Brown Hill Playgroup at Caledonian Primary School

Read about our Playgroup on the Playgroup Victoria website: The sound of play at Brown Hill

Developing a best-practice framework for Playgroups-in-schools

Each week, the sounds of pattering feet, the joy of laughter and babbling of children can be heard filtering through the doors of Caledonian Primary School's multi-purpose hall. It is the Brown Hill Playgroup at Caledonian Primary School, a gathering of mums, dads, grandparents and their young ones, getting together to play, learn and connect.

At present, in conjunction with the Australian Catholic University, Deakin University, Monash University, University of Oxford and Playgroup Victoria, Brown Hill Playgroup families are involved in a research project. The project focuses on developing a best-practice framework for playgroups-in-schools.

Families have undertaken face-to-face and telephone interviews, answering questions about playgroup and the home environments of their children. A six-hour workshop was held at the Australian Catholic University in Ballarat. This was attended by several playgroup parents and staff from local primary schools to help inform researchers developing the framework.

Brown Hill Playgroup at Caledonian Primary School is using this opportunity to ensure our playgroup has best practices in place to be a welcoming, safe and inclusive group which connects families from and living close to the Brown Hill area.

Through participating in this research project, the connection between Brown Hill Playgroup and Caledonian Primary School has been formalised and enriched. In the future, this will correlate with more shared experiences between the Caledonian Primary School community and families at Brown Hill Playgroup. Ideas which have arisen include Caledonian Primary School staff and students interacting with playgroup families for story-times, tours of the school vegetable garden, Science-Week activities and performances in the school concert.

With Winter upon us, if you are looking for a warm and friendly place to take your baby or pre- schooler on a Wednesday morning, come and join in the fun at Brown Hill Playgroup at Caledonian Primary School. Simply bring a piece of fruit to share and a gold coin donation. 9.00 am to 11.00 am each Wednesday during school term at the multi-purpose hall, Caledonian Primary School, Thompson Street, Brown Hill.

Questions can be emailed to playgroup@brownhill.vic.au or call Caledonian Primary School on 5332 6955. Visit: brownhill.vic.au/directory/brown-hill-playgroup-caledonian-primary-school/ for more.

Aimee Knight

Brown Hill Playgroup at Caledonian Primary School Working Group