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2022-07-31-accounts

Chalk Hill Pre-school & Toddler Group

Trustees Annual Report

Charity Registration Number 1033149

Hannah Etwell- Chairperson

29TH June 2023

Chalk Hill Preschool & Toddler Group Trustees Report Year End 31[st] July 2022

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Chalk Hill Preschool & Toddler Group Trustees Report Year End 31"July 2022

Aim & Purposes

Chalk Hill Preschool and Toddler Group provides Preschool education, in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) for children in the local area from the ages of 2 – 4 years. The preschool is open 38 weeks of the year (as per East Sussex County Council (ESCC) term timetable), 5 days per week. Sessions are offered as follows:

The Preschool’s OFSTED registration allows a maximum of 30 children to attend Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 16 on a Wednesday and 25 on a Thursday. Children are divided by age into 2 groups – Caterpillars (2 – 3 years) and Butterflies (3 – 4 years). A toddler group is run on a Wednesday for local families from children from birth – 4 years old. The Preschool and Toddler group runs from St Mary’s Church hall, the local church in Willingdon.

Objectives and Activities

Chalk Hill Preschool & Toddler Group Trustees Report Year End 31[st] July 2022

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The Preschool is committed to offering low cost preschool care for approximately 40 children on an annual basis. The intake is generally from the local community and the preschool has a waiting list for children wishing to start in September annually.

Occasionally places become available within the year and these are offered to children from the waiting list.

Children who are eligible can use 2 year free Early Years Education Entitlement (EYEE) funding up to 15 hours – this is paid at the ESCC rate of £5.28

Children are able to use the full 15 hours of free universal Early Years Education Entitlement (EYEE) once they become eligible as well as 30 hour funding if applicable – this is paid by ESCC at a rate of £4.38 per hour.

The current hourly rate in setting is charged at £5.72 an hour and charged to non funded children or children who access over their funded hours attendance per week.

The committee annually review the projected income in order to cover the cost of running the preschool on a non-profit basis. The running costs include staff salaries, rent, training, administrative expenses, food and drink, insurances and resources.

Fundraising is undertaken to fund new equipment, storage and visitors to the setting.

Achievements & Performance

Chalk Hill Preschool & Toddler Group Trustees Report Year End 31[st] July 2022

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Over the past year due to The COVID pandemic in which was still having a knock on effect the Preschool were unable to achieve as much fundraising as in other years. We did achieve the Christmas nativity in which we were selling by ticket entrance only, as well as a raffle. We also had our first year after the pandemic our Christmas fayre which was a success. In the October we held a pub quiz which we found was very popular.

The Revenue from these events has meant that some new instruments were purchased along with vital cleaning products in which was still needed, these items are selected by the manager and the staff at the preschool to improve the children’s experience and safety whilst in the preschool’s care.

The preschool adopted policies and procedures to carry on through the pandemic. Staff had reduced hours due to reduced child intake but we remained open. Different procedures were introduced for safer drop offs and collections and being reviewed some will remain in place moving forward. We managed to eventually to do the school pick up and drop off how it was done before the pandemic.

The preschool has fostered links with the local primary / infant schools in order to help with the children’s transition to school and feedback from local schools has been encouraging and this year was done mainly by phone and started to slowly change with teachers coming to the pre-school where masks were still being used.

The preschool is always reviewing the way in which parents are kept informed. Parents are normally invited, twice a year, to one-to-one session with the Child's keyworker at the relevant stages of the EYFS on the Child's progress. The year before this was done by phone and email due to the PANDEMIC, things at the end of the year when restrictions had started to slowly be lifted, we managed to have our last appointments made face to face.

Staff still used TAPESTRY during lockdown and when restrictions were being lifted to send home activities for families and keep parents/carers involved.

Over the past five years the preschool has also used its website, after a redesign and relaunch in September 2015 and Facebook pages to keep parents informed and introduced a text messaging service for parents. Feedback is sought via an annual parent’s questionnaire and any issues raised are dealt with. The website is still being looked into updating, the reason in which we weren’t successful was due to funds from the knock-on effect of covid.

The preschool has close links with St Mary’s Church and its officials who are regular visitors to the setting and trips to the church, including the annual carol concert, are part of the community liaison within the preschool. This year it was

Chalk Hill Preschool & Toddler Group Trustees Report Year End 31[st] July 2022

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our first time back after Covid.

The church has been very supportive and the hall during this time was only accessed by the preschool.

The staff have continued to attend relevant training sessions online. First aid was deferred in line with EYE guidance however staff were still valid first aiders.

Staff meetings were continued through zoom as well as committee meetings, we managed at the end of the year from when the restrictions were lifted, we met face to face for 2 meetings.

Financial Review

Chalk Hill Preschool & Toddler Group Trustees Report Year End 31[st] July 2022

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The annual accounts show a surplus of £9,250 the financial year ending 31/7/2022– The pre-school finances have continued to improve with close monitoring from the committee. The running costs of the pre-school have continued to be covered by the fees. The pre-school has successfully paid into the allocated pension scheme and increased wages in line with the national living wage increase. This is something that needs to be closely monitored as the living wage continues to increase and the hourly charge for the pre-school may need to increase in the future. The staff did not receive an annual pay rise; this was taken into consideration with regards to the living wage increasing and all members of staff received a rise according to their qualifications and position within the pre-school.

Fundraising activities were undertaken and a total of £2,186 was raised. Fundraising was a key focus of the committee this year to ensure the pre-school could purchase any necessary equipment and has therefore increased again compared to previous years.

The Preschool has a balance of £1,381 in the fundraising account and a balance of

£6,825 in the main current account closing 31[st] July 2022

Reserves Policy

The Reserve account balance stands at £1,044 closing 31[st] of July 2022. As with previous years the Committee have agreed to boost the balance over the next year to 12-24 months to £3000 to cover unexpected eventualities.

Volunteers

We would like to thank all the volunteers, especially the committee members, who work tirelessly for the benefit of the preschool and ultimately the children.

Structure, governance and management

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Year End 31[st] July 2022

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The preschool adopts the Preschool Learning Alliances constitution. The membership of the committee includes a Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary and several Trustees. These individuals are nominated and ratified at the AGM. All are current or previous parents to children at the preschool.

The pre-school has a close strong committee, with the current Chair being involved before she stepped up. This has resulted in together building up the fundraising account and supporting the general running of the preschool, through their decision making.

The committee members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the preschool including the hourly rate charged for its sessions and any pay increases. The hourly rate was increased to £5.72 from January 2020 to cover the increasing staff costs resulting from the introduction of the national living wage and increase the overall cash flow. The committee regularly reviewed the finances and the annual membership was increased from £20 - £25 from September 2016 and has remained the same.

The day to day running of the preschool is delegated to the Preschool Manager. The committee meet a minimum of 3 times over the year and minutes of these meetings are available if requested.

Administrative Information

The Committee comprised of the following members:

Chairperson: Hannah Etwell – registered person for Ofsted (from September 2020) Treasurer: Amy Biggs (from October 2016)

Secretary: Stephanie Twine (from September 2021 from being a trustee) Preschool Manager: Christine Hipgrave

Trustees: Stephanie Twine, Rebecca Pett, Michelle Trewin, Hannah Hesling and Steve Kelso, Charlotte Laslett

The end of 2021 Jade Richardson stepped down from being the secretary and left the committee

Steve Kelso also made the decision to step down from the committee.

Chalk Hill Preschool & Toddler Group Trustees Report Year End 31[st] July 2022

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Chalk Hill Preschool & Toddler Group Trustees Report Year End 31"July 2022