will be offered a number of opportunities to visit for short periods with your child before they take up the place offered. We also suggest that you stay with your child for a minimum of 2 sessions when they begin to attend.

We recommend that you put your child’s name on the Waiting List as soon as possible. This does not commit you to accepting a place when it is offered – you can always change your mind later!

Lunch Club...

Lunch Club is available to children from sometime during the term after they start, depending on the child and how well they have settled, and the families preference. If you want your child to stay to Lunch Club then you should discuss it with their Key-worker, as some children are ready to cope with a longer day and eating in a different environment at this age, and some are not.

Lunch Club covers the period from 12.15 to 1 p.m. and children bring a packed lunch. We sit and eat together and it offers a good opportunity to practice social skills, talk about healthy food, and to develop independence, e.g. in opening your lunch, opening packets, managing a yoghurt etc. Staff and children chat and eat together, in a friendly atmosphere, and staff are always on hand to help a child who needs it, or to encourage them to eat.

We have a healthy eating policy, so lunches should NOT contain sweets, chocolate or fizzy drinks. We have a suggestions leaflet available if required, and staff are always happy to discuss individual dietary requirements. We try to establish good eating habits with the children, so that they are accustomed to eating sandwiches (or the equivalent), yoghurt and fruit before they eat cakes or crisps. We hope that if these habits are established then they will continue if they have packed lunches as they move on to school.

Food allergies are not a problem and we have clear, established protocols in place. We have regularly and successfully dealt with children in the past with a variety of allergies both serious and minor. All these children have attended Lunch Club and have never had any difficulties.

A small extra charge will be made if your child stays for Lunch Club but is not yet receiving Government funding...

Playgroup Plus...

Playgroup with a difference for children in their pre-school year.

Playgroup Plus includes Lunch club and two extra afternoon sessions per week, and is aimed at children in their pre-school year, but we will consider requests for 3 year olds to attend the afternoons if we feel that they are ready for the more focussed activities and longer day. We feel it is important to widen children’s life experiences, so try to give them a broad variety of play opportunities and include regular trips and visits to locations outside the Playgroup. We might go to Milton country park, a book shop, a café, buy ingredients on the market to make lunch, visit one of Cambridge’s many museums, go to the theatre, go punting on the river, or for a train ride. You can read more about one of our trips here. The overall aim is to give the children as wide an experience as possible, preparing them for their transition to school.

To give the child the best possible start to their schooling each child has an individually tailored curriculum involving pre-reading and writing skills, maths, science, fine motor skills, and lots of physical activity. All these aim to give the child fun ways to learn skills that will enable them to be ahead of the class at school. Playgroup…..Plus.

For further details please contact Susan.