Woodpeckers
Out of School Club
Annual Report
2023-24
Whitchurch Primary School
Erw Las Cardiff, CF14 1NL
Annual Report compiled by the Woodpeckers Committee Chair June 2024
Woodpeckers is a registered charity Registered number: 1042261
Contents
| Page | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Report from the Chair | 2 |
| 2. | Woodpeckers 2023-24: A summary of the year | 3 |
| 3. | Committee membership | 4 |
| 4. | Woodpeckers Statement of Purpose | 5 |
| 5. | Staff Update | 7 |
| 6. | Treasurer’s report | 8 |
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Report from the Chair 2023-2024
I have completed a full year in the role Chairperson with enthusiasm and support from the Club Manager and Deputy Manager (Cathy and Sian) and other committee members. Additional new members have joined the Committee, which is encouraging. As a voluntary management committee support from parents is very important in the running of the club. Your participation is very welcome.
We have had some changes of staff roles in the year and new staff. Staff have attended lots of different courses throughout the year.
Cathy Martinson has ended her role as Woodpeckers Manager and Sian Burnett has taken over the role as Manager.
With the support of Clybiau Plant Cymru and lots of different courses Sian and Sue have forged forward with renewed enthusiasm and
The popularity of the Club, including an extensive waiting list, remains encouragingly strong: a testament to the high quality of care provided by the dedicated staff, who work hard to care effectively for our children.
As a charity we have tried to keep our fees low but also competitive. Our fees ae very competitive compared to other clubs and childcare providers in the locality.
Our holiday club has proved again to be a great service to our parents, but we are always mindful of rising costs. We have still not returned to off site trips as booking coaches and activities has proved too costly and instead, we have focused on activities and entertainment on the club site. The staff have worked hard to provide an exciting and varied programme of activities within the club itself. This has proved to be a success with both children and parents. In October half term holiday club, the children have really enjoyed taking part in lots of traditional Halloween activities, fancy dress and cooking. Easter saw lots of chocolate themed activities culminating with a traditional Easter egg Hunt. The holiday club allows attendance from children who are not regular members of Woodpeckers as it is open to the whole school as it works on a first come first served basis , after a priority booking period.
In March of this academic year, the Club saw the arrival of the ‘Play shack’. This has been provided by the council to facilitate more traditional outside play. It is a metal shack placed in the outside area which stores ‘loose parts’. Loose parts are materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up and taken apart and put back together in multiple ways. Materials include crates, tubes, sticks, stones, unused building materials, pinecones, natural materials, household items, etc. The benefits of loose part play are children using their imagination to make structures. A sense of adventure in the outdoors, problem solving and solution making. The children have thoroughly enjoyed this more traditional type of play in our excellent outdoor area. This addition to the Woodpeckers Garden has made a massive impact on the way the children play as it leads to a more traditional type of play rather than, leaning towards technology.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff for their continued hard work, patience and dedication to the children of Woodpeckers. They continue to support our children and keep them happy whilst in their care.
The committee and staff members are continually looking for opportunities to improve the Club and look forward to the changes and building on another successful year with the children at the heart.
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Michelle Carolan Chair Woodpeckers Management Committee June 2023
2. Woodpeckers 2023 - 2024 A summary of the year
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| September 2023 | We started the school year with a new intake of children. All children settled well quickly. Inset Days were arranged by the school for the 4th& 5th. Woodpeckers did not open for children. These days were used for a deep clean and tidy up in preparation for the new academic year. There were a few changes to staff to start the year. A transition period is in place from Cathy to Sian. Two new staff started Farah and Lorna, their induction began. Sian W and Katie attended a food hygiene course. Cathy’s last day was September 28th. |
| October 2023 | The club had its annual PAT testing to electrical equipment. Sian W ,Katie,Anna and Elaine attend a Child Protection Course. Holiday Club is well attended with the theme of Halloween and Bonfire Night |
| November2023 | Sian and Sue seek advice from Clybiau Plant Cymru regarding the running of the club to ensure everything is in place. Sian and Sue attend a Fire Warden Course. Sian Anna, Leanne and Sue attend a Food Hygiene Course |
| December2023 | The month begins with the children arranging their own Christmas activities for the last week of term. Woodpeckers is involved with a stall in the Christmas Fayre |
| January 2024 | We returned to school on Monday 8thJanuary. We opened for the Inset Day on Monday 22ndJanuary. |
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| February 2024 | We had a visit from Freya the lady from the Council, to replenish more items for the Playshack. We had a busy February Half Term, the children enjoyed playing with the new items in the Playshack |
|---|---|
| March 2024 | The Easter holidays fell in the last week of March, we had a fun time in holiday club with an Easter egg hunt , lovely craft activities and lots of fun. |
| April 2024 | Sue , Elaine, Farah and Cari attend a First Aid Course.Sian and Sue Attend an online Event hosted by the CIW on how to enhance your setting, the information received was very helpful. Sue starts a Transition to Level 3 Play work Course. |
| May 2024 | Elaine Wright retires from Woodpeckers after a long duration from when the club started. She will be very much missed by all the Woodpecker staff and children. |
| June 2024 | We had another visit from the ladies from Clybiau Plant Cymru to assess how we are doing. Sian and Sue attend a Health & Safety Course. Sue completes the Transition to Level 3 Play work Course. |
| July 2024 | Preparations are well underway for a very busy Summer Holiday Club. We said goodbye to all our lovely Year 6 children on the road to new beginnings. |
3. Committee membership:
| Michelle Carolan | Chair | |
|---|---|---|
| Becky Borde | Secretary | |
| Sadie Lowman -Jones | Treasurer | |
| Sian Burnett | Club Manager | |
| Sue Gibbs | Deputy Club Manager | |
| Darren Stacey Gillian Spratt Simon Geeves |
Committee Members |
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3.1 Committee Update
As always, we are looking for new committee members to attend but the current committee have showed their support and hard work throughout the year. Thank you.
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Woodpeckers Out of School Club Statement of purpose
Woodpeckers are a Breakfast, After-School and Holiday Club located in Whitchurch Primary School in Whitchurch Cardiff.
The club was formed in September 2012 due to the closure of Eglwys Newydd Primary School and Eglwys Wen Primary school; both previous schools had existing provision, so demand was high in the new school. The club is held on the previous site of Eglwys Wen.
The Woodpeckers club is registered with The Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW). According to the requirements laid down by the children’s act 1989. The venues are fully insured and run by experienced, qualified staff on a minimum ratio of 1:8 for children up to 12 years.
The Breakfast Club is registered to take a maximum of 48 children. The After-School Club is registered to take 88 children and the Holiday Club can take up to 40 children.
We are based in two demountable classrooms. The larger double demountable holds the Breakfast Club, After-School Club for the juniors and the Holiday Club. The smaller single demountable holds the AfterSchool Club for the infants.
The club during term-time is open from 7:45am – 9am for Breakfast Club and 3:15pm – 6pm for infants and 3:30pm – 6pm for juniors in the After-School Club.
Holiday Club is open from 8am – 6pm on half term holidays, Easter Holidays and four weeks of the Summer Holiday. Half day cover is also provided.
The club also offers full day care on most school inset days which is 8am – 6pm.
Both boys and girls between the ages of 4 –11 years are cared for in a safe and stimulating environment until collected and signed out by a parent, guardian or another nominated adult known to the staff.
A daily register is taken and kept. Children’s records and information are kept in secure files detailing each child’s individual needs and emergency contact numbers. Parents complete a registration form and contract before their child starts in the Woodpeckers Club. They are also provided with an up to date parent’s handbook.
The aims of the club are to provide a wide range of activities and games that all children can enjoy and participate in whether they are free play or they can join in with set activities.
Children in the After-School Club are on their individual bases at register time and snack time and then they are free to choose between both huts and the outdoor area.
Staff are based on a rota basis in each hut so ratios are always maintained.
The outdoor area is a large garden area with a playground tarmac Safety flooring area & grass areas. There is also under shelter areas which children can use if raining. A wide range of outdoor toys are available to the children and Woodpeckers have their own shed for safe keeping of outdoor toys.
Other activities include Arts and Craft which is set up in each hut daily, Board Games and Puzzles, Construction Toys, Music, Puppet Theatre, Home Corner, Dolls and Prams, Tool Station, Hama Beads, Lego, and much more.
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We have a separate games room in the junior hut for larger games including a pool table, air hockey, and table football. This room can also be used for TV/games console activities in bad weather.
Also available in the larger hut is a room set aside as a library/quiet room. In here children can read, play quiet games, have a rest or have help with homework.
The children are cared for and supervised by English speaking staff, however we do endeavour to incorporate the welsh language where possible. In addition to this the club does have some books written in Welsh and some Welsh posters. The Welsh language is encouraged and supported in the Woodpeckers Club.
The Woodpeckers further aims to provide a welcoming and supportive environment for all children, parents, and staff. Where possible, the club will aim to provide adaptations to the facilities in order to cater for individual special needs.
The Woodpeckers Club is run by a Voluntary Management Committee made up of the Manager of the Club, Deputy Manager and parents whose children attend the club.
The club is a registered charity, and abides by the charity commission. Charity number 1042261 Parents are automatically entitled to join the committee at any time if they have a child attending any part of the club.
Prices at the club are kept to a minimum and are reviewed regularly by the management committee.
Breakfast club costs £3.70 per session (early breakfast start at 7:45am) or £3.50 per session (start at 8am) After-School Club is £8 per session.
Holiday Club costs £20 for full day care 8am – 6pm or £10 for half day 8am – 1pm or 1pm – 6pm. Parents will be given an invoice for payments on a half term basis and a four week notice is required for termination of places.
The Woodpeckers club accepts all childcare vouchers, cheques, payments made through the bank or cash payments.
There are three registered persons at the club one of whom is also the Out of School Club Manager.
The Out of School Club Manager Sian Burnett can be contacted daily on 07786908242 All of our policies and procedures can be found in the Parents handbook. Policies and procedures are reviewed at least annually as part of our review of the service.
The Woodpeckers club as a complaints procedure which is in the Parents handbook however if you wish to contact our registering authority their address is:
Care Inspectorate Wales
CIW Welsh Government Tel 03007900126 Rhydycar Business Park Fax 0300 062 8548 Merthyr Tydfil Email ciw.southeast@wales.gsi.gov.uk CF48 1UZ Updated March 2020
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5. Staff Update
Thank you to you all Woodpeckers staff for your continued commitment and hard work over another successful year. A special thank you to Sian and Sue for their leadership, interpretation of guidance, planning and ensuring that Woodpeckers remained a welcoming and safe place for the children attending. Elaine Wright retired in this year and we had a very enjoyable send off for her. Farah Atkar and Lorna Richards joined the staff team in September , great new additions to the team.
5.1 Training
The Club has a strong policy of maintaining staff skills and continuing to develop their expertise. Staff must attend the 3 courses set out by the CSSIW for best practice approximately every 3 years. These are First Aid, Child Protection, & Food Hygiene. Certificates are awarded to those that attend and pass the course; these are held on their personal files.
Currently all staff are update with these courses. Looking to the future we endeavour to get all the staff presently at Woodpeckers working towards a Play qualification , which will really enhance the club.
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7. Treasurer’s report
Report and statement for the year 2023-24 and update for 2024-25
The Woodpeckers Committee present the Financial Report at this meeting; for the accounts year ending 31[st] Aug 2024.
For the financial year ending 31[st] Aug 2024 the committee continued with existing financial commitments, including continuing with existing lease commitments
Total Income for the year 2023-24 was £165,760
- £142,938 was spent from unrestricted funds on salaries for the club staff .
The net result for the year was a net loss of £14,059
The closing balance held by the charity was £74,199 as of August 2024.
The Charity is required to hold reserves of at least 3 months outgoings for a “normal” year. This is held to smooth out fluctuations in cash flow and to meet emergencies. Financial modelling carried out by the Treasurer and considered by the Committee anticipates rising costs will erode these funds and therefore this is maintained as contingency for increasing costs year on year and the risks identified later in this report.
The management committee will maintain an oversight of the outgoings and fee income over the coming year to consider whether there is a need to raise fees.
During this period (2023-24) fees have increased to support rising costs.
A pay increase of at least 8% was awarded in April 2024 recognising the rising cost of living and ensuring Play Worker grade hourly rate was raised in excess of the national minimum wage.
Reserves Policy
It is Woodpeckers’ policy, and a requirement of the Charities Commission to keep unrestricted funds, which equates to at least three months payments.
Future Risk areas for 2024
-
Increasing inflation will impact all outgoings for the club including heating and food costs.
-
The possibility that the School will seek to raise the rent for the current premises.
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Ongoing risks of the current buildings reaching their end of life and needing replacement. This was evident in Jan 2025 with the lower hut taken out of action and alternative accommodation provided by the school. Woodpeckers is reliant on the School as the landlord for any consideration of changes to or replacement of the structure of the buildings. The Committee will seek to restart a dialogue with the School to consider options for the future to pre-empt any need for change, given the likely limited life span of the current buildings.
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2024-25 Financial Year
September 24 saw increases again to fees to cover ever increasing costs.
Term time wrap around fees increased by +4%, along with Holiday Club increasing from £35.00 to £38.00 for a full day, and £18.00 to £20.00 for a half day from July 25, which given competition prices still offers great value.
A pay increase of 8% was awarded in April 2025 recognising the rising cost of living and ensuring that all play workers’ wages are higher than the living wage.
The financial position still remains tough at the club, with the ever rising costs. Prices again for September are currently under review by the committee and will be increasing.
To be read with this report: Independent Auditors Report 2023-24
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THE WOODPECKERS CLUB
REPORTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED
31[ST] August 2024
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1042261
A. P. Baker and Co
Chartered Accountants
THE WOODPECKERS CLUB
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] AUGUST 2024
£ £
INCOME & EXPENDITURE
| Income Resources Fees Received Grants and Subsidies Bank Interest Received |
155,927 8,951 832 165,710 |
|---|---|
Resources Expended
| Salaries 142,938 Rent 14,040 Insurance 515 Equipment Toys and Crafts 2,015 Food and Refreshments 6,304 Telephone, Broadband & Parent mail 593 Repairs and Maintenance 1,547 Printing, postage and stationery 368 Sundry Expenses 2,306 Utilities 7,438 Accountancy 1,100 Book-keeping Fees 160 Staff Training 70 Trips 375 _____ Deficit for the Year Balance brought forward 1stSeptember 2023 Balance carried forward 31stAugust 2024 £ |
179,769 (14,059) 88,258 74,199 |
|---|---|
- 1 –
THE WOODPECKERS CLUB
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AS AT 31[ST] AUGUST 2024
==> picture [377 x 396] intentionally omitted <==
----- Start of picture text -----
£
Current Assets
Bank Deposit Account 57,121
Bank Current Account 18,177
Petty cash 1
75,299
Liabilities due within one year
Creditors and Accruals 1,100
Balance as at 31 [st] August 2024 £ 74,199
Held for the Charity’s own use
Accumulated Fund
As at 31 [st] August 2024 £ 74,199
The financial statements on pages 1 and 2 were approved by the Management
committee on 24 [th] April 2025 and were signed on their behalf by: -
.................................... Sian Burnett
----- End of picture text -----
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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Report to the trusteesl members of The Woodpeckers Club On accounts for the year ended 31 St August 2024 Charity no (if any) 1042261 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 3110812024. Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ') in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect". accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's ststement I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the in the brac ey do not apply. Signed: Date: th 25 April 2025 Name: Antho aker Relevant professional qualification{s) or body (if any): Chartered Accountant - ICAEW Address: 493A Caerphilly Road Cardiff CF14 4SN IER October 2018
Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER October 2018