St.Michael's Playgroup

St. Michael's Playgroup opened on 13 April 1964 with twenty-four children, under the umbrella of the newly-formed Winterbourne and District Community Association. As families increased in the village, so the Playgroup flourished, and soon it was catering for forty children each morning, with only two adults in charge. With the lack of pre-school nursery provision in the area, it was not long before the Winterbourn Down Playgroup started and later the Fromeside Playgroup.

In its early days, the Playgroup benefited from an annual grant from Gloucester County Council, but when the boundaries changed and Winterbourne became part of Northavon, there were no more grants.

In 1969 new legislation came into effect and playgroups were restricted to taking a maximum of twenty-five children per morning and ratio of one adult to every six children. This rule still applies today, to the benefit of both children and staff!

The Playgroup is a member of the Pre-school Playgroup Association, which is a registered charity. The PPA logo depicts children, parents and playgroup staff in an unbroken circle, each needing the other and all working together for the benefit of the children.

Playgroup encourages parental involvement and it is a unique opportunity for parents to work alongside playgroup staff, who have all attended courses for the care and development of young children, and to share in the early education of their children.

Children learn through play. They learn to share with each other, accept discipline from someone other than their parents, and have the opportunity to play and experiment with toys and materials which may not be readily available at home. This adds to their social, moral, intellectual, physical and development.

We are registered and inspected by Avon County Social Services Department,who make sure that the premises are clean and safe,and the Playgroup is run satisfactorily.

We are a registered charity and non-profitmaking, so we rely very heavily on fund-raising activities to keep us viable. These take the form of bazaars, concerts, plays and sponsored events.

Once a year we put on a short play, the proceeds of which usually go to a local handicapped child.

We also hold "special" days - for example, "Fathers Day" - on a Saturday morning, to enable Dads to come and share the fun with their children, and we have had some very successful "Grandparents Days" when mainly Grannies have come in to share a morning with their grandchildren.

We enjoy our "Teddy Bear Picnics" and annual outings to the Zoo or similar places of interest.

We have a close liaison with both our Infants Schools exchanging visits with them. We also welcome pupils studying Child Care from The Ridings High School. We always welcome visitors to the group.

Children love to talk, and where better than in the safe environment of their Playgroup?

Do come and visit us at any time.