Sale and Davys Playgroup

An allotment, local alpacas and a village hall give Sale and Davys Playgroup a recognisable character. This charity-run setting in Barrow-On-Trent combines play indoors with opportunities to explore the village. It accepts children from two years old and has 26 places in total, making the whole-setting capacity a useful starting point for families considering its scale.

Ofsted rated the playgroup Good at its 17 January 2023 inspection. The detail behind that judgement matters: practical independence, conversation and physical play were prominent, alongside improvement points about individual learning priorities and challenge for the most able children. Those findings describe January 2023 rather than today's daily practice.

Attendance is term-time, with morning, afternoon, morning-with-lunch and full-day options. The strongest fit is for families seeking preschool care within the school-term calendar, with a choice between shorter sessions and a day that includes lunch.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes the sessions through child-chosen play and activities guided by adults. For parents, that means learning is woven into what children do, rather than confined to formal teaching: choosing an activity and taking part with others both have a place. This is the required early-years framework, rather than an extra programme unique to the playgroup.

In January 2023, children used puppets and movements alongside familiar songs, while dough activities involved stretching, rolling and poking. These are concrete examples of language and hand control being practised through play. Children also responded to a bell signal during the daily routine, giving the day a shared structure alongside their own choices.

The Colour Monster featured in story time in January 2023, with cushions and teddies accompanying the reading. Staff also used descriptions of clothing colours in a guessing activity. Books, conversation and games therefore sat alongside each other, rather than language work being limited to listening to a story.

The important qualification concerns how adults extended learning. In January 2023, opportunities to investigate an icy puddle and solve the problem of a steep ramp were missed. Planning also sometimes moved towards complex tasks before a child's more immediate needs had been addressed. Families should distinguish a busy day of activities from a day in which each child receives the right next challenge.

Outdoor and Community Life

The playgroup has access to its own allotment and opportunities to see alpacas locally. These give village exploration a concrete purpose: children can encounter growing plants and animals beyond the hall. The offer is rooted in the surrounding community, rather than depending entirely on indoor resources.

In January 2023, children helped grow pumpkins and tomatoes at the allotment. Outdoor physical play included balancing using crates, tyres and planks, with arms extended to help steady themselves. Group dancing added another way to move. Together, those examples show how gardening, balance and music contributed different kinds of activity during that period.

Visits to the local school for concerts and sports day also formed part of children's experiences in January 2023. These were opportunities to encounter school life; they should be read as activities, rather than an admissions advantage.

A key worker is allocated when a child starts, giving families a particular member of staff connected with their child's care. A free settling session follows completion of the joining paperwork. That provides an initial opportunity to become familiar with the setting before regular attendance begins.

Weekly observations are recorded using Tapestry, the online platform through which the playgroup documents children's experiences. This gives the key-worker arrangement a practical reporting mechanism. In January 2023, communication also involved conversations, emails and online messages, including advice about speech, toilet training and the move to school.

Children can start before they are toilet trained. Staff work alongside parents and guardians during toilet training so that home and playgroup can use a consistent approach. Families bring nappies and wipes where needed, as well as spare clothing and any comforter their child uses.

At its January 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, with staff able to recognise and report concerns, safety checks in place and controlled access for visitors. Current arrangements include staff DBS checks, paediatric first-aid training and regular safeguarding training; those arrangements are separate from the dated effectiveness judgement.

In January 2023, adults reassured less-confident children and helped younger children talk about feelings during disagreements. However, some quieter older children needed more help to participate. The practical issue for a parent is how staff notice a child who hangs back, as well as how they respond to one who actively seeks support.

Morning snacks include vegetables or fruit alongside a bread option or cereal, while the afternoon snack is fruit. Families supply packed lunches; lunch club brings staff and children together at tables for conversation, followed by stories once eating is finished.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Village Hall, Twyford Road, Barrow-On-Trent, DE73 7HA. Opening hours are 9am to 1pm on Monday and 9am to 4pm from Tuesday to Friday. Attendance follows Derbyshire county council term dates, with inset-day information communicated to families.

Morning sessions run from 9am to midday, afternoon sessions from 1pm to 4pm, and mornings with lunch from 9am to 1pm. A full day runs from 9am to 4pm. The Monday opening window ends at 1pm, so the later patterns fit the Tuesday-to-Friday opening hours.

The minimum booking is two sessions each week. Changes to sessions require two weeks' notice and agreement, subject to the playgroup being able to accommodate them. This matters for families whose work schedule changes: shorter patterns are offered, but alterations still need planning.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form, email or WhatsApp. A showround is arranged after an enquiry, followed by paperwork and the settling session. The sequence gives families a defined route from initial contact to starting.

Funding and Paid Extras

The playgroup accepts 2 year and 3 year funding, and families using a funding code are responsible for renewing it. Its attendance calendar remains term-time. Private sessions are also offered; current prices come in the playgroup's written quotation, with further payment information on its fees page.

A voluntary consumable charge applies per funded hour. Separately, parents supply nappies and wipes when their child needs them, and provide lunch for children staying to eat. Those supplies and the funded-hours consumable charge need to be considered alongside the booked childcare pattern.

• Individual challenge. In January 2023, next-step planning needed clearer links to the prime areas of learning and each child's individual needs, and the most able children needed greater challenge. At a visit, ask how staff now choose each child's next steps and extend an activity when a child is ready for more.
• Quieter children. Some older children who were less forthcoming needed more support to join activities in January 2023. Ask how the key worker helps a child who prefers to watch before participating.
• Term-time planning. Monday finishes at 1pm, while the other weekdays extend to 4pm, and bookings require at least two sessions weekly. Match those patterns and the holiday calendar against the care your family needs.
• Funding and supplies. Funded hours carry a voluntary consumable charge, while packed lunches, nappies and wipes come from home. Ask how those arrangements apply to your proposed booking in the written quotation.

Sale and Davys Playgroup suits families seeking either shorter morning or afternoon sessions, mornings that include lunch, or full days during term time. Its allotment, village exploration and key-worker arrangement give parents concrete reasons to consider it.

The January 2023 findings also give the decision useful balance. Everyday independence and practical activities were evident, but individual planning and challenge required attention. For families weighing this setting, the central question is how those familiar experiences are now adapted to their own child's confidence and learning needs.