First Steps Pre-school AGM
Monday November 28[th] 2022
Trustee’s Report
In September 2021, we welcomed two new staff into the setting – Jane Kirby and Rose Davies. Both had lots to offer to our group, having worked in either a private nursery or school setting. They have settled well into life at First Steps and have quickly become an integral part of the team.
Restrictions continued to dominate our work and we continued to adapt to changing conditions. Lateral Flow Tests were still a twice weekly part of our lives and reporting of Covid cases were still required by the local authority. We were fortunate to avoid the worst of the Pandemic and luckily never had to close our doors. Cleaning regimes remained strong and we adapted many of our activities and routines to ensure we were safe.
As cases rose again as we approached Christmas, we abandoned the idea of a Christmas Fair and once again, performed our Nativity without an audience, videoing the event for parents to see. Our fundraising team organised an outdoor Christmas Toy Sale in December instead, which was very successful, despite the freezing conditions for them. I’m not too sure that any of them wish to repeat it however!
We began to accept students back into the setting again and established a partnership with Bishop Burton College to offer long term placements to their T Level students. We now have a much higher level of responsibility to provide the practical, hands on experiences for the learners throughout their course. Their assessments take place within the setting and we benefit from their increasing skills and commitment to their training. We enjoyed a visit to the college in the Summer to see the successful students receive their awards.
School transitions returned to their pre-Covid levels in the Summer and we enjoyed visits from staff from all our feeder schools. We also enjoyed visits to
schools with the children too. I’m sure that they will have all settled well and will certainly have benefited from this additional input.
We also held an Open Day for our new starters and were delighted to meet everyone face to face again. Email contact has a purpose and was certainly useful for our admissions process during the worst of the pandemic, but we have benefitted from a closer level of contact with the children and their families this year.
We have developed a partnership with the Local Branch of the Co-Op Funeralcare after asking for a donation for our Summer Fair. They responded to our request and have raised money on our behalf to provide resources for the children. We hope to further explore this in the future by applying to Co-Op Local Funds for more extensive support over the coming year.
We have been in discussions for the past two years with East Yorkshire Council, to acquire some of the land behind our building in order to extend our play area. Discussions are progressing at last and we hope to have some firm decisions shortly about renting the field in order to provide additional space for the children to explore and develop. We would look to seek help from the Co-Op fund to develop a natural area where children have freedom to run and investigate. We will update everyone as soon as we have further updates.
Consequently, our fundraising team have been busy throughout the year, raising money for the children and for new resources and experiences. We held a Quiz night in November which was a huge success and an excellent social event for parents and friends even though it was highly competitive! The tractor run returned in March and was a massive fundraiser for us and incredibly well received and supported by the local community. We also managed to hold a Summer Fair in June – our first since Covid restrictions were first imposed. It felt wonderful to welcome families back into the setting and to feel normal again. We were fortunate to be nominated for support through Tesco’s blue token scheme and were delighted to be awarded £1500 which has now been spent on revamping the book corner.
Fundraising events help us to provide extras for the group that we simply could not afford to do otherwise. We replaced our kitchen in the Summer – it was over 20 years old and was second hand when donated to us in 1999. Needless to
say, it was time to change. Many thanks must go to Sarah and Fran who organised everything for us – including Fran’s Dad who supplied and fitted it! We also used the money to buy new blinds for all windows, to decorate the inside of the building and to replace the bookshelves in the story room. We also purchased lots of new resources for the children too!!
We don’t just purchase resources,we also invest in experiences for the children. Zoolab visit every year and bring a variety of animals for the children to hold and learn more about. Living Eggs is an amazing experience and the children never fail to be awed by the hatching of the chicks and the chance to handle them and care for them. We also enjoyed The Mad Man of Magic at our Leaver’s Party in the Summer – he provided lots of laughter and magic for the children and the staff too!
We have some challenging times ahead of us – not least is the funding crisis in this sector, minimum wage requirements and of course, energy costs. These issues will have to be urgently addressed over the coming months. We are fortunate to have an excellent staff team here, who work above and beyond their contracted hours for the benefit of the children. They are an absolutely fabulous team and First steps would be a very different place without them all. They deserve a massive thank you!
In these changing times however, we need to remind people that we are a group for the local community, we are a registered charity and we are a non-profit making organisation. We are very different to other organisations which are run privately and as a business. We obviously employ our staff but they are accountable to, and ultimately managed by, an elected committee of volunteers who give lots of their time and energy to the successful running of our group. This meeting tonight aims to highlight the work done and encourage others to become involved and help lead the group forwards.
FIRST STEPS PRE-SCHOOL
INCOME & EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
| INCOME Fees Funding Other EXPENSES Rent Wages and NIC Insurance & Licences Cleaning Printing and Stationery Provisions Paper & Paint Rates and Water Electricity Telephone, Internet & Website General Expenses General Repairs and Renewals Accountancy Fees ICO / Osted Equipment Teachers 2 Parents Tractor Run Fruit / Food Hire of Equipment Bank Charges Depreciation of Computer Equipment EXCESS OF INCOME OVER EXPENDITURE |
£ £ 25,297.21 111,113.09 3,252.85 139,663.15 5,703.55 107,465.42 722.27 427.98 218.61 684.50 1,033.56 606.70 2,515.88 924.73 1,904.98 1,736.07 240.00 85.00 - 282.00 650.00 882.49 - 57.25 174.00 126,314.99 13,348.16 2022 |
£ £ 23,567.20 112,599.92 5.00 136,172.12 5,250.00 113,169.05 1,031.29 560.97 235.14 774.41 1,154.68 747.83 2,915.92 789.19 2,326.06 1,891.03 240.00 - 402.00 - 678.00 563.87 - 315.00 133,044.44 3,127.68 2021 |
£ £ 23,567.20 112,599.92 5.00 136,172.12 5,250.00 113,169.05 1,031.29 560.97 235.14 774.41 1,154.68 747.83 2,915.92 789.19 2,326.06 1,891.03 240.00 - 402.00 - 678.00 563.87 - 315.00 133,044.44 3,127.68 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,127.68 |
FIRST STEPS PRE-SCHOOL
FUNDRAISING AND EVENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
| INCOME Sponsored Obstacle Tractor Run Pavers Christmas Fayre/Nativity Toy Sale Sponsor Money & General Fundraising Raffle Other Bags to School Interest Summer fair EXPENDITURE Fire Fighter Tractor run insurance Equipment Magician Toys Hall Hire Living Eggs Raffle & Race Night Supplies Moo Music Charges TTS Books Zoolab Summer Fayre EXCESS OF EXPENDITURE OVER INCOME |
£ £ 1,404.00 2,773.51 1,255.00 149.20 500.00 295.00 203.20 1,543.61 8,123.52 - 413.66 - - 1,308.65 - 294.00 150.00 664.03 490.00 79.23 640.72 95.00 232.80 - 4,368.09 3,755.43 2022 |
£ £ 1,470.50 - 900.00 1,487.42 - - 953.00 - - 7.00 - 4,817.92 - - 1,917.58 125.00 - 31.50 294.00 75.00 639.35 - - - - - - 3,082.43 1,735.49 2021 |
£ £ 1,470.50 - 900.00 1,487.42 - - 953.00 - - 7.00 - 4,817.92 - - 1,917.58 125.00 - 31.50 294.00 75.00 639.35 - - - - - - 3,082.43 1,735.49 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,735.49 |
FIRST STEPS PRE-SCHOOL
SUMMARY OF ASSETS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
| BALANCES AS AT 1 SEPTEMBER 2021 Bank Current Account Fundraising Account Cash in Hand - General - Fundraising Computer Equipment Creditors Excess of Income over Expenditure General Expenses Fundraising and Events BALANCES AS AT 31 AUGUST 2022 Bank Current Account Fundraising Account Cash in Hand - General - Fundraising Computer Equipment Creditors |
£ £ 39,414.59 5,870.75 35.86 - 45,321.20 224.00 - 45,545.20 13,348.16 3,755.43 17,103.59 62,648.79 38,881.92 9,626.18 1.94 48,510.04 100.00 - 48,610.04 2022 |
£ £ 68,239.78 4,142.26 35.02 22.59 45,321.20 668.00 - - 45,989.20 3,127.68 1,735.49 4,863.17 50,852.37 39,414.59 5,870.75 35.86 - 45,321.20 224.00 - 45,545.20 2021 |
£ £ 68,239.78 4,142.26 35.02 22.59 45,321.20 668.00 - - 45,989.20 3,127.68 1,735.49 4,863.17 50,852.37 39,414.59 5,870.75 35.86 - 45,321.20 224.00 - 45,545.20 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45,321.20 668.00 - |
|||
| 45,989.20 4,863.17 |
|||
| 50,852.37 | |||
| 39,414.59 5,870.75 35.86 - |
|||
| 45,321.20 224.00 |
|||
| - | |||
| 45,545.20 |
These accounts have been prepared from the books and records prepared to us by First Steps Pre-School.
Jackson Robson Licence Chartered Accountants Date: 15th November 2022.
Report of the Independent Examiners of First Steps Pre-School Driffield
We report on the accounts of First Steps Pre-School Driffield for the year ended 31st August 2021.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The Charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The Charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 and that an independent examination is needed.
It is our responsibility to:
- (a) examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011;
(b) follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission ( under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011) and
- (c) state whether any particular matters have come to our attention.
Basis of the independent examiner's report
Our examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. 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, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether
the accounts present a true and fair view, and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner's statement
In the course of our examination no matter has come to our attention:
(1) which gives us reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the trustees have not met the requirements to ensure that:
(a) proper accounting records are kept ( in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act 2011 ); and
(b) accounts are prepared which agree with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act 2011; or
(2) to which, in our opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed by: Jackson Robson Licence
Chartered Accountants
33-35 Exchange Street Driffield YO25 6LL
on 15th November 2022.
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