Playlanders Playgroup and Pre-school St George’s Church Hall Chesterfield Road CAMBRIDGE CB4 1LN (01223) 420954 playlanders@btinternet.com www.playlanders.org.uk _Reg charity no 1032287_ ## **AGM report for Playlanders – 2019-2020** Reporting on activities at Playlanders is always a pleasure as each year there is so much which is good to talk about. Globally and nationally, the past few months have seen huge changes and with them, huge challenges, however, as we look back on the life of Playlanders over the academic year of 2019-2020 there is much to celebrate. Back in September 2019, the new term started well, and so familiar. The majority of children were returning after the summer holiday supplemented with new faces at the start of the year and more after half term. We aim to provide a quality education for children of all backgrounds and the cohort reflected our diverse community with places for funded 2s, supplements for the area’s level of deprivation and children attending for whom English is an additional language. Day to day, staff and children were busy learning and having fun, while out of hours, and behind the scenes, the staff continued their annual training through the county council and spent time on administration. Halloween was celebrated and Father Christmas made his annual visit in December. It appeared as though having to get to grips with the new framework from Ofsted was going to be the most only notable challenge and then that was far eclipsed by the excitement of being chosen as the Fitzwilliam Museum Nursery of the year. Fitzlanders, the name of the project, was a fantastic opportunity for us as a pre school. Part of the University of Cambridge, the Fitzwilliam Museum is “a world renowned collection of over half a million beautiful works of art, masterpiece paintings and historical artefacts”. Fitzlanders aimed to provide the twelve children who visited, with an exciting experience in the museum. The team wanted to help the children to develop their confidence and feel able to make their own decisions about how to enjoy the museum. While the children were exploring and absorbing the space around them, staff at the museum were observing them and engaging with them. Each of the visits included time for the children to create a piece and in between the fortnightly trips children reflected with the teachers at Playlanders, sharing details of what their experiences and extending their interests in their play and craft. The project was met with huge enthusiasm by the children and all the ## adults benefited from it. We were approaching the end of the series of visits to the museum when, in March, the nation was told “it is crucial that people understand tomorrow that the schools are closed.” Although we might have been told that we could not meet in person, in St George’s Hall, Playlanders would not be stopped. Susan sent an email out explaining that “we want to reassure you all that, even though we aren't at playgroup in body we are still there for you and your family”. With that began ‘Playlanders-at home’. Susan and her team promised to and indeed delivered small packs of activities at regular intervals. That way the children had something to look forward to, spreading the interest out, and they were able to make progress in the work activities. Over the next four months there were Zoom story times and Zoom sing-a longs. There was also an Instagram page where people shared images of the work they had done from the activity packs as well as craft, games and new things which they had discovered, especially in the natural world around them. Playlanders’ ethos is ‘to be a caring setting, serving our local community and society.’ Our service ‘is holistic as it meets the needs of the children, as well as engaging with the parents.’ This was maintained throughout the lockdown with phone calls to parents, deliveries of well-being cards and the daily Goodnews Bulletins sent out by Susan who knew the importance of good mental health for the parents so that they could be the primary educators of their children. We want to acknowledge and congratulate all the parents for carrying out their multiple roles during the tough months of the last year. Thank you for your part in keeping Playlanders together. An even bigger thank you must go to both Susan and Tim for their extraordinary work for the whole community of Playlanders. They usually work for Playlanders most days but during lockdown it literally took over their home with boxes and bags everywhere, and all their allowance of trips out for exercise involved the drop off of activity packs. We owe so much to their dedication in sharing their skills, experience and love. Thank you! Although Covid dominated the year, it has not stopped us. Eventually once risk assessments had been carried out, soft toys removed and new bubbles formed Playlanders reopened to children, at St George’s in June. What was it like to return? As Susan said herself at the time “we had a great day…I hope the children came home happy and could explain what we did, and I hope you enjoyed your peace and quiet! The children were fantastic and adapted really well to the new normal.” So we ended the year, almost where we began, providing a high level of care and teaching to the diverse group of children attending Playlanders. The financial situation is more challenging, the bubbling restricts how we can engage with families and the children aren’t learning how to tidy away anymore, but we are still enjoying smiles with the children, having fun while we learn together. Playlanders Playgroup and Pre-school, St George’s Church Hall, Chesterfield Road, CAMBRIDGE CB4 1LN Tel 01223 420954 playlanders@btinternet.com . Registered Charity No 1032287 playlanders.org.uk ## **Accounts for the period Sept 2019 to August 2020** |**Receipts**||| |---|---|---| |Government Funding|44627.52|| |Fees|4216.40|| |Fundraising income|954.08|| |Fitzlanders project 660.00||| |Donations 975.00||| |Outings Income|0|| |Training Bursaries|0|| |Transfer from Contingency Fund|0|| |Milk refund
0||| |Total receipts|51433.00|| |**Payments**||| |Salaries|35,304.69|| |Rent|5,682.50|| |Miscellaneous|280.74|| |Office costs|705.99|| |Fundraising expenses|590.87|| |Training
165.00||| |Toys|133.06|| |Art materials|452.86|| |Resources|350.34|| |Cambridgeshire Early Years membership
114.00||| |Milk expenditure|0|| |Ofsted fees (deferred by Ofsted to Sept )|0|| |PLA
145.00||| |Insurance 507.86||| |Outings expenses
27.89||| |Publicity|185.00|| |Exceptional:||| |transfer to Contingency Fund
3061.00||| |Activity packs (Covid lockdown)|497.04|| |fees refund
480.00||| |Fitzlanders Project|120.00|| |Total payments|48803.84|| |Starting balance|9029.49|| |Plus income
51433.00||| |Less expenditure
48803.84||| |Closing balance 11718.65||| Playlanders Playgroup and Pre-school St George’s Church Hall Chesterfield Road CAMBRIDGE CB4 1LN (01223) 420954 playlanders@btinternet.com www.playlanders.org.uk _Reg charity no 1032287_ ## **Correspondence Address** 80 Ramsden Square Cambridge CB4 2BL 30[th] August 2019 ## **Independent Examiners Report to the Trustees of Playlanders Playgroup and Preschool.** ## Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and Examiner As the Charity’s Trustees you are responsible for the preparation of Accounts: you consider that the audit requirements of section 43(2) of the Charities Act does not apply. It is my responsibility to state, on the basis of procedures specified in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under section 43(7) of the Act, whether particular matters have come to my attention. ## Basis of Independent Examiners Report My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. ## Independent Examiners Statement In connection with my examination, no other matter has come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements - to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the Act - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records - to comply with the requirements of the Act - have not been met. Emma Louise Lumley Independent Examiner