Trustees Annual Report
The entire financial year (April 2020-April 2021) was dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic. During this year the staff team have been supported by a dedicated Committee who have continued to be engaged and involved despite being unable to meet in person throughout this period.
In March 2020, The Secretary for Education, Gavin Williamson had announced that all nurseries, schools and colleges would be shut down in response to the Covid 19 Pandemic for an unspecified length of time. Opportunity Pre-School remained closed for the entire Summer Term. Every parent was contacted and staff stayed in touch with parents struggling at home with the demands of toddlers, babies, jobs and their own worries during this stressful time. Staff were furloughed, but nevertheless contact was maintained with parents and children, and each preschool leaver was visited at the end of term personally by a staff member with their ‘moving on’ package, ready to start primary school.
Staff took up a great deal of online training during this time.
In July, the planning for reopening in September began. This involved ‘bubbles’ to separate staff and children into smaller groups and much planning for health, safety, cleanliness and infection control. The classroom was divided in half and a decked area created at the entrance to enable a through flow of ventilation.
Although there were 34 children on role, Opportunity opened with 2 bubbles of 8 children in preschool in September. The children settled well and thrived in their small groups enjoying a lot of time outdoors.
Despite the concerns expressed by OFSTED at a national level about preschool children regressing in skills since Lockdown, this wasn’t the experience at Opportunity – so thanks must go to the patience, dedication and care of parents during those tough months.
At the start of the pandemic Committee members discussed how long the setting would be able to pay staff before funds were depleted – the calculations suggested 6-9 months. Thankfully, this was not the case. Central government and Shropshire Council continued funding Early Years settings throughout the Summer and Autumn Term based on the previous term’s headcounts. Opportunity was effectively funded as a fully stocked preschool, hence the profit of around £7,000 showing at the half yearly point of September 2020.
From the start of Spring term 2021 this support from Shropshire Council was withdrawn. Opportunity Pre-School began drawing on reserves throughout the next term in order to maintain the staff team. It was hoped the number of children attending would increase. Covid cases spiked again and the setting (and all schools) remained closed until March 8[th] . Families whose children were due to join us in the Spring Term felt it was safer to wait until Covid cases began to fall. Our number on the register remained at best 18.
Our accounts for the last financial year 2019-20 showed a loss of around £3,500 and as expected this loss was repeated when accounts for 2020/2021 were finalised.
Shrewsbury Opportunity Group continued to pay staff at approximately 90% of their regular salary when the setting was closed. The group committed to paying staff if they had to self-isolate and also supported families by not charging for sessions that children were unable to attend because of illness or self-isolation. Our staff team remains our greatest expenditure and our greatest asset!
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Charity Name No (if any)
Shrewsbury Opportunity Group 1027151
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period Period start date Period end date
To
from 06/04/2020 05/04/2021
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A1 Receipts
School Fees 1,971 - - 1,971 9,727
LEA Funding 63,007 - - 63,007 81,504
Fundraising - - - 377
Donations - - - 300
Interest/Miscellaneous 47 - - 47 46
Utilities (Refund) - - - 133
School Trips - - - -
Training - - - -
HMRC Grants 7,722 - - 7,722 -
Sub total (Gross income for
72,747 - - 72,747 92,087
AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 72,747 - - 72,747 92,087
A3 Payments
Salaries 73,853 - - 73,853 75,655
Educational Resources 4,928 - - 4,928 9,652
Snacks/Miscellaneous 1,350 - - 1,350 3,277
Insurance 1,875 - - 1,875 1,864
Utilities 3,442 - - 3,442 3,344
Building/Grounds/Fittings 1,144 - - 1,144 498
Admin/Legal 85 - - 85 707
School Trips - - - 190
Training 100 - - 100 475
Sub total [ 86,777 ] - - 86,777 95,662
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 86,777 - - 86,777 95,662
Net of receipts/(payments) - 14,030 - - - 14,030 - 3,575
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 117,665 - - 117,665 -
Cash funds this year end 103,635 - - 103,635 - 3,575
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CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
22/11/2021
1
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B1 Cash funds |
Details | Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39,381 56,337 7,918 |
- - - |
- - - |
||
| Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Details 4 Bay demountable classroom unit PCs x 2, Epson printer, Fax machine Furniture + specialist furniture Indoor/Outdoor play equipment/toys Details Signature |
103,636 - Agreement Error OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name Anne Wardrobe |
- | ||
| OK | ||||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - - - - - When due (optional) Date of approval 22nd Nov 2021 |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
22/11/2021
2
CHARITY COMMISSION Independent Examiner's Report on the Accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the tWStees/mefflbers of On accounts loi the year ended thaiity no {il any) Set out on pages {IrwembEttsindud¢the pa9E numbetscladdiliona15hrets} Respe(live re4nSIbltIes of tsustees and examinef d)afity's IFlee$ afe reSPDrib1e foi the prePa110n of the accounts. The (hafity's tnjstees consider that an audit is nDt requi lor this year under section 144 01 the chafities Art 2011 (the charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It ts my responsibility to: examine the ac(ounts under Secti 145 of the Charitie5 Art. to follow the proceduFes laid down in the general 04(tionS given by the charity Commission lundei se(tion 145(5)(b) of the charities Act), and lo state whdher particular matteFS have come to my attention. 8asis of independent examinerfs My examination was cartied out in a(mrdarKe with geneial Directions given by the statement chaiity Commission. An examination includes a ieview ol the aciounting iecoids kept by the tharily and a comparison of the a(count5 piesented with those records. It include5 ion5ideiab.on of any unusual item5 Ot disilosures in the accoun15. and seeking explanètions Irom the tnJstee5 con(erning any such matte15. The pto1eéuS ndertaken do not provide all the eviden(e that would be required in an audit, and consequenily no opinion is given a5 to whether the aicount5 piesent a 'tiue and laii. view and the repwt is limsted to those matte15 Set out in the statement below. Independenl ewinerfs In connection with my examin"On, Th) matter 5 come to my attents.on {other than thai disclosed below-).. (1) which give5 tne ieasonable cause to believe that in, afty material respecL the requirements: to keep accountir¥J re(ords in a([dan(P wtth se(tion 130 01 the Charities Act- to prepare accounts whith accord with the accounting records and comply wilh the aicounting iequiiefflents of the Ihaiilies Art have noi been fftet.. or (2> to which. in my opinion, attention Should be diawn in order to enable a proper ¥Jnderstsnding of the accounts to be rea(hed. ' pleose delete the wwds in the biockets rftheydo notopply. Signed Date Name Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any) AOA Address Oo.J QfL S1l IER Marth 2012
Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner Need5 to highlight material Pfoblems Give hefe brief details ol any items that the examiner wishes to dtsdose March 2012