Chiswick School PTA AGM Minutes October 10th 6-7pm
- Welcome and Apologies: Welcome from Vernee Samuel, Chairperson. Present: Laura Elllener; Jo Duddy; Karen Emmett; Vernee Samuel; Vic Robinson; Rebecca Hobson; Jo Fillmore; Lise Madsen; Stavroula Ourailidou; Brad And Grete Taylor; Bryan Betts; Marcin Dembowski. Apologies received from Kiran Nankani and Julia Evans.
2. AGM Annual Chairperson’s Report from Vernee Samuel:
I’m very happy to report that in the last year we’ve been able to put all our events back in the school calendar - and more besides. We’ve had a full year of Car Boot Sales and I would like to thank the wonderful Car Boot team leaders and the monthly volunteers for all their hard work. Thanks also to our Comms Officer, Victoria Robinson who has been working to increase awareness of the sales which will hopefully lead to more sellers and buyers and then more income for the school. Finally thanks to everyone who has been putting the word out to encourage parents to volunteer for the sales. At the October sale last week, for the first time we had more volunteers than we needed and all of us at the front gate were able to take a break and wander around the stalls. Hopefully this will continue through the winter months.
Because of the success of the car boot sales we have been able to support an impressive variety of school projects this year. As well as subsidising a number of school trips, we have also helped to fund science workshops, performing arts t-shirts, the music scholars fund, sports equipment and awards, Y13 leavers celebrations, UCAS and careers fairs, mentoring programmes, Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, ceramics equipment for the art department and a food department hardship fund. We have continued with our increasingly successful parents forums where the school very kindly puts on a curry dinner for families and the PTA runs a drinks stall. The next parents forums will be on Tuesday 15 November and Wednesday 26 April. Lise Madsen and Jo Fillmore have organised more school uniform sales with at least one every term. They have also been the stalwarts behind providing refreshments for school performances.
The Quiz Night was off zoom and back in person and was a very jolly evening for parents and staff. Thanks to our compère Jat, our lovely bar staff and all parent and student helpers. As with previous years, we had a “bring a dish” supper but there was a lot of leftover food. We discussed perhaps going back to asking the school caterers to provide food which could be paid for by the PTA from the ticket sales. Our fantastic treasurer, Rebecca Hobson, has kindly agreed to stay on for this year even though she no longer has a child at Chiswick.
Thanks to Stavroula our Secretary and Vic our Comms lead and all the PTA reps who help out at events and keep the Whats App groups well informed and largely under control!
Finally, thank you to our Head Teacher, Laura, and her leadership team for actively encouraging families to communicate with school and to all the staff with a special mention for Laura's PA, Jo Duddy, for being so generous with her time and dealing with all our random requests.
- AGM Annual Treasurer report - explained last year's spending. Some items from 21/22 are still unclaimed and SLT will confirm exact amounts. Year 9 PGL has now happened, for example, so the exact amount needed is still to come; playground equipment cost is no longer required. See attached document for 21/22 spends.
4. PTA Committees for 22/23 -
Overview: Currently, within the PTA, there is a PTA Administrative Committee , which works alongside the school to organise the bids’ meetings and spends; support school events, as well as organising second hand uniform sales, socials and fundraisers; having year group reps who oversee the running of Year What’sApp groups. In addition, there is a separate PTA Car boot sale Committee , who organise our monthly sales. Some are members of both, and we are actively seeking to increase the number of current parents involved with the Car Boot sales, to allow alumni parents to step down when they would like to.
Administrative committee 22/23: Vernee Samuel continues as Chairperson (to be added to the bank account with access to internet banking and authorised to sign, as well as deposit funds or withdraw event floats); Stavroula Ourailidou moves into an events role, leaving an opening for secretary/co-
secretaries; Rebecca Hobson continues as treasurer (now a Friend of Chiswick school), with Jo Fillmore as treasurer assistant (to be added to the bank account with access to internet banking and authorised to sign, as well as deposit funds or withdraw event floats); Vic Robinson continues as communication director/media, with Kiran Nankani supporting with social media. Vacancy for additional person. Secretaries: Vacancy ; Events: Stavroula Ourailidou; Uniform: Lise Madsen and Jo Fillmore; Year Group Reps: Antonia - 7; Leeanne Gale - 7 and 13; Kat Jones - 7, 11; Brad Taylor - 7, 9, 12; Kiran Nankani - 8; Bridget Williams- 8; Paula Bridle - 8; Jo Fillmore - 9; Jo Eyre - 9,11,13; Alice Glossop Green - 9, 10; Julia Evans- 10, 11; Anna Docherty - 13.
Car boot Committee 22/23: Leigh-Ann Hadjiandreou – Current Parent; Lise Madsen – Current Parent; Jane Webb - Ex parent; Ray Casimir - Ex parent; Guy Rampley - Ex parent; David Chapman - Ex parent; Tina Werndley - Ex parent; Eileen Dunne - Ex parent; Gezime Rexha - Ex parent; Isabelle Meron - Ex parent; Esam Sicander – Ex parent.
- Bids Process: The bids system was explained by Vernee, who also handed out copies of all the bids applications for this round. Rebecca noted a few rules on bids - historically, the PTA always had the rule that the students must contribute something towards visits, especially those not strictly linked to curriculum. Likewise, if items purchased by the PTA are lost, e.g PA shirts, students must pay to replace them. Pta cannot afford to keep replacing. Likewise, if students contribute even a small amount towards visits, this will have a significant impact on how much remains in the bank account. Post covid, there is very little in reserve so these considerations must now be made to ensure the longevity of PTA support for the school. Karen Emmett asked that this change be put in place only for trips where the information/letters have not yet been sent to parents and students. So-Going forward - for visits school will ask parents for voluntary contributions to subsidise them. Pta can then pay to “top up”/ cover the remaining cost of the trip and cover those who cannot make a contribution. No one will ever be excluded for financial reasons. This change is to be communicated to staff by SLT.
It was noted that Ms Simmons’ requests are always very detailed and thorough. Thank you.
6. Bids under £500 - all Agreed.
(note: For bid 6, PA polo shirts. If students lose, or damage existing polo shirt, they must pay to replace this at cost price).
7. Bids over £500:
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Discussion re more football goals. It was confirmed that the portable goals purchased with PTA money have been a huge success on the field. The PE department has requested more new ones for the artificial pitch. These are very useful for all students, across all years.
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Cameras - we have bought before. KE confirming that numbers in arts have risen. LE confirmed the school has almost 300 more students than when this process started. Will Ensure that they are locked away.
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Table tennis - huge numbers of students doing this club so new equipment will have huge benefits to many.
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Trip to the basketball play off. Asking kids to contribute a small Amount eg. £5 as for “fun” and pta can top up the balance.
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For all bids, need at least 2 quotes for coaches in order to go through bids so can’t pass this yet.
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Oracy - designed to benefit whole school, with excellent outcomes
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Rewards and Mentoring Programme - used same company for high achieving students but they also run programmes to support the most vulnerable students to avoid suspensions (LE explained CS suspensions are much lower than national average.)
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Coach pricing varies hugely. Maybe look at using one company or creating affiliations.
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Football kits haven’t been replaced for many years - used by all year groups. To make them more presentable across all years.
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Question: some bids that come in to SLT are then funded within the school budget, and don’t need to go to PTA. What happens? Bid is withdrawn.
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Car boot sales: need parents to help. Being at events really encourages people.
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Fridge, lockable: cleared with committee as a cost.
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Toilets : The School are building this fantastic new toilet block, which can be used by car-boot visitors. Its Timeline - built by January. Ready for February sale. These will be joint funded, but will ultimately save the Car boot team money.
Upcoming events: Quiz in March. Paula, Jo and Vic are happy to be put on a committee to organise this.
- AOB: It was discussed whether a linked coach company or two could be linked to school to save shopping around. Tbc
Chiswick School PTA
Statement of Income and Expenditure
Year ended 31 July 2022
Opening balances Income Car boot s Friends fundraising/Easy fundraising Arts Festival (current year) Arts festival 2021 Quiz night Parent donations Interest Total Income Expenditure Donations Arts Festival (current year) Arts Festival 2021 Quiz Night Sundry PTA Subscription Bank charges Total Expenditure Net movement between accounts Closing balances Check |
Current Account £ 35,897.95 44,987.79 764.41 886.98 363.74 971.26 1,156.00 49,130.18 (43,026.58) (1,988.42) (40.00) (561.66) (241.85) (128.00) (2.84) (45,989.35) 3,140.83 39,038.78 39,038.78 - |
Deposit Account £ 10,623.35 2.33 |
|---|---|---|
| 2.33 | ||
| 0.00 2.33 10,625.68 10,625.68 |
| Combined balance Additional cash: Car Boot Float Treasurer Float Grand Total Bids outstanding Funds available |
£ 49,664.46 £ 1,780.00 £ 584.70 |
|---|---|
| £ 52,029.16 | |
| £ 36,992.92 | |
| £ 15,036.24 |
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of Chiswick Community PTA On accounts for the year 31[st] July 2022 Charity no 1113523 ended (if any) Set out on pages 1 to 3 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
Respective The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. responsibilities of The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year trustees and examiner under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
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to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
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Basis of independent My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given examiner’s statement by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my examiner's statement attention (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect,:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning 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 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 understanding of the accounts to be reached.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
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Signed: Frances Houseman Date: 9/6/2023
Name: Frances Houseman
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1
December 2017
IER
Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):
ACMA (CIMA qualified accountant)
Address: 4 Eastbourne Road, London, W4 3EB
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).
2
December 2017
IER
Give here details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
3
December 2017
IER