Glaisdale Playgroup

A woodwork bench, free-flow outdoor play and a self-contained base within Glaisdale Primary School’s grounds give Glaisdale Playgroup a practical, hands-on character. Children can move between indoor resources and an outdoor space designed for learning as well as movement. This is a rural playgroup where making, exploring and choosing activities shape the day.

At its February 2024 inspection, Ofsted judged the provision Good, found safeguarding effective and reported good progress, including for children needing additional support. There are 21 places in total. The playgroup welcomes children from birth to five, with an accompanying adult required below 18 months; older children can attend independently.

Parent involvement extends beyond conversations about progress. A committee drawn from families and the community governs the charity, and parents can volunteer during sessions. That gives families a practical role in sustaining the setting, alongside their child’s attendance.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage covers children’s learning through play, including language, movement, relationships, early literacy and mathematics. Glaisdale’s planning in the moment approach works within that framework: children choose resources and activities, while practitioners use interactions to extend what they are learning. Their interests help determine the next step rather than simply filling a predetermined activity slot.

The classroom supports different kinds of play. A book corner provides space for stories, while the woodwork bench introduces making with tools; construction resources and opportunities for mark-making sit alongside pretend play. These are useful choices for children whose interests move between building, storytelling and experimenting with materials.

As children grow older, small-group activities introduce early phonics and maths. Group stories and songs take place daily, giving language and listening a regular place alongside independently chosen play. The balance matters: choosing an activity and joining a shared experience ask children to practise different skills.

In February 2024, children counted playdough creations and considered the bricks needed for their building projects. Mathematical vocabulary was part of play rather than confined to a separate exercise. At the woodwork bench, children practised using protective goggles and gloves, with some later carrying that safety habit into pretend play.

Outdoor and Community Life

The outdoor area allows children to move freely between inside and outside. A sand pit, sensory area and playhouses support exploration and imaginative play, while space for cycling, climbing and running gives larger movements their own place. Outdoor learning is therefore more than a break between classroom activities.

In February 2024, children practised balancing and climbing, steered wheeled toys with care and explored the textures and smells of plants. These experiences connected physical movement with learning to manage tools, notice details and consider other children sharing the space. The rural surroundings were an active part of their learning.

Relationships and Communication

Emotional development is a central part of the playgroup’s approach. Key workers exchange information with parents about children’s interests and progress, helping connect home experiences with learning at playgroup. Family photographs can also be displayed on a family board, giving children a visible connection to important experiences beyond the setting.

In February 2024, some families used stay-and-play before their children attended independently. Staff knew families well, and children were comfortable with their surroundings and relationships. For younger children, accompanied attendance offers a different way to participate from being left for independent care.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Observations of individual children inform the resources, activities and support planned for them. The Two Year Old Progress Check brings parents into a written review of development, identifying strengths and areas that may need further help once a child has settled. It provides a specific point for discussing development rather than relying solely on informal updates.

Makaton, a way of using signs to support expression, featured in children’s language learning in February 2024. Stories, rhymes and discussion about plants also encouraged children to use words for what they noticed. During that month, staff supported handwashing, toileting and other everyday habits that helped children become more independent.

The February 2024 inspection also identified two improvements: understanding the causes of occasional unsettled behaviour more thoroughly, and pursuing external developmental support and collaboration with parents more actively. Those findings qualify the positive picture. Families whose children need additional help should pay close attention to how support is coordinated.

Sessions and Attendance

The playgroup operates at Glaisdale Primary School, Glaisdale, Whitby, YO21 2PZ. It opens during school term time on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 7.30am to 3.15pm. Those days and hours are important for families matching childcare to work or other commitments.

Children below 18 months attend with an adult; unaccompanied attendance starts at 18 months. Contact is possible through the enquiry form, by telephone or by email. The same setting therefore serves families joining in with a baby and families arranging independent attendance for an older child.

Funding and Paid Extras

The playgroup offers the 15-hour funded entitlement and accepts 30-hour funding for eligible families. The universal entitlement for three- and four-year-olds begins in the term following their third birthday; the working-parent offer has eligibility conditions. Fee-paying attendance is also offered for children without funding and for time beyond their funded entitlement.

Funded attendance carries a separate consumables charge. Snacks are included in the childcare fee, while lunches supplied by Glaisdale Primary School are charged separately. Families should obtain a current written quotation showing the charges relevant to their attendance, with funded hours and additional paid time kept clear; the funding and fees information explains the charging structure.

Moving on to School

The playgroup describes close links with local primary schools, including regular visits by school staff to get to know children before transition. Its position within school grounds gives this preparation a practical context. Attending the playgroup does not guarantee a Reception place: families still apply through the local authority’s admissions process.

• Term-time timetable. Opening is confined to four named weekdays, with Tuesday outside that pattern. Consider whether this fits the whole working week and school holidays.
• Accompanied early attendance. Children under 18 months need an adult alongside them. At a visit, discuss how the move to independent attendance is managed for your child.
• Developmental support and behaviour. The February 2024 improvement points concerned external help and occasional unsettled periods. Ask how practitioners now coordinate support with parents and respond when children find the day difficult.
• Parent participation. Committee involvement and session volunteering are part of this charity’s model. Consider how your family could contribute alongside using its childcare.

Glaisdale Playgroup suits families seeking term-time attendance, practical play and substantial outdoor learning, with options for accompanied babies and independently attending older children. The classroom resources and outdoor space give children several ways to follow an interest, while key-worker communication connects those experiences with home.

The Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, but the developmental-support and behaviour improvement points deserve attention. Its appeal is clearest for families whose timetable matches the opening days and who value participating in a parent-supported playgroup.