Barton Playgroup began in the early 1970s as a group of parents meeting with their toddlers and babies in each other’s homes. By 1974, the group had grown so large that a bigger play space was needed, and so the Playgroup moved to Barton Village Hall.
In 1981, Barton Playgroup became a member of the Pre-School Playgroups Association, and with this change, a committee of parents and other interested people was formed. As time went on, it was felt that the village hall was becoming unsuitable; the daily setting up and clearing away was not only hard work but also limited the activities of the Playgroup.
Discussions began in 1983/84 about the possibility of acquiring its own premises, and news of a discarded classroom from a school in Great Gransden provided the extra motivation to raise the money needed to purchase the mobile building.
Once the building was established, fundraising continued to maintain the Playgroup. It gained a very high profile in the village and, before long, Barton Playgroup was known as one of the best equipped and best run groups in the county. The building was even used as a venue for county training courses to demonstrate how playgroups should operate.
Barton Playgroup has been managed over the years by an active committee of parents and interested others. In 2025, we converted our charity status to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), becoming Barton Playgroup CIO. We continue to rely on parents and the community to act as trustees for Playgroup and generally support Playgroup with fundraising and events, being a not-for-profit organisation. Playgroup’s strong community ethos and child-centred approach stem from this history and involvement from parents.
Although the Playgroup has remained independent from Barton School, there is close liaison between the two. We are able to use the school grounds and hall for activities, and we share weekly story time sessions with the Reception children during the summer term.
The Playgroup is well equipped and welcoming, with children’s work carefully displayed throughout. We believe this encourages children to take pride in their achievements and share their work with parents and carers. The staff are enthusiastic, approachable, and have many years of experience working with children.
Chair of Trustees: Deborah Eills (since 2023), barton.playgroup.chair@gmail.com
WELCOME TO BARTON PLAYGROUP 