Minutes of Findon Village Woodland Preschool AGM
7pm on February 12[th] 2025
Held at Findon Village Woodland Preschool
Agenda :
1) Registration and Introductions 2) Chairs Report 3) Treasurer's Report 4) Managers Report 5) Q&A session 6) Any Other Business
Attendees :
Governors Yvonne Wilson – Chair of Governors Steve Smith – Treasurer John Wilson – Buildings and Grounds Rosemary Hill Anthony Hill Sarah Mills
Sta$ Emily Petitt – Manager Denise Lambourne Linzi Mann Ellie Minter
Each attendee in turn introduced themselves.
Yvonne Wilson then read her Chairs report to the attendees, a copy of which is attached to these minutes. The preschool had performed well, met the challenges it had faced well with the whole team working hard and the outlook for the following year was very promising. Our Manager, Kayleigh Higson had left at the end of the Autumn 2024 term to take upo a role at the adjacent Primary School and Emily Petitt, the Deputy Manager has stepped up to take on the Manager role, using her previous management experience along with her time already spent at our setting. We are fully confident Emily will take the preschool forward in a positive and successful way.
There were no questions arising from the report.
September 2023 to August 2024 which had resulted in a small profit for the year. Income had been compromised by the impact of the Inadequate Ofsted rating published in February 2024. No children were withdrawn but the rating impacted local authority funding and the late publication of the July 2024 Ofsted Good rating resulted in fewer numbers signing up for Autumn 2024 in time and delayed funding until after the financial year had ended. His full Treasurers report is attached to these minutes.
Emily Petitt then read out her Manager’s report , a copy of which is attached to these minutes. This covered actions taken to respond to the Inadequate Ofsted rating which led to the achievement of a Good rating 6 months later, the preparation for 24 leavers going to local schools in September, the successes of attracting numbers of children to preschool after the initial downturn in autumn term and recruitment and sta$ing changes achieved in the current school year.
Q&A
A question was raised regarding a proposal to increase the height of the playground fencing at the entrance. The primary challenge with this is to increase the height of the gate which would require significant work and ideas on how to achieve this are being developed.
A question was raised regarding some discarded preschool items (some chairs and a small table) which are placed just outside the preschool playground fence awaiting disposal. Rosemary and Anthony Hill kindly o$ered to take these to the recycling centre.
AOB
Other items addressed were :
Use of the woodland area, cleared by the Parish Council over the summer holiday, will get underway when the new Forest School Leader joins the preschool in late February. Some equipment has already been purchased and plans to develop the area will be completed before Easter. There are plans to install a gate between the woodland area and the Village Hall grounds which John Wilson is taking up responsibility for resolving. We also need to install an e$ective gate from the preschool playground to woodland area for easier access by sta$ and children.
Requests for quotes to maintain the exterior of the preschool building (walls and roof) have been made to two local companies. Such quotes need to be completed by 10[th] March 2025 and Steve Smith will take these to the Parish Council at the general meeting held on the 17[th] March. This meeting is hoped to approve funding to complete this work.
Whilst looking at potentially replacing the preschool building, which after two quotes has proven to be prohibitively expensive, external and internal measurements of the building were taken. Examining the two child space rooms it was discovered that a
maximum of 38 children could be accommodated on a 50/50 split of 2 and 3&4 year olds. Currently the number is specified as 26 with Ofsted. We will look at getting a variance of our available places with Ofsted to 30 which we feel is manageable and we have adequate sta$ and facilities to accommodate.
Some internal changes will be made to our baby change area with the installation of a step up changing area and adjacent sink installed and remove the pull down facility in the bathroom area cubicle.
Recruitment of a permanent Deputy Manager has been completed with many applicants and interviews undertaken and we are delighted to welcome Evie Beaumont to the position, starting 3[rd] March 2025.
The current outlook for leavers for school in July 2025 is just 6, with a number of new joiners in September 2025 giving us high capacity numbers from the start of the next school year.
Chair of Governors’ Report
Introduction
As we reflect on the 2023 to 2024 school year, it has been one of challenges, resilience, and remarkable progress for Findon Village Preschool. We began the year facing one of the most difficult periods in our history, following an Inadequate rating from Ofsted published in February 2024. However, thanks to the dedication and hard work of our team, we have successfully turned things around, achieving a Good rating by the summer.
This report will outline the challenges we faced, the impact on funding and enrolment, leadership changes, and the positive steps we are taking as we move forward into 2025.
Ofsted Challenges and Recovery
The Inadequate rating from Ofsted in February 2024 was a significant setback. It affected our reputation, reduced parental confidence, and had a direct impact on funding. July 2024 saw a large number of our children move on to start school, and our ability to attract new enrolments in Autumn 2024 was hindered.
However, the entire preschool community – staff, parents, and governors – came together with determination to address the concerns raised by Ofsted. Through rigorous staff training, revised safeguarding procedures, and curriculum improvements , we worked tirelessly to transform our setting. Our efforts were recognised when, in July 2024, Ofsted returned and awarded us a Good rating, marking a tremendous achievement for everyone involved.
Impact on Funding and Enrolment
The period between February and summer 2024 was financially challenging. The lower rating led to a temporary drop in funding , making it difficult to invest in resources and staff development at a time when we needed it most.
Additionally, the rating affected autumn enrolments , as some parents were hesitant to commit. However, once we regained our Good rating, confidence gradually returned. By the end of 2024, we saw a significant rise in pupil numbers , putting us in a much stronger position heading into 2025.
Leadership Changes
2024 also brought changes in our leadership team. In December 2024 , we said goodbye to Kayleigh Higson , who had played a crucial role in guiding the preschool through its challenges. While her departure was a loss, we are delighted that Emily P etitt , who joined us as Deputy Manager in Spring 2024 , has stepped up as our new Manager. Emily has already demonstrated strong leadership, passion, and a commitment to continuous improvement. We are confident that she will drive Findon Village Preschool forward with enthusiasm and fresh ideas.
Growth and New Team Members
With rising pupil numbers, we have also welcomed new team members to strengthen our preschool. Notably, we are excited to introduce Linzi Mann and Harvey Simpson , who will be launching our Forest School in March 2025 . This initiative will provide children with invaluable outdoor learning experiences, further enriching our curriculum and enhancing our reputation in the community.
Looking Ahead to 2025
As we enter 2025, our focus shifts to securing funding to renovate the exterior of our building . This investment will enhance the learning environment, improve facilities for our children, and ensure that our preschool remains an attractive choice for families in Findon and beyond.
Conclusion
While 2024 was undoubtedly a challenging year, it was also one of growth, resilience, and success. We turned a difficult situation into a positive transformation, thanks to our dedicated team, supportive parents, and committed governors. With new leadership, a growing preschool community, and exciting developments like the Forest School, we look forward to a bright future for Findon Village Preschool.
Yvonne Wilson Chair of Governors Findon Village Preschool
Findon Village Woodland Preschool Treasurers Report
For the period 01/09/2023 to 31/08/2024
Summary
The September 2023 to August 2024 preschool year was one where the Trustees continued the approach to investment in sta$ and facilities to take the preschool forward from the investments made in the previous year.
For the school year 2023 to 2024 we achieved high levels of enrolment and attendance achieving our stated goal of having a waiting list for the first time and as a result were in a strong financial position and as a result our financial performance remained positive. We had 33 children on roll by the end of summer term. Our year end children attending FTE position was 22.1, up from 20.8 from the previous year..
hours beyond their free entitlement. We retained out extended opening hours of 08:30 to 16:30 of which between 5 and 7 children partook in each day.
Charitable Trust towards Forest School, raised over £1,000 in fund raising events and received at £3,000 grant from Findon Parish Council to insulate the building walls. A parent quoted for and installed the insulation charging jist 50% of the labour costs, enabling him to install secondary glazing too within the grant budget.
sta$ing and maintenance of our building and facilities. Our investment in marketing played a significant part in attracting new parents to look at the preschool for their children and the sta$ engagement encouraged them to join us and stay with us for the year, increasing the hours their children spent with us over the course of the year.
We were badly a$ected by a negative rating from an Ofsted inspection in January 2024 that meant we could not claim for any new children from that point onwards. We were reinspected in July 2024 and overturned our inadequate rating and achieving good. This however was not in time to submit our funding requests for Autumn term 2024-2025, of which 70% of is typically paid in August and therefore not on the books for the financial year 2023-2024.
monies on deposit in our bank account.
Income
| WSCC Funding | £95,801.18 |
|---|---|
| WSCC Additional Funding | £1,313.39 |
| **Transfers in from other settings ** | £1,600.00 |
| Parent Payments | £22,429.49 |
| Grants | £3,000.00 |
| Fund Raising | £1,843.08 |
| Bank Interest | £519.69 |
| Apprentice Funding |
£500.00 |
| Miscellaneous | £152.28 |
| Total | £127,159.11 |
Expense
| Payroll | (£101,041.89) |
|---|---|
| Equipment | (£2,024.27) |
| Fees | (£973.33) |
| Electric | (£6,572.82) |
| Water | (£621.56) |
| Broadband | (£134.74) |
| Telephone | (£354.08) |
| Container | (£840.58) |
| Uniforms | (£616.57) |
| Refunds | (£550.00) |
| Transfers out | (£2,215.21) |
| Maintenance | (£3,430.53) |
| Consumables | (£2,104.33) |
| Expenses | (£698.15) |
| Services | (£1,156.96) |
| Insurance | (£685.63) |
| Other Staf Costs | (£379.50) |
| Council | |
| Tax | (£75.86) |
| Other | (£65.00) |
| Total | (£124,541.01) |
Proft
P&L £2,618.10
Bank Balances
| Opening Balances | Opening Balances |
|---|---|
| Natwest Current | £29,667.65 |
| Santander Current | £1,691.14 |
| Natwest Savinsgs | £33,472.43 |
| Santander Savings | £0.05 |
| Cash | £38.70 |
| Total | £64,869.97 |
| Closing Balances | |
|---|---|
| Natwest Current | £31,194.84 |
| Santander Current | £1,440.46 |
| Natwest Savinsgs | £34,704.40 |
| Santander Savings | £0.05 |
| Cash | £148.32 |
| Total | £67,488.07 |
| **Change ** | £2,618.10 |
operational (business plan, investment strategy) and financial management (Invoicing, payments, payroll, expense management, financial recording and forecasting, establishing and managing bank accounts and signatories), marketing and promotions, sta$ recruitment, HR services (employment contracts, redundancy, probation management), creation and maintenance of all required policies and procedures, qualified first aid training, painting and decorating, procurement and collection of supplies, grant applications, establishing and maintaining key stakeholder relationships(e.g. Parish Council) and providing support to all sta$ members on a regular basis.
Financial outlook for school year 2024-2025
We started Autumn 2024 term with low numbers (10) on roll as a result of a high number of children leaving to go to school (24) and Ofsted failing to publish the Good rating
report until well into August meaning parents looking for September placements were not applying to us.
However; during the course of Autumn term the on roll number has increased to 28, roughly split 50/50 between 2 year olds and 3 to 4 year olds with show arounds and applications steadily increasing.
Our current outlook for the full year for income is circa £120k, down by around £10k as a result of reduced incomes in the Autumn 2024 term. Our expense level outlook, excluding any significant maintenance needs , is circa £110k, 90% of which is sta$ing costs.
services provided.
We have raised the unfunded hours rates charged to parents by approximately 10% to cover our increase in costs. WSCC will be raising funding per hour rates by circa 2.3% in April 2025 adding around £650 to the summer term Free Entitlement income. This
As is our policy, fund raising e$orts will have all proceeds deposited in our savings account and used to invest in facilities and equipment for the children attending preschool.
concern and with a maximum FTE level of 26 permitted for our setting with have limited room for increased income over current levels.
Our overall bank balance remains strong with funds over and above our capital reserves continuing to run at or above £30k, enabling us to overcome any short term financial constraints.
Findon Village Woodland Preschool Manager’s Report for the academic year 2023-2024
Although I am not able to comment on the full year, as I joined Findon Village Preschool in April 2024, I can give a good overview of the last term of the year. I originally joined as a volunteer, to support the current team following the ‘inadequate’ report rating. As time went on, I did some ‘consultancy’ work and after Charlotte and Claire both decided to leave, I took on the role of deputy manager.
Our biggest triumph during this period was achieving a ‘good’ OFSTED rating. The team worked tirelessly to prepare and improve their knowledge and it was an excellent pay o$. The report read brilliantly and really highlighted the hard work and e$ort that the team and the management had put in. All sta$ undertook extensive safeguarding training, a new curriculum was implemented, we rearranged furniture to make the preschool flow better and devised a planning system to ensure all children were being challenged appropriately and making progress. All this with a positive outlook, belief in our abilities and some passion, ensured we had what it took to succeed.
The children leaving us for school were well prepared, and we had numerous meetings and visits from the school teachers at The Vale and St John the Baptist School. We had a fantastic graduation celebration which was followed by our Summer Fayre. This was well attended, and we were able to raise over £700 to spend on resources and experiences.
We had an excellent run of families coming for visits and converting these into new starters for September 2024 and beyond. With 24 school leavers, we had a large number of spaces to fill.
The future for Findon Village Woodland Preschool is bright, Linzi has joined us this year bringing lots of experience and enthusiasm, Ellie has passed her maths exam with flying colours and is just one step away from being fully qualified, Denise continues to be a valued member of our team and we will be joined by Harvey after half term as our Forest School Lead. We have had some promising interviews this week for the deputy manager role, and we will then be fully sta$ed and ready to take our preschool to the next level.
As manager I am dedicated to Findon Village Woodland Preschool and excited for the next few months. I wholeheartedly believe this is an excellent place for children to learn, grown and feel nurtured. With the addition of Forest School sessions on top of our already ambitious and broad curriculum in a ‘traditional’ preschool environment, I really do think our children get The Full Package and the best start to their education journey.
Emily Petitt Manager Findon Village Woodland Preschool
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Ae: 9 [FOR] CHARITY [ ENGLAND] COMMISSION [ AND] [WALES|Findon] [Village][ Preschool] 1029483
—— Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period T.
from 01/09/2023 . 31/08/2024
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment t
teiveiie frais funds Total funds Last year
to the poarest to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
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Sub 686 Ps 440
total 124 542 Eo 100 384
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CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 1
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted Restricted funds Endowment funds funds to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ PT Ce Total cash funds Po (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Unrestricted Restricted funds Endowment funds funds to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £ — = Fund to which asset . Current value belongs Cost (optional) (optional) — —= Fund to which asset Current value belongs Cost (optional) (optional) Fund to which Amount due When due liability relates (optional) (optional) i —= = Signed by one or two trustees on , . behalf of all the trustees Signature Print Name Date of approval | ;_ et
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
12/02/2025
2
| k [| G3}[CHARITY] FOR ENGLA[ riper] Independenton theexaminer'saccounts. report ||
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the | Findon Village Preschool trustees/directors/ | members of — _ On accounts for the year | 31° August 2024 ended Gastnnons) 822483~ |Companyno.; fo Set out on pages —— 1 and 2 |
1 and 2
| report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31/ 08/ 2024. Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees of the Company (who are also the directors of the basis of report company for the purposes of company law), you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”). Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited for this year under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, | report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”). In carrying out my examination, | have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act. Independent | have completed my examination. | confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ) which gives me cause to believe that: * accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; or * the accounts do not accord with such records; or * the accounts do not comply with relevant accounting requirements under section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 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; or the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS102).
IER
October 2018
ee
1
| 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.
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* Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
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Signed: | AY weSS Date:| poe264/)/2) ———
Name: rest (
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qualification(s) or body |
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Address:| 2 PDAVILC MASS . 12A Ov €0
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Section B
Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
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Give here brief details of
any items that the
examiner wishes to
disclose.
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Ia 2 October 2018
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