Rasharkin Community Playgroup
Rasharkin · Co. Antrim · Est. community playgroup

A gentle start, right here in the village.

Preschool care for children aged 3–4, led by NVQ-qualified staff who know every family by name. Twenty-four places, six areas of learning, one small hall full of Rasharkin children.

24
registered places
3–4
years of age
NVQ 2&3
qualified staff
ETI
inspected provision
About the playgroup
“Our aim is simple — to enhance the development and education of children under statutory school age, encouraging every child to extend their learning across all six areas of the curriculum.”

Rasharkin Community Playgroup, 31 Bamford Park, Rasharkin, Ballymena, Co. Antrim, BT44 8RX

Ages catered for3–4 years
Registered capacity24 children
Staff qualificationsNVQ Level 2 & 3
Inspected byEducation & Training Inspectorate
Key contactClaire McNicholl

Personal & social development

Confidence, friendships and independence, built in a hall where every face is familiar.

Language & literacy

Stories, songs and conversation that lay the groundwork for reading and writing.

Early mathematics

Counting, shape and pattern discovered through play, not worksheets.

The world around us

Curiosity about nature, people and place, rooted in the Rasharkin community.

The arts

Painting, music and imaginative play, with the mess left for us to tidy up.

Physical development

Movement, balance and outdoor play to build strength and coordination.

A typical day

Morning sessions every weekday, afternoons twice a week.

A settled, predictable routine, small enough that your child is never just a name on a register.

9:15
Doors openWelcome, free play and settling in
9:45
Circle timeSongs, news and the day ahead
10:15
Learning through playCurriculum activities across all six areas
11:30
Snack & storyWind-down before home time
12:00
Morning session endsAfternoon session runs 1:00–3:00 on selected days

Opening hours

Monday – Friday9:15am – 12:00pm
Afternoons (2 days/wk)1:00pm – 3:00pm
Term timeFollows NI school calendar

Afternoon session days are confirmed each term — ask Claire when you enquire.

Why families choose us

Small, known, and inspected to the same standard as anywhere else.

Est. locally

Run for the village, by people the village knows — not a franchise, a playgroup.

1 : small

A low child-to-place ratio of 24 keeps every session genuinely personal.

Inspected

Regularly reviewed by the Education & Training Inspectorate for Northern Ireland.

Places for September fill quickly — enquire today.

Speak to Claire about availability, settling-in visits and what to bring on the first day.