The Committee

St Mary's Playgroup is run by a committee of volunteers. The Committee is an important and essential part of life at the playgroup and is made up of parents and volunteers who wish to contribute to the running of the playgroup.

The activities of the Committee fall into two broad categories; the management of the playgroup and fundraising for the playgroup.

Management of the Playgroup

The Committee meet about once a term, usually with the manager to review and make decisions about matters concerning the playgroup, such as staffing, health and safety, budgeting, purchasing of new equipment, special events etc.

It can be rewarding to feel more involved with your child's playgroup, to feel you are contributing to a successful playgroup and learning more about what is involved within the running of the setting,, not to mention the social side! 

If you’ve got the time, we have a job for you!

As volunteers you can give the gift of your time, talents, creativity and energy to help with the fundraising events. Equally important to our efforts is the support provided by local businesses and contributors. 

What does the Committee do?

The playgroup has become much more than a place to socialize your children before they start school. There are OFSTED inspections, a curriculum of early learning goals and many layers of affiliations for funding and accreditation. The playgroup manager Jennifer Smith and her lovely team  do a huge amount of work to co-ordinate all of this. In addition, the Chairperson of the management committee is the main contact for various authorities from the Early Years Learning Alliance to the Criminal Records Bureau. The secretary organizes termly committee meetings and minutes them, writes the committee newsletter and any other letters as needed. The Treasurer overseas the playgroup finances and liaises with the playgroup administrator to ensures all financial matters are dealt with in a timely and transparent manner. Another big part of the committee's job is fundraising. There are various other roles within the committee that require less of a commitment. In order to work efficiently, the playgroup requires a maximum of twelve people to volunteer to help it run. It is a great way to know what's going on with your children and to feel you are helping the community at large. All members of the staff and committee are required to hold an enhanced criminal records certificate, through the Criminal Records Bureau and subscribe to the DBS update service, committee members are also required to complete the Ofsted EY2 process for suitable person checks. 

If you would like to join the committee please get in touch with the Playgroup Manager and come along to a meeting - we look forward to meeting you!