1 **Registered Office** Brightlingsea Playcentre Bayard Recreation Ground Regent Road Brightlingsea C07 0NL Telephone No: 07951 268498 **Registered Charity No:** 1026524 **Ofsted No:** EY539971 ## **Accountant** Martyn Lewis 1 Brook Street Wivenhoe CO7 9DS ## **Bankers** Lloyds Bank 27 High Street Colchester CO1 1DU 2 **Staff and Management Structure** Sept 2020/Aug 2021 Staff Managers Carolyn Rix Patricia Moylan Supervisors Natalie Calderwood Toni Lungley Patricia Moylan Assistants Dierdre Barham Donna Bees Karen Pink Kay Blackwell Jo Harvey Management Committee Members Officers: Chairperson Kate Shaw Secretary Sally Harman Treasurers Kelly Gee Present Members: Lora Goreham Lorna Kernaghan-Andrews Georgina Griggs 3 ## **Contents** ## 1. BRIGHTLINGSEA PRE-SCHOOL - History - Aims - Funding - Sessions - Staff 2. Chairs Report 3. Manager and staff report 4. Treasurers Report 5. Acknowledgements 6. Appendix **Appendix 1** Accounts 4 ## 1. BRIGHTLINGSEA PRE-SCHOOL ## **HISTORY** Brightlingsea Playcentre has been established in Brightlingsea for over forty years. We changed our name to Brightlingsea Pre-school when the new demountable building was put in place in 2010; however, our registered name remains Brightlingsea Playcentre. We are a registered charity, and are run by a Parent Management Committee. Our premises are based in an attractive setting, surrounded by large playing fields. We have our own large garden which the children love to play in. We are open for ten three hour sessions per week, with a lunch club and a breakfast club too. ## **AIMS** - To enhance the development and education of children under statutory school age in a parentinvolving, community-based group. - To provide a safe, secure and stimulating environment. - To work within a framework, this enables equality of opportunity for all children and families. At the Brightlingsea Pre-school we aim to develop children's social skills, support their development and education in a caring, play-based environment. During childhood children can follow their spontaneous inclination to explore their ideas and relationships for their own sake rather than to serve any external purpose. As they do so, they build up a picture of the world and the way it works. By this, they learn through play. 5 At aged two, children are able to experience the learning opportunities of the "Foundation Stage" of their education, and are working towards achieving "Early Learning Goals". Our keyperson system enables us to ensure a planned curriculum tailored to the needs of each individual child. We recognise the importance of play as a way of learning. By means of developmentally appropriate play activities and a high level of individual adult input, we are able to offer a curriculum which ensures children will make good progress towards achieving the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Foundation Stage (Year 1 of Primary School). ## **FUNDING** We are funded by the government for thirty-eight weeks of the year, which means that we are able to open for the same amount of weeks as the local Infant school. Children are funded by the government to receive 5 free preschool places the term after their third birthday. 30 hour funding is also available to working parents. Children who are not yet eligible for funding currently pay £12.50 a session. We are also a registered provider for two year olds and are able to apply for funding for those who are eligible. ## **SESSIONS** We are open for ten sessions a week from Monday to Friday. We provide a play based environment where children are able to develop their social skills by making new friends as well as being encouraged to learn through play based activities. We use themes, which change regularly, to structure certain elements of play. Within each theme we explore a wide variety 6 of craft materials, cooking, music, modelling, different art mediums and different cultures. Each individual child who attends the pre-school will be allocated a key person, who will plan for their individual children and keep a record a learning journal of the child's development, they will be able to answer any questions from parents, and work in partnership with parents to build up this learning journal. We also offer parent appointments to come in and discuss their child’s progress, as well as learning journals available to take home. The child’s learning journal will be given to parents to keep at the end of the child’s time at the preschool. ## **STAFF** There are eight members of staff who work for the Brightlingsea Pre-school; one member of staff holds a degree in Early years. One has a Degree in Early Childhood and 4 hold Diploma in pre-school practice or NVQs level 3. One has a Diploma in pre-school practice level 2. We also attend other training such as: Safeguarding Health and safety Early Years Foundation Stage Training First Aid 7 ## **2. CHAIRS REPORT – Kate Shaw** The Brightlingsea Playcentre Pre-school is an asset to this community. It gives a good start to the children’s school life. Brightlingsea has continued to grow in population with several housing developments now completed and now with several more developments starting. This means there is a continual need in the community for good pre-school education. Our business has continued to provide provision for children, however, our numbers have reduced again and the reason for this is we are now competing against two other local preschools in this area. COVID -19 has had an impact with parents being wary of sending their children to attend pre-school. We had a lockdown in November 2020, and although we stayed open during this time, many parents chose not to send their children during this difficult time. We have found different ways of promoting our business, using Facebook and delivering leaflets. This is because many of our normal advertising events have been cancelled, such as the local carnival. We have not been able to hold any open days but have continued to show parents around our facility during out of normal working hours, so that the children are not present. We have found Facebook invaluable in communicating with, and keeping our parents up to date with any developments, using a dedicated private parent’s page. We continue to provide an invaluable opportunity for children to come to a welcoming place to play and make friends, with children that they will go to school with. This is a time for parents to make new friends too. It is also a chance for parents to become actively involved in the pre-school and how 8 it is run and this can be through joining the management committee or giving ideas or donating some of their time. We have a fantastic team of staff; they have a continued commitment to the pre-school and to the children who attend it through these difficult times. I would like to thank the staff for all their hard work and dedication this year. Our achievements over the last year have been very much in keeping in line with our development plans for the pre-school. We have: - We have increased our advertising in the local community and we continue to develop our website. - We have created support for our families through a private Facebook page. - We continue to support families in need who have children with special educational needs. Helping them to access the best services for their children’s educational and wellbeing. - Continued to help our staff develop within their roles, including in house training and online training. Our aims for this year are: - We would like to increase the number of families who use our facility. We need to do this through further advertisements and to use social media to promote our business. - To continue to provide an excellent service, tailoring our care to the needs of our children. 9 ## **3. MANAGER AND STAFF REPORT** ## **STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS** The staff are led by Carolyn Rix and Patricia Moylan. We have two supervisors in our three and over room, who work with all the staff, in ensuring that all children are individually planned for and have a great time whilst with us. This year has been a difficult one with the continuing of COVID-19. However, we have also been graded GOOD by Ofsted in June 2021. - We are continuing to include pre-school activities for all the children who attend. This is in keeping with individual structured play to suit individual needs. - Along with the pre-school activities, our planning ensures that each child is catered for as an individual, including those children who have additional needs. It is flexible so that the children can initiate child led activities, leading to experiences of learning through play. - We have continued to embrace the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum, and the free flow system, we feel that all of this has improved the quality of provision for the children. - We work within the pre-school to improve children’s speech and language skills using our Eklan speech and language training, making a real difference to children who have a speech delay. 10 ## **Development Plans** The staff and committee members are always striving to improve the Playcentre, our main aims for the year ahead are: - We are striving to keep our facility open by advertising and welcoming all new enquiries. - We ensure all children are treated equally and receive individual care and attention. - To continue to train and supervise our staff to improve and refresh their knowledge and skills. - That we ensure we work in partnership with parents/carers as well as childminders and other agencies to strive to ensure all children are catered for. ## **FURTHER INFORMATION** A copy of our recent OFSTED report can be viewed at the Playcentre or on-line at www.ofsted.gov.uk 11 ## **Treasurers Report – Kelly Gee** The Brightlingsea Pre-school is a registered charity, which is run by a Parent Management Committee. Our costs are covered by: Two year old funding (where criteria is met) Government Funding received for our three and four year olds. Fees of £12.50 per session. Two year olds are entitled to funding if the families meet the government criteria. Funding for our 3 and 4 year olds is payable only from the start of the term following a child’s third birthday. In addition, it covers 38 weeks of the year. Non-funded children pay £12.50 per session. We also have a breakfast club which £5.00 for 1 hour and a Lunch club which is £2.50 for half an hour. Financially we have made a profit due to lowering staffing costs and carefully budgeting our income. We have continued to budget carefully to ensure that we have enough money to pay the wages and bills. All in all the finances of the Pre-school are in a stable position. We would prefer to have more children attending which would help to put us in a stronger position financially, however, with COVID-19 it is difficult to recruit more families. Fundraising is also a difficult prospect in these times. 12 ## **5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS** Thank you to all the staff, as usual you have all pulled together and kept the pre-school a wonderful place for children, especially during these difficult times. Thank you to the council for the continued use of their building, and for all the work they have put in to keep the preschool building and surrounding grounds in good condition. Thank you to our committee members for all their work they do to support us. Thank you to all the parents/carers who have supported the pre-school over the years. BRIGHTLINGSEA PLAYCENTRE •••••+•••••+++••++ ArcYpiin/sfor ihe Yeiir ENde¢l MARTYN LEIWIS Charitred A¢¢ounlaiir¥ Br #Pla entre Recei and Pa ments Account fortheYe8r Ended 31A ust 2021 I￿1 2020 Income Fees Fund RaisinÈ Donaiion5 Other Income 146.102 142 S69 8121 161,750 207 154,934 163.957 Less.. Expenditure Wa8es Rert Rates & RepaiTS 119.880 11.217 1,14S 2,139 1.243 144,130 438 1.619 821 721 300 Con5umable5 E4uipment Accountancy 30Q 802 4,808 45LI Sundry Expenses Course Fee5 DÈpre(iation- Equipment 3.343 1.614 1.749 1,312 144.194 155,1 SURPLUSIIDEFICITI OF INCOME OVER EXPEN0￿￿RE £10.740 E7,768 Re8iStered C￿rItY 1026524 aPI cet)tre B?lat)ce Sheet as at 31Au ust 2021 2021 2020 Flxed A55ets Buildins at Cost Addition In Year Equipment Addition5 in Ye3r 300,469 300,469 300.469 300.469 41,472 41.472 41,472 38,105 2.598 41,472 36.983 2,598 Le55.' Depreciation Office Equipment Addition5 in Year Less.- Depreciation Furniture and Fixtures Addition5 in Year Less.. Depreciation 3.367 4,489 2,342 2640 256 2,256 2640 342 2,328 312 304.404 2,224 416 305,716 CurrentA55¢ts Cash at Bank Debtors Cash at Building Society Cash in Hand 57.550 45,556 63 57,618 45.566 Current Uabllitles Creditors 300 57.318 300 45.266 361.722 350,982 Finanod B Accumtslatpd Fund Ba13nce as at 0110912019 ADD.. Surplus/ LESS.. Deficit 350,982 £10.740 343,214 E7.768 361,722 350,982 The Balance Sheet and the Accounts to whlth it relates were a Annual General Meetin ol the Bri htlin sea Pla tentre on roved the Trustees at the date Signed.-..l_.iL.', ..ITru51eel Si8ned._.............._......._..._............--....._..._.._.ITrusteel **BRIGHTLINGSEA PLAYCENTRE Registered Charity 1026524** ## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Brightlingsea Playcentre** I report to the Charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of Brightlingsea Playcentre (The Charity) for the year ended 31[st] August 2021. ## **Responsibilities and Basis of Report** As the trustees of the Charity 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 Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all 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: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. 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. ## M Lewis ……………………………. MARTYN LEWIS Martyn Lewis Chartered Accountants 1 Brewery House Brook Street Wivenhoe Essex CO7 9DS Dated: 18[th] January 2022