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2021-08-31-accounts

Charity number: 1140465

PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB (A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For the Year Ended 31 AUGUST 2021

PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB

CONTENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2020

c/o Wareham St Mary Primary School
Streche Road
Wareham
Dorset
BH20 4PG
Page
Legal and administrative details 3
Report of the trustees 4
Report of the Independent Examiner 12
Receipts and Payments 13
Statement of Assets and Liabilities 14
Notes to the financial statements 15

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PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB

CHARITY INFORMATION FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021

Charity trustees:

Charity trustees:
Caroline Kelly
Jim Bennett
Kevin Brookes
Steve Place
Vicki Limbrick
Cassie Bascombe (resigned 24 August 2021)
Charity number 1140465
Registered office c/o Wareham St Mary Primary School
Streche Road
Wareham
Dorset
BH20 4PG
Independent Mr Nigel J Maxted, B.Sc.
Examiner 12 Tuckers Mill Close
Stoborough
Wareham
Dorset
BH20 5BS
Bankers Lloyds Bank
Blackheath London Branch
PO Box 1000
BX1 1LT
Staff Manager: Helen Pugh
Senior Playworker: Jo Monks
Playworker: Sally Brookes
Cleaner: Julie Cox (resigned 7 November 2020)
Elsie Fletcher (appointed 6 November 2020,
resigned 16 July 2021)
Lianne Lewis (appointed 5 August 2021)

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PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021

The Trustees present their Report, together with the independently examined financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2021.

Structure, Governance and Management

Prime Time After School and Holiday Club was formed as an unincorporated voluntary organisation in October 1995. Prime Time Kids Club was set up as a company limited by guarantee on 4 January 2011 and became a registered charity on 17 February 2011. The Management Committee of Prime Time After School and Holiday Club agreed with the directors of Prime Time Kids Club to transfer all its assets, liabilities, staff etc. on 6 April 2011. On 12 March 2019 the charity converted from a company limited by guarantee to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

Prime Time Kids Club is a CIO with more members than its trustees. It encourages those who support its aims, particularly the parents and carers who make use of the services, to become members. The members then elect trustees, a third of which must stand down each year. The Board of Trustees during the year had a total of six trustees of which three were parents/carers of children using Prime Time. The Board elect a Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. The Board meets at least 6 times a year but uses e-mail to debate issues between meetings, and help inform any decisions taken by the Chair and/or its staff. Each Board member is provided with an induction pack containing the organisation’s Constitution, past minutes and accounts and all the charity’s policies.

All the trustees give their time voluntarily and none received any benefit other than that which any other beneficiary would receive. One trustee is closely related to one member of staff, however approval has been given by the Charity Commission to the employment and the trustee concerned takes no part in decisions relating to staff pay or conditions. These transactions and any expenses reimbursed to trustees by the charity are set out in Note 4 to the accounts.

As Prime Time provides child care services to 3-12 year olds we are registered on the Early Years, Childcare and the Voluntary Childcare Registers. Therefore Prime Time is covered by Ofsted’s regulatory activity, and is subject to regular inspections. The most recent inspection in October 2016 rated Prime Time as ‘Good’.

The Board meets to agree policy, pricing, funding, etc. Prime Time employs a Manager who has day to day control of Prime Time’s operations and who attends the Board meetings and receives supervision from a Trustee. The Manager is responsible for all other staff, ensuring that Prime Time’s policies, as agreed by the trustees, are carried out and bringing to the attention of the Board any issues that require a policy decision.

Charitable Objects

The charity’s objects as set out in its Constitution are:

Public Benefit Statement

In considering its future strategy, aims and objectives, Prime Time’s trustees have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on Public Benefit. The trustees are satisfied that through its primary activities the charity provides identifiable benefits consistent with its charitable objects. The trustees do not consider that these activities produce any identifiable detriment or harm. The trustees are satisfied that any private benefit is incidental to its public benefit activity.

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PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021

Aims

Prime Time’s main aim is the provision of childcare for 3-12 year olds. It is our mission to provide the highest level of childcare that meets the needs of children and their parents and carers. We aim to employ the highest calibre of staff possible with the appropriate qualifications, to plan provision to best meet the needs of parent/carers at the most affordable price, and to provide for the widest needs and interests of children and involve them, where ever possible, in planning and evaluation.

Our main services are:

Covid 19

As with many charities, statutory and private sector organisations, for a second year Covid 19 has had a severe impact on the opening and performance of Prime Time. Following a partial opening of our holiday club in the summer of 2020 we stayed open when schools reopened in September 2020. Covid restrictions on child care settings continued to impose more costs and health and safety considerations. Numbers of children remained low, mainly due to many parents/carers being furloughed and so not requiring out of school childcare. For the Christmas and New Year break we canvassed numbers requiring childcare but the numbers were very low and would have created a significant loss to the charity. Therefore the Trustees reluctantly decided not to open. Then the third lockdown was imposed which meant schools and childcare setting could only open for key workers and vulnerable children in January 2021. Following canvassing of our users the numbers requiring childcare were minimal and so the trustees reluctantly decided again not to open. Rules on those who could attend schools and childcare settings changed on 8 March 2021 meaning more children could use Prime Time. The Trustees agreed that we should support parents/carers, and the reopening of society, by reopening and did so on 8 March. However numbers were very low, averaging 4.5 children per day for breakfast club and 3.5 for after school. The rules were relaxed on 12 April meaning that more parents/carers could return to work and use childcare. Therefore the trustees decided to open for the Easter holiday, averaging 7 children per day. Once schools reopened for the summer term, numbers for out of school care increased to an average of 11.7 per day for breakfast club and 8.6 for after school. The summer half term was also better at 10 children per day. Rules were relaxed even more for the summer holidays e.g. removal of the use of bubbles, and so the trustees decided to open as normal, although restricting numbers to 16 per day. The summer was highly successful with an average of 15.6 children per day.

Throughout the year the trustees have tried to balance the needs of children, and their parents/carers, with the restrictions/recommendations of government generally on being covid secure and those specifically on childcare settings, and the need to ensure the longer term sustainability of the charity. The trustees had to consider:

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PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021

Thanks to government grants we were able to retain all our staff who were furloughed. Also we continued to receive the government’s Discretionary Business Support Grant and successfully applied for a significant Early Years Sustainability Grant from Dorset Council. These financial contributions enabled the Trustees to make the decision to open during term time and school holidays despite the projected loss to ensure that the needs of children were met.

In September 2021 the Trustees took the decision to open as normal and hope that numbers will steadily increase with time. Luckily Prime Time will be taking forward government Covid grants from 20-21, and a Sustainability Grant from Dorset Council, to help cover the losses of lower numbers. The Trustees will monitor the situation to ensure the longer term sustainability of the charity.

Achievements and Performance

Over the year from September 2020 to August 2021 Prime Time was open as follows (NB reduced opening because of Covid 19):

Over the year Prime Time provided a service to 80 individual children (2020:103, Pre-Covid:130) from 55 families (2020:72, Pre-Covid:88). Covid 19, for a second year, reduced the overall number of children served this year. Children are provided with a safe, secure, stimulating and fun environment.

The Breakfast Club provides a good wholesome breakfast and calm atmosphere before school preparing them for formal learning. We have regular feedback from the local primary school that this is the case. Although numbers using it were lower than pre Covid the average numbers were higher than after school and so continues to show that this is a popular service and so needed. An indirect benefit of our services for children is that it enables many of the parents/carers to work so improving home circumstances for children. Since the summer term of 2016 we had provided a Toast Club that provided very cheap toast and spreads to any child arriving at school before the start of the school day, many of whom have had a limited breakfast. Because of the implications of Covid and the changing opening times and procedures operated by the school we did not provide this during the year.

Covid continued to affect numbers attending after school sessions with a significant reduction in average attendance compared to the previous year. We continue to charge parents/carers different costs for one, two and three hours’ childcare helping to make our care very affordable.

We did not open school holiday club for the autumn and spring half terms, nor for Christmas/New Year due to low numbers. However we opened for Easter as society started to open up and for summer half term, although numbers were low. To better manage good Covid practice and ensure that there was a positive play experience for children we reduced the maximum number of children to 16 a day and the minimum age to 4. However the summer holiday was almost full across five weeks reflecting the opening up of the economy. Therefore overall the average attendance was better than last year but still 25% less than pre-Covid.

Staff and children have continued to adapt well to the new working practices required of Covid. Socially distanced activities and games, keeping each other safe by measures such as timers for hand washing properly and keeping in their school bubbles have all been happily undertaken even when it means normal play is somewhat disrupted.

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PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021

Despite the restrictions of Covid and our reduced service we continue to receive very positive feedback from our users. We regularly talk to and survey children and parents/carers about Prime Time. At the end of the summer holiday scheme we asked the children:

  1. What do you think of Prime Time?

  2. It’s fun because there is lots to do

  3. It’s amazing cause there’s so much toys in here and books and paper

  4. I like Prime Time because I make lots of new friends

  5. I like it because everyone is kind and caring

  6. I like Prime Time because there is lots of nice grown ups

  7. I like Prime Time because there is a wii

2. What could be better?

3. How are the grown up’s?

We also asked the parent/carers:

  1. Please tell us what difference it made to your family to be able to use Prime Time's holiday club this summer?

  2. It meant the world to us, as it was somewhere familiar and loved by our child and meant I could continue working.

  3. The longer hours offered by Prime Time mean I can attend work. The care offered provides reassurance so I can focus on work whilst knowing my kids are having an enjoyable time.

  4. I would not have been able to go to work as I have no other childcare support or family to help

  5. Made a lot of difference to my family as it's very difficult to find reasonably priced childcare during the pandemic. Without Primetime I would not be able to work.

  6. Help with childcare during the summer holidays. Lots as I work in Wareham so very easy to drop my son off and my parents can collect him

  7. A massive difference.

  8. I couldn’t work if it wasn’t for all the lovely ladies at Primetime.

  9. We only needed to use it one day but we would have been in a very difficult situation if it hadn’t been available.

  10. It’s enabled me to continue working.

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PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021

2. What were the highlights for you and your children?

3. Do you or your children have any suggestions for improvement?

Overall Prime Time provides a safe environment for children out of school hours, with consistent and committed staffing providing routines, fun and purposeful activities that develop their social, physical and cognitive skills. By offering very affordable, and flexible, childcare we are offering parents and carers a childcare service while they work or train which will improve the entire family’s circumstances including the children. This was especially so for families during the pandemic.

Prime Time employs 4 contracted staff and a pool of 8 others. Staff are provided with mentoring, experience and training to develop their work with children. Staff this year have attended training on safeguarding level 3, food hygiene level 2, first aid level 3, behaviour management, in the moment planning, handling difficult conversations with parents, drink and drug awareness. Our Manager receives networking ideas and support from online forums. Our staff are, of course, the biggest strength that we have and they have continued to show a high level of dedication and flexibility to meet the needs of Prime Time and the children we care for which was recognised by the Ofsted inspection in October 2016. Helen, our Manager, continues to manage the facility and staff extremely well, and this is backed up by a dedicated committee. To support our Manager, and develop the experience of our Senior Playworker (effectively her deputy), we usually employ her for two administrative hours a week so there is a more shared team effort for planning activities and resourcing them. However due to fewer numbers of children, and to help create a saving, the Senior Playworker agreed to be furloughed throughout the year. We continue to offer the National Living

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PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021

Wage to all staff, not just those 25 years old and over, with a slightly better rate for our Playworkers. Also to recognise the contribution that our staff made to sustaining Prime Time in April we increased salaries above the national average.

Prime Time operates from a self-contained mobile on licence from the Coastal Learning Partnership, which was adapted to our specifications and we moved into it in April 2013. We have access to the primary school’s playground when we are open and some indoor facilities during the holidays which allows for a range of indoor and outdoor activities. In early 2016 we paid for a covered extension with roll up and down walls so it could be used in all weathers. We can now take up to 32 children per session and it has enabled children to play ‘outside’ in all weathers and has been a great addition to the building. Prime Time is responsible for the internal repairs of the mobile and the Trustees have agreed we should decorate every four or five years and have set aside reserves to cover the cost.

Use of volunteers

Very occasionally we have volunteers in the sessions. All of Prime Time’s trustees give up their time for free, attending half termly committee meetings. Prime Time greatly relies on volunteer time from its trustees for much of its administrative support. Two trustees between them carry out the regular day to day book keeping and banking functions Prime Time requires. This time freely given enables Prime Time to keep its costs down so allowing as many families as possible to afford its childcare services. However the Trustees are aware of the need to attract new trustees. This year we said farewell to Cassie Bascombe, a former user, but in the coming year we will be looking to recruit additional members to the Board.

Ensuring that services remain relevant

Prime Time constantly seeks the opinions of the children who use its services and their parents/carers. We regularly formally distribute questionnaires to parent/carers and carry out ‘listening and recording’ exercises with the children seeking ways to improve current services, and to see if new ones are required. Three of our current trustees are themselves parents/carers who have contact with many other local parents/carers and so provide valuable feedback from both users and non-users. We work very well with the local Children’s Centre and primary school which are located on the site.

Ensuring that our services are accessible to the public

Prime Time’s main source of income is from fees charged to parents. The local area has a large proportion of families on low and below the national average income and so childcare has to be affordable. We are well aware that the cost of services could prohibit some families, perhaps those in most need of our services. Therefore we review, at least once a year, the fee structure, balancing fees against cost. This year we had to increase our staff salaries by 2% (last year 6.2%) to comply with the National Living Wage. Despite these increases, and the losses made because of Covid, the trustees decided not to increase fees for 2019-20 as we were aware of the financial hardship that reduced working and low pay rises made to families. Our fees continue to be much less than the average for after school clubs. The average cost in England for 15 hours of after school childcare in 2021 (“The Childcare Survey 2021”, Coram Family and Childcare) was £62.56 and in the South West £58.23 for after school clubs and £71.55 for childminders, compared to Prime Time’s £48.50. We encourage, and support, parents and carers to use any means available to them that may reduce the cost to themselves such as tax credits, childcare vouchers, etc. If families face difficulties in paying fees then we are prepared to negotiate easy payment plans.

Prime Time usually engages in fund raising activities to help subsidise the costs. In previous years we combined our March AGM with a fundraising quiz night which were both fun and highly successful in raising funds. Unfortunately we had to cancel this for a second year because of the lock down. However we hope to organise this event in 2022. For the first time this year we applied

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PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021

to Wareham Town Council and were successful in receiving a grant of £550 towards our general running costs and received a grant of £500 from the Woodward Trust to support our summer holiday scheme. Without these important contributions we would not have been able to open as much as we could during the pandemic and so provide for the needs of local children and their families.

Our services are available to any 3 to 12 year old. However access to the Breakfast and After School sessions are generally limited to available transport from the school to our building, therefore in practice usage of these services is to Wareham St Mary Primary where children can easily walk the short distance between our building and their classrooms, with escorts as needed. We publicise the after school and breakfast club regularly to Wareham St Mary through leaflets, mentions in the school newsletter, attending school events, etc. Our Holiday Club is publicised through e-mails sent to four schools and three nurseries in the local area for distribution to individual children and posters in local shops, etc. advertising each holiday opening. We advertise our services, and keep current users up to date, using e-mails, our website, Family Information Service, Facebook and Twitter. We have used Facebook more to show parents what their children are involved in which has received very positive feedback.

Future Plans

Our aims for the coming year include:

Financial Review

As stated above our main source of income are the fees from the parents/carers of the children using our services. Most parents and carers pay their fees on time. Prime Time does understand that parents and carers may face financial difficulties and does enter into easy payment agreements. However if parents/carers refuse to negotiate then reluctantly Prime Time will take legal action.

The following annual accounts are set out using the receipts and payments format, following guidance from the Charity Commission. Because our gross income is more than £25,000 a year the accounts must be examined by someone independent of the Trustees. The following accounts show that we made a surplus of £3,758 in general funds (2020:£2,100). Therefore at the end of the year the charity’s cash reserves stood at £35,382 (2020:£31,624), all of which is unrestricted. However the school has not invoiced us for rent, energy and services for 2018-19, despite regular reminders. Therefore at the end of the year we estimate that we now owe the school £2,244. If we take account of this and other money we owe and that owed to Prime Time our reserves as of 31 August 2021 are £34,112 (2020:£26,992), representing an increase of £7,120 (2020 a decrease of £3,152). At the end of 2020-21 we received a grant from Dorset Council to help recover from loss of income caused by Covid. Therefore £5,212 of this will be carried forward to help cover any losses until daily numbers return to normal, hopefully in January 2022. Also the Trustees have decided to set aside

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PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021

£1,000 towards decoration costs in 2022 or 2023, this means that the free reserves available to the trustees are £27,900.

Reserves Policy

The Trustees have agreed a Reserves Policy which they review each year and note any progress towards meeting the target level of reserves. The main consideration in setting the level of reserves required is the moral commitment the Trustees have to the long term welfare of the children cared for. For 2020-21 they have agreed the following statement for the Annual Report:

Prime Time Kids Club has a commitment to the long term welfare of the children it provides care to. Finding appropriate out of school care in the local area is not easy and may take parents and carers up to three months to find. Therefore if Prime Time had to close then the Trustees would wish to give parents and carers a minimum of two months’ notice, and ideally three months notice, so that they can find appropriate care for their children. At 2021-22 costs the Trustees estimate they would need £22,800 to cover the costs of staying open for two months and £27,900 for three months, including any closure costs. At the end of this financial year the charity had £27,900 in free reserves. This is equal to the upper target therefore the Trustees can continue to provide parent/carers with at least 3 months’ notice if they decide that Prime Time has to close.

Trustees Responsibilities

The charity trustees are responsible for preparing a trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law.

Approved by the Trustees on 8 February 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

Vicki Limbrick

(Vicki Limbrick, Chair)

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PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR TO 31 AUGUST 2021

Responsibilities and basis of report

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the CIO”) for the year ended 31 August 2021.

As the charity trustees of the CIO, 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 CIO’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signature:

Date: 18/03/2022

Max Maxted

12 Tuckers Mill Close , Stoborough , Wareham , Dorset , BH20 5BS

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PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR TO 31 AUGUST 2021

Unrestricted
funds		 Restricted
funds		 Total
funds		 Last year
to the nearest
£
to the nearest
£		 to the
nearest £		 to the
nearest £
Receipts
Childcare fees 22,339
-		 22,339
32,965
Fundraising 0
-		 0
36
Donations 61 -
61		 28
Grants 34,850
500
35,350
18,904
Sundry 21 - 21 -
Total receipts 57,271
500		 57,771
51,933
Payments
Staff 46,288
-		 46,288 44,410
Rent and services 1,530
-
1,530
0
Insurance 603
-
603
573
Phone 320
-
320
371
Fees 872
-
872
719
Bank charges 171
-		 171
199
Training 211
-
211
535
Resources 432
-
432
352
Equipment 281
-
281
351
Stationery/postage 151
-		 151
156
Food 458
-		 458
814
Buildingrepairs, etc. 95
-
95
48
Cleaningmaterials 604
-		 604
656
Trips/activities 0
-		 0
406
Staff travel 0
-		 0
0
Childcare fee refund 1,937
-		 1,937
233
Sundry 60
-
60
10
Totalpayments 53,463
550		 54,013
49,833
Net of receipts/(payments) 3,758
-
3,758
2,100
Transfers between funds -
-
-		 -
Cash funds lastyear end 31,624
-
31,624
29,524
Cash funds thisyear end 35,382
-
35,382
31,624

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PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT THE END OF THE PERIOD AS AT 31 AUGUST 2021

Cash funds
Other monetary assets
Liabilities		 Unrestricted
funds		 Restricted
funds
to nearest £ to nearest £
Bank account 35,282
-
Pettycash 100
-
Total cash funds
35,382
-
Due
Childcare fees owed 3,412
30/09/2021
HMRC 235
30/09/2021
Total 3,647
Due
Childcare fees in advance 682
HMRC 1,245
30/09/2021
Pensions 407
10/9/2021
Copying (estimate) 300
31/10/2021
Post/stationery 38 30/9/2021
Heating/lighting/waste/rent
(estimate)		 2,244
31/10/2021
Total
4,916

Approved by the Board of Trustees on 8 February 2022 and signed on its behalf by

Vicki Limbrick

(Vicki Limbrick, Chair)

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PRIME TIME KIDS CLUB NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021

1 Accounting policies

The financial statements of the Charity have been prepared in accordance with the guidance of the Charity Commission using the Receipts and Payments basis.

a) Basis of accounting

The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the Charity and rounded to the nearest £.

2 Grants

Grants
£
Wareham Town Council 550
Woodward Trust (restricted to Summer Scheme) 500
HMRC (Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme) 12,414
Dorset Council (Coronavirus Discretionary Grant) 15,486
Dorset Council (Early Years) 6,400

3 Unrestricted funds

General Fund
Designated fund (Decoration)
Designated fund (Liabilities)
Designated fund (Sustainability)		 Balance
31/8/20
£
25,992
1,000
4,632
0
31,624		 Balance
31/8/21
£
24,258
1,000
4,916
5,212
35,382

Purposes of Funds

General fund – The ‘free reserves’ after allowing for all designated funds. Designated fund (Decoration) – Internal painting of setting in 2022 or 2023 Designated fund (Liabilities) – To cover the liabilities due within 3 months of year end Designated fund (Sustainability) – Sustainability grant carried forward

4 Transactions with Trustees and Related Parties

During the year £nil (2020: £nil) expenses were reimbursed to the Trustees.

Mrs Sally Brookes is employed as a part-time Playworker and is the wife of a Trustee, Mr Kevin Brooks. She was appointed by competitive interview and permission was obtained from the Charity Commission for her to be employed as a connected person to a Trustee. Mr Kevin Brooks does not take part in any discussion or decision on rates of pay or staff conditions of service and benefits. This year she was on furlough for part of the year and so was paid a total of £5,401 (2020:£5,735) gross in salaries through PAYE and in employer pension contributions.

5 Loans

During the year the CIO did not have a loan in place and:

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