2021-07-31-accounts - Ashurstwood Community Pre-School

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Annual General Meeting 2021 AGM 11/03/2021

Attending - Claire Shuttleworth, Emma Taylor, Georgie Buchell, Alice Down, Kate Coffey, Lauryn Page, Peter Jussen.

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7.45 Introduction & Apologies Helen Buck, Lisa Hobby, Agnes
Rogers,
7.50 Declaration of an interest None
7.55 Approval of last minutes Approved by GB, second by LP
8.00 Chairs Report Full report at bottom of page
8.05 Managers Report Full report at bottom of page
8.10 Admissions Report Full report at bottom of page
8.15 Treasurers Report Full report at bottom of page
8.20 Fundraising Village market not enough
parents to be viable, potentially
fundraising from preschool
instead, snowman
marshmallows, bells etc? Name
the soft toy raffle?
Georgie offering brass band
christmas songs - to talk to
potenitally Allan Martin meats to
borrow car park to play at. date
to be confirmed.
fathers day raffle successful,
50+1 themed ball for 50 years
of preschool April, got to look
around for venues, ticketed
event.
Zoom Quiz, georgie has access
to lots of quiz questions to use
already.
sports day/pre school olympics!
some fundraising bits to sell i.e
cakes, sweetcones, popcorn??
Recipe book to sell
8.25 Election of new committee none
members and Resignation
of existing trustees
8.30 Any Other Business none
8.35 Next meeting date To be confirmed
8.40 Close
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Chair’s Report to AGM November 2021

At the start of the academic year all staff were retained, future admissions looked good in fact the best projected numbers we have ever had, finances were as usual exceptionally well managed. We began 2021 in another Lockdown, where we were informed Early Years Providers were allowed to remain open, the staff continued to show their support and loyalty, agreeing to work and/ or be furloughed or continuing to work from home to offer support to the families through communications and providing online activities via Tapestry which were well received. Most of the families returned during this period and the staff worked hard to support families in attendance as well as those who chose to isolate. We agreed to employ an additional supporting staff member to help aid the transitions for our existing and new children through the pandemic and be able to give the children and staff additional support where needed and to help maintain our high standards.

In April, our Summer term brought big changes to the setting, we said farewell to Angela who managed the setting for 9 years and welcomed Lauryn to the post with many years of Early Years’ experience and fresh ideas to lead the team with Kate working alongside her as Deputy. We have been very pleased with this transition and how well they have performed as well as the morale of the staff team.

The committee officers (Georgie (Treasurer, Alice (Secretary) and I (Chair)) took over these positions in January 2021, we also have had new members join the committee and meet regularly each term (via Zoom) to help run and fundraise for our lovely Preschool. We are always on the lookout for committee members, so if you are interested in joining, please get in touch.

As a non-profit- making charity we try to keep our fees low to be accessible to all in the community. Due to Covid, we have been unable to hold many of our fundraising events, this included our biggest fundraiser the ‘Village Christmas Market’, this encouraged us to become creative with Georgie arranging a performance from her brass band as well as Christmas and Easter activity packs and Raffle prizes at different points throughout the year, well done to everyone involved. We are hoping to be able to provide a stall this year for the ‘Village Christmas Market’. We welcome fundraising ideas and support.

Thank you to Alice, Georgie, Hels, Agnes, Mrs Hobby’s continued support

Peter Bartlett for 7 years of maintaining the website and Georgie for her work on the website.

Staff continually working above and beyond during the many changes this year has brought.

Nisa for continuing to nominate us to receive donations from Making a Difference Locally (MADL)

Thank you to all for your continued support for our wonderful Preschool, Emma Taylor Chairperson of Ashurst Wood Community Preschool

rd AGM Managers Report 2020 2021 (3 November 2021)

In September 2020 we returned from the Summer break with 27 children and by the end of the academic year we had 38 children on our books. We reopened back on our normal sessions running between 9am – 3pm Monday to Friday (we had reduced to 9-2 from June to July 2020 due to Covid-19 to allow time for strict cleaning routines). We managed to remain a covid- free setting for the duration of the 2020-2021.

The staff all returned in September 2020, well rested and eager to return to some sort of normality. Parents were still not allowed to come into the setting as per government guidance, show rounds were offered (whilst wearing masks) at late afternoons or during half terms and holidays. We were lucky enough to be able to offer a last minute Christmas song performance outside the preschool and on the decking which appeared to be well received by our families.

Upon our return in the spring term (January 2021) the country was put into another lockdown. The education sector, except for early years was closed to all except keyworkers and vulnerable families. As we have many children who have older siblings that were not attending school, we were quite low on our numbers of children who we had attending as parents decided to keep their children at home with their siblings. Caroline who was previously in the vulnerable group with her health, remained at home from just before the Christmas break until 8th March to ensure she remained safe. This time with low numbers was used to offer lots of personal, social and emotional support and activities to the children and ensure our environment remained clean and safe.

For most part of the academic year I was the Pre-School Deputy Manager supporting Angela. Angela left us at the end of Spring Term to spend some time with her mother who she had been unable to see throughout the pandemic through risk of transmitting the virus. At the beginning of the Summer term, I was appointed as the new Pre-school Manager with Kate as the Pre-school Deputy.

In April, I stepped up to fill Angela’s very big boots and quickly realised that taking over as new manager alongside 7 key children was not manageable and I was not getting the quality time with the children that they deserved. We were lucky enough to find Nicola Cottrell available at short notice, who had enrolled herself onto a teaching assistant training course and had an interest in early years. She joined us on a temporary basis and alleviated

some the of pressure on the team and was able to buddy up to help support the children whilst I got my head around all the office paperwork and day to day running of the pre-school as Angela and I were only able to get a very short handover period due to staffing and covid requirements.

Throughout the year we continued to offer our usual weekly topics to the children and celebrated festivals and celebration days through play and activities. We had the front garden levelled to make the ground safer with minimal trip and slip hazards. The majority of the works was funded by a grant from the police fund and making a difference locally village shop donation box. The children often ask to use the front garden over the back and enjoy getting messy in the mud kitchen, digging in the tyres and creating their own paint brushes from branches and leaves.

Shannon continues to work through her level 5 and is making good progress. Kate and Shannon have completed SENco training and will be taking more of these responsibilities from me as they feel more confident in the role.

A parent questionnaire was sent out to all parents in the summer term and we received such lovely feedback from both new and longer standing families of the setting. We said goodbye to 12 children in July who left to embark on their primary school journey. We were able to have a short transition meeting with Ashurst Wood Primary School and virtual meetings with The Meads, Estcots and Halsford Park. All of the leavers we able to attend short settling sessions within their new schools.

During the summer term I focused a lot of my time on staff well-being and ensuring they were adjusting to the change of management. My intentions were for all staff to feel heard and involved. I encourage all staff to contribute to changes within the setting and value their opinions and feedback greatly. We are still trying to find the ‘best fit’ for us as a team and establish roles and responsibilities between us all. The staff all appear to have adjusted well and on our staff group work chat they were complementary about positive changes and impact that they have noticed since I have stepped up. My aim as a new manager is to utilise my 16 years of experience in Early Years to offer a high quality, fun, safe and nurturing provision for all of the children and families of the Pre-school.

In September, we embraced the changes to our curriculum (EYFS). Kate and I have spent many hours researching, attending training and reading up how best to deliver this framework into our provision. We have moved away from particular topics as they have been deemed ‘old fashioned’ and instead will be focusing on a country and story of the week. This allows us to offer a variety of foods for snack times, and experience different media as we look into festivals, religions and cultures of these countries. We share snippets of what we do on our private parent’s facebook page and have received lots of

lovely comments.

Thank you to Mrs Hobby, the parent committee, all families of the setting and most of all, the wonderful staff team for another fantastic year and your endless support. I look forward to another fun year at Ashurst Wood PreSchool.

Lauryn Page Pre-School Manager

Treasurers report 2020/2021

The accounts are currently with the accountant for sign off. But here is an update on 20-21 finances.

In the 20-21 school year we had an income of £93,502.27. Of this £21,653.10 were fees topped up with £61,581.69 from West Sussex County Council and £1,515 of Early Years Pupil Premium and Disability Access Fund. Over the year fundraising raised £1,653.25 and we received £752.75 in donations. We got £3500 from the Lakehouse Lasting Legacy and another £1,198.27 in grants.
Our outgoings totalled £91,624.41. We spent money as follows. £75,245.04 in Wages, National Insurance and pension contribution. It is worth saying that all staff have received a pay rise in line with the rise in the living wage increases. We also spent
£595.80 on training. We paid £2,571.84 in taxes, £1,658.54 in insurance, £1,931.79 on utilities, £1557.25 on subscriptions and licences and £1,757.03 on stationary and resources. The building is now edging on 10 years old and as a result there has been an increase in amount we are spending on maintenance. This year it was a total of £4,047. This included new fire alarm batteries, upgrade to the front garden and a sandpit, callout for electricity, a new washing machine, annual door panel service, new fence and boiler service. We have spent £645.94 of EYPP and DAF money.

Thank you to Claire for all her hard work over the last year.

Admissions Report 2020/20201

The Preschool started off this academic year with 30 children on the roll, comprising 20 Owls, 8 Owletts and 2 fledglings across the following split of sessions: Monday: 18 am, 13 lunch, 12 pm Tuesday: 18 am, 15 lunch, 10 pm Wednesday: 17 am, 10 lunch, 9 pm Thursday: 16 am, 13 Lunch, 8 pm

Friday: 15 am, 12 Lunch,, 12 pm

Into the Spring term we started out with 33 children as we gained 2 owletts and a new fledgling. Taking the sessions to: Monday: 20 am, 17 Lunch, 15 pm Tuesday: 19 am, 18 Lunch, 13 pm Wednesday: 20 am, 17 Lunch, 13 pm Thursday: 18 am, 13 Lunch, 12 pm Friday: 17 am, 16 Lunch, 13 pm

Our numbers for the summer term on paper were due to be 39 Then a week before the end of the Spring term we were put us into a national lock down and we saw the Preschool close its doors as we didn't have sufficient key worker children to warrant keeping the preschool building open. Fortunately after May half term we were given the go ahead to reopen, maintaining the government guidelines, we were so pleased that we were able to create 2 bubbles of children for those last 6 and a half weeks of the term. Each bubble having the same staff members throughout and on the majority of days we had up to 8 in each bubble. So lovely that parents/carers had the confidence in us to be comfortable to let their children return.

So not quite knowing how the new academic year would look in this “new normal”, we have found that despite numbers being a little lower than usual we have still had 24 families return or start in Preschool and as I’m typing this we so far have no space on a Friday and very limited on the other 4 days.

ASHURST WOOD COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES ON THE ACCOUNTS OF ASHURST WOOD COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL We repK)rt on the accounts of the o)mpany for the year ended 31 July 2021, whh are set out on pap 2 Respective rgspon$lbllf(l¢$ of trustees and èxamlner The charity's Iwstees are resrxinsiNe lor the preparabon ol the a(xxunts and consider Ihal an audit is not required this year under SeclK)n 4121 ol the charitS Act 1993 and thal an indewndenl examination is needd. Having sat'sfied ourselves that the Charity is eligible for independent examinab'on il is our responsibility to." al examine the a(xx)un15 under sects.on 43 01 the 1993 Act,. bl lo follow the pruTeS laid down in the general direcb'ons given by Ihe Charity Commission under s8cb.on 43171 ol the 1993 Act., and cl lo stste whether partrular rnatters have come to rny attenbon. Basis of indèpènd•nl examlnerfs rèport Our examinatson was carried oul in aCrdanCe wlh the general directons given by the Charity Commission. An examinabon includes a rewew of the accounting records kept by Ihe charity and a wmparison ol the accounts presented with those records, 11 also includes onsideration ol any unusual items or disdosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees ConmIng any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provKle all the edence that would be required in an audit and (onseouenly no ownion is given as lo whelher the accounts present a true and fir eW and the report is limitj to those matters sel out in our ststem8nl tdow, Independent examinevs ststemenl In conN'0n wth tyjr examination, no matter has (tme to our attentDn'. 11 which gives us reasonable cause to believe that in any malerid respect the qUIreMents.. al to keep a(munting records in actiKdance with Section 4101 the 1993 Act", and bl to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records an(5 comply with Ihe au)nting requirements of the 1993 Act have not been rwl. or 21 to which, in our (Fini, attention should be drawn in order lo enable a proper understanding of Ihe accounts to be reathed, Robert gale5 & A&o¢iatgs Cgrtili&Actountants . 26 w4L ZolL............. Sentosa Southview Road Crowborough East Sussex TN6 1HG

ASHURST WOOD COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2021 INCOME EXPENSES WSCC hjnding Fee5 Legacy Grants received Fundraising and donations Bank Interest received 60,691.18 23,523.20 3,500.00 1,198.27 2,963.00 8.17 Staff wages Staff pension contributions Rent and rates Electricity, gas and water Refuse ¢olle¢lion Snack bar Insurance Stationery and resources EYPP and DAF expenses Childrens, entertainment and gifts Training costs DBS checks Fundraising expenses Staff clothing Website hosting and updates Telephone Repairs and maintenance Donation to Ashurst Wood School Subscriptions and licences 83,084.36 1680.96 450.00 790.20 18000 206.03 1,658 54 1,999.85 645.94 321.23 655.80 163.20 619.70 144.00 22.24 881.59 4,516.77 271 50 682.56 Nel deficit for the year 7,090.65 98,974.47 98,974.47 RECONCILIATION OF CHARITY RESERVES OPENING BALANCES CLOSING 8ALANCES Cash al bank". Current account (General Fund) Deposit account (Contingency Fundl BT b111s account Petty cash in hand Stock in hand - T-shirts WSCC funding received in advance Creditors- PAYE & National Insurance Cash al bank.. Current account IGeneral Fund) DeF)OSit account Iconlingency Fund) BT bills account Pety cash in hand Stock in hand - T-shirts WSCC funding received in advance Creditors - PAYE & National Insurance 23,628.35 58,009.88 7,416.96 74.76 260.00 110,398.781 1156.001 19.056. 10 58,017.21 7,417.80 50.42 242.00 112,804.291 1234.721 78.835.17 71,744.52 Nel surplus for the year Net deficit for the year 7,090.65 78.835.17 78,835.17