Alphabets Pre-School Botley
(September 2022 - August 2023) ANNUAL REPORT
Annual General Meeting Thursday 21st March 2024, 9am.
Staffing
During this financial year we said goodbye to Hannah Barfoot, Mandy Titcombe and Simone Burgess as they moved on to new ventures. Hazel joined us in July 2023, then Helen in September 2023 and Michelle in November 2023. Below are the current staff team.
Pre-school Manager - Mandy Searle Pre-school Deputy Manager/Senco - Helen Hall Senior practitioner - Shelley Wooldridge Practitioner - Sarah Fisher Practitioner - Hazel Delacourtenay Practitioner - Helen Watts Practitioner - Michelle Richards
Alphabets Management Committee
These were the volunteers who made up the committee, helping the staff team to run Alphabets for the year September 2022- August 2023. Alex and Heather resigned at the end of the year as their children left to start school. We are currently looking for new volunteers to help us and need to recruit a Chairperson and secretary.
| Chairperson - | Alex Kemp |
|---|---|
| Secretary - | Heather Thomson |
| Treasurer - | Kate Mckillen |
| Member - | Becky Morgan-Walsh |
| Member - | Sarah Grove |
| Member - | Philippa Tanaka |
Manager’s report
We have had another busy and successful year at Alphabets Pre-school
Childrens’ numbers at the start of September 2022 were low. This improved steadily over the course of the year and did reach full capacity by the summer term on all the days that Alphabets are open.
In September 2022, an Advisory team member from Hampshire County Council came out to visit and carried out a “Shared Conversation”. During the visit she carried out a ‘learning walk’ for 45 minutes and looked at all areas of the pre-school. The outcome at this time, which we discussed and agreed together, was that if Ofsted came out to inspect Alphabets, we would be at the level of “Requires Improvement”. During the next term and a half, I worked closely with the Advisory Teacher to make improvements to Alphabets and engaged with the “County Project Programme” to improve outcomes for all the children attending. This included working on a new curriculum, practices and planning, Alphabets values and the ethos behind our vision statement.
When the Advisory Teacher came out again in Spring 2023, I’m pleased to share that she could see the improvement and expressed that if Ofsted had come out then and had experienced staff practice at that time, then there was a strong possibility we would have received a good grading.
Our new curriculum is working well, all staff have had training during staff meetings to help support their understanding and ensuring that staff are implementing the curriculum goals alongside their planning or incorporating the goals into individual planning for each of their key children.
During the Summer term, teachers from local schools were able to visit our setting and speak to the children and staff face to face which was really lovely for the school leavers. Children were able to attend face to face play sessions in school too. Our Pre-school graduation was held in two small groups this year. We decided to have two smaller graduations to support the needs of our children that were leaving to go to school. This was a lovely event for all staff and children as staff were able to say a proper goodbye to our school leavers.
In the October half term, the garden was cleared and new astro turf was fitted with a new sand pit constructed so that the children can sit inside it to explore this area. This was made possible by receiving a grant from The Co-op and also fundraising by the committee and staff.
We have continued to be a happy , stable team who are very dedicated and committed to building secure relationships with all the children, parents and families. All staff continue with their professional development through online training and regular staff meetings.
Finally, I would like to thank the Alphabets team and Committee for their continued support and hard work over the past year and also all the families who attend with their children and support the Pre-school.
Mandy Searle Pre-school Manager.
Finance report
Alphabets finished the financial year with a balance of £26,142. This was made up of £31,455 brought forward from the previous year and a loss of £5,315 from this year.
Our total income was £118,192. This is mainly made up of fees, fundraising & grants.
Our total expenditure was £123,505. This was mainly spent on staff wages, rent, insurance and equipment.
We made a loss this year as we had increases to rent, wages, pension contributions and the cost of living increases.
We raised £1,469 through our fundraising events this year. This money all goes to improving equipment and facilities for the children.
We continue to fund the training and development of our staff to ensure we have an experienced and well qualified team providing good quality care and education for the children attending Alphabets.
Overall, we are in a good financial position but as costs continue to increase, we will be monitoring the situation on a regular basis to ensure that Alphabets remains in a safe and secure financial position.
Kate Mckillen Treasurer
Alphabets Pre-school
Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31 August 2023
| 2023 | 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |||
| RECEIPTS | ||||
| Fees | 103464 | 93018 | ||
| Fund raising | 1515 | 1785 | ||
| Uniform | 80 | 108 | ||
| Grants/donations | 12619 | 4068 | ||
| Food voucher grant | 150 | 655 | ||
| Deposits | 275 | 325 | ||
| Sundries | 89 | 295 | ||
| HMRC SSP grant | 0 | 231 | ||
| 118,192 | 100,485 | |||
| LESS PAYMENTS | ||||
| Direct costs | ||||
| Uniform | 523 | 421 | ||
| Activities | 475 | 308 | ||
| Refreshments | 317 | 634 | ||
| Cleaning | 124 | 54 | ||
| Post & stationery | 44 | 45 | ||
| Printing/photocopying | 59 | 130 | ||
| Rewards for volunteers | 45 | 25 | ||
| Staff incentive scheme | 594 | 567 | ||
| Food vouchers | 150 | 565 | ||
| 2331 | 2749 | |||
| Overheads | ||||
| Wages | 92346 | 93837 | ||
| Insurance/rent | 9820 | 9787 | ||
| Fundraising | 46 | 119 | ||
| Equipment/resources | 12522 | 3220 | ||
| Telephone/internet | 749 | 565 | ||
| Sundries | 502 | 443 | ||
| Training | 853 | 243 | ||
| Accountant | 840 | 792 | ||
| Pension | 3422 | 3716 | ||
| Bank charges | 74 | 51 | ||
| 121174 | 112773 | |||
| YEAR PROFIT/LOSS | £-5313 | £-15037 |
Alphabets Pre-school Statement of Assets and Liabilities As at 31st August 2023
| Bank Account HSBC Plus cash left in petty cash TOTAL REPRESENTED BY: Balance brought forward Year Loss/profit Balance carried forward |
31.8.23 £26142 £ 0 £26,142 £31,455 - £5,313 £26,142 |
31.8.22 £31455 £ 0 £31,455 £46,492 -£15,037 £31,455 |
31.8.22 £31455 £ 0 £31,455 £46,492 -£15,037 £31,455 |
|---|---|---|---|
| £31,455 |
On behalf of Alphabets Management Committee
…………………………………………………
Alex Kemp - Chairperson
………………………………………………… Kate Mckillen - Treasurer
ALPHABEfs PRE-SCHOOL Independent Examiner's Report to The Trustees of the Alphabets Pre-sehool, Botley I POrt on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31 August 2023, which are sel out on pages 3 to5. Respective responsibilities oftrus¢ees and examiner. The charity's truslees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charitv's trustees consider thai an audit is not required for this vear (under section 144{2)) of the Charities Act 2011 and that an independeni examinalion is needed. It is my responsibilily to: Examine the accounts (under section 145(1)(a) of the 2011 Act). To follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners of ihe 201 l Act: and To slate wheiher particular mailers have come to my attention. BA$ls of independent examiner's report My examination was carried out in accordance with the General directions given by the Charity commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a omparison of ihe accounts presented wilh those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosu5 in ihe accout5, and secking explanations from you as Iruslees concerning any such mattcrs. The procedures undertaken do nol provide all the evidenLe that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the vieiv gtriven by the accounis. Illd¢pendeDt ex&mlner'$ slatement In connection wilh my examination. no matter Come to my attention. l. Which gives me reasonable Cause lo believe that in any malerial respect the requirements To keep accounting records in accordance with Section 142 of the 201 l Act. and To prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act have not been met- or 2. To which, in my opinion, attention should be drdwn in order lo enable a proper undersianding of ihe accounts to be reached. Stuart Delmege ACA
ALPHABETS PRE-SCHOOL Notes to the Ac¢oun¢s For the Yvar Ended 31 August 2023 l. Accounting policies General The accounts have been preparcd under the historical cosl convention on a receipts and paymenis basis and in accordanc¢ with the applicable accounting standard5, the Statement of Recommended Praciice on Accounting by Charities and the Charities Act 2011. 2. Trustee's Remuneration and Expenses No remuneration directly or indirectly out of the trusi funds olthe charity was paid or is payable for the year to any trustee or to any person known lo be connected wilh any of them. No reimbursemenl of expenses has been made or is due to be made to any of the trustees in resPt of the year from the trusl fund.