Care and support

Playgroup / pre-school assistant

Playgroup/pre-school assistants work as part of a team to provide quality play activities and learning opportunities for 3 and 4 year olds. They help to plan the delivery of the curriculum, taking into account the needs of the children.

Most playgroups open in the mornings for 2 to 3 hour sessions. Before the children arrive you may find you have to transform a church hall into a pre-school and this involves heavy lifting. Playgroup assistants can be linked to certain children and have responsibility for keeping observations and notes. Assistants need to be patient, firm and fair. You may need to tell a child ten times not to tug at the book. Politeness, cheerfulness, and tact are essential.

Assistants need to build relationships with the children and their parents/carers. Working in a playgroup can sometimes mean you have short hours, ideal if you have other commitments.

An example of someone who became a playgroup/ pre-school assistant

Deborah , who previously worked in the legal profession, decided to have a career change after having her 3 children. She got involved in the pre-school group her older children attended, and enjoyed it so much she wanted to find out whether there were any formal opportunities available to her. She now works part-time in the pre-school and is studying for the NVQ in Early Years Care and Education.