Peter Pan Playgroup

A village hall, a parent committee and a workshop-style approach give Peter Pan Playgroup its character. This community-run charity in Copthorne welcomes children from two years until school age, with play organised around choice and growing independence. It has 26 places in total.

At its January 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated Peter Pan Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) were generally supported well in their learning. Communication was a central teaching priority, with books and discussion giving children opportunities to contribute their ideas.

Attendance is term-time only, with morning sessions, a Lunch Club and afternoon sessions for children over three. The important distinction is between the playgroup's community character and its booking commitments: parents can participate in its running, while booked sessions follow firm rules on absence, changes and notice.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the educational framework: children develop language, physical skills, relationships and early understanding of reading and mathematics through play. Peter Pan's workshop arrangement gives children choices within that framework, rather than organising the day solely around adult-led tasks. Independence is part of the daily offer.

Communication threads through the curriculum. Children have opportunities to speak with adults and one another, while books, written materials and links between letters and sounds introduce literacy. Mathematics uses children's interests to explore counting, shape and measurement. These are practical beginnings: talking, handling materials and investigating ideas come before formal schoolwork.

The curriculum overview covers expression through art, role-play, movement, dance and music, alongside exploration of people, places, technology, the environment and other communities.

In January 2025, children chose books independently and discussed favourite characters with friends. Practical activities included rolling and pressing dough, handling scissors and knives with guidance, and moving water and tea leaves between containers using large spoons. Those examples give a concrete picture of the teaching: conversation, coordination and hand control were developed through things children could do for themselves.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor play takes place in a separate garden reached across a small access road. Children therefore move between the hall and garden with staff assistance and supervision, rather than choosing freely between indoors and outdoors. That physical arrangement matters for families who value unrestricted outdoor access.

The garden is level and reached by a ramp; outdoor time is offered during most sessions. In January 2025, ride-on toys formed part of children's outdoor play. Families supply suitable clothing for the weather, including wet-weather footwear or sun hats and sun cream as appropriate, so participation depends partly on what comes from home.

Relationships and Communication

Every child has a key person who oversees their learning and keeps parents involved. A Learning Journal gathers observations, and its Individual Progress Review tracks development within the educational framework. Next steps are discussed with families, giving parents something specific to work on with their child rather than a general account of the day.

Parents can discuss concerns around sessions or by appointment. Shared learning plans, play plans and, where needed, a home/setting book connect learning with home. A termly newsletter and annual questionnaire keep families informed and invite feedback.

Settling starts before children attend independently. Families on the waiting list can join stay and play, taking part in activities while remaining responsible for their own child. Morning participation is capped at two visiting children, with a maximum of eight such sessions per child. Children get to know the staff and routine gradually.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The key person works with an inclusion officer, parents and outside agencies when extra support is needed. Targeted setting support can provide access to speech and language therapy, Portage, educational psychology and physiotherapy. Individual support and small-group teaching are among the mechanisms used; decisions about support involve families and relevant professionals, with plans reviewed after they are introduced.

Physical access is also concrete. The hall is at ground level and wheelchair accessible, with space that can be arranged around tables and floor activities. Adult-sized toilets have steps and toddler seats. Visual timetables and photographs help explain routines, while multilingual posters support children learning English as an additional language. Say it and Sign it brings sign language into everyday use.

In January 2025, staff prepared children for changes such as outdoor time and lunch, and used extra resources and strategies when children struggled with their emotions. Older children took on responsibilities such as helping at lunchtime. Predictable routines and manageable jobs gave children practical ways to participate in the group.

Moving towards school includes an Explorer session for children approaching that change, with Reception teachers invited to meet them. School visits take place where possible, additional visits can support children who need them, and information about children's development is shared with Reception staff. This is preparation for a new setting, rather than an admissions advantage.

Sessions and Attendance

Peter Pan operates from Copthorne Village Hall, Copthorne Bank, Copthorne, West Sussex RH10 3RE. Morning sessions run from 9am to noon or 9.15am to 12.15pm. Lunch Club extends the morning until 1pm or 1.15pm respectively. Children over three can attend afternoon sessions from noon to 3pm or 12.15pm to 3.15pm, and can combine morning and afternoon attendance.

Late collection extends to 3.30pm and carries a separate charge. Early drop-off is also offered, with its start time a point to settle before booking. The attendance model follows school terms, so families needing holiday childcare will need a separate arrangement.

Joining begins with an application form returned by post or to the village hall during playgroup hours. The contact form, email and telephone provide enquiry routes. For starts after September, the terms set out a waiting-list process, with contact four to six weeks before the intended start to establish the date and sessions offered. Starts at or after Easter must be deferred until the following school year.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes the working-parent entitlement of up to 30 hours weekly and universal funding for three- and four-year-olds. Lunch Club can count within the 15/30 hours of funded education; early drop-off, late collection and paid stay and play are excluded from that entitlement. Delivery is term-time, alongside privately paid sessions. Current prices come in the playgroup's written quotation; the fees page explains the charge categories.

Lunch Club families provide a healthy packed lunch and a drink in a labelled container, including when using funded hours. Parents also provide sun cream for hot weather, so that item is supplied from home rather than included as a consumable.

A deposit is taken with the registration form, except for children eligible for the two-year Free Entitlement, and is credited against the first term's fees. Invoices are issued each half term. Withdrawal requires half a term's written notice, with fees charged instead if that notice is not given; illness and holidays during term also remain payable, and missed sessions cannot be replaced or exchanged.

• Individual teaching. The January 2025 improvement priorities were more precise planning for each child's learning needs and more consistent adult interaction to take learning further. During a visit, ask how staff now translate an identified next step into an activity and sustain their involvement.
• Outdoor access. A small road separates the hall and garden, so outdoor movement is supervised rather than free-flow. Consider whether that arrangement matches how you want your child to use outdoor space.
• Attendance commitments. Afternoon sessions are for children over three, while missed sessions cannot be swapped or made up. Match those rules, term-time operation and the half-term notice requirement to your working pattern.
• Early drop-off. The home page gives an 8.45am start, while the About Us information gives 8.30am. Confirm the agreed start time before relying on the service for work.

Peter Pan suits families seeking morning playgroup attendance, mornings extended by Lunch Club, or combined morning and afternoon sessions for children over three. Its appeal lies in the parent-run village-hall setting, opportunities for independent play and practical links between families, key people and school transition. The garden arrangement and firm attendance terms deserve attention. So do the January 2025 teaching priorities: the Good judgement sits alongside specific work to make individual learning more consistent.