PENHILL PLAYGROUP STEERING COMMITTEE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON
Tuesday 28[th] September 2021
AT PENHILL PLAYGROUP, PENHILL ROAD, LANCING
PRESENT
Gillian Hearne, Sarah Brake, Katie Ayling, Judith Atkinson, Leena Tucker, Sabrina Back, Colette Poole (until 8.40pm), Zoe Brown
Meeting commenced at approximately 8pm
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
None received.
2. WELCOME BY THE CHAIRPERSON
The Chairperson welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for coming.
3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
The minutes of the last Annual General Meeting, held on Tuesday 22nd September 2020 were agreed as correct, proposed by Leena Tucker and seconded by Gill Hearne.
4. MATTERS ARISING
No matters arising.
5. CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT
No report.
6. SUPERVISOR’S REPORT
We ended the year with 23 registered children, 16 of whom left in July to start school. We lost 3 children to other settings over the course of the year, one because of moving house, and the other two because of the increased hours offered at other settings. Over the year, we began to receive enquiries from a number of 2 year olds and as they turned two and a half, they started attending regular sessions. However, this cohort remains very small, with currently only 8 being eligible to start school next September.
It was another challenging year, with two further national lockdowns which Early Years settings were asked to remain open for. The lockdown in November did not seem any different, but in January when schools were asked to close and settings remained open, we saw a huge drop in numbers. This gradually increased again, until all children returned in March, as the schools reopened. All families who decided not to send their children in were regularly contacted by telephone/email/What’s App and provided with ideas and suggestions of activities to do at home with their child. We lent scissors, books, games and provided glue/paper/card etc for families that needed them and dropped off “we miss you cards” with a chocolate for Valentine’s Day for those children not coming into the setting. Our evaluation forms show that all these activities and keeping in touch during periods of lockdown and isolation were very much appreciated by the children and their families.
We are very lucky not to have had a positive case in either children or staff yet, although staff and child attendance was affected by self-isolation rules, which meant that we had to partially
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close to some children a couple of times, as we did not have enough staff to provide appropriate cover. However, with support from Judith and some of our other volunteers, we managed to remain operational for most children throughout the year. In March, staff were able to begin lateral flow testing at home twice a week, which all staff members have agreed to take part in and continue to do.
We had one child who received an Education and Healthcare Plan (EHCP) during the year and for whom we received additional inclusion funding and a Disabled Access Fund payment. We referred three children to speech and language therapy support and supported three others who had already been referred. 5 children received Early Years Pupil Premium Funding and this was spent on purchasing school uniform for 2 children, to enable them to get used to it as part of their school transition process; it was also used to enable some children to come into the setting early, which supported both them and their parents to settle better; two children used the funding towards the cost of attending an extra session a week as both had not attended during Lockdown and some of it was spent on renewing our Twinkl subscription, supporting school transition through the provision of transition packs for parents and the purchase of additional uniform and book bags for children to take turns in borrowing in order to get ready for school. We also referred one EYPP family to SATT (Space at the Table) which provides food during school holidays for families struggling to provide meals. The family received a Christmas Hamper and money off vouchers for the local butcher, as well as vouchers to use at Half Term and Easter.
We offered individual one to one parent meetings with all parents during the year – in the Autumn term and again in the summer term. We also offered telephone calls and letting parents borrow their child’s Learning Journal, as a way of sharing their child’s progress. Most parents were happy to take up this opportunity, so one member of staff stayed to play and engage with the child, while the child’s key person, engaged with the parent(s). This mostly worked well, but did cost more in terms of hall hire and staff time.
We held our Christmas Songs morning, with all the children, but without any parents or carers present. We recorded it all and had hoped to send it via What’s App to the parents (with their permission), but the file was too big. We asked for permission to upload it to Facebook, but not all parents used Facebook and some did not give permission, so we purchased memory sticks and gave copies to each family. Although this was an unexpected cost, the amount we raised from our Christmas raffle covered the expenses.
We managed to take most of our older children on short outings in the community during the Autumn term, to outdoor places such as the Station, War Memorial, post box and sensory garden. After Christmas, we offered a Thursday afternoon session to these children and went on lots of short local walks, combined with play sessions at the hall, then as the weather improved, went to lots of local parks, the beach and litter picking. Southern Rail (working in partnership with Keep Lancing Lovely), provided every child with their own Thomas the Tank Engine rail safety book as a thank you for us making posters and displays to go up in the station windows. Thank you to our parent volunteers for helping with these outings. Following Government guidance, we did not take children on bus or train trips this year, which meant there were virtually no costs for our outings. We will need to ask parents how they feel about their children using public transport before deciding whether this is something we will be able to do again next year and whether will ask for a contribution towards the cost.
We continued to make use of our Facebook group, holding regular open sessions on a Tuesday afternoon so that parents/carers could interact with staff and share any concerns, ideas, thoughts, photos or worries. We regularly posted information there and lots of people found out about our Stay and Play through the group and through posts made on the Lancing and Sompting Parenting group. During Lockdown these open times were invaluable but we are now just holding them once a month and evaluating their usefulness.
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We have been using What’s App to share photos with parents of what their child has been doing at Playgroup and this has been successful. Parents have also used it as an opportunity to share what their child has been doing at home, which has been insightful too, so we are continuing to use this communication method, which works especially well for new starters, in order to reassure their parents that all is well. A Playgroup What’s App group was also set up, where the parents could communicate with each other and this was well used too and still is. We tried utilising technology and held two Zoom catch up’s during the year, one during the February half term as a number of children were being kept at home but were missing their friends, so we provided an opportunity for them to see each other and the staff. The other session was on our last day of term, for the Leavers as Phillippa and Sabrina were both isolating at home and didn’t get the opportunity to say goodbye, so we managed to do this online instead. This would be something useful to do on a one to one or small group basis, should the need arise, but difficult to do as one big group.
Unfortunately our Leaver’s Party at Wot a Mess had to be cancelled at the last minute due to Covid, so we set up our own messy play in the garden and had the climbing frame and physical activities out in the hall, so that our Leavers could still have a fun last day. Thank you to Judith and Beth who came in to help.
We were successful in applying for a grant to help with the extra costs of Covid and received just under £900 to help offset some of our extra costs of cleaning materials, and the extra time paid to staff for staying to clean. We also took the initiative to apply for a grant in the summer term to do with promoting Healthy Eating and were awarded over £800 with which to purchase a new sturdy display unit; fix our shed; create a growing/gardening area and hold a healthy eating parent picnic/information event. We are fortunate that Keep Lancing Lovely put us in touch with the local Men in Sheds group who offered to make our planters at cost price and also provide bug hotels, seating around the base of the tree and some free standing planters (if needed). Keep Lancing Lovely will help with giving advice on planting and maintenance and have offered to come in and work with the children to do this. Preparation work was carried out over the summer, but the installation is on hold as Men in Sheds have been hit by Covid. However, we have started some planting in containers, so that we hopefully have some food items we can use for our parent picnic next month.
Frank from Men in Sheds also fixed our wooden role play car, mending the steering wheel, adding a new gear stick and pedal and also fixed our access ramp for free, which we had been quoted almost £1000 to fix/re-new by Gardner and Scardifield. He has offered to re-new our wooden train board and give us a quote for mending the shed flooring and roof. However, he mentioned that it has been difficult to get hold of materials recently, so it may not be something he can fix straight away. It has been great to feel a part of the community again and to be involved with these local projects. Keep Lancing Lovely have big plans for next year which we hope to be part of too, which will demonstrate to the children and families in our care, how important the local community is and how we can support it as well as being supported by it.
Staffing
Jill Griffiths took the decision to leave at the end of the summer term and Sabrina, Judith and I interviewed 4 candidates for the post. All of them came in for visits to the setting so that we could see how each of them interacted with the children and staff and we were pleased to appoint Hannah Phillips who has made a great start and has a lovely rapport with both the children and staff.
Training
All training this year has been completed via webinars or online self-directed learning, which whilst not always ideal, has meant that we can access training which would previously have been difficult to attend, including free training and seminars run by national organisations We renewed our Flick online subscription, which has enabled us all to update our food hygiene
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training and will provide the opportunity to update our child protection and safeguarding knowledge too. West Sussex training is now all pay as you go and varies in cost from £15 taster sessions to £50 or £60 all day sessions. They are starting to bring back some face to face training and all staff will need to complete their First Aid Training by the end of May 2022.
Phillippa has almost finished her Level 3. Unfortunately, her tutor’s last two visits have had to be cancelled, so we’re hoping all work and observations will be signed off at her visit in November. Phillippa still has a large number of off the job training hours to make up and is going to be working with a couple of local childminders to get some non-setting experience as part of this, as well as completing some online training through Flick and Educare (which we get free through our membership of the Early Years Alliance).
We hope that Hannah will want to undertake apprenticeship training once she has settled in and we will discuss the best option for her doing this, whether day release or distance learning. If we can enrol her in an Apprenticeship by the end of November we could receive a £3000 bursary for doing so, which would help towards the cost of it.
After completing a questionnaire about how the Transition process to school could work better in West Sussex, Katie was approached and asked to take part in and lead some training in the Adur area as part of a new Improved Outcomes project. She will be working alongside the SENCO from Boundstone Nursery to deliver 4 training sessions over the upcoming academic year. The Playgroup will receive money for this and Judith had agreed to come in and cover any sessions Katie needs to miss, but this will need to be reviewed.
Safeguarding
Katie and Sarah updated their Designated Person’s Training in the Autumn term via an online webinar. Staff have continued to hold safeguarding discussions at each staff meeting along with being kept informed of any changes in policy or procedure. All new committee members have completed their EY2 Ofsted Registration and DBS checks and two parent volunteers also completed DBS checks before helping on our outings. Judith’s DBS has also been updated. Risk Assessments and Policies have continued to be monitored, updated and amended, particularly those relating to Covid, as the guidance changes and these are shared with staff and parents, as appropriate.
All portable electrical items were PAT tested for free over the summer. A new cable for the computer was obtained and the vacuum cleaner cable had to be shortened, all of which was done cost-free by Matthew Ayling.
Stay and Play
As rules for Parent and Child groups changed, we were able to re-open our Stay and Play group. Initially we held a one off outdoors Easter special on the last Tuesday of the Spring term, which parents and carers had to book in advance. We were limited to 15 adults and filled all the spaces, although only 12 turned up on the day. The session worked well outside, helped by the unseasonably hot weather. After Easter we were allowed to re-open inside and agreed to just run the Tuesday afternoon session, with lots of activities outside as well as inside. Our numbers had to be limited and parents /carers booked in advance. It was good to welcome lots of new families to the sessions, who are continuing to attend.
This term, restrictions on numbers have been removed and we are getting around 10 families attending each session. We have also had a number of enquiries about Playgroup from Stay and Play families, although most children are not old enough to attend yet. A couple of families have asked about whether we will re-start the Friday Stay and Play session as they can’t attend on Tuesdays. Another member of staff has agreed that they would be happy to work this session, but we need to do some more research into whether it would be well attended or not. Currently, the extra cleaning after Stay and Play means that it takes a lot longer to tidy up after a session, so Katie is reluctant to do this for an additional afternoon if numbers are low.
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Fundraising
In December we raffled 3 Christmas Stockings and at Easter had a well supported Easter chocolate and giant egg raffle. Making the most of the good weather, we held a successful outdoor Table Top sale in July where we managed to sell a lot of items we had been donated as well as table space for others to sell items. It was a very successful event, well supported by both buyers and sellers. The Guides also did not to charge us any rent for using the hall for the Table Top sale, for which they have been thanked.
Thanks, as usual, must go to the staff for continuing to come into work, despite all that was going on outside and making the Playgroup a fun, enjoyable and educational place to be. A number of parents and carers who have looked around recently have commented on what a lovely atmosphere the setting has, which is a really positive reflection on the staff. Thanks also to Gill, Leena and Judith as the backbone of the committee who have valiantly coped with online committee meetings, despite not everyone being confident in using technology. Thank you all for being at the end of the phone and email when I have had concerns I needed to share and for offering your much valued support and advice. Thanks to Sophie and Colette for continuing to support the Playgroup through their continued presence on the committee and we look forward to welcoming some new committee members to the team soon.
7. TREASURER’S REPORT
The accounts have been audited and approved and the loss is less than was thought due to an error in claiming back National Insurance. The loss is also less than it has been for previous years, despite the impact of the Pandemic.
Leena went through the Profit/Loss and Balance sheets (attached). It was asked whether we had claimed all the money back for the milk, as we had spent more than we received back, which is unusual. No other questions were raised.
It was suggested that it was not worth ordering any new uniform as very few people were buying it for their children to wear at Playgroup. We would just sell off what we have in stock.
Leena has changed the way she pays petty cash, providing Katie with money by BACS rather than cash and is accounting it separately to make it easier. She is also scanning receipts, documents and bills to have virtual rather than physical copies of supporting evidence, once she is sure that Charities are legally allowed to do so.
With both Gill and Judith leaving, there is a need to have two new signatories on the Playgroup Bank account and to approve any payments made. Zoe was asked and agreed and Katie will speak to Colette to ask her too. Gill will approve any payments to be made in October, to ensure that staff get paid as it can take some time to get new signatories approved and able to use the online banking system.
8. APPOINTMENT OF AUDITOR
Katie Wastell has agreed to be auditor for another year. Committee are all happy for her to continue in this role. Proposed by Leena Tucker and seconded by Judith Atkinson.
9. ELECTION OF COMMITTEE
Members staying on:
Leena Tucker, Sophie Adams, Colette Poole, Katie Ayling as Manager
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Resignations: Gill Hearne Judith Atkinson (from end of November 2021)
New members:
Zoe Brown nominated by Leena Tucker and seconded by Judith Atkinson.
Officers:
Chairperson Judith Atkinson until end November 2021 Acting Vice Chair No one appointed at present Secretary Katie and Leena to share this until new Secretary appointed Treasurer Leena Tucker
We desperately need to recruit more committee members. Katie will speak to some parents from Playgroup and Stay and Play. It may be worth putting out a plea on Facebook, as not all committee members need to be associated with the Playgroup. Hopefully this will also increase the range of skills brought to the committee.
10. MEETING OPEN TO THE FLOOR
Christmas Table Sale – Katie will find out about booking the hall in November (not 28[th] ). Need to look at the space to work out how many tables we can offer. It would be good to provide hot drinks and a seating area and maybe a Santa’s Grotto?
St Michael’s Church are planning a Christmas Tree Festival again this year, the first weekend of December and the Playgroup has been asked if it would like to sponsor a tree, as we had planned to last year, before it was cancelled. Cost will be £30. All agreed to go ahead with this. Zoe will ask about whether her work might be able to provide us with a 5ft tree.
Gill pointed out that she and Judith are named on the Lease agreement and as both are leaving the committee, a new agreement should be made. Katie will contact Christine at the Guides about this.
It is also worth bearing in mind that our rent may increase next year (from January), partly due to the rise in energy prices and also, over the summer Katie had a number of conversations with Christine at the Guides about whether we are charged for setting up and clearing away. Katie assumed this was part of the rent, but apparently we are only charged for our operating hours, so the Guides may decide to increase the rent to reflect this, but we should have notice of any increases being made.
Gifts were then presented to the Officers as a thanks for the work they have done to support the Playgroup over the last year.
11. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
To save paying additional rent and because the Guide Hall is now being used every evening, it was agreed that future meetings would take place at Leena, Katie or Zoe’s house
Next meeting: Tuesday 16[th] November 2020, 7.30pm at Leena’s house.
MEETING CLOSED AT APPROXIMATELY 9.10pm.
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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinèr's Report Report to the ttusteesl members of On accounts for Ihe year endod Charlty no Ilf aryl Sot out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination ofthe accounts of the above charity (kne Trusf) for Ihe year ended l j .? ¥ Z?Wl. Responslbiliti•s and As the charily trustees of the Trust. you are fespffisible for the preparation basls of report of the accounts in accordance th the requirèments ofthe Charlties Act 2011 (kne Acr). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's atVnIS carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in Carrng out my examination. I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515)Ib} of the Act. I have completed my examlnation. I confimi that no material matters have coffle to my attention lother than that dlsdosed below.) in ¢onne¢tion wth the examination vthich gwes me cause to believe that in, any matwial respect". ac&)unting records were not kept In accordancthith sectkon 130 of the Aci or the accounts do not accord with the aco)unting records Independent examlnerfs statemont I have no rA)ncems and have Come across no other matters in connectlon with the examination to which attention should be drawn In order to enable a proper understanding ol the accounts to be reached. ' Please delete the words in lh& brack&ts rfthey do not apply. J.Jl,?filzi Slgned: Narne- LA TIG Relevant professlonal qualiffcatlonls) or body Ilf anyl: Addres¥: ¥4 14- leA4 October 2018 IER Page7of10
Profit and Loss Penhill Playgroup For the year ended 31 August 2021 Turnover Ct5leS DonallDTrS Funth¥O Raffles QrtalFUratynB IntereIl¢e IlilkReinthur5emwt othErAu@ P3rEAtPavJ F$ sxso 2875D YAW) o.oi 26TffjO StrY4r?12YFees W&%[sseyfyuDtyCwlFund1Thg T•tsITurno¥er 4B54.Q8 SIW7 51W37 Gross Profft Adminlstrative Costs verU4tE&ldaFkedn8 15 kF4p5 4196.7a EmployeL%NI atlonal EmErtalDm#lt.%hoolTrtP5 Equipment ¢nua?p1les LIQ38 Grfts 27829 In5urarKe ITSoftwwpthCon5uM•b HqtlF53rIdsubsc1bPUQTrs 2036 s7. 46.747al P0sfa84Frew&cuJrf4¢ 243. st&ff Thinini TorSIntet (5J55] Operating Profit Otherlneome Empitsye1Retae T¢J¢alOtherom 1.19&78 lJ96.78 Page8of10
Profft on OrdlnaryAclivit5es BeforeTaxatlon ProfftafterTaxation 13,95856) .9586) Page9of10
Balance Sheet Penhill Playgroup As at 31 August 2021 CurTentksets (ashatbankandinhand PfDhS11 Play8roup YS35 T¢)tsICurrtrt4W4ts Credltor5: amountshlll duewithln one Accountspayabl NICPèyablE Pettycashpoount 217SI 15fy)291 1242M) NetCuNentAssets ILFabilitttsl 84.76S35 TotalAssetslessCurrentLh8bllities 765SS l and Reserves CunEntYe4rE•min85 REtsSned Earnln85 TO#ICaprtal4ndRW 13,95& 76*95 Page 10 0110