More Information

Newsletters

• Summer 2011 - Issue 1 (PDF)
• Summer 2010 - Issue 2 (PDF)
• Spring 2010 - Issue 1 (PDF)
• Autumn 2009 - Issue 2 (PDF)

The First Days

We want your child to feel happy and safe at Happy Faces. To make sure that this is the case, the practitioners will work with you to decide on how to help your child to settle in. We have a policy about helping children to settle into the playgroup - a copy is available upon request.

Clothing

Although we do provide protective clothing for 'messy' activities, it is best to send children dressed in clothes which are easily washable and not too new. We do have 'Happy Faces Playgroup' polo shirts and sweatshirts available to purchase should you so wish (further information will be provided to you in your welcome pack).

We encourage children to gain the skills which help them to be independent and look after themselves. These include taking themselves to the toilet and taking off - and putting on - outdoor clothing. Clothing which is easy for them to manage will help them to do this.

The Curriculum

Children start to learn about the world around them from the moment they are born. The care and education offered by Happy Faces helps children to continue to do this by providing them with interesting activities that are right for their age and stage of development. For children between the ages of 2 yrs 6 months and 5 years, we provide a curriculum for the Early Years Foundation Stage of education. This curriculum divides children's learning and development into six areas:

• Personal, social and emotional development
• Communication, language and literacy development
• Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy
• Knowledge and understanding of the world
• Physical development
• Creative development

For each area, the curriculum guidance sets out early learning goals. These goals state what the children are expected to know and be able to do by the end of the Reception year of their education. For each early learning goal, the guidance sets out stepping stones, which describe the stages through which children are likely to pass as they move to achievement of the goal. Happy Faces uses the early learning goals, and the EYFS Early Years Foundation Stage, to help us to trace each child’s progress and to enable us to provide the right activities to help all of the children move towards achievement of the early learning goals.

If you would like to find out further details about the playgroup then please visit us at the playgroup or call our Administrator on 0845 479 8890.

Term and Holiday/Closure Dates for 2011/2012

Autumn Term (7 weeks + 7 weeks)	Playgroup commences Monday 5th September 2011
Half Term	Playgroup closes Friday 21st October 2011 Playgroup re-opens Monday 31st October 2011
End of Term	Playgroup closes Friday 16th December 2011
Spring Term (5 weeks + 6 weeks)	Playgroup commences Monday 9th January 2012
Half Term	Playgroup closes Friday 10th February 2012 Playgroup re-opens Monday 20th February 2012
End of Term	Playgroup closes Friday 30th March 2012
Summer Term (6 weeks + 6 weeks)	Playgroup commences Monday 16th April 2012
Bank Holiday	Playgroup closed Monday 7th May 2012
Half Term	Playgroup closes Thursday 31st May 2012 Playgroup closed Friday 1st June 2012 – Staff Training Day Playgroup re-opens Monday 11th June 2012
End of Term	Playgroup closes Friday 20th July 2012