**Charity number: 1117901** ## **High Cross Playgroup – Trustees Report** ## **Year Ending 31 March 2021** This is the trustees’ annual report and audited accounts for the year ending March 2021 and confirm that they comply with the governing document of the charity; the Charities Act 2011 (as amended) and the Statement of Recommended Practice (2005): Accounting and Reporting by Charities. In compliance with Charity Law in England and Wales, the trustees have the responsibility of ensuring that an annual report and financial statement are prepared in line Accounting Standards Board code of practice. The trustees have instructed in an independent examiner to provide a financial statement. The report aims to provide a fair and accurate view of our charity’s state of affairs and the incoming and outgoing finances of the group. ## **What we do** We are a charity which provides safe, fun filled educational sessional and full-time day care for children aged two-to-five years within our local community. Our objectives are to provide affordable day care in a fair, open and equal opportunity environment, with a view to educating and developing children in readiness for school nursery and reception class at primary school. We also aim to support families in ensuring their children are achieving at their best potential. This is attained by: - Delivering appropriate play and learning facilities in a holistic caring environment where children can thrive and add to their learning; - Providing an affordable service to address the specific socio-economical features within our local community; - Monitoring the development of the children and act on any areas of concerns; - To create and develop partnerships with parents/carers to provide a full and balanced plan for the children in our care; - To work in collaboration with other agencies to support the needs of children and families in our group. Our charity is based in an area with high social deprivation, with many children living in low income families and/or in single parent families. Our community is extremely diverse and some of our clients have English as a second language. We work alongside the local authority and agencies to ensure parents and carers are equipped with all the resources necessary to support their children and their family unit as a whole. ## **Charity number: 1117901** ## **How we operate** The day-to-day provision of the charity’s services is provided by a team of employed staff members who are fully trained in providing day care and delivering holistic pre – school education, using modern and traditional care and educational techniques. The Playgroup is regulated by educational, child and health and safety requirements as set out by OfSted; our local authority and by national legislation. Our charity trustees have control and management of the charity’s charitable activities. The trustees decide on the manner the charitable funds are used, in order to develop and provide a well-rounded service to members of our local community. In doing so, the trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on Public benefit in particular the guidance regarding education and firmly believe our services sit within this aspect. Potential trustees are interviewed and approved by the current trustees after relevant checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service and OfSted, to establish that the candidates are suitable to be engaged to work with children. The trustees also work alongside the management committee, who have the delegated responsibility to ensure the setting is meeting their legal duties and obligations, to review and provide updates on the group’s standing on a regular basis. Committee members are elected annually during our AGM meeting, attended by the charity’s trustees; management committee staff and clients. Previous members are encouraged to continue their participation by electing to continue in post. Our members and trustees are inducted and made aware of the charitable aims and responsibilities we have to the public in delivering a benefit to them as well as safeguarding children in the care of the setting. New members work alongside existing members and their progress is reviewed to ensure that they are confident in their role. Members are encouraged to lead on projects, deliver meetings to their peers as well as represent the group when conducting fundraising activities. We aim to encourage a range of individuals to join our committee and trustees and believe it to be beneficial to the charity to have our clients as members. This is because we consider our clients are essential as the members of the public who use our services and who have the most invaluable insight regarding what services they wish to receive. This in turn enables us to grow and progress the charity for the direct benefit of our clients and children who attend the setting. Our charity is governed by way of constitution which is the governing document of our group. This is also supplemented by internal policies which cover all of our charity’s operations. ## **Financial overview** The group’s main source of income is through fees collected from fee paying clients, in conjunction with funding from local government authorities. The group also receives at times, small donations from local businesses and individual donors. Where required the group will also fundraise for specific projects or items. ## **Charity number: 1117901** The group aims to ensure its financial stability by aiming to grow and maintain a surplus of unrestricted funds of at least six months operating costs. We do not have our funds invested in any long-term investments at present. The basis for this is to ensure that funds are available for the day-to-day operations of the business and if required to cover unexpected and unforeseen circumstances. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic our client numbers have been significantly reduced and as such have impacted upon the level of the group’s reserves. However, it is anticipated once the numbers of our clients return to normal levels the reserves will start to increase. ## **Volunteers** We believe that the group should not only support the education of the children in their care but we also support and impart our experience in childcare to those training to become childcare providers. We achieve this by having close links with local educational establishments such as colleges and secondary schools, which provide a variety of childcare courses such as NVQ level qualifications. All volunteers are screened and vetted though an enhanced process conducted by the Disclosure and Barring Service and all volunteers are required by their educational provider and ourselves, to provide a copy of their disclosure certificate before being permitted to work at the setting. ## **Overview of the year** This has been a very challenging and unprecedented year for our setting following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic which led to a significant impact upon our staff and clients alike. Given the unprecedented and unknown territory faced by us and many across the world we were placed into a situation of uncertainty which required us to respond rapidly to a rapidly changing situation. We took significant steps to ensure all the relevant guidance and was obtained by the trustees and worked in collaboration to enable the setting to re-open in safe and protected manner. With a number of staff shielding, we were unable initially to re-open as quickly as we anticipated however having worked to achieve a dedicated segregated zone for our setting, we were able to ensure a safe re-opening. Given many fears within the community it was a challenging period in which we worked support our clients back into education. We worked to allay fears with many families being in the vulnerable category and/or concerns regarding transmission and impact on individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds. We worked hard with our clients and maintained contact with them and their children to provide continued support which led to many returning to the setting. Naturally, the pandemic put a holt to our regular offsite trips and activities, however, it is anticipated that these will resume in due course once there is more stability surrounding COVID measures and the re-opening of venues. **Charity number: 1117901** ## **Financial report** The financial report for the group has been independently assessed and is submitted following approval on behalf of the trustees. This sets out the financial position of group. HICJH CROSS PLAYGROUP FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND TRUSTEES REPORT FOR TWELVE MONTHS PERIJD ENDED 31 March 2021 CHARITY REGISTERED NO. 1117901 HIGH CROSS PLAYGROUP ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS The trnstecs present their annual report and financial review for Ihe ycaT ended 31 March 2021. The accounts cornply with th¢ statutory requirements of ihe charily's governing document. Registered and Postal Address Colstenvorih R()ad Totl¢Iiham I,ondon N15 4BN Tel.. 0208 2169111 Sandria Willoeks Statils) governing documcnt Lind eonstitutEon Thc Playgroiip is constituted as chaitabl¢ organisation registered with the Chariiy ComJnission. It is administered under a constitution, which has been approved by the charity Coii)n12ssion Charity Registration No: 1117901 Trustees Janiiic Si()Iz Natalia Willocks-Briscoe Management Committee Nalalia Willocks-Briscoe Jaiiine Sio17 I,atoya 14all Donette Watson I racy Reid N(Idine Brown ChaiTperson Treasurer Vice TrLasurer Fundraisei. Vice F'iindraiser SeLrelary Bankers Alliance and Leicester Commercial Bank BBAM, Bridle Road Booile Merseyside GIR OAA Independent Examiners Aiia & Co. Charlcred Cerlificd Accounlanls & Reoistered Auditors 32 Kttir Htsrdie Estatc, Springlield. Loiidon E5 9AT Page l oflo HIGH CROSS PLAYGROUP Report of the trustees For the ycar ended 31 March 2021 The trustecs prcseiil iheir report and the Iinancial statements for the year ended J l March 2021. I'he truslees who served duringi thL year and up to the date of this report are set out on pagel. Structure* governance, and management High Cross Playgroup is a i'¢gJistercd charity, Tegi5tered from 8 February 2007 and the charity rtgistration number is 1117901 Objectives and activities Higli Lross Playgroup is a multi-cultural Playgroup which provides sessional day care and pre- SLhool education for children under five years of age within the London BorouLh of Haringey. We aim: l. To provide a high qualily of childcare in a safe, caring and stimulating environment. 2. To work in partnership with Pai'Lnts, Carers, Ofstcd - Early Years and Haringey Council as pari of the Childrcn's prograniine in planning the carc and provision of service.8 to children. 3. To provide an educational aiid recrcational rcsourcc for children undeT five, including those wilh special needs, <￿d theii. parentslcarers in the iiiterests of Social welfare and with the object of improving their conditions ot'life and giving thein experience of and access to a wider environmcnt (through oulingys ete) 4. To advocate ihe policy of learniiig through play and lo enable the children to become indep¢ndeni Icarncrs through t]ie aLlivitics provided, thereby preparing ihe children for school and everyday life. 5. To promotc aiid cncourage an inclusivc childcare praclise ihat is implenienlcd throiighout thc Nursery by pareiits dnd Staff and is shown in the admissions policy, equal opportunities policy, play cqiiipment, activities organised, food, events Emd outiiigs etc. 6. To ideiitify and monitor the individual needs of each child and dcvelop appTopriaie childLare pracliccs according to IlTreir nceds. This is implemented through the Keyworker s)'slem. Achieven)ents and performanee Higli Cross Playgroup has approxiinately 40 children all with their 0￿1 individual needs and the nursery charit1L ble fund5 are used io advance ihe educational. rccreational, and cultural opportunities to the Lhildren. Financial review 'nie attachcd financial statement shows the ciirrent state of financ, s, which the comniitlce considei. to be satisfactory. During the pLriod a loss of £J4,575 was made, whiLh reduced the surplus broug]it forward of £123.793 (see note 9) rcsultiiig in d sutplus of £89,219 to be carried fonvard and will fund futLir¢ develvpmLntal activitics lor thc Lhildren. Risk management The mth(IgLment commiltee examine the major risks that the nursery faces each financial year when prepartnLJ and updatin(y the strdlegiL pl£in. The charity has developed systems lo monitor and control Ihese i'isks to mitigate any impact tliat they may havc on the nursery in the future. Page2of10 HIGH CROSS PLAYGROUP Report of the trustees, responsibilities Charity Law requires tlie Boai'd to prepare financial statements for each financitil year which give a truc and fair view of lh¢ stale of affairs of the charily as at the end of the financi1( l ycar and of the surplus or deficit of the cliarity. In preparing those finaiicial slateni¢nts the Board is required to.. select suilablc accountAng policies and then apply them eonsislently. make judgements and estitnates that are rcasonable and prudent; and preparc th¢ financial statements on the going Loncern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business. The Irustees aTC also responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disc105e with reasonable clLcuf(icy at any tinie the financial position of the Lharity and which are sufficient lo show aiid explain th¢ charity's Iransaclions and enable them to ensure that the financial stalements comply with regulations made und¢r the Charities Act ?006. lljey are also responsible for safeguarding the asscts of the iharily &id hence for tdking re&8onable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irrcgularities. On behalf of the board Natalia Willocks-Bribcoe Date: Page3of10 IUCH CROSS PLAYGROUP Independent Examiner's report to the trustees on the unaudited fJnanci¥l statements of High Cross Plavgroup. I report on the finanLial statements of Iligh Cros8 Playgroup for tli¢ year ended J l March 2021 which con]prise t]ie Statcment of financial activities, the balance sheet and the rLlated notes. These fiiiancial statements have been prepared iii (IcLorddnce with thc Financial Reporting .Standard for Smaller Entities (vtfcctive April 2008), linder the historical cost convention and the accounling policies set out therein. Respective responsibilities of trustees and independent exiimincr As the charities trustees you arc responsible for the prcparalion of the (￿coUl]tS, you consider that the audit requirement of seclion 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the ALI), as amcndcd by s.28 of the Charities Act 2006 does not apply. It is my responsibility lo exainine the aLcounts under section 43 of the Act, as amended, lo follow procedures specified in the General Directions given by the C'harity Comniissioners under scclion 43(7){b) of the Act as amended, whether particular malters have come to my attention. Basis of Indeptndent Examiner's report My examination wa8 carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of tlie accounting records kcpi by the chilrily and a comparison of Ihc accounls presented wilh Ihostt records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclo.%ures in tlie accounts and seeking cxplaiiations from yoii as trustees conceming any such matters. The proccdures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an aLidRt, and conseqiiently I do not expres5 an audit opinion on Ihe view given by the aceounts. Independent EJ&qminer's statement In connection with my examination, no maller has come fo my atteniion: which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any rnaterial rcspcct Ihc requirements to keep aceoiinting records in accordaiice with Seciioii 41 of the 1993 Act- and lo preparc accounts which acLord with thc accounlingj rccords (U)d Vomply with Ihe accounling rcquiremcnts of thc 1993 Act have not beLn niei.. or 2. to which, in my opinion, attention shoiild b¢ drawn in order lo enable a proper iderstdndin&h ot'the accounts lo be reaLhed. F. J. Aiia-Dankwa, Ind￿nd￿lI examiner Page4 of10 HIGH CROSS PLAYGROUP STATEMEP4T OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES P4ote5 Unrestricted F￿ndS 2021 2020 Incomin resources Voluntary Income Investment incoine 52.792 65.475 Total incoming resources 52,792 52,792 65,475 Resources e ended Charitable expcndilure- Direct charitable expendilure 87,366 87,366 97,569 Total resources expended 87,366 87J66 97,569 Iyet incomingl(outgoing) resources before transfers (34,574) (34,574) (32,094) Funds balance as at l April 21120 Funds ba19nces as at 31 March 2018 123,793 123,793 155,887 io 89,219 89,219 123,793 There were no recognised Ljains cir losses for 2021 or 2020 other than those included in tlie Staleinenl ol-the Financial activities The charity's income and expenditure all relate to continuing opgrations. Page5of10 HIGH CROSS PLAYGROUP BAI.ANCY. SHf.ET ASAT31 MARCH 2018 2021 2020 N(>te% Current Assets Debtor8 und prcpaymciits Cash at bank and in h2llid 89,719 124,293 89.719 124,293 Creditor5: am()unts falling due within one year Net current assets 500) 123.793 89,219 Total assets less eurrent liabilities 89.219 123,793 Income funds Unrestricted funds-. 89,?19 89,219 123,793 123,793 The financial 8lalernents were approved by the trustees and signed on ils bchalf by Natalia Willocks- BrisLoe Tru5tce Date.. li JLI Page6 of10 HIGH CROSS PLAYGROUP r4otes to the Financial statements for the year ended 31 Mareh 2021 A¢¢ounting polieies 1.1 Accounting convention The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention and in a¢cordance with Ihe Financial Reporting Standard for Sinaller Entitic% (effcetivc April 2008), the Statement of ReLommended PrL1Ctice "ALcounling and Ileporting by Charities issued in March 2005 (SORP 2005) and the Charities Act 2006. 1.2 Jncoming resources All incoming resources are includcd in Ilie btatement of fiiiancAal activilies when the charity is entitled to the income and the amouiit can be quaiitified with reasonable acLuracy. The following specifjc policies are appli¢d lo particular categories of income: Voluntary income is received by way of grants, don(Itions dnd gifts and is included in full in the statement of financial activities when receivable. Grants wheie cntiiletnenl is not conditional on the deliveiy of a speciliL perforniance by tlie Lharity (Ire recoThnised when thL charity bccom¢s uiiconditionlllly cntitled to the grant. Donat¢d services dnd facilities are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified. I'he value of services provided by volunteers has not been included. Gifts donaled for resale are included as incoming I'esources within activities for generattng funds when they arc sold. Income from investments is included in the year tn which il is receivable. 1.3 Resources expended Expenditure is reeognised on an accrual basis as a liability is IncU￿¢d. Expendilure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered and is reported as p(lrt of the expenditL're to whiLh it rclates. Costs of gencrating funds cornpiise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income and th Costs of irading for fund raising purposes including the Lharily's sliop. Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurrcd by the charity in the delivery of its activitie< and services tor ils beneficiarics. It incliides both costs that can be allocated direLtly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nalure neccssary to support them. Page7oFIO HIGH CROSS PLAYGROUP 2021 2020 Notes to the Financial statements for the year endcd 31 March 2021 Voluntary income Fees and Giants Receivable Fees Rec¢ived Fundraising Total 48,654 4,138 51,673 13,802 52,792 104,484 Investment incorne Bank interest receivable Expensts in furtherance of Charitable Objects Dircct Cliaritable C,ost Food & Drinks .8iaff F.molLiment Training Rent Security Check Admiiii5trative Expenses Workplace pension Subscription and Inspection Staff Uniforn]s Printing, Postage and Siiltionery Telephone OulingF & Fun Day Insurance Nursery Eciuipments & Play Material Bank Charges Profcssional Fecs - Accountancy 2.248 75,788 610 3,125 100 959 5,20C 80,135 4,304 ioc 50 SC 271 1,82 7C 2,015 850 1,452 500 50C 97,56S Page8of 10 HIGH CROSS PLAYGROUP No employee irceived emolumcnl more than £60,000 eiiher in 2021 or 2020 Pag¢9of10 HIGH CROSS PLAYGROUP Notes to the Financial staternents for th¢ year ¢nd¢d 31 March 2021 2021 2020 No of FJmployees Debtors Accruals and Prepdyments Credffttors Payable within lyear Accruals & Deferred Income Oiher Creditors 500 500 50C 50C Summary of Funds Movements Balance at 01.04.20 Incoming RLsources Outgoing Resources Balance at 31.03.21 Gencral Rcserves Restricted Reservcs Total 123,793 52,792 (87,366) 89,21 12.1,793 52,792 87,366 89,219 Page IOof10