Parent’s Page

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (good ones)

•  How can I register my child at the playground?

  A: Come to the playground to pick up a registration form. We hope to put forms online soon, but we prefer parents to come to the playground before registering. We do have a waiting list.

• How old does my child have to be?

  A: Between 6 - 14 years old

• When is the playground open?

  A: For regular play days, we generally open on Saturdays and during school holidays. But we also have integrated after-school play sessions and other SEND sessions throughout the year.

• What times are you open?

  A: We open between 10.30 - 4.30pm during regular play days. Our regular midweek SEND, Cooking workshops and family fitness sessions are after-school, generally 4-6pm.

• How much does it cost to attend the playground?

  A: We don’t charge for our service, but do expect parents and families to be supporters of the playground and participate in our continuing efforts to stay open and operational.

• Do you allow children with special needs and disabilities to attend the playground?

  A: Yes, we try and have integrated sessions whenever we open, but we also have specialist SEND sessions each week. Please contact us via the website for more details.

• Can I stay with my child?

  A: No, but we occasionally have parent and child days or other open days. NB: Children will generally play and interact with others with more freedom if the parents are not present.

• What staff do you have at the playground?

  A: We have a Play Lead each session and our in-house sessional staff, all well qualified, with essential qualifications including, safeguarding, first aid, special needs skills and a great deal of experience with our registered kids. All staff have current DBS checks. We maintain very low staff:children ratios, normally no more than 1:6, which contributes to the safety and wellbeing of all children at the playground.

• What activities do you have at the playground?

  A: Essentially play is led by the children, but we have a wide range of activities including art, cookery, plenty of sports, table tennis, table football, a myriad of board and table games, PS3’s. We also have regular discussion sessions to talk about real events and news that affect the kids in this area.

• What sort of clothes should my child wear?

  Anything really, but be prepared to get mucky, scratch shoes and stretch clothing. We are mainly based outside, but have plenty of cover. If it’s wet, appropriate clothes and shoes are recommended. We have a few spare clothes on site, but expect parents and children to be properly prepared for the day.

• Do you serve food at the playground?

  A: Yes, we provide a hot cooked healthy nutritious lunch each day we open, snacks and drinks during the day and normally a treat to end. We are targeting a more healthy diet for all and do not encourage children to buy take away food during the day. Packed lunches are welcomed but we would encourage children to eat the hot cooked food. NB: We are always looking for guest chefs from the parents of registered children, please contact us if interested.

• Can children leave the playground during the day?

  A: Whilst we offer open access play, children cannot leave either without direct supervision from staff and the full knowledge of the Play Lead. Some children, particularly the older group do have permission to leave the playground, but we do not encourage this and will seek confirmation from parents if we have any concerns.

• Is the playground safe for my child?

  A: The playground is a safe place, where children make new friends and discover the world around them through adventurous play. Some of our play equipment is quite challenging and on occasions accidents can occur, but the play equipment itself is safe, well maintained and inspected annually. The staff do supervise play but are not directly in charge of the play, so the children have the freedom to learn and discover for themselves

• What policies do you have at the playground?

  A: We are fully compliant with all statutory and legal policies and procedures in place. The playground is operated by the Charity, The Loughborough Junction Action Group, and their policies are effective for all our operations, these include Safeguarding, Data Protection, Equality & Diversity, etc, which can be found on the Charity’s website. We have our own site specific H&S policy and comply with all statutory requirements to ensure we operate a safe and healthy environment

• Can I hire the playground for a party for my child or another event?

  A: Yes, we largely hire out for children’s parties, but have had professional photo shoots, short films, corporate days and many other events held at the playground.

• How can I help the playground?

  A: Be a supporter, become a Friend of the Playground, donate, keep an eye out for us, volunteer, share your ideas, care for your community … loads of ways to help.