ST MATTHEWS PRE-SCHOOL GROUP
ANNUAL REVIEW AND TRUSTEES REPORT
2020/2021
Introduction
St Matthews Pre-School Group is a registered Charity (Number 1019336) and as such is obliged to hold an AGM. It is necessary to present a Trustees Report (an overview of the year) and Financial Report for the financial year. Both documents are subsequently submitted to the Charities Commission and displayed on their website for anyone to view.
St Matthews Pre-School Group has signed onto and follows the Constitution as set out by the Early Years Alliance, of which we are members. We are legally obliged to elect a committee whose responsibility it is to oversee the running of the pre-school group. The committee needs to comprise a Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and other members (minimum of 2) to achieve a quorum for all decision making.
We are registered with Ofsted – registration number is 315246.
Parents of all children of 3 years and over are eligible to claim up to 15 hours free childcare (30 hours if eligible). St Matthews Pre-School Group receives its funding from Warrington Borough Council.
Overview of the Year 2020/21
When we commenced academic year 2020/21 we certainly didn’t envisage another difficult year.
We were able to open our doors in September to welcome returning children and new starters, however we were unable to accept any child who attended another setting in order to comply with our Covid-19 Risk Assessment. We also needed to comply with the Covid-19 Risk Assessment for the Church Hall and as such numbers needed to be capped. At the start of the year, we had 18 children on our register, Local Authority (WBC) funding had increased to £4.35 per hour from £4.25 per hour the previous year, and the majority of sessions had been filled / reserved.
During the Autumn Term we continued to keep a watchful eye on the financial situation and were grateful to receive some very kind and generous parental donations. Some supporters continued to use ‘Easyfundraising’ each time they shopped online and we were grateful for the commission from the retailers. Our Bag2School collection was booked for 12[th] November and raised £141.00. Fundraising opportunities were limited, as restrictions continued on large gatherings. As such, the traditional Autumn Toddle and Christmas Shopping events did not go ahead. We had hoped to be able to claim the Job Retention Scheme bonus at the end of January which would have amounted to £3,000 (and helped us enormously financially) however, this scheme was shelved by the Government. Our financial projections for the whole academic year, which included all the basic running costs plus budgeted expenditure on toys and equipment, would have been break-even but only if we received the £3,000 bonus.
The pre-school children engaged in various Autumn activities, including making their own hedgehogs and learning about hibernation. We enjoyed a ‘Pumpkin Week’ with the children creating pumpkin pictures, decorating a pumpkin with all things they were thankful for and celebrated with a ‘Pumpkin Party’. In November, the children were involved in making a pre-school guy for Bonfire Night and enjoyed watching some science experiments, as they learned about fireworks and being safe. Remembering soldiers in the war was commemorated by making poppies and looking at some old
photos of soldiers. We also visited the War Memorial at St Matthews Church. The Christmas tableau took place but this year was recorded for parents to watch, as Covid-19 restrictions meant no audiences were allowed. The children enjoyed their Christmas Party and Father Christmas managed to call in too! Father Christmas was also out and about visiting children as part of the ‘Santa Visit’ fundraiser. This was extremely popular and well received, raising £254.
Unfortunately, the evening of 4[th] January saw lockdown once more imposed on the country. Early years were permitted to remain open but numbers per session had to be reduced and staff welfare considered.
Staff
We said ‘farewell’ to a number of staff during 2020/21 – both Tracy-Anne Clancy and Karen Ditchfield ‘retired’ from pre-school at the end of the Autumn Term and Caroline Carr left at the end of the academic year. In order to facilitate a smooth handover of duties during the Autumn Term, Alison Lockie took up her position of Manager in November to shadow Tracy-Anne Clancy. Additionally, Nicola Uren was employed from November to assume the duties and key children from Karen Ditchfield. Rachel Dobbs joined pre-school during the Spring Term in order to allow a term’s handover from Caroline Carr. As such, there were some additional salary costs incurred. There are currently 6 staff on the payroll.
Salaries are based affordability. The committee agreed to an increase in salaries during the year to ensure that salaries keep pace with the National Living Wage rates. The current rates of pay are now £12.00 / hr for a manager, £11.70 / hr for a deputy manager and £10.00 / hr for an assistant. Since September 2021, staff hours have been temporarily reduced to reflect the low numbers of children on each session.
Committee
The committee members for 2020/21 were as follows:
Chair – Alison Baird
Secretary – Rachel Whitbread
Treasurer – Ceri Roberts
Member – Vicky Lockwood
Member – Beth Fawcett
Appointed trustees were Alison Baird, Rachel Whitbread, Ceri Roberts, Vicky Lockwood and Beth Fawcett. Alison Lockie is the nominated person for Ofsted and contact for the Charities Commission is Tracy-Anne Clancy. Signatories for the payroll were Alison Baird and Tracy-Anne Clancy.
Financially, we had a difficult year as a result of minimal fundraising opportunities and enforced low child places to comply with Church Hall regulations during the Covid-19 lockdown 2021. The closing balance on the current account was £1,960 and our reserve account was £9,520. The financial report will cover this area more fully.
Looking Forwards to 2021/22
Pre-school is now open for 21 hours per weeks which includes 3 full days sessions.
Thank You
Finally, thanks are due to the staff for all their hard work and commitment to the job and for their care of the children, which is excellent in every way. The staff not only nurture the children but help them
to develop their confidence and independence and this is greatly appreciated by parents and carers alike.
Thanks to the Committee for their support during these unprecedented times.
Last, but not least, thank you to the parents, relatives and friends who have made donations throughout the year as well as giving your support to the ongoing operation of pre-school.
This concludes the report.
ST MATTHEWS PRE SCHOOL GROUP STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021 REGISTERED CHARITY NO: 1019336
| INCOME Balance brought forward 1 August Current account Reserve account Fees Government Grants Snack Fees Lunch Fees Uniform Sales & Registration Fees Fundraising (inc Gift Aid) Grants & Donations (inc. matched giving) Outings & Events Other Bank Interest Total Income in the Year Total |
Year Ended 31 July 2021 £ 5,298 16,019 12,832 46,292 1,431 465 514 1,139 460 340 3,424 2 66,898 £88,215 |
Year Ended 31 July 2020 EXPENDITURE £ Salaries / Pensions 495 16,013 NIns / Tax Payslip Service 14,651 Subscriptions / Insurance 39,386 Rent 900 Telephone 0 Staff Training 607 Uniform & Bag Supplies 2,199 Stationery/Postage 577 Cleaning Supplies / PPE 50 Snacks 10,695 Lunches 5 Daily Activities Children's Profiles Toys & Equipment Events & Outings Fundraising Expenses Other / Advertising 69,071 Total Expenditure in the Year Balance carried forward 31 July Current Account Reserve Account Accuals £85,579 Total |
Year Ended 31 July 2021 £ 60,473 2,270 472 1,044 5,164 417 375 189 129 718 809 465 1,019 399 1,820 241 223 619 76,845 1,960 9,520 (111) £88,215 |
Year Ended 31 July 2020 £ 52,699 657 484 989 3,571 501 0 474 178 0 601 0 561 545 1,335 452 443 772 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64,262 | ||||
| 5,298 16,019 |
||||
| £85,579 |
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of St Matthews Pre School Group
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of St Matthews Pre-School for the year ended 31 July 2021.
Responsibilities and Basis of Report
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the pre-school’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent Examiner’s Statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: P Clancy
Name: Paul F Clancy (ACA, MBA)
Address: 19, Rosemoor Gardens, Appleton, Warrington WA4 5RF
Date: 23[rd] September 2021
Financial Overview of St Matthews Pre School Group Accounts
1[st] August 2020 - 31[st] July 2021
Registered Charity No: 1019336
Overview
The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and cover the period 1[st] August 2020 to 31[st] July 2021.
Income for the year totalled £66,898, the major source of income being fees and grants (£59,124). Additionally, the final payment (£3,424) under the Government’s Job Retention Scheme was received, which partly compensated for the loss of WBC funded income from the Summer Term 2020 (all adjustments were made in the Autumn Term). The prevailing rules during several periods of restrictions and lockdowns in 2020/21, resulted in a second year of limited fundraising and events income. Additionally, in order to comply with Covid19 Risk Assessments (both Pre-School and the Church Hall), numbers had to be capped and as such the pre-school could only operate at 70% capacity, with a resultant dip in income.
Expenditure for the year was £76,845, an increase of £12,583 compared with the previous year, being mainly in respect of salary/pension costs and rent. This is explained as a combination of recruitment and training (including in-house) of new 3 new staff members during the year, coupled with 4 staff now covering each session (facilitating more 1:1 teaching) plus ‘cost of living’ increases. A rent ‘holiday’ in 2019/20 was granted for the first lockdown however, the pre-school was open throughout the whole of 2020/21 plus an additional Thursday afternoon, resulting in a 44% increase in paid rent year on year.
The closing balance on the Current Account is £1,960, with the Reserve Account closing at £9,520.
Income
The key areas to note are as follows:
-
Fees & Grants – Total income from parental fees and grants from Warrington Borough Council (WBC) amounted to £59,124 compared with £54,037 the previous year, although this is not a like for like comparison (lockdown and different session times). Due to imposed restrictions on numbers in the Church Hall (Covid Risk Assessment) we were only able to operate at 70% capacity. Ordinarily, with 20 children on a session, income would have been circa £84,000. By way of note, the basic running costs of pre-school (staff costs, rent, telephone and insurance) totalled £70,215.
-
Government Job Retention Scheme – In the Autumn Term we received the final payment of £3,424 under the Government Job Retention Scheme (whilst we were closed in Spring 2020). However, an adjustment on grants received from WBC, effective in the Autumn term, negated this.
-
Snack Fees – We were grateful to receive the continued financial assistance towards the cost of snacks this year, amounting to £1,431. This was spent on healthy snacks for the children and also ensured that the premises, equipment and hands were kept as clean as possible.
-
Fundraising – Fundraising during 2020/21 amounted to £1,139 (net £916). It was a very difficult year for fundraising with large gatherings banned and several months of lockdown. The most successful events were the ‘Santa Visit’ and our Bag2School collections – both being totally Covid-19 safe. The analysis of fundraising income and expenditure is included in Annex 1.
-
Donations – We were delighted to receive £460 of donations from parents. Very much appreciated during such unprecedented times.
Expenditure
The main areas of expenditure are discussed below, with a more detailed analysis of capital expenditure and expenditure on outings and events included in Annex 2.
-
Staff Costs – As we are a child-care organisation, the main expense for pre-school is in respect of staffing. Total staff costs this year totalled £63,215 compared with £53,840 in 2019/20. We had 6 staff on the payroll for the first half term which then increased to 8 pre-Christmas. This was to allow for a full handover of workload to the incoming pre-school Manager and new Assistant. During the Spring Term, a new Assistant joined the team to ensure an effective handover of duties / training recognising that another staff member was to leave at the end of the Summer Term. Although the country went into lockdown once again on 5[th] January, early years settings were to remain open. Numbers had to be capped and staff hours were flexed accordingly. The furlough scheme rules had changed since 2020 and as such we were not able to utilise the scheme. Staff worked from home where possible. During the Summer Term, pre-school was permitted to open for a full day on Thursday. Although this at face value appears to be a large outgoing, it should be considered in context with the hourly rates paid. We are a registered charity and as such we can only pay what we can afford. The hourly rates at the close of the year were: Manager £12.00 / hour, Deputy Manager £11.70 / hour and £10.00 per hour for Assistants. For reference, the National Minimum Wage announced by the Chancellor (effective from April 2021) is £8.91. Legally, we also have to provide and contribute into a workforce pension scheme.
-
Staff Training – Each member of staff needs to hold an up to date certificate for both Safeguarding and Paediatric First Aid. These were refreshed this year (training courses attended). Additionally, with the introduction of the new EYFS (effective from September 2021), staff training and publications were required.
-
Snacks & Supplies – Our outgoings on snacks this year totalled £809 with an additional £718 being spent on PPE and increased cleaning equipment (Dettol wipes, hand sanitisers etc). Each child is provided with a healthy snack and we were grateful for ongoing parental contributions towards this cost.
-
Rent – Our rent (payable to St Matthews PCC) totalled £5,164. This is not directly comparable with last year (£3,571) as the Hall Management Committee granted us a ‘rent holiday’ during lockdown plus the Hall was rented for a full day on Thursday during the Summer Term. The hourly rate during the year was £5.74 increased from £5.62 per hour the previous year. The projected rate from September 2021 will be £5.82 per hour (a 1.4% increase).
-
Daily Activities – This totalled £1,019, up on the previous year of £561, but the latter does not represent a full years costs (due to lockdown).
-
Toys & Equipment – During 2020/21, £1,820 was spent on Toys and Equipment. During the year, we have purchased a manager’s laptop, repaired some of the outdoor play area and refreshed the variety of indoor toys. A breakdown of the larger items of expenditure is included in Annex 2.
-
Outings and Events – A total of £241 was spent on events and included the children’s Pumpkin Party and Christmas Party, Parents’ Evening and the Leavers’
Party. Each child received a book at Christmastime and the ‘leavers’ also received a book at the end of the summer term.
-
Telephone – Pre-school pay for a telephone landline into the building to ensure contact can be made with other parties (e.g. parents, Ofsted, emergencies etc) as required, ensuring no “loss of signal”, “low batteries” or “loss” as experienced with mobile phones. The contract with BT was cancelled and a new provider sought. Plusnet now provide both the telephone and internet service which costs approximately £230 per year. We also have a mobile phone for parent messaging which costs us £9.50 per month.
-
Other – We continue to use Primary Site to ensure our website functionality is maintained. Also included are volunteer DBS checks and expenses, first aid equipment and one-off expenses.
Cash Flow
Cash flow is monitored and accounted for on a term by term basis. This year was quite challenging due to Covid-19 restrictions on session numbers and hampered fundraising opportunities. The reserve fund was utilised to support the ongoing running costs of preschool during the year.
St Matthews pre-school group holds a business reserve account in order that we can:
-
cover costs in the event of pre-school closing
-
cover for periods of low income
-
replace old equipment as necessary
Reserves are held as follows:
| Reserves are held as follows: | |
|---|---|
| Description of Reserve Fund | Amount Held £ |
| Redundancy Fund | 9,520 |
| Or: | |
| Emergency running costs for one month | 5,500 |
| Replacement of Equipment | 3,500 |
| General Use | 520 |
| Total | 9,520 |
Annex 1
| Fundraising | Income £ |
Expenditure £ |
Profit £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bag2School | 204 | - | 204 |
| Photos | 64 | - | 64 |
| EasyFundraising | 57 | - | 57 |
| Calendars | 151 | 24 | 127 |
| Sanata Visit | 410 | 156 | 254 |
| Egg Competition | 80 | - | 80 |
| Sports Day, Raffle & Ice Lollies | 173 | 43 | 130 |
| Sub-Total Fundraising | 1,139 | 223 | 916 |
| Donations & Fund Matching | 460 | - | 460 |
| Gift Aid | - | - | - |
| Total | 1,599 | 223 | 1,376 |
Annex 2
| Major Expenditure | £ | £ |
|---|---|---|
| Childrens Stools & Dolls | 33 | |
| Laptop plus Software | 530 | |
| Plastic Storage Boxes & Draw String Bags |
52 | |
| Ipad Screen Repairs, Cae & Screen Protector |
68 | |
| Wooden Clamps | 8 | |
| Books | 13 | |
| Magnetic Letters | 15 | |
| Shed Repairs | 101 | |
| Microwave & 2 Camping Tables | 63 | |
| Storage Boxes | 76 | |
| Tuff Tray & Sand | 83 | |
| Bug Exploring Equipment | 92 | |
| Art Aprons | 12 | |
| Number Moulds, Mobilo, Alphabet Lacing |
115 | |
| Wooden Construction Set | 54 | |
| Torches | 21 | |
| Dental Scene Toys | 10 | |
| Outdoor Banners | 282 | |
| Soil Pit / Decking Repairs | 50 | |
| Various (incl Link Club Equipment) | 142 | |
| Total Toys & Equipment | 1,820 | |
| Pumpkin Party | 21 | |
| Christmas Party | 111 | |
| Parents Evening | 63 | |
| Leavers Party | 46 | |
| Total Outings / Events Expenditure | 241 | |
| Total | 2,061 |