Tower Hamlets Opportunity Group
About Our Group
About Us
Tower Hamlets Opportunity Group was established in 1986. We are a playgroup and are a registered charity that provides a borough wide service situated in the borough of Tower Hamlets. We provide a playgroup for children of ages 2 to 5 and we are registered for 41 children per session.Our criterion is that 51% of our children have a disability/additional needs.
Playgroup Session
Our playgroup session starts at 9:30am and ends at 12:30pm. If you arrive before this time we would ask you to remain in the reception area as we will still be setting up the children's activities. When you first attend our setting with your child you can stay with them during the session or you can leave them with our play practitioners. All of our play practitioners are qualified to NVQ Level 3 in child care. The activities your child will be participating during the session vary but we have listed some activities below:
- Water play.
- Messy play (using clay, paint, art materials).
- Games and Puzzles.
- Energetic play activities.
- Make-believe play/dressing up.
- Music and movement.
- Sand/water/gardening activities.
- Building/construction activates.
Additional Services
Transport & Escort Service:
The purpose of this service is to provide access for disadvantaged families of children with additional needs/disability via our transport and escort service. By offering a transport and escort service it will allow children to attend playgroup and socialize with their own peer group, make new friends, have fun and learn and experience the exciting opportunity that our playgroup has to offer. Without such a service families who have children with additional needs/disability can find themselves isolated and unable to access playgroup due to not being able to drive or their child may have severe mobility problems and would struggle to get them to playgroup by public transport or by walking.
The Transport and Escort Service carries out the following tasks
- Tansporting children to the playgroup.
- Transporting children from the playgroup back home.
- Day trips.
- Family/carer visits to playgroup, initial and settling in visits.
- Transition visits.
Visits to Stephen Hawking School
We have visited our friends at Stephen Hawking School for 16 years now and still continue to hold an integrated play session weekly. This gives the children at our group a chance to socialize with other children and interact in a different play setting.
How can my child get a place?
The contact person you need to speak to is Kim May, Deputy Manager. She is the person who deals with children's enrolment at our group.
Step 1: Request an Initial Contact Waiting List Form.
This form can be obtained by contacting our office. You need to fill the form out and send it back to us by either email, post or hand delivered. Once we have received the form we will then put it on our waiting list.
Step 2: We offer you a place at our setting. This may not be for the full 5 days a weeks as we have to give as many families the chance to use our service. You will be told how many days your child can attend. We will contact you by letter informing you that your child has been offered a place. If we do not reiceive a reply from you then we will try to contact you by phone.
Step 3: Fill out an Enrolment Form. We will arrange a date and time for you to attend so that you can fill out this form (Alternatively we can email or post a copy). The purpose of the form is to record your contact details of you and your child. We also require you provide contact details, allergies, providing signatures on consent forms i.e. going on trips, administering medication etc.
Step 4: Start date given to attend our setting. You will be notified by post of telephone when you can attend our setting.
How much will it cost?
Because we are a charity we ask for a contribution of one pound per session. However please note if your child fits the eligible criteria you may be entitled to funding which entitles your child to attend play sessions for free. The person to speak to regarding this matter is Kim May, Deputy Manager.
Registered Charity No: 1009252
Office Address:
Around Poplar Sure Start Children’s Centre
115 Three Colt Street
London
E14 8AP