Chairpersons report
AGM 7/11/2024 (2023 accounts)
Welcome everyone to Foulsham and Bintree playgroups AGM, we have had to postpone this meeting more times than we would like to due to trying to find a new committee to stand as we all would like to step down. Current committee have said they will stand until checks can be done for the new committee. K Shewing will not be standing again and intends to leave the group. I would like to thank her for her hard work and wish her all the best for the future.
The year started well with 3 members of staff who continue to be a good team and keen to improve the provisions we supply and we have employed a book keeper, Emma Staples who will be keeping the day-to-day books, producing the bills for the parents and working closely with Kelly and the treasure, welcome to the team Emma. We had a large number of children who left for school and new uptake has been very slow so making ends meet have been very difficult. Numbers are slowly picking up and we hope for this to continue, our supervisor says this happens every September but usually sees more numbers coming by now.
We have replaced some resources as things do detreat and staff are very good at collecting free items or making things out of nothing. Our supervisor has also continued to go above and helps with general DIY improvements within the group and is very savvy with the PP money sourcing a lovely new sand shed, mud kitchen and other items that the children they are intended to support have found great use and enjoyment and all the other children love and have gained great benefit from. We STILL need to repair or replace our shelter that has not fared well in the winds but this is proving hard due to very high quotes and people not turning up to look. The children continue to engage and really enjoy the group, they develop well and are supported very well by our staff.
Tracey continues to provide quality care for the group and works as deputy supervisor, she works well with Kelly oversees the SEND within the group. Kelly continues to run the group well often going above her duties and supporting the committee and ensuring all regulations and changes are needed a put into place. Sam has settled well and works well with the team and grows in confidence every day. The staff have continued to supply a safe a nurturing environment for all children and I would like to thank them for their hard work. Emma has been a valuable new member of staff and has taken a lot of pressure off Kelly, she has also
taken the worry out of the treasures position as it can be overwhelming to take this role on.
We have had our Ofsted inspection and can say that we received a good judgement. The inspector loved the group and could see how well the children did hear, saying if she could give an outstanding on how much the children loved the group, their development achievements and how passionate and supportive in their development the staff were. I would like to thank the staff on their hard work to make this possible and for creating such an environment for our children, I know theses inspections are not easy and you all done so well.
Fundraising has been a little slow but what we have done has gone well, we just wish more of our parents would attend as it seems to be mostly village locals that do, we have tried asking but we still struggle to engage them. We currently have children using 2-year funding, 15hr funding, 30hr funding, use the extended working family’s funding and some who pay for sessions, we hope attendance will improve. We run a morning and afterschool club on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, but numbers are low. We feel this is still an important service for those that use this so will continue to do so but keep it under review.
I have completed many years on the committee but will be stepping down from the committee as soon as I can due to be unable to give it the time it deserves and family commitments that needs to take priority, I still feel passionate about having a group in the village and will continue to support where I can.
In closing I would like to thank everyone who has supported the group, I would like to say a special thanks to the staff who have work tirelessly and often above what they are paid and the committee itself for the work that has been put in fundraising to keep this vital resource open.
Email - Amanda Harmer - Outlook
03/01/2025, 18:39
Outlook
agm opps
From foulsham and bintree playgroup foulshamandbintreeplaygroup@yahoo.com
Date Thu 05/12/2024 09:45
To amandaharmer@msn.com amandaharmer@msn.com
5 attachments (2 MB)
accounts 2023 pt1.png; accounts 2023 pt2.png; accounts 2023 pt3.png; accounts 2023 pt4.png; accounts 2023 pt5.png;
sorry, forgot to add this
Kelly x
https://outlook.live.com/mail/0/id/AQMkADAwATczZmYBLTgwNDYtNDAxNy0wMAItMDAKAEYAAANvKEjXLPY3SqKVPsbR%2FnkeBwD1%2BGC…
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Supervisor report AGM 7/11/2024
We continue to still have our 3 original staff who work hard to ensure the group runs well as it is a valuable resource within the community. We continue to look at ways we can improving the group being very careful how we spend any funding money we receive and looking at ways we can fill the spaces available.
Numbers had stayed low for a while but slowly picking up but we have recently lost 3 children due to start in the new year due to moving away. The new school year was again at better levels that we normally get in September even with the large numbers that went up to school but numbers are low on some days. We continue to offer full weeks at 9 to 3 and morning and afterschool club on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The group runs at Monday AM 8, Monday PM 6, Tuesday AM 9, Tuesday PM 9, Wednesday AM 7, Wednesday PM 7, Thursday AM 8, Thursday PM 7, Friday AM 12 and Friday PM 11. Morning and afterschool club runs very low but feel we need to keep going with this as we may lose new children if we don’t have it. We currently have children who are on our SEND register needing support with speech and language and some under assessment. 4 children calming 2-year funding, 2 children calming 15 hr funding, 3 children claiming the working family’s funding and 4 calming the 30-hr funding, the rest pay fees. Transition this year was ok and staff supported the children going up with home learning packs and advice for parents. We had meetings with 4 different schools to support transitions but still feel it could be stronger with our local feeder school but we have worked closely with them regarding some higher needs children who have moved on.
I continue my role as supervisor and lead safeguarding practitioner, with all necessary courses and updates taken for the role. Tracey green continues her role as deputy supervisor and continues to fill the role of SENCO, she has completed the necessary courses and meetings to support her in this role. Sam continues in her role as a level 3 practitioner and completes any courses necessary for her role. We continue to find it difficult if a staff member is ill but have recently employed a bookkeeper who will be happy to fill a role within the group as an unqualified staff member. She is booked on necessary courses and has the skills for the role. This has taken a little pressure off committee and staff as she performs both roles. We continue to be signed up to noodle now so staff can continue their professional development as well as the courses from Norfolk County council. We get support from Norfolk council early years team who came out to support me with the paperwork updates to improve tracking within the group.
Staff continue to work hard to continue to ensure we offer a quality service Staff are up to date on all their necessary qualifications and have just updated first aid with 1 who will in the new yea. I attend the leaders and managers meeting and Tracey SENCO updates via zoom to ensure we are up to date on all advice and practices.
We constantly look at ways we can improve the opportunities we offer and staff continue to offer a range of activities and opportunities for children to learn and develop. Emotional development and Speech and language is a current focus within the current cohort of children within the group
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The resource is getting old and are detreating so staff continue to check them regularly, we have been using our PP money wisely that has been allocated to each entitled child but this has also enriched the other children’s development as well as theirs. We have ordered a new mud kitchen as our is becoming rotten and a temporary fix had to be made, the children who need extra support heavily use this resource so it was a wise choice to spend the money on.
Activities and events have gone well and create good opportunities for relationships with family’s as well as enriching the development of the children. Plans are being put into place for the Christmas play that will be fast approaching. Parents meeting will be booked in the new year after the development reports are completed and handed out, but we still have little interest in stay and play which will would support the relationships with parents and staff and give better opportunities for them to share thoughts or concerns on children’s development.
I would like to thank all the current committee who supported the group and continue to give up time to ensure we still have a preschool within the village and I look Forword to working with the new committee to take the group onwards and upwards.
Kelly Hood
Playgroup supervisor
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