Sutton on the Forest Preschool
Annual General Meeting – Chair’s Report
Tuesday 1st July 2025
Introduction
Good evening everyone, and thank you for joining us at this year’s Annual General Meeting. As Chair of Sutton on the Forest Preschool, I’m proud to share this report and reflect on what has been another successful, positive, and purposeful year for our preschool community.
Overview
We’ve had another very successful year at Sutton on the Forest Preschool – not only in helping our young learners to thrive and giving them every opportunity to learn and develop, but also in achieving formal recognition for our efforts.
In February, we were delighted to receive a "Good" rating in all areas during our Ofsted inspection. This was a huge moment for the whole team, and a real reflection of the hard work, passion, and care that goes into every day at preschool. The report included several key highlights, which I’d like to share:
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“This pre-school places great importance on building strong relationships between children and staff, to support their confidence and self-esteem. Children feel valued, important and listened to.”
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“Children show positive attitudes to learning. Staff plan an ambitious curriculum that engages and excites children.”
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“Staff support children's communication and language development extremely well. They engage in constant dialogue with children, repeating words and encouraging conversations.”
This Ofsted result is something we can all be proud of and reflects our commitment to giving every child the best possible start.
We’ve also continued to develop and strengthen our transition programme , ensuring our preschool leavers are well prepared for starting school. Our Monday afternoon sessions have been a key part of this preparation, giving the children opportunities to build confidence and independence in a focused setting. We’ve also had several successful visits both to and from our feeder schools — Sutton on the Forest, Easingwold, Crayke , and Huby — which have further supported smooth and positive transitions for all involved. As always, we say goodbye to our older children moving on to school and wish them every success in their new adventures.
Staff and Team
I would like to take this opportunity — both as a Trustee and as a parent — to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the staff at Sutton on the Forest Preschool. Debbie has led the preschool exceptionally well this year, supported by a fantastic team: Yvonne as Deputy Supervisor, and Millie, Alice , and Lisa .
We are incredibly fortunate to have such a consistent and cohesive team. The fact that there have been no staff changes this year speaks volumes — not only about the commitment and passion of the individuals, but also about the positive working environment they’ve created together. This stability is so important and provides a secure, familiar, and nurturing setting for the children to flourish.
This dedication was beautifully recognised in our Ofsted report, particularly in the words of our families:
- “Parents are very complimentary about pre-school. They value the nurturing staff team and the home-from-home environment that staff provide.”
In April 2025 , our staff received a well-deserved pay increase following changes to the staff pay structure, reflecting national increases in the minimum wage. We are proud to have made this adjustment and remain committed to reviewing wages again next year , ensuring that our team continues to be fairly compensated for the invaluable contributions they make every day.
Children and Learning
Across the year, the children have shown fantastic progress, both in their individual development and their growing curiosity and independence. Whether through messy play, storytelling, outdoor adventures, or early phonics and numeracy games, their joy and enthusiasm have been clear to see.
We’ve also had a busy and enriching calendar of in-house events and activities that have brought the preschool community together and created special memories. Highlights include:
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The Christmas Jingle , where the children sang festive carols and proudly shared their Christmas artwork as part of a seasonal fundraiser.
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Our very successful Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Tea Parties , which were a lovely way to celebrate families and showcase the children’s work.
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Special themed days such as Burns Night , where the children enjoyed bagpipes played live at Sutton on the Forest School, and participating in their Harvest Festival .
This has also been a year of trips and outings , giving our children valuable experiences outside the preschool setting:
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Visits to the Pumpkin Patch , Askham Bryan Wildlife Park , and a fantastic summer trip to Monk Park Farm .
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Several bus trips to a local cafés, helping the children practise confidence and independence in a new environment and Remembrance Service in Easingwold , helping to gently introduce them to wider community traditions.
In addition to these activities, we’ve also held two “Bags for School” collections , raising extra funds and involving families in sustainable giving and community support.
Altogether, these opportunities have created a rich and stimulating environment where children have felt inspired, celebrated, and connected to the world around them.
Committee
I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Committee members who have played a crucial role in our successful year. Your time, support, and commitment behind the scenes are what help the preschool continue to thrive.
A special thank you to Jenny Bowling , our Treasurer , and Michelle Dawson , our Secretary , for their dedication and attention to detail throughout the year. I’d also like to acknowledge Joe Wilson , my Co-Chair , who stepped down from the role in September 2024 — thank you, Joe, for all your work and support leading up to that point.
We’ve been fortunate to welcome three new members to the Committee: Daniella Coverdale , Katie Hunsdale , and Maggie Timms , who will be stepping up into the role of Treasurer going forward. We’re incredibly grateful for your willingness to get involved and contribute.
A huge and heartfelt thank you to Jenny for your hard work and dedication over the last two years . Your financial oversight and commitment have been invaluable to the preschool.
Not forgetting Helen Clarke , who continues to be our diligent and reliable Wages Clerk — thank you for everything you do behind the scenes.
Finances
See Treasurer’s Report and Annual Accounts.
Looking Ahead
As we move into the 2025–26 academic year, our goals include:
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Continuing to build strong community links and school relationships
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Investing in new resources and outdoor learning opportunities
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Maintaining a strong focus on inclusive, child-led learning
With the support of our wonderful staff, families, and Committee, we’re confident that the preschool will continue to thrive and evolve to meet the needs of our children.
Final Thanks
To everyone involved in Sutton on the Forest Preschool — thank you. Whether you’ve supported us by baking cakes, attending events, sharing feedback, volunteering your time, or simply trusting us with your child’s early years — your involvement truly matters.
Here’s to another joyful and successful year ahead.
Thank you.
Elaine Grainger Chair Sutton on the Forest Preschool 1st July 2025
Treasurer’s Report Year Ended 31st March 2025
Sutton on the Forest Preschool Authored by: Jenny Bowling ~~a~~
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1.0 Financial Summary
The following is a summary of the audited accounts for the year ended 31[st] March 2025. Previous year’s figures are taken from the audited accounts for the year ended 31[st] March 2024.
1.1 Total Income for the year ended 31[st] March 2025
| 2023/2024 | 2024/2025 | Diference |
|---|---|---|
| £81,372 | £87,016 | £5,644 |
1.2 Total Expenditure for the year ended 31[st] March 2025
| 2023/2024 | 2024/2025 | Diference |
|---|---|---|
| £67,618 | £77,405 | £9,787 |
1.3 Surplus/ (Deficit)
| 2023/2024 | 2024/2025 | Diference |
|---|---|---|
| £13,754 | £9,611 | -£4,143 |
“Another AMAZING year for Preschool. Preschool has made a phenomenal surplus of
£9,611
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2.0 Income in the Financial Year
2.1 Donations & Grants
| 2023/2024 | 2024/2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Donatons | £1,195 | £435 |
| Bank Interest | £89 | £823 |
| TOTALS | £1,284 | £1,258 |
Committee members to pursue possibility of grants
2.2 Fees
| Type of Income | 2023/2024 | 2024/2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Playgroup Fees | £31,336 | £20,736 |
| NYCC Funding | £45,485 | £63,823 |
| Toddlers | £326 | £237 |
| TOTALS | £80,147 | £84,796 |
2.3 Profit (Loss) on Sales of Merchandise and Functions
| Event | 2023/2024 | 2024/2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Easter Rafe & Egg hunt |
£82 | |
| Christmas Fair/Rafe/Party |
£310 | |
| Bags4School | - | |
| Easyfundraising | £74 | |
| Stnkin | - | |
| Amazon | £21 | |
| Trips/Bus/Fair/ Partes |
(£549) | |
| Mini Me Card | £20 | |
| End of termparty | (£29) |
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| presents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Halloween Rafe | (£3) | |
Jubillee Party |
||
| Coronaton Party | £15 | |
Suton Prize |
- | |
| TOTALS | -£59 | £877 |
Well done and thank you to all the staff and committee members who put in their time and effort into these events.
NEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS – to bring new fundraising ideas/suggestions and organize and lead.
Push/remind parents, carers, family and friends about Amazon Smile & Easyfundraising in newsletters
3.0 Expenditure in the Financial Year
3.1 Staff Wages
| 2023/2024 | 2024/2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Wages & HMRC payments | £52,950 | £62,639 |
| Total | £52,950 | £62,639 |
3.2 Rent & Insurance
| 2023/2024 | 2024/2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance | £691 | £724 |
| Rent | £10,812 | £6,885 |
| Total | £11,503 | £7,609 |
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3.3 Toys, Equipment and Running costs
| 2023/2024 | 2024/2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Toys & Equipment -assets | £878 | £2,210 |
| Consumables | £674 | £2,045 |
| Cleaning Solutons | £70 | £34 |
| Mobile Phone | £110 | £130 |
| Website | £119 | £- |
| Total | £1,851 | £4,419 |
3.4 Miscellaneous
| 2023/2024 | 2024/2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Statonary | £747 | £147 |
| Advertsing | £25 | £159 |
| Uniform | £250 | £250 |
| Training | - | £119 |
| Accountancy Fee | £150 | £180 |
| Ofsted Fees | £50 | £50 |
| DBS Check | £92 | £- |
| TOTAL | £1,314 | £905 |
4.0 Summary & Recommendations
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Surplus of £9,611
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New committee members to enable more fundraising events, time to apply for grants & advertise.
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Money in the bank as of 31.3.25 is £99,029 (31.3.24 £89,418.00) (£75,488.69 31/03/2023) (£63,610 31.3.22)
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