Welcome to SSJ Pre-School Playgroup
We offer a friendly and nuturing environment for children aged two to school age, allowing them to grow and learn through play. Our fully qualified staff members were rated Good by Ofsted in December 2023 and we strive to create the best atmosphere for your child's development.
Sutton St James Playgroup is managed by a voluntary committee group mainly made up of parents. It meets at least once a term to discuss matters arising such as fundraising, fees, training and the way forward.
The Playgroup is a registered charity.
As our costs are ongoing, fees must still be paid if your child is not present, as we have reserved a place for your child.
Sutton St James Playgroup runs for 38 weeks of the year, term dates are available on the parent information board and on our website.
We are registered with Ofsted and in receipt of the Early Years Educational Entitlement, therefore we offer funded places for 3 and 4 year olds. The pre-school will apply for your child's funding the full term after their 3rd birthday on your behalf. Funding is available as long as a contract and declaration are completed each full term.
New Building Fund
Crowd Funding
You can donate to our just giving page:
www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/suttonstjamesplaygroup
Meet Our Staff
BA (Hons) Management StudiesPGCE Early Years with QTS Email
(Safeguarding Lead)Children’s Care, Learning & Development Level 3
Pre-school practice – Level 2 Email
(Assistant Curriculum Lead)Level 3 Diploma for the Children & Young Peoples Workforce Email
(SENDCo)Level 3 Diploma for the Children & Young Peoples Workforce Email
(Health and Safety Lead)Level 3 in Childcare & Education Email
Staff Training
There are a number of courses that are mandatory, i.e. Safeguarding, Food Hygiene and Paediatric First Aid which are refreshed every two or three years. We also encourage our staff to develop their interests and attend training courses throughout the year in a range of areas to benefit the children’s learning which is then fed back to other staff in Staff Meetings. Many of these courses are completed in the staff’s own time for which we are very grateful.
The following staff have successfully completed training in the following areas.:-
Jessica Horsfield:
- Effective Safeguarding Practice
- First Aid
Sarah Gaughran:
- Effective Safeguarding Practice
Helen Fitzpatrick:
- 6 Year Safeguarding Children’s Training Pathway (Yr1)
- Introduction to Safeguarding Children
- Awareness of Child Abuse & Neglect-Core
- Paediatric First Aid
- Emergency First Aid at Work
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- Sustained shared thinking in the early years level 2.
- Supporting children with SEND in the early years.
- Send code of practise level 2.
- Managing your early years inspection level 2.
- Making sense of Autism
- Phonics
- Safeguarding level 1 partially completed
- Early Maths
- Vocabulary and communication skills
- Effective Safeguarding Practice
Lisa Parker:
- 6 Year Safeguarding Children’s Training Pathway (Yr1)
- Introduction to Safeguarding Children
- Awareness of Child Abuse & Neglect-Core
- Safeguarding Everyone in Protecting Children, Young People and Adults at Risk
- Paediatric First Aid
- Emergency First Aid at Work
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- Introduction to Yoga with young children.
- Effective transition and emotional wellbeing in the early years.
- Understanding and addressing behaviour in early years.
- The prevent duty in an early years environment.
- Loose Parts Exploratory Play
- Early Phonics
- Love of Language
- Vocabulary and Communication Skills
- Elklan Level 3
- Inter Agency Safeguarding Module 2 – Voice of the Child
- Inter Agency Safeguarding Module 3 – Early Help Assessment
Amanda Garrod:
- 6 Year Safeguarding Children’s Training Pathway (Yr1)
- Introduction to Safeguarding Children
- Awareness of Child Abuse & Neglect-Core
- Safeguarding Everyone in Protecting Children, Young People and Adults at Risk
- Paediatric First Aid
- Emergency First Aid at Work
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- Supporting early language development.
- Speech and language
- Understanding and addressing behaviour in early years.
- SENCO LEVEL 2
- Love of language
- Vocab and Communication Skills
- Effective Safeguarding Practice
Sarah Harrison:
- 6 Year Safeguarding Children’s Training Pathway (Yr1)
- Introduction to Safeguarding children
- Safeguarding everyone in protecting Children, young people and Adults at Risk
- Paediatric First Aid
- Food Safety Level 2
- Emergency First Aid at work
- Awareness of Child Abuse & Neglect-Core
- Making sense of Autism
- Loose parts play
- Creative and curious
- Love of Language supporting speech and language development.
- Effective Safeguarding Practice
Mrs Lyndsey Tegerdine:
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- Effective Safeguarding Practice
Relief Staff
Mrs Helen Dobney:
- Effective Safeguarding Practice
Mrs Andrea Groves:
- Effective Safeguarding Practice
Ms Vicky Gray
- Effective Safeguarding Practice
Playgroup History
Sutton St James Pre-School Playgroup first began in 1970 as an idea by Mrs Margaret Ogden, wife of the vicar of St Marys Church Whaplode and Holbeach St Johns Church and started out under the umbrella of the Mothers Union with the title of St Johns Playgroup with Marilyn Coleman as the first Playgroup leader in a large farmhouse kitchen in Rookery Farm, Holbeach St Johns. A small group of local children came together to play, learn and socialise with their friends a few mornings a week. Toys and equipment were either given or purchased with money raised from fundraising events.
30 years later…
We moved to various rented homes within the village and more staff were employed. In 2001, The Pre-School Playgroup finally moved into their first permanent building at the front of the Primary School site and interest continued to grow.
50 years later….
We now have 40 families registered with us and the Playgroup is open 5 days a week with a breakfast club being offered to support working parents. We employ a Curriculum Leader, 4 permanent staff, 3 relief staff and a Business Administrator and we are fundraising for a new purposely designed building to extend the service we can offer and enhance the environment and experiences for the children in our care.
Contact Details
Sutton St James Pre-School Playgroup
Bells Drove
Sutton St James
Spalding
Lincs
PE12 0JG
Tel: 01945 440000