Croft Playgroup

Oak and Willow both open onto outdoor space, and children can move between indoor play and the garden throughout the day. That freedom gives Croft Playgroup its character: a charity-led preschool in Swindon where children’s interests shape the learning, rather than every activity beginning with an adult’s instruction.

At its May 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated Croft Good overall, with Outstanding leadership and management, and judged safeguarding effective. The setting has 48 places in total and accepts children from two and a half to five years old. Younger children joined the offer from September 2024, so the preschool now spans an earlier stage of family life than it did at that inspection.

Parents have several ways to participate, from termly key-person meetings to sharing family celebrations and joining the voluntary committee. This is a setting with practical opportunities for family involvement. Morning, afternoon and core-day sessions operate during term time, with breakfast and after-playgroup provision extending the day.

Rooms and Ages

Willow Room serves the younger stage, described as a room for two- and three-year-olds, while Oak is for three- and four-year-olds approaching their final year before school; both have direct access to outside space. The starting age remains two and a half. Room allocation takes account of children’s birthdays and the needs of the cohort, rather than treating a room label as an inflexible boundary.

Children select resources themselves and move between rooms and outdoor areas. Loose parts support imaginative play, while adults add equipment to extend developing interests.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the statutory framework, with play supporting communication, physical skills and independence. Alongside it, Planning in the Moment follows children’s interests: practitioners observe play and use questions and support to extend their thinking.

In May 2023, children experimenting with carrying water to the garden’s pretend café tried hands and funnels before choosing jugs. They had time to find their own solution.

Being Healthy explores care for mind and body through dental care, food, movement and health-professional visits. Circle time supports listening and new vocabulary, while the playgroup library lets children choose books to share.

Weekly Zumba and Indian dance carry separate charges. Marvellous Science comprises six charged summer-term sessions; other activity charges are communicated through Class Dojo.

Outdoor and Community Life

Climbing, balancing, digging, pushing and pulling give children different physical challenges outdoors. In June 2024, Woodwork Wednesday combined safety rules with making wooden creations using hammers, nails, drills and saws.

Dinky Ponies brings miniature-pony encounters: children brushed and petted ponies in February 2024, with another visit in December 2025. March 2024’s annual Sponsored Reading Event included Bert’s Books, children’s own stories and book-character costumes. Fancy dress was optional for World Book Week in the 2025–26 diary.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a key worker who supports individual needs and records development. Settling meetings and All about me forms gather home information to help tailor settling arrangements.

Termly key-worker meetings and accessible Learning Journals support discussion of progress. Class Dojo provides notices and weekly photographs, with alternative communication for families experiencing technical difficulties.

Bring a family member to playgroup day invites significant adults to join children’s play; Celebration of the nations day welcomes families’ religious, cultural and family traditions. A voluntary parent-and-carer committee handles policies, staffing, fundraising and social events, while staff manage daily operation. Families can also volunteer at individual events.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted found coordinated SEND support involving staff, parents and outside agencies, but called for more consistent help with older children’s emotions and understanding others’ feelings when building friendships.

Current mechanisms include SENDCO and English as an Additional Language Coordinator responsibilities, Early Help and speech-and-language referrals. Toilet-training support, child-height toilets and nappy-changing facilities help younger children participate.

In May 2023, school preparation included dressing, getting drinks and seeking help, alongside teacher visits and sharing development information.

Sessions and Attendance

Croft Playgroup is on Marlborough Lane, Swindon, SN3 1RA. Term-time opening hours are 8am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 8am to 3pm Friday.

Morning sessions run from 9am to noon, afternoons from noon to 3pm, and the core day from 9am to 3pm. Breakfast club runs from 8am to 9am; the after-playgroup hour is 3pm to 4pm Monday to Thursday. Bookings cannot consist entirely of morning sessions or entirely of afternoon sessions.

Two weekly sessions are the minimum. Croft recommends at least two core days, especially before school, and suggests two core days plus a half day.

Parents must give a term’s written notice to change hours or end the contract. The registration charge is deducted or refunded against the first invoice; cancellation within or before the first term makes it non-refundable.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded early education is offered for qualifying two-year-olds and for three- and four-year-olds, within Croft’s starting age of two and a half. The offer includes 15 hours, or up to 30 hours subject to eligibility, delivered during term time. Private hours beyond the funded entitlement are charged separately. Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation, with the fees page explaining the charge categories.

Breakfast and snacks are charged separately, including alongside funded hours; the fee policy allows families to request suitable food replacements from home instead and states that extra charges cannot be a condition of accessing a funded place. The menu includes fruit, cheese and milk or water at snack time, and breakfast choices such as cereals, eggs and toast; allergy accommodation is part of the food arrangements.

A suggested charitable donation on invoices contributes towards non-food consumables and resources. The donation is voluntary, and families can opt out or choose a different contribution. Activity charges have an opt-out process too, with alternatives assessed individually, including changing attendance days or removing breakfast attendance where applicable.

Termly invoices are payable within 28 days, and booked sessions remain payable during illness, holidays or other absence.

Croft works with local schools but is independent. Attendance does not guarantee a primary-school place; families apply through Swindon Borough Council.

• Friendships and feelings. In May 2023, older children needed more consistent support with emotional regulation and understanding others. During a visit, ask how practitioners now help children through disagreements and friendship difficulties.
• The term-time pattern. Friday finishes at 3pm, and the after-playgroup hour operates Monday to Thursday. Match those limits, the two-session minimum and the term’s notice for changing hours to your family’s routine.
• Food and extras. Funded attendance can sit alongside separate food and activity charges, with an opt-out process and a voluntary donation supporting consumables. Allergy-affected families should confirm current food practice and discuss how suitable replacements would work.
• Settling into the younger room. Children can start at two and a half, with toilet-training help and an adaptable settling process. Ask how Willow Room’s daily group size and settling sessions would work for your child.

Croft suits families seeking core days or a mixture of core days and shorter morning or afternoon sessions during term time, with breakfast and after-playgroup extensions where offered. Bookings cannot consist entirely of mornings or entirely of afternoons. Its strongest practical attractions are free movement between play spaces, an interest-led curriculum and several concrete ways for parents to participate.

The May 2023 Good judgement provides a useful quality benchmark, with the emotional-support improvement point deserving attention. For families comfortable with the attendance calendar and notice terms, the combination of outdoor play, individual settling arrangements and community involvement gives Croft a clear identity.