Romford United Reformed Church Playgroup

We are OUTSTANDING, our latest Ofsted inspection March 2023. The Romford United Reformed Church Playgroup opened in 1979. We are situated within a church building in central Romford in the London Borough of Havering. The pre-school playgroup is close to the shopping town centre, local schools, public transport and other community resources and within walking distance of 2 local parks and the library. We are able to provide funded spaces for 2, 3 and 4 year olds.

Our Playgroup meets at the following times:

Monday -Friday from 9am-12noon (term time only).

Our Playgroup offers pre-school education and care for children from 2years 6months – 5years.

Our Intent

At the Romford United Reformed Church Playgroup our intent for the children is that we help them to transition from home to school and provide a happy and safe place for them to grow and learn; to assess each individual child’s starting points and to provide them with the learning opportunities and experiences that will help them develop and progress across all areas of learning. Therefore we provide a curriculum that is grounded within the EYFS which helps them to learn and develop. We will strengthen their language, literacy and numeracy development within a curriculum based on the 7 areas of learning; while fostering a love of reading and stories and encouraging curiosity in the wider world, capitalizing on their interests. We ensure that we identify and support children with SEN, EAL and speech and language needs. We will teach the children the good behaviour that is expected within our society and teach them to respect themselves and other people. We will encourage a healthy attitude to food, hygiene, including oral health and exercise. We work in partnership with parents to support their children’s learning; building good relationships for us to work together to achieve the best outcomes for all of the children. Our playgroup is the beginning of the children’s lifelong journey of developing physically, verbally, cognitively and emotionally whilst rooting a positive attitude to their education and a love of learning.

We work in partnership with Havering Education Services .

All of our practitioners are parents and as such we understand and run the playgroup for you as parents too. Our aim is to enhance the development and education of children under statutory school age. We are here to provide a safe, warm, caring and stimulating environment for your children where they are free to enjoy, play and learn. We aim to work within a framework which ensures equality of opportunity for all children and families.

We offer your child:-

• A specially tailored curriculum with regard to the “Birth to Five Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage”, which leads towards approved Early Learning Goals.
• Children are observed and achievements and progress recorded on a regular basis to help plan for their development and learning.
• The support of a key practitioner for each child, but we value the importance of all Practitioners being friendly and approachable and forming good relationships with all the children in our care.
• Individual care and attention made possible by a high ratio of adults to children.
• Fun and friendship with children and other adults.
• A wide range of activities and resources to encourage independent choice and opportunities to learn skills through play and participation. We have special regard to language and mathematical thinking, imagination and creativity.
• A good balance of adult-led and child-led activities and those that give children the opportunity to explore and experiment in initiating their own play and learning.
• Opportunities for you and your family to be involved in the activities of the Playgroup and in your own child’s progress.