Goslings Playgroup
Registered Charity Number 1031887
Trustees Annual Report
Presented to the AGM on 4th November 2025
Chair’s report 2024/2025
I am pleased to present the 2025 Annual Report for Goslings Playgroup. As always, Sarah and the team are dedicated to offering a happy, safe, and engaging learning environment for every child at Goslings. They carefully design a curriculum that blends child-led exploration with adult-initiated activities, drawing inspiration from the children’s interests and seasonal themes such as Christmas, Diwali, fireworks, and free-choice crafts.
The team continually strives to spark curiosity and nurture development through a variety of rich experiences, including storytelling and outdoor play. All planning is guided by the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.
We extend our sincere thanks to Gayle and Ruth, our deputy leaders, for their expertise and invaluable support to Sarah and the playgroup. We would also like to express our gratitude to the entire team for ensuring the playgroup runs smoothly each day while maintaining a warm and nurturing atmosphere.
This year, the playgroup has been able to update their technology, purchasing a replacement laptop and two tablets. Further purchases to improve the learning environment were a toddler sofa and a new bookshelf to create a cosy book corner for the children.
Policies
Documents were reviewed and amended as required, then signed off by the Chairperson – this is next due in June 2026.
Staffing and staff development
The team continue to promote training and leadership with first aid training and Early Years training being carried out. It is also ensured that everyone is up to date with safeguarding training which is now due every two years – Sarah P, Sarah H and Sonia have recently completed theirs with further staff booked in.
We would like to welcome Lauren back from maternity leave – it is great to have her back! Thank you to the staff for accommodating cover throughout the period of leave.
Congratulations to Angela on the successful completion of her Early Years qualification. Your commitment and hard work are greatly appreciated. Well done on achieving your certificate!
Gayle and Tas completed their paediatric First Aid training. Sarah P has completed her prevent duty training, with other staff members due to carry this out too. Sarah P will be carrying out her designated safeguarding Lead.
Finances
There was an overall surplus for the year of £10.9k, partly due to some one-off grants/funding and a great year of fundraising. Staffing levels were carefully matched with the demand for sessions throughout the year - thank you to Gayle for her amazing scheduling work that made this possible.
Sessions are almost full in the morning and busy in the afternoon meaning there is full staffing the mornings and some afternoons and as usual we are thankful to the staff for being willing to accommodate a more flexible staffing model.
Staff rates of pay have increased by 6%.
Fundraising
We have had another successful year of fundraising and would like to extend a big thank you to the hard-working team who continue to give their time and effort to support Goslings.
This year, there has been a Christmas raffle (£720.00 raised), scavenger hunt (£504.00 raised), a summer fair including a summer raffle (£1,523.00 raised) and continued promotion of the ‘Easy Fundraising’ platform.
The Employer Match Scheme raised £1,124.00 - thank you to those that participated in this.
The Summer Fair funds were used to purchase materials for the book corner – a toddler sofa and bookshelf plus wall stickers, new coat pegs and toys for the children such as dust pans and brushes and tills.
I would like to thank Phil and the entire Committee for their continued support, dedication, and hard work behind the scenes, all of which is greatly appreciated.
Kirsty Fells
Chairperson, Goslings Management Committee
GOSLINGS PLAYGROUP
Receipts & Payments Account For The Year Ended 31st August 2025
| 2024/25 | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2023/24 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RECEIPTS | PAYMENTS | RECEIPTS | PAYMENTS | ||
| Fees & Funding | 132,542.51 | 129,800.41 | |||
| Fundraising | 3,608.93 | 851.73 | 3,194.98 | 952.45 | |
| Grants Donations |
2,442.90 1,132.27 |
21,197.80 - |
|||
| Interest (Online Savera/c) | 1,602.66 | 347.42 | |||
| HMRC advanceforSMP | 1,474.32 | 4,624.29 | |||
| Staffcosts:- | Salaries | 110,013.75 | 113,967.65 | ||
| Training | 1,260.96 | 431.76 | |||
| Uniforms | 315.60 | 108.60 | |||
| StaffXmas meal | 420.00 | 330.00 | |||
| Premises:- | Rent | 8,595.00 | 8,595.00 | ||
| Maintenance | 533.74 | 22,643.28 | |||
| Catering | 185.12 | 176.32 | |||
| Insurance | 931.31 | 1,035.13 | |||
| Consumables | 2,762.09 | 2,718.45 | |||
| Equipment | 2,512.99 | 687.58 | |||
| Administration | 3,268.56 | 2,954.81 | |||
| Ofsted registrationfee | 50.00 | 50.00 | |||
| Membership subs: EYA | 124.00 | 115.91 | |||
| Otherpaymenis:- | DBS checks | - | 45.80 | ||
| Leaving gift | = | £37.99 | |||
| £142,803.59 | £131,824.85 | £159,164.90 | £154,850.73 | ||
| Surplus/Deficitfortheyear | £10,978.74 | £4,314.17 | |||
| Surplus forthe year 2024/25 | £10,978.74 | ||||
| Reserves B/Ffrom 2023/24 | £41,476.92 | ||||
| ReservesC/Fto2025/26 | £52,455.66 |
BANK RECONCILIATION
Closing Balances at 31st August 2025 Current Account £3,505.58 Deposit Account £0.00 Online Saver Account £48,950.08 £52,455.66
Phil Byford (Treasurer) 30/09/2025
Michael Fisher (independent Examiner) 30/09/2025
nN ‘ CHARITY COMMISSION Independent examiner's FOR ENGLAND AND WALES report on the accounts
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Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ | Goslings Playgroup
members of
On accounts for the year | 31° August 2025 Charity no | 1031887
ended (if any)
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| report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/08/2025.
- Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
| report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, | have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
- | have completed my examination. | confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: e accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
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.
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- e the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
| have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
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Name: | MICHAEL GRAHAM FISHER
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Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):
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Address: | [HULCOTE] [COTTAGE]
55 LONDON ROAD
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.
HITCHIN SG4 9EW
IER
1
October 2018
Section B
Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose.
IER
2
October 2018