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www.thepurple playhouse.co.uk
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Chairperson report August 2020 July 2021
Reference and administrative information:
Charity name: The Purple Playhouse
Registered charity number: 1122492
Registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee in England and Wales registered number: 6318182
Registered office and operational address: Sydenham Primary School
Calder Walk
Leamington Spa
Warwickshire
CV31 1SA
Management Committee:
Mrs B Chalmers: Chair
Mrs J Dyson: Treasurer
Mrs R Merritt: Secretary
Structure, governance and management:
The Purple Playhouse is a incorporated company, limited by guarantee, incorporated July 19[th] 2007. The company was established under a memorandum of association which established the object and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its article of association. In
Bethany Chalmers Chair The Purple Playhouse
the event of the nursery being wound up members would be required to pay no more than £1. The directors of the company are also charity trustees for the purpose of charity law and under the Company’s Articles are known as members of the Management Committee. All parents/carers of children who attend the nursery are able to put themselves forward to be elected as a trustee. Other people who have an interest in the nursery but do not have children attending can be co-opted onto the committee. Under the requirements of the Memorandum and Articles of Association the members of the management committee are elected to serve for a period of 1 year, after which they must be re-elected at the next Annual General Meeting, serving a maximum of 6 consecutive years, 4 years for co-opted members, unless there are no alternatives.
All members of the Management Committee give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity.
Financial review:
The Management Committee has established a policy whereby the funds held in reserve should be up to 6 months of the annual expenditure. The money would enable the nursery to remain open if numbers of children attending fell. It would give a reasonable time frame to undertake an advertising campaign.
During the last academic year the majority of the money coming into the nursery came from Warwickshire County Council in the form of the free child funded entitlement, the nursery education grant. This provides 15 free hours of nursery care per week for eligible pupils which is usually taken over 3 hours per day 5 days per week. Some parents chose to take the 15 hours over 3 days. The nursery tries very hard to be flexible to accommodate parent’s wishes. Just over 25% of the money came from fee paying parents. The nursery had seven 2 year olds who were funded under the governments To Help programme. The nursery had 12 children who qualified for the 30 hour free entitlement. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic the nursery has had the additional expense of PPE and the cost of cleaning materials, hand sanitisers and signage.
How do activities deliver public beneft:
The objectives of the nursery are to enhance the development and education of children under the statutory school age by encouraging parents to understand and provide for the needs of their children through Bethany Chalmers Chair The Purple Playhouse
community groups and by:- offering appropriate play, education, care facilities and training courses, together with the right of parents to take responsibility for, and to become involved in the activities of such groups, ensuring that such groups offer opportunities for all children whatever their race, culture, religion, means or ability.
Encouraging the study of the needs of such children and their families and promoting public interests in recognition of such needs.
Instigating and adhering to and furthering the aims and objectives of The Pre-school Learning Alliance.
We currently have 50 children on the register, 17 of whom attended the nursery last year. There is currently a waiting list of 18 children who wish to join during this academic year. 92% of the children who left us last year have enrolled at Sydenham Primary School. The transition to the reception year is made easier for the children due to positive relationships held between the nursery and the school.
Speech and Language Therapists are currently working with 5 children to identify areas of weakness and help to develop skills which will benefit the children as they progress through the year and beyond. We have 1 child who is involved with IDS. We have a child who needed support and came into nursery with a care plan and his condition needed careful monitoring. 2 members of staff went on appropriate training.
The Purple Playhouse closes for 1 week over Christmas, and for 1 week in August. Parents and staff continue to support this arrangement.
It has been another busy year for The Purple Playhouse, continuing to deliver a professional but personal service and building on its good name especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
Fundraising
Over the last year the nursery has been unable to undertake any fundraising because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Even though The Purple Playhouse is a charity in the past we have been in the fortunate position to be able to fundraise for other charities and good causes.
Christmas
Bethany Chalmers Chair The Purple Playhouse
For the past few years the children have written letters to Santa, one item is then selected from each letter and purchased by the staff. These gifts are for nursery and to be enjoyed by all of the children. It has been an amazing success and enjoyed by all of the children, but we understand this year this may not be possible due to the coronavirus pandemic as this will impact on additional costs during this difficult year. The cost of this was just over £1,000 last academic year, but providing relevant and current resources for the nursery has a great impact on the children’s play and interactions with staff and peers.
Learning opportunities
Living Eggs also joined us, they bring in eggs which are kept warm in an incubator until they hatch. This has provided a wonderful opportunity for all the children to understand how to care for newborn chicks. As the chicks have grown they are then given the chance to hold them and also feed and water them. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic nursery will not be accessing this learning opportunity due to the cost.
In the past we have been lucky enough to be able to provide different opportunities for each child’s learning and development at no additional costs to parents, and we are looking to add more schemes similar to this one in the future, funds permitting.
Premier Active
Premier Active is led by a professional sports expert whereby children take part in inclusive sports sessions. This gives all children the chance to learn new and exciting sports. The sessions are designed to increase motivation, confidence, coordination, control, balance and agility, through a variety of different activities and games. Parents do contribute to the cost of this activity. We have not been able to access this service this academic year due to the coronavirus pandemic but hope to continue in the future.
Coronavirus pandemic
This year has been an extremely difficult time for everyone due to the coronavirus. Nursery opened in September under new coronavirus guidelines. Children were placed in two separate groups accessing nursery from different doors. Staff were placed in separate groups and for the whole of the academic year children and staff did not mix with anyone from the other group. This was a stressful time for adults especially having to ensure the safety and health of children and adults which meant
Bethany Chalmers Chair The Purple Playhouse
difficult decisions were having to be made. Most parents were supportive of all decisions made by the nursery and understood why these decisions were made. This situation was by no means ideal and had a negative impact on children’s and staff’s mental wellbeing. Due to restricted numbers in nursery new children who were due to start did not receive an appropriate settling in process. Amazon played a very important part in any additional resources that were needed as the nursery was able to access online.
Closures:
We continue to close for 1 week over Christmas and 1 week in August. Parents and staff continue to support this arrangement.
Over the year we have added resources throughout the nursery and outdoor spaces. We were able to have available funds to extent an outdoor canopy in the outdoor garden. We have also been able to purchase an outdoor kitchen which was partly funded by a generous parent. We have been mindful of reduced fee paying parents as their child has not attended nursery due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Staff continue to keep up to date with relevant and appropriate training opportunities.
Plans for the future:
Within the next academic year we aim to resume with the learning opportunities that had been put on hold during the coronavirus pandemic, for example, Living eggs and Premier active. The Purple Playhouse will continue to provide a valuable foundation for all children who attend the nursery with enriched opportunities in a wonderful exciting environment which promote good health, a sense of wellbeing and supporting strong relationships in readiness for the next stage of their life when starting school.
Bethany Chalmers Chair The Purple Playhouse
The Purple Playhouse Sydenham Primary School Calder Walk Leamingtn Spa CV31 1SA 01926 832693 - www.thepurple playhouse.co.uk
- Accounts for the period 01/08/2020 31/07/2021
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Opening Balance £126,423.39
01/08/2020-31/07/2021 Incoming Outgoing
Fees 22340.2
Fundraising 351
Other 42 296.23
Uniform 45 474.85
WCC County Fund 152467.15
Asda 2519.84
Fees/Charges 1467.45
Food 1566.03
Gifts/Parties 914.87
Insurance 0
Maintenance 51.25
Nappy Disposal 2218.61
Nest 4800.8
Pets 64.24
Petty Cash 75
Phone 941.98
Print/Stationery/Ads 1892.95
Rent/Rates 10307.5
Resources/Equipment 15120.57
Tax/NI 16529.01
Training 213.6
Utilities 1286.37
Wages 106638.4
Total £175,245.35 £167379.55
Closing Balance £134,289.19
Interest added to reserve fund £5.76
Total £52,953.72
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Judy Dyson Treasurer/Director The Purple Playhouse
Registered as a company limited by guarantee in England & Wales Registered No: 6318182 Registered Charity No; 1122492
Seb Rockliff 11 Brimstone End Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV31 IAZ In relation to- The Purple Playhouse Sydenham Primary School Calder Walk Sydenham Leamington Spa CV31 ISA l. Basis of independent examinerfs report My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and 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 you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no option 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 next statement. Independent examiner's report In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: (l) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements: to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the companies Act 2006 and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities have been me or (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Name: SCB PoWFF Signed: Address: Date: 21 (4 I ZoliL