## **Minutes for Litle Apples AGM** ## **14th May 2024** - Committee – Alison McMahon, Joanne Whatley, Karen Totterdell, Sherri McAra, Emma Williams, Francesca Keirnan, Lauren Williams. - Apologies – Bridie Heslin. - **Chair’s report – by Alison McMahon** I have remained the Little Apples Chair for over 5 years and am still enjoying my role very much I am once again looking forward to an exciting and successful year for Little Apples Jo and the Little Apples team work hard as always providing children in their care with a safe, interesting, and educational environment. This amazing team have continued to provide a very high standard of care and dedication for the children who attend this fantastic Pre -School setting. Once again, they deserve to be recognised and praised for all the hard work they do. Throughout the year Little Apples has had some staff changes and it is nice to hear the new staff who have joined this fantastic team are enjoying their new roles. The number of children attending Little Apples this year has increased which is fantastic to hear. The Children have been learning for example about Chinese New Year Festival, all about me, World Book Day and earning about the life cycle of the butterfly in the summer term. Little Apples are always reviewing and updating curriculums and have developed 8 Aspirations - Fabulous Friend, Super storyteller Master manipulator, Marvellous mover, Wonderful writer, Solution seeker, Earth explorer and Confident creator. Little Apples want each child to develop and achieve these aspirations during their time with Little Apples. The children will be given stickers as they progress in these areas. Also, the Little Apples website and policies have been maintained and updated. Little Apples also had their Nativity which was once again a great success thanks to the staff and children’s hard work. The children also had a Christmas Party and CrazyM children’s entertainer. Little Apples has bought new wooden garden play equipment including a small climbing wall. They have also purchased 2 green houses, so the children can grow herbs for the mud kitchen which the children love. Little Apples have continued to help and support their vulnerable families by providing lunches, clothes and extra hours for some families and also received a discretionary grant of £300.00 so far, this academic year. I would like to say Thank you and well done to everyone involved maintaining Little Apples bank balances, once again I have seen no reason to refuse any requests for this year. Little Apples once again have remained a very important Pre-School in our local community which is reflected by increased numbers and a very healthy waiting list. Little Apples have continued to use the Bramley Magazine to gain awareness and give parents in our community information regarding this fantastic Pre - School. Setting. I would like to say a very big Thank you to all the committee members for all your support you have given Little Apples this year. Thank you and well done to Jo and the Little Apples team for all your hard work, dedication and support you give to everyone who attends Little Apples. I look forward to hearing about all the exciting things you will be doing in the upcoming year and am so pleased that Little Apples has continued to maintain its very important statues in our local community.  **Treasurer / Business Manager report – by Karen Totterdell** `o` BA £151,313.60 SA £50,074.91 (as of 13[th] May 2024) The income and expenditure for the year ended 31 August 2023 have now been finalised and show an income of £197,397.75 and a total expenditure of £169,760.50 resulting in a profit of £27,637.25. In comparison, 2022 resulted in a profit of £16,911.81 and 2021 a profit of £1839.01. Income for year ending 31 August 2023 was £197,397.75, considerably higher than the previous year (£155,998.30). This is mainly due to an increase in children, previously we removed the cap of 42 children, and instead referred to our Statutory Guidance, which details how many children we can take per square footage. Fundraising has always played an important role in assisting Little Apples, we made a profit of £857.48, again this is considerably higher than the previous year (£396.65). Our total expenditure for the year was £169,760.50 this was higher than the previous year (£139,086.49). This due to the increase in children, requiring more staff to meet our ratios, we recruited two new members to join our team, in February 2023. Considering increases in NLW and running costs Little Apples expenditure has been kept as low as possible and closely monitored. This current academic year has been phenomenal, our intake of children increased rapidly. In the spring budget, the Government published the allocations of the additional funding for Early Years, allocated as a new grant called Early Years Supplementary Grant. Although final details of the grant weren’t confirmed to Hampshire County Council until September 2023, it was confirmed that the funding was to be passed onto providers in full, giving an additional £2.07 per hour for 2-year-olds, £0.52 for 3/4 years olds and an additional £0.04 for EYPP. In total we received an additional £17,971.50. Our government funding rate increased, effective from April 2024, by 74 pence per hour for 3 / 4-year-olds (last year it was 21 pence) and £1.87 for 2-year-olds (last year it was 38 pence). In addition, EYPP has increased from 62 pence per hour to 68 pence and the annual DAF allowance is now £910, from £828. So, all positive increases. As a result, we are expecting to exceed a profit of £50k, provided that income and expenditure remain as projected. New hourly funding rates from 1[st] April 2024: 3 / 4 year olds £5.61 2 year olds £7.81 From September 2024 our hourly fee rates will increase to: 3 /4 year olds £5.80 (increase of 10 pence) 2 year olds £6.30 (increase of 10 pence) The NLW increased, effective from April 2024 to £11.44 per hour, as a result an increase was applied to all staff members, due to our pay scales: SEN £14.34 Deputy £11.94 Level 3 / 4 £11.64 Level 2 £11.54 Unqualified £11.44 Considering the financial growth observed in the past two years, we have increased our loss of revenue insurance to £300,000.00. The annual return, trustees annual report and accounts for the financial period ending 31[st] August 2023, was submitted to the Charity Commission on 24[th] April 2024. Little Apples is a charity and therefore aims to be a not-for-profit organisation. We have increased our Reserve Fund to £50,000.00, to assist with closure, or any unforeseen difficulty. This means that any underlying profit will be directed towards the Resource policy, which can then be utilised for various purposes such as replenishing old toys, exploring new development areas, increase staffing levels when necessary, and making general investments within the pre-school to uphold smooth operation and efficiency. ##  **Manager report – by Jo Whatley** At Little apples, we are currently full for this academic year with 78 children on roll. As you can imagine this makes us very busy. This term we will be focusing on managing the transitions to school for the children that are leaving us. I have an initial meeting with Bramley School this week, although we have children going to: Marnel Whitewater (2) The Priory Old Basing In addition, 4 families didn’t apply for a school place. One has subsequently got Bramley and one Silchester, although they can’t take it up. In total 41 children will be leaving us. We already have 63 children on the role for next academic year, so the numbers look very healthy. We have frequent enquiries for availability. We have four children working with social services under CIN (child in need) plans. One case particularly has been very difficult and stressful for staff. Another 6 safeguarding cases have opened and closed this year. As DSL these all require me to supply evidence and attend assessment meetings. We have 13 children who receive EYPP. One child already has an EHCP, one has been applied for and I anticipate applying for 2 or 3 more next term. Another 3 children could be considered to have significant SEN. As a proportion of our cohort, this has fallen which I believe is in part attributable to children generally starting pre-school earlier and also to the success of our language and listening groups. We do have another 3 families who are waiting for paediatric assessments or have recently seen paediatricians because of concerns about behaviours. We get involved in supporting them with that. In the setting, we are working to improve the provision all the time. We are currently developing role play ideas and home learning packs. Our new recruits, Julie and Rhiannon have settled in very well and the staff will rise to 15 when Nicola joins in September. We are now in the window when an Ofsted inspection is due. Members of staff are undertaking an online workshop of an hour and a half to prepare for this and other training has also been undertaken on line, including the role of the key person and understanding schemas. I would like to thank you all for your on-going support, as well as Karen, whose help and hard work I could not do without. - **Fundraising update** 23/24 Total so far £629.87 - £174.47 Xmas raffle / donations - £362.00 Treasure Hunt - £93.40 Charity boxes – Bramley Inn  **AOB:** Bank signatories agreed. Constitution agreed and signed by Chair and Secretary. Date of next meeting TBC Little Apples Bramley Income ond Expenditwe Accolmt for the w ended 31 Awjwt 2024 Fees EYE Grant Uniform Fundraisin9 Grants a Donations Interest 42.6¢XJ.43 236306.86 513.5J 876.39 11.38 379.94 TOTAL £281,178JO Exp¢ThJltw¢ Staff Wages Tax/NI Pensions Rent Payroll f ees Fundraisi ng Equipment Ref reshments Grants Administrntion Expenses AdvertlS1119 Gifts Trainin9 Parties/Outi ngs Uniform Insurance & Annual Fees HosFi n9 Storage Accounts 6ardening DBS Checks Misc 162,892.94 15.167.01 9,034.04 14,989. 1,107.10 114.63 10,320.08 3.093.53 I￿.{X) 1534.86 379. X)6.15 2348.28 431.39 813.47 1.839.24 2,020.97 1,083.80 3CO.(XI 768.ctj 257.12 39.08 TOTAL £229.190J9 £51,987.91 Little Apples Bramley IW>S) Excess of Income after Expenditure Opening Fund Balance Fees f rom previous year Cheques f rom previous year Closin9 Fund Balance as at 31 August 2024 £51,987.91 £94,036.15 £0.00 £0.00 £146.024.06 Balth The current balance is made up as follows: Santander (Current Account) Santander (t)eposit Account) Petty Cash £95,777.50 £50.206.56 £40.00 £146,024.06 Signed: Signed: Alison Mcmahon Chairperson Hana Royds Independent Examiner CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees LITTLe IA?TrLEs e)F Eft*4Hu&Y Charity no {if any) On accounts for the year ended 3110£12024 iolt£353 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 Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation 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 all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. Independent ￿he charity's gross income ex￿eded £250,000 and l am qualified to examiner's statement undertake the examination by being a qualified member of [insert name of applicable listed bodyl]. Delete [ ] if not applicable. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no rnaterial matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below ') which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act. or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements Con￿rning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understsnding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: Name: hwh Lo Relevant professional qualification(s) or body Ic&EI IER Oct 2018 (if any): I Address: l 16 1 ,a'rH Eh7NI 6uusJ6'¢Q Nl Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concem (see CC32. Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any Items that the examiner wlshes to disclose. Oct 2018 IER