2023-03-31-accounts - Alderton Acorns Pre School Baby And Toddler Groups

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Alderton Acorns Pre-School and Toddler Group AGM and Committee Meeting 5th June 2023 The Gardeners Arms, Alderton, 8pm

Present: Sian Tryner, Ros Smith, Phil Evans, Ellie Mott (Pre-School Leader), Steph Castle, Andy Robertson, Andy Bridges, Cat Fowles, Nicky McCotter

Apologies: Grace Robertson, Suzy, Sarah, Camilla, Rob Cooper, Jen Cooper

Previous AGM report

Minutes approved

Chairs annual report

Rob was unable to attend and Sian stepped in to report… Opening on Friday so we can now accept 30 hours funding Forest School on a Friday started with 4 but now is at 12 (with 3 staff), all going well Tapestry is now working well, both for parents and has lessened the work load on staff Staffing, always an issue. Very grateful to Ellie, Steph and Suzy to cover extra hours due to Camilla’s absence. Sarah has started and has settled in well

Playleaders report

We started in September with 9 children, now 21!

This September will start about 10 children, but with more interest in the pipeline Feedback from parents about Sarah has been really positive, so we’d definitely like to keep her if possible

Boogy Beats would love to continue in September but Phonics with Reg is maybe a bit out of our children’s age range so will cancel in September. Forest School is going really well, children and staff happy

All staff are signed up to Noodle Now which is online learning course portal, all courses which the staff need. All staff completed Senco training and Operation Encompass (safeguarding). Thursday afternoons are utilised to complete this training. July 1st First Aid Training course for staff.

Tapestry successful. Parents can upload photos as well.

Children’s next steps reports will be completed. School leavers reports will be written. Ellie has been researching other local preschools to ensure that we are currently on track if an Ofsted inspection happens, it last happened 6 years ago so is due.

9 of our preschoolers are going to Oakhill which is a great impact on the school (last year they had one in reception) Mrs Murray from Oakhill has come to visit and the children responded to her in a very positive manner. Acorns have been invited to their sports day.

New furniture has had a really positive affect, looks desirable, easier for the staff and children to get to more learning resources.

Toddler report

Report from Ros…

“Toddlers continues to be a popular meeting place for local families on Friday mornings between 10 and 11.30am in term time.

Its original function was to feed into Acorns Pre-School and this does still occur to some extent. However, some regular attendees come form outside the village eg

Winchcombe, Sedgeberrow and even Evesham while local families may also attend Overbury Nursery because they have selected that school for their children’s full-time education. Perhaps more important is the opportunity for children and parents to socialise in a well-resourced play area, something which the pandemic lockdowns showed is enormously valued.

During April 2022-2023, there was an average of 12 children in each session. This has fallen off recently and some advertising via Facebook would be useful to tell new families in the area that the provision exists. At Easter 2023, Sarah joined the Acorns team as Toddlers Play Leader, Lauren having left at the end of November 2022 having built up the Toddler Group attendance from a modest number to (on occasions) as many as 17 children. Recently Joy, a local grandmother, has joined Ros to help out with the refreshments and clearing up. This has helped parents spend time with their children rather than undertaking duties such as washing up.

Looking forward, it would be good to see parties on key dates eg Hallowe’en and Christmas reinstated to put Toddlers on the map again. It is also important to continue to provide a range of activities as the wide age range of the children means very different types of play have to run concurrently. Now Forest School has started on Fridays and proved very popular, we are often experiencing an overlap with Pre-School children in the kitchen waiting to leave while the volunteers are boiling kettles for refreshments. With the summer approaching it would be good if the Forest School children and staff could leave earlier or meet at the field for safety reasons. Otherwise the interface between the two activities has worked well.”

Moving forward can the outside gate be used to leave for Forest School, so there is no overlap between toddlers and preschool.

Can we offer as an option paying for the term/half term as a lump sum, with a little cost saving?

Is it worth getting a card machine? If we can get a machine that doesn’t charge every transaction would be beneficial. Ros has previously researched this and will provide details to the committee.

Sarah hopefully to have an Acorns T-shirt soon to wear

Treasurers report

Officially need to thank Kaye Hunt for auditing the accounts.

£135 profit for the year

No minimum amount that as a charity we have to have in reserves (however we do have £4125)

We continue to have to be careful with the balance between outgoings and income. We are very lucky that both Ellie and Steph can be very flexible with their hours if the time comes we need to reduce them.

Without our fundraising we would be struggling to stay out of the red so just shows how important it is.

Outgoings are always limited as much as possible.

Camilla is now on a 0 hours contract until the end of term, can be called upon if she’s ever needed. Sarah is on a fixed term contract until the end of term. Both these contracts need to be looked at at the next committee meeting.

Depending on what parents want we will look at whether Forest School will continue in September due to the number of 2 year olds we have. Reassess this for after Christmas when a lot of these children will be turning 3. Forest School can only take children from 3 years old. £5 extra charge for Forest School.

Election of new committee - minimum of 5 named needed (60% need to be parents)

Chairman - Phil Evans Treasurer - Andy Robertson continuing, with Sian Tryner assisting Secretary - Cat Fowles continuing Safeguarding Lead - Grace Robertson continuing Staff appraisals - Nicky McCotter

Members - Ros, Rob and Jen Cooper, Andy and Cathie Bridges, Nicky, Grace

All committee members need a DBS check, Sian will complete details for Phil to get enhanced DBS check as Chair.

A huge welcome to the committee and thank you to Phil for stepping forward as Chair.

Committee meeting

Parent feedback/interaction with preschool is liked by Ofsted. They can ask parents questions about preschool and what information they know so it is important to keep parents up to date with any changes or important information.

Safeguarding/Appraisals - Grace and Nicky to work together to complete staff appraisals as soon as possible.

Toddlers

Card machine will be discussed at next meeting. Termly payments also to be discussed

Fundraising

Next meeting:

Tuesday 11th July - The Gardeners

Andy - andymarkbridges@hotmail.com Cathie - c_uf@hotmail.co.uk Phil - hncSparky@btinternet.com

ALDERTON ACORNS PRESCHOO TODDLER BW( GROUPS r¥o.' 1052664 Y••r endeil Jlst March 2023 2021122 1.Roc•lpts and Paym•nts Account INCOME Donths- gewral Tradln9 A¢tlvltlo8 Childn,5 fees & nuw grants Fund-ral4ng event yc¢eeds (see page 21 Greenfidd Trusl grllrt Tthknbury Borough Cwncil for Forest S T-shirts Pt0 oJMrS5I0n 4164826 4598.17 22368.04 6722.48 2920.06 l(M)O.00 44.00 15.00 339.56 17.yj 462fj3.93 Inv08tment Income Bank interest 0.39 33069.95 TOTAL RECEIPTS 46331.77 46331.77 EXPENDITURE Dlrtret Chayltablo Exp•nL4tur• R1 Sloff paYMtS Irtsurance MaterialslEqulpment Music th5hops CanO.r8tr0shnts 8nd ndlan 992225 31980.62 887.42 185.57 270.00 5786.50 28569.67 0.00 173.32 360.00 1022.94 35912.43 513.12 43¢41 11XX).00 44498.41 Othor ExpwJllur• Fund-rawng w8nlccK%ls15gB pJ• 21 T4hirt$ Greenfield Trusl expÈnses AdminBtr8tion Other expw5e5 lsée paga 21 105.30 2920.06 345.85 409.65 4665.30 405T7.73 -7507.78 27938.38 20430.60 445.75 1698.33 45196.74 113 19430.60 20565.63 169B.33 46196.74 TOTAL PAYMENTS Not recelpW(paymertsl forjw Cash and Bank banCeS at 31sl 2022 C85h and 8ark btjances at 31st Marth 223 1000.00 -1(M). 10rKJ.rxi 20430.60 20565.63 2.Statgmenl olAs$ots and Uabllltles Business Pretnium knxNJnt CurrentA¢wl 4125.(KJ 16238.68 201.95 412S.00 16238.68 201.95 4117.18 16183.26 130.18 2ts565.63 20565.63 20430.60 Non monatsry E(wlpment hekl fOrfUnctn8l gn Dote of approval

Independent Exarninerf5 Report to the Trustees of Alderton Acorns, Pre-school. Toddler and Baby Groups Charity no: 1052664 I report on the accounts of the Group for the year ended 31 March 2023, which are set out on pages l and 2 attached. Respertive re5ponsibilitie5 of trustees and examiner As the chariws trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts.. vou consider that the audit requirement of sertion 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) does not apply. It is my responsibility to= examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Art to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Chafity Commission lunder sertion 1451511bl of the Charities Act), and state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basls of Independent exarninerf5 report My exarnination was carried out in accordance with the General Dirertions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting record5 kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts 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 I do not express an opinion as to whether the account5 present a 'true and fair, view and the report is llmited to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent exarninerf5 statement In the course of my examination. no matter has come to my attention- l.which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirernents Ix) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and } to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or 2.to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a Proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. KAYE HUNT FCCA; CTA 24 April 2023