Could I set up a playgroup?

[ButterPie]

I've had an idea for a playgroup - basically we would have a letter as our theme each week, do some free play around that letter, and then all get together and do singing/dancing/games around that letter. Kind of pre reading skills, aimed at about 2yo upwards (maybe including home educated children of school age).

Does this sound mad, and if not, how would I do it? Obviously not looking to make money, just think it could be fun.

If you want advice on how to set up a playgroup then contact the Pre-shool Learning Alliance. They can help with insurance etc.

Personally, I would not go to a playgroup that aims to teach my LO. From 2 to 4, I'd rather they just played and had a good time. Don't get me wrong, I think you're intentions are great, but the EYFS takes care of the early years education and it has a much wider scope than just the alphabet.

It isn't just teaching the alphabet though, we would do physical activites, songs, crafts and other things based on that letter. The letter is just a loose theme really.

Butterpie - I would suggest maybe getting involved in an existing pre-school's committee and then deciding from there. You will then see just how much is involved in running a pre-school. There is 100 times more to it than I would ever have thought, I certainly wouldn't want to run one and all the paper-work that goes with it .......

Again, like cktwo, I think your intentions are good, but you appear to show a lack of knowledge about what is actually involved and how all consuming it can be.

I would maybe think about if you could do it as a group where the parents stay to be in charge of their own children. There would be considerably less paperwork, and it would be easier to get up and running. People could pay per half term, like tumbletots etc so you'd know how many people to expect, and you could arrange different activities each week.

Runoutofideas that was what I was thinking anyway. Just taking enough money to cover costs. Definitely more of a playgroup than a pre-school, mainly free play with a little bit of organised group singing or whatever at the end.

I've started a facebook group so we can all do something in that vein ourselves with our kids at home anyway.

I thought it would just be a case of hiring a hall and putting toys and activities out, sticking a few posters up, collecting in a quid or so per child and getting on with it. Obviously not, so I'll shelve the idea, at least for a while.

butterpie you would need to be qualified with NVQ3 too if you were running it and you would need to be registered with minimum care standards and would need a commitee etc.

You would also need insurane too

Is this really all needed? Just to put toys out in a room and sing some songs with some parents while the kids look baffled? (which is what tends to happen )

So. do the mums who take my cash then go back to having their brew while keeping half an eye on their kids all have NVQs? It's not like they are in charge of the kids.

you are talking about a toddler group, not a playgroup.

If parents stay, then a lot of the regulations do not count.

however, if you were hiring a hall and taking responsibility, you would be wise to have public liability insurance.

I've run toddler groups for years, at my church, covered by their insurance.

I now work at a pre-school, and do indeed have the nvq3, first aid, safeguarding.... that goes with the job!

so to answer you question - the mums who take your money at a toddler group may well not have NVQ3, but I expect they will have been crb'd

Are there any pre-schools in the area that you could join forces with? Our local one opens in the mornings as a pre-school in the village hall, then one afternoon a week puts on a toddler group run by Mums. Not sure how the insurance works, and there is a staff member present from the pre-school.

Would it be for children only or would parents bre present like a parent-toddler group?

If it is a parent-toddler group, you do not need an NVQ3, you do not even need to be ofsted registered but you do need:

• insurance (costs me about (£65/year)

• a place to run it

• a constitution (need two other people involved, at least on paper and if you open a bank account you will nee 3 signatures on checks)

• equal opportunity statement

• child protection policy

(those documents are needed essentially if you intend to ask for some sort of grant to fund you at5 least in the beginnning)

It is not very hard to start a toddlers group and as long as finances are ok but when the money is tight, it can be a lot of worries.

PandaG, I have not been CRB'd, headteacher of the school where I run mine assured me so but as we will change HT next month I will ask again to be sure.

gorionine - when I ws doing toddler groups at church, the churches child protection policy was to crb the leaders, I don't thin kit is a legal requirement, (yet!) but I think it is good practice. If your HT knows you and is happy that's fine - the toddlers I did was large - ran several mornings and lots of helpers, so those of us running it were crb'd. I have enough crbs to paper my loo!

I think it would be good practice too, hence why I has asked her and will ask again. My toddler group is quite small, only runs once a week and I do it by myself If I was to "employ" helpers/volunteers, I would have to CRB check them as it does state so on the child protection policy.

Do you get any money for yourself from it? I always when people suggest that I just "take the money and sit down to drink tea". In actual facts, I am giving one of my mornings time to the community, the money is to replace toys, pay the rent and insurance and there is most definitely none of it for my own use. I have very little time to play with my own DD there as I make a point to talk to all the mums and make sure they also get a bit of time/attention, not only their DCs.

Butterpie, if you are keen on getting involved with a toddler group/preschool setting, it is worth having a look at what is already existing in your area as there might not be a demand for another one but I am pretty sure the existing ones always need volunteers and new fresh ideas like yours.

Butterpie - this document might help
www.pre-school.org.uk/document/226

gorionine - no, I didn't get any money from the toddler group, was run out of the church I attend, and I volunteered to help run it, for several years while my children were small. As helpers I didn't pay the £1 or whatever it was to attend though.

like you, I always made sure I spent time talking to the newcomers, holding babies so mums could drink their tea, setting up and supervising the craft, leading the singing etc!

All money went to the church to pay for the insurance, unkeep, tea and coffee, craft materials, present from Father Christmas at Christmas party...

If you are leading a P/T or playgroup then in Wales (not so sure about England) you have to have an NVQ3. If you are a childminder in Wales and are registered you need to be registered you must have a minimum NVQ3.
You must also have an enhanced CRB

Hi Butterpie,
Try your local children centre as they maybe able to help you. If you become a volunteer they will help you to start up, pay for your hall and do your CRB check for you. I've been running my playgroup for a few months and I'm not NVQ qualified.
They also run first aid courses which I paid £5 for and you get a certificate. You will have to have the parents to be responsible for their own children.
Good idea with the letters, we do different themes based on a story we do - planting magic beans and colouring bean and the stalk pictures and beans as one of them
Good luck with it :-)