Who We Are
Gordon Park ELC (“GPELC”) started life in 1986 as Gordon Park Playgroup, founded by a couple of local mums from the Meiklemill Housing Estate in response to a shortage of appropriate facilities.
At the time of conception, it was very much a room with a few toys but they wanted a local setting with a ‘learn through play’ ethos and found other like-minded parents to help as volunteers and so, with fundraising and donations, they went on to purchase a wider range of suitable toys and equipment and it has gone forth to become the well-respected setting that it is today.
We operate as a self-supporting setting with charity status and we work in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council offering funded places for eligible children from age 2-5 as well as non-funded places in our 2s group.
what we do
GPELC operates as a self sustaining charity. We receive partial funding from Aberdeenshire Council and raise the rest of our funds through applications to grants, trusts and foundations, corporate supporters and of course, the generosity of the public.
We have a Management Committee and a Fundraising Sub-committee which is made up primarily of parent/carer volunteers – the roles within the committee are the traditional Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer. The Committee works closely with the Manager, Practitioners and Administration Staff.
We support and encourage a variety of parental involvement opportunities such as Stay and Play, Family Learning Events, Fundraising, Social Events, Consultations and Surveys and we encourage your support and input with all of these.
It is very important to us to have our parents and families involved as it allows you the opportunity to be involved in, and have a say in, your child’s education but also allows new friendships and relationships to develop as well as an awareness of our wider community and this is all very much at the heart of what we do. Find out more about how you can get involved here.
FAQs
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If you want to enrol your child, you should contact us either through the website, by email or by phone. We will then send you an application form to complete.
When you have returned it, our Manager will contact you to discuss next steps. This will include a brief home visit to meet your child. We have found that this assists greatly with any first day nerves.
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All of our staff and volunteers have had an enhanced PVG check through Disclosure Scotland and so have been cleared for working with vulnerable groups, including children. Our staff have either completed or are completing the qualifications necessary for registration with their professional body, the Scottish Social Services Council (“SSSC”). You can find out more about each staff members qualifications and experience by viewing their bio.
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GIRFEC is the Scottish Government’s commitment to provide all children, young people and their families with the right support at the right time. This is so that every child and young person in Scotland can reach their full potential. It is a set of principles and values that all organisations involved in the care of children work with to ensure that our children live in an equal society that enables them to flourish, to be treated with kindness, dignity and respect, and to have their rights upheld at all times.
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You can find our Safeguarding Policy here.
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You can read our most recent Care Inspectorate report here. You can also search for us on the Care Inspectorate website for more details about our registered service.
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You can find our Complaints Policy here. We encourage you to talk to our Manager in the first instance to see if we can work together to reach an informal resolution.
As we provide regulated services, you may also raise any matter with the Care Inspectorate.