Playgroups in schools

Connecting Schools andCommunitiesBringing Playgroups into Schools –A Pilot ProjectBallarat

Who are we and why are we hereIntroducing:• Cheryl Vincent: Kidsmatter (Formerly CatholicEducation Office, Ballarat)• Merran Fleming: Best Start Ballarat• Amy Marnica: Co-ordinator of the projectWe are representing our Connecting Schoolsand Communities partnership

Our Agenda for this workshop willcover• Who our partnership is• What our project is• Why we developed this project• How we developed it• What we hope to achieve• How we will evaluate the project• Challenges we have faced• Where we are up to now

Our partnership• Catholic Education Office, Ballarat• Best Start Project.• Australian Catholic University (ACU) Ballarat• Playgroup Vic• Department of Education and Early ChildhoodDevelopment (DEECD) Grampians Office• 5 local primary schools:– St. Aloysius Primary School– Phoenix P-12 Community College– Lumen Christi– Our Lady Help of Christians– St. James Parish School

What our project is• Establishing supported community basedplaygroups in schools with an aim to buildingcommunity capacity and strong outcomes forchildren• The playgroups will be facilitated by ACU studentsin Bachelor of Education Early Childhood andPrimary at Ballarat Campus• Students are supported in this role by a playgroupcoordinator• Involves 5 schools and is overseen by thepartnership group

Why we developed this projectEvidence based research• Supporting the importance of play for children, parents, families, and schools• AEDI data that identifies the South West area and Wendouree as vulnerable in twoor more domainsGovernment Policies• Federal and State, supporting the importance of play and playgroupsTo address local needsServices in the South-West area had identified that:• transitioning to school was an issue• some prep children haven’t had prior experiences of childcare /kinder /playgroups• oral language development was an issue• it can be difficult to engage families• schools were wanting to establish strong community links• schools were wanting to develop effective strategies for working with pre-school children andfamiliesPartnership opportunities• All partners had a strong commitment to work together to build community capacity• Provide pre service teachers with experiences working with families and more time in early yearssettings.

Many parents continue to be unaware of theimportance they play in their child’seducation and have a limited understandingof their role in their children’s learning.(Harris & Goodall)

How we developed the project• Started by developing a common vision• Began the conversations• Invited people in to partner and participate• Built the relationships and trust over a longperiod of time• Individually invited schools to be part of theproject• Continually talked through decisions anddevelopments

What we hope to achieve• Better play based opportunities for children• Better opportunities for local families to access andexperience playgroups• Better connections between schools and their localcommunity• Engaged parents• An evaluation which shows the impact of playgroups inschools• Schools seen as community venues and outward facing• Student teachers gain valuable experiences in working withfamilies

How we will evaluate the project• The guiding research question is:– ‘how can school-based playgroups support thedevelopment of community connections forchildren and families and provide increasedopportunities for relevant play-based learningexperiences?’

How we will evaluate the project• Data collection– Interviews, attendance data, reflective journals• Interviews– At the beginning, middle and end of playgroupperiod– focus group and individual interviews withparticipants (principals, teachers, pre-serviceteachers, playgroup coordinator, parents)

Students’ thoughts…

Evaluation Design‘How can school-based playgroups support the development ofcommunity connections for children and families and provideincreased opportunities for relevant play-based learningexperiences?’DebriefingPSTs, datacollection –reflectivejournalsDebriefingPSTs, datacollection –reflectivejournalsInitial interviews with principals, pre-serviceteachers (PSTs), teachers and playgroupcoordinatorImplementation ofplaygroups in schoolsMid point interviews with principals, PSTs,teachers, parents and playgroup coordinatorImplementation ofplaygroups in schoolsFinal interviews with principals, PSTs,teachers, parents and playgroup coordinatorDebriefingPSTs, datacollection –reflectivejournalsDebriefingPSTs, datacollection –reflectivejournals

Challenges we have faced• Funding• Ownership by schools• Ensuring everyone understands information• Language of different organisations• The partnership approach• Implementing 5 playgroups over 2 days

Where we are up to now• Students put in expression of interest for the project,interviewed and chosen, and allocated to schools• All students have been trained by Playgroup Vic• Memorandum of Understanding signed by allpartners• Co-ordinator commenced this April• Playgroups implemented in all 5 schools this April

To contact us regarding the project• Merran Fleming merranfleming@ballarat.vic.gov.auTel 5320 5773• Dr Karen McLean karen.mclean@acu.edu.auTel 53365420• Amy Marnica amarnica@ceoballarat.catholic.edu.auTel 0457 797 315