Ladybird Playgroup Thriplow

About Us
The Playgroup Setting & Activities

The Playgroup Setting

Our modern, purpose-built Playgroup provides excellent indoor and outdoor play facilities for children aged from two and a half years to school age. We are located in a beautiful rural setting, within the grounds of Thriplow Primary School.

What Happens at Ladybird Playgroup?

We focus on different topics, chosen to reflect the interests of the children. We have recently enjoyed exploring our senses, all around the world adventures and our numbers and shapes.

The usual weekly activities are interspersed with a range of special events such as local outings, family days for parents and visits from interesting people such as the fire service, Dentist, Nurse or a vet, for example.

Playgroup Activities

The Wild-Space

The children love the new outdoor space behind Ladybirds, lots of areas to investigate with logs to step on, hills to climb, our mud kitchen and our new shed to house our equipment.

Activities for pre-school year children

To help children in the pre-school year prepare for the transition to school, we introduce PE lessons with Johnny and Max from JH School of Sport and a weekly library book for each child. We do 'stepping up' activities, which include watching school plays in the school hall and having story time in the 'Ants' reception classroom.

Meet The Team

Sharon McGinty - Lead Practitioner

Sharon has enjoyed working at Ladybird Playgroup for over 20 years. Prior to this she was a Civil Servant.

Qualifications include Level 3 Childcare; Paediatric First Aid; Child Protection; ENCO/SENCO; Food Hygiene, Child Protection and Designated Behaviour Member of Staff.

Michelle Fairweather - Deputy Lead Practitioner

Michelle has previously worked at Sawston Nursery

Qualifications include Level 3 Childcare; Paediatric First Aid; Child Protection; Food Hygiene. Designated Child Protection Member of Staff, ENCO/SENCO 2nd. Michelle is working towards her level 5 in Childcare Qualification

Alice McGinty - Early Years Practitioner

Alice has worked at Ladybirds Playgroup for several years now. Qualifications include Level 3 Childcare Qualification, Child Protection, Food Hygiene and Paediatric First Aid. Alice also is our Health and Safety Officer.

Georgie Sims - Early Years Practitioner

Georgie has returned to the Early years now that her own children are at school. She is qualified to Level 2, with Emergency Paediatric First Aid, Child Protection, Food Hygiene. Georgie is working towards her Level 3 in Childcare Qualification.

Angela Mulholland - Playgroup Administrator

Angela has previously been been Administrator of the Thriplow Daffodil Weekend Committee after being a Paramedic for over 10 years. Angela also works as a "one to one" with children who have medical needs and has, Emergency Paediatric First Aid, Child Protection and Food Hygiene.

All Ladybirds Staff have also completed their Safeguarding, Prevent, FGM Training and are kept up to date in all areas through regular Staff meetings, 1 to 1’s, Annual appraisals, peer on peer observations and several publications.

Meet the Parent Committee

Ladybird Playgroup is run by the management, a voluntary parent Committee and a great team of qualified staff. The Committee is involved in planning and running fundraising events such as the Christmas Party; reviewing/agreeing the Playgroup's policies and procedures and much more besides.

If you would like to join the Committee, please do contact us as we would love to hear from you.

Chair Person

Treasurer

Secretary

Committee Member - Policies

Committee Member - Fundraising

Committee Member

Playgroup Leader

Deputy Playgroup Leader

Committee members

Sarah Wells

Meghan Bonner

Kate Noble

Tracey Dervish

Ann Robertson

Caroline Short

Anya Kothari

Sharon McGinty

Michelle Fairweather

OFSTED rated Good Playgroup and Pre-School - January 2020

We are extremely pleased and proud to say that Ladybird Playgroup was awarded a rating of Good in our January 2020 OFSTED inspection! Download the new report here.