Memorial Hall Playgroup

In December 2023, toy-car races, porridge-oat play and fruit cutting illustrated Memorial Hall Playgroup's practical, hands-on approach to learning. Based at the Memorial Hall in Glenfield, it has capacity for 28 children. Its offer is for children aged two to five.

At its December 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the playgroup Good, while identifying two priorities: extending children's learning during activities and giving them more opportunities to manage tasks independently. Those priorities matter alongside the positive examples of conversation, physical play and shared activity. The question is how consistently adults turn an enjoyable activity into a useful next step for each child.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and everyday tasks help children develop skills together rather than treating learning as separate lessons.

In December 2023, a story about bears became an opportunity to recall characters and practise vocabulary. Scooping oats and transferring them into pans brought small hand movements into the same activity. These are useful combinations: children have something concrete to handle and something specific to talk about.

Toy cars and a ramp gave children a reason to predict which vehicle would win. Comparing a prediction with what actually happened introduced problem-solving through play. Sand play also involved taking turns, making shared equipment a chance to practise patience and cooperation.

The limits were clearest in a counting-and-sorting activity that December. Children lost interest when adults did not extend the task sufficiently. Enjoyment alone was not enough; the next challenge needed to match what children could already do. This is a useful distinction for parents weighing the playgroup's educational offer.

Outdoor and Physical Play

In December 2023, sports coaching involved running on the spot and following movement instructions, giving children practice with balance, coordination and larger movements. Fresh air and exercise were part of the daily routine. Balancing equipment offered another physical challenge, although adults sometimes held children's hands too readily, reducing opportunities to try for themselves.

Relationships and Communication

Each staff member takes responsibility for their key children, giving families a particular practitioner to build a relationship with. Team members hold paediatric first aid certificates and have DBS checks. These are concrete care arrangements rather than a substitute for an inspection judgement.

In December 2023, familiar routines and the key-person arrangement helped children settle. Parents received updates about progress and contributed through conversations with their child's key person. That exchange connected what happened at playgroup with what families noticed at home.

Staffing at that time comprised six people, five with level 3 early-years qualifications. The team received supervision to support its work. These figures describe the team in December 2023, rather than a current staffing promise.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At its December 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and judged support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities positively, with a SENCO coordinating targeted plans with external agencies and children making good progress. The practical mechanism was individual planning with outside help, rather than relying solely on the ordinary activity programme.

In December 2023, children practised cutting fruit and pouring milk at snack time. Toothbrushes and a doll made dental care something they could rehearse through play. Independence was less consistent elsewhere: adults sometimes marked children's pictures for them instead of letting them attempt it. The improvement priority therefore concerned everyday adult habits as much as planned activities.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours vary across the week: Monday runs from 8.30am to noon, Wednesday and Friday from 8.30am to 1.30pm, and Tuesday and Thursday from 8.30am to 3.30pm. This makes the day of attendance a material part of family planning; the same collection time will not work throughout the week.

In December 2023, the playgroup operated during term time only. That dated operating pattern is relevant for families comparing its rhythm with care needed during school holidays.

Getting There

The address is Memorial Hall, Stamford Street, Glenfield, LE3 8DL. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 07901 833189 or through the contact form.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded sessions are offered for eligible two-year-olds and all three- and four-year-olds. The eligibility condition for younger children matters: the offer does not mean that every two-year-old qualifies.

• Challenge during play. In December 2023, a counting-and-sorting task did not stretch children enough to sustain their attention. Look for how practitioners adapt an activity when a child is ready for more.
• Independence in small tasks. The December 2023 improvement priorities included letting children do more for themselves. Balancing and marking their own pictures are useful examples to discuss during a visit.
• Attendance across the week. Monday closes at noon, while Tuesday and Thursday run until 3.30pm. When visiting, ask which booking patterns and term-time arrangements would fit your family's week.

Memorial Hall Playgroup suits families seeking hands-on early learning, a key-person relationship and a week shaped by differing daily opening hours. Story conversation, prediction games and practical self-care give its December 2023 account substance. The balance to weigh is equally concrete: children need adults who both extend their thinking and leave them room to attempt things independently.