Category: Wenvoe Playgroup

First of all, apologies for missing last month’s magazine. We have been very busy behind the scenes changing the structure of Wenvoe Playgroup into Wenvoe Playgroup CIO. This will bring the playgroup up to date and secure the Playgroup for many years to come. We hope the process will be complete by 31st August 2019.

We most recently celebrated Easter by holding our annual Easter Fayre with 33 Children in attendance, singing to their families (one of the best turn outs ever). We thought we would share a photo of our surprise visitor, who offered an Easter Egg to each child for the beautiful singing. We would like to thank the Friends of Playgroup and the Parents at Playgroup who supported this event.

We understand from a local resident that the Playgroup opened its doors back in 1969, here at the Village Hall. This means that Wenvoe Playgroup will be celebrating its 50th Birthday this year, wow! Everyone involved with Wenvoe Playgroup at this time is thinking that June would be a great time to celebrate 50 years of Wenvoe Playgroup, especially as from September it will be changing its name to Wenvoe Playgroup CIO. Plans are therefore in motion as I type this to celebrate on Sunday afternoon, 23rd June.

We plan to hold a ‘Fun Afternoon’ at the Village Hall, ‘Home of the Playgroup’ in hope that the Community attends to celebrate with us. We hope to have stalls, refreshments and fun for all the Children past and present. Please mark this date in your diary. We would very much like to welcome everyone who has attended, supported or worked in the Playgroup over the past 50 years, to share their memories.

If anyone has photos from the early days we would be most interested to view them. Please call into the Playgroup any time during May if you are happy for us to use them on the day. We have some photos from the 90’s moving forward, however, none from the early days.

We would like to thank ‘Style Gardens’ for their recent donation of soil and daffodils for the Children’s activities in the Garden. We would also like to thank ‘The Works’ at the Garden Centre who supported our Easter Fayre by donating a generous raffle prize. Thank you both for supporting our Playgroup, your local charity.

If anyone would like to donate to our 50th Birthday Raffle to be held in June, then please let us know. As a charity we are always grateful for any support the community can give. Thanks again, Sandra.

Up-to-date information on Welsh Government 30 Hour Care. 12.5 hours – Local LEA Nursery, up to 17.5 hours – Playgroup.

We are now up and running with both Cardiff and The Vale 30 Hour Free Childcare Offer. We have very limited part-time space from May to July with numbers already high on September’s waiting list through into January 2020.

If your Child is 3 prior to 31st August and you are looking to apply for the 30 Hour Free Childcare from September, then we would suggest contacting the Vale Family Information Service on 01446 704704 a.s.a.p. to enquire as to what date you may apply. We think it is sometime in July, however, we don’t have the exact date at this time sorry.

We will be holding a drop in session here at Playgroup on Thursday 23rd May from 2pm for all those who wish to view our provision. This will also allow the time for Parents with Children wishing to join from September into January to secure their space by completing contracts. We are hopeful that around this time Nursery notifications will be issued from the Vale of Glamorgan.

Families must complete a contract with us and agree to the hours or attendance prior to applying for the 30 hour Free Childcare Offer.

If you have any further questions regarding the 30 hour Free Childcare Offer or Playgroup Life then please email Sandra at wenvoeplaygroup@ btinternet.com or for eligibility to the 30 Hour Free Childcare contact FIS on 01446 704704

Please view our website to keep updated on all aspects of playgroup life, for our Policies and Procedures and latest changes.

Thank you

From April this year, the ‘30 Hour FREE Childcare offer’ is coming to the Vale of Glamorgan including Wenvoe, so we want to be sure that you are ready.

The 30-hour FREE care is offered as 12.5 hours of Nursery Education and 17.5 hours of Care, therefore; you may receive up to 17.5 hours FREE care here at the Playgroup.

As long as Parents fit the following criteria your child may receive FREE care from April 2019 if living in The Vale of Glamorgan.

It is available to Children the term after their 3rd Birthday. If your child is 3 between:

• 1st Sept – 31 Dec they will be eligible in January
• 1st January – 31st March they will be eligible in April (after the Easter Hols)
• 1st April – 31st August – they will be eligible in September

1. if the Child is living with 2 parents, both parents must work a minimum of 16 hours or more per week at National Minimum Wage (NMW)
2. if the Child is living with 1 parent, then they must work a minimum of 16 hours or more per week at NMW.

• if you earn more than £100,000.00 per parent then the Child is not eligible.

Contact: The Vale Family Information Centre (FIS) Tel: 01446 704704 E-mail: fis@ valeofglamorgan.gov.uk. The FIS will also advise if you fit the criteria to apply and help with your application.

A contract will have to be completed with us prior to taking up the offer and your placement confirmed at the Playgroup prior to applying. We have limited space at this time.

We have children with us at this time from Cardiff who are benefitting from our wrap around service with Gwenfo Nursery and are receiving up to 17.5 hours of their time FREE at Playgroup.

Your Child could benefit with 4 days wrap around care from 9 – 1pm for £0.00

Please contact us here at the Playgroup for more information

Email: wenvoeplaygroup@ btinternet.com Telephone: 20597494

Please view our website: www.wenvoeplaygroup.co.uk and our Statement of Purpose for further information operating times etc.

For all those families wishing to join us from September this year, we will write again for April’s What’s On Edition to give details of our open afternoon and information for September. If you wish to join our waiting list for September, then please email us on the above email to register your interest. Thank you.

Happy New Year to all and I’m sure it certainly will
be. I have been informed that the Vale of Glamorgan
30 hour Free Childcare will be rolled out from April,
so watch this space. We hope to keep you up-dated
with further details as they are known to us. I did
notice that the GEM first announced the good news
in one of their December issues and I have since
been informed by the Vale that this is so.
As mentioned Free Childcare is for the term after
your child is three. 12½ hours is to be used at Local
Education Authority and a whopping 17½ hours to
be used at a Playgroup or Daycare of your choice.
Both parents must be working a minimum of 16
hours per week at minimum wage or in a sole parent
household you must be working 16 hours at
minimum wage.
Wenvoe Playgroup are expanding as to the needs of
the community and are now offering Breakfast Club
from 8am Monday to Friday each week.
For more details on the care we provide please visit
our website www.wenvoeplaygroup.co.uk and view
our Statement of Purpose. Alternatively please call
into Playgroup at the Village Hall any morning
between 9am and 12noon, Monday to Friday.
At this time we have a waiting list and hope to
employ further staff for the Summer Term.
We will keep you posted.

First of all apologies for not sharing our news of late. We have been very busy since the Summer with many changes that are taking place at Playgroup. The biggest change took place in October when we signed up to the Welsh Government’s 30 Hour FREE Childcare Offer with Cardiff. Many children in Ely and Caerau are benefiting from the 30 hour FREE Childcare with the Playgroup and Gwenfo Nursery. However, there are still more children who could benefit from FREE Childcare. Children who live in Cardiff will be benefiting from the FREE Childcare Offer in 2019 as they expand across all areas of Cardiff. Children can access care at Wenvoe Playgroup as it is all about where the Child lives and NOT where the provision is.

FREE Childcare is available the term after the Child’s 3rd Birthday, until they enter reception class. Both parents must be working 16 hours or more per week at minimum wage if both live in the same household. One parent families can also claim if working 16 hours or more per week. If you would like more information, then please get in touch. There are many ways to contact us on our website www.wenvoeplaygroup.co.uk

Unfortunately, The Vale of Glamorgan don’t plan to pilot their 30 Hour FREE Childcare until September 2019 and then we understand it is other areas of the Vale that this will be on offer. It looks like Wenvoe Children will have to wait a little longer. The Government have proposed that it be available to all areas by September 2020, so we are planning now by extending our hours and moving forward building our provision. We have been piloting a breakfast club and will offer breakfast club 5 mornings a week from January 2019. We will keep you all updated via the What’s On and our Website moving forward.

We understand that the Vale of Glamorgan Family Information Services (FIS) will be dealing with enquiries for all Vale of Glamorgan Children. If you google the Vale of Glamorgan 30 Hour Free Childcare Offer, minutes from the decisions with responsible persons are shown. This is all the information we have at this time.

Due to a high intake in January, we have now started a waiting list for April and beyond. Children who are  registered with us from 2 years and 4 months will have first choice of extra sessions as the offer becomes available. So please don’t miss out, register your interest today. The FREE Childcare offer is coming to the Vale so make sure we have your child’s name on our waiting list to contact you.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all Parents and Persons in the Community who support us here at Wenvoe Playgroup and wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year.

By the time you are reading this, we will be well into the summer holidays and in relaxation mode.

Over the summer term we have been very busy developing the Village Hall garden here at Playgroup and I must admit it looks blooming marvellous.

Who are we? – Wenvoe Playgroup is a registered charity, managed by local residents and parents of the group. We were originally set up in 1969 by a group of parents/residents to offer care to Children of pre-school age (We celebrate our 50th Birthday in 2019 so watch this space).

The Person in Charge on a day to day basis is myself Sandra Morgan. I was born in Rectory Close here in Wenvoe (let’s say over 50 years ago) and came to work for Wenvoe Playgroup in 2008 to save it from closure. I have worked with pre-school children for nearly 25years, adjusting to many childcare & education changes along the way.

Over the years the group has been lucky enough to have numerous fantastic Committee members, who have supported the groups needs with their fundraising efforts and support.

Of course, we wouldn’t have such a successful playgroup if it wasn’t for the wonderful, dedicated staff who support the children on a daily basis.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff; Kim, Fran, Jeannette, Charlotte, Heulwen & Marilyn for their hard work and dedication over the past years and to our current Committee, Jody, Amy, Emily & Sarah for their dedication and support to the group at this time. A big thank you must go to Lisa and Darren who have supported the group behind the scenes for many years and hopefully for many more years to come.

From this September we are expecting high numbers of children and I would urge anyone thinking of joining the group to contact us to show their interest. You can contact us by visiting our new website www.wenvoeplaygroup.co.uk

There are many photographs on our new website to view along with other information which you may find useful.

On the website you will find ‘The Statement of Purpose’, this will show our operating times & costs, along with everything you need to know. If you need a little explanation on how we can support your children with Gwenfo Nursery then send us an email or pop in and see us on Wednesday 5th September when we are open from 9am until 3.15pm.

(If wishing to telephone please do so when we return on Wednesday 5th September from 9am).

I look forward to seeing everyone in September

Sandra x

Most recently our afternoon group visited the Community Orchard. We walked over the foot bridge near to the Playgroup and on into Monkton house as I know it (some of you may know it as the tennis courts or football field) and down to the bottom into the Orchard. The children enjoyed investigating the area and I must say what a great area it is to visit with the Children and right on our doorstep.

The children found the pond most interesting and on return some children drew a picture of the pond and the green grass, however, I’m not so sure the pond was as blue as their pictures. We walked back to the Playgroup via the tunnel into Vennwood Close taking many photos along the way to display in our group.

Children of all ages will love the area I’m sure, so next time you are wondering what to do with the children for an hour or two, why not pop across the bridge and see it for yourselves. We hope to walk our morning members across soon.

We are always looking for new ways to support families with care for preschool children and as you are aware we now offer support to those children who attend Gwenfo Nursery. We most recently held a drop in session in May, which we did try to advertise in May What’s On, however, the article was lost in transit somehow, so apologies if you missed this.

I recently attended a meeting with regard to the Governments 30-hour Childcare offer which they propose to roll out across Wales by 2020.

It will be offered for 48 weeks of the year for all children the term after their 3rd Birthday until the September after their 4th Birthday (Nursery age).

To be eligible, both parents in the household need to work a minimum of 16 hours per week at the National Minimum Wage (NMW). If you are a single parent family the 16-hour rule applies at the NMW.

The 30 hours will be split between education and childcare provider e.g. 15 at Nursery and 15 with a Childcare Provider.

Although Nursery School offer term time only which is 39 weeks per year, we have been advised that the extra 9 weeks at 30 hours can be claimed with a childcare provider.

This is very exciting news for Playgroup with the wraparound that we provide alongside Gwenfo Nursery. We can now start to plan a way forward and gather information to support the Community with their Childcare needs to be ready in time for 2020.

We will keep you up-to-date with the latest information as and when we receive it.

Playgroup numbers are continuing to rise, with the wrap around care facility most popular.

Children may be left in our care from 9am with their packed lunch from home and walked across to Gwenfo Nursery for 1pm for £16 each morning Monday to Friday.

We pick up everyday from Gwenfo Nursery at 11:20 and on into Playgroup until 12:45pm for a cost of £8 per child. On a Wednesday, children may be collected from Nursery and stay with us until 3:15pm for a cost of £16 per child. A packed lunch is provided from home to eat at 12 noon.

We care for children from the age of 2 years and 4 months and support their care and development until reception age. If you would like more information on any of the above then please email me wenvoeplaygroup@btinternet.com or telephone 20597494 between 9 and 12 noon Monday to Friday.

Sandra