November 2023
2022-2023 St James’ PTA Annual Chair’s Report
Chair's Report
Welcome everyone and thank you for coming to this year’s AGM. It’s great that we are once again able to meet in person this year.
The PTA is run by a committee elected every year at the AGM. This is the only formal meeting of the year and as well as appointing the committee, we look back at the last academic year, deal with the financial audit and review plans for the coming year.
Whilst we are pleased to be in a situation where there are no longer any social restrictions due to Covid, concerns about the risks of transmitting infections (especially over the winter) have had to be taken into consideration when planning of fundraising events. Happily it has been possible to focus on larger scale events over the spring and summer months where we have been able to make the most of the school’s amazing outdoor facilities.
However, it seems that at the moment, every year brings a new set of challenges to our school community.
The first challenge for the PTA this year was the cost of living crisis. Our families, many of whom were already impacted by loss of income during Covid, were suddenly faced with a dramatic increase in the cost of living, especially food and utilities, and so we scaled back the autumn term schedule, and postponed the sponsored event to allow families to save their budget for the events that are the most fun for the children. The economic uncertainty has also reduced the amount of support available to us to through parents’ employers’ matchfunding and donations from local businesses although we have still been very fortunate to receive a number of very generous donations for our Christmas Raffle and Summer Fair.
The next challenge arose during the summer term when the school was required to close the junior building with immediate effect. Summer plans all had to be reviewed with very little turnaround time. The discos had to be cancelled but luckily, the summer fair is based outdoors and in the infant building so we were able to go ahead with that.
Once again, fundraising efforts have been boosted by our new income stream from selling discounted tickets to the theatre, fireworks and Legoland.
Thank you
This is the perfect opportunity to take a moment to acknowledge and thank my fellow PTA committee members, our amazing team of volunteers without whom our events would not be possible and of course the school staff who are so supportive of everything that we do and who go out of their way to make things run smoothly from start to finish. As this is my last report as Chair, there are a couple of people who deserve a special mention.
Firstly Michelle Wilson, Vice Chair who has worked so hard planning events, keeping everything on track, obtaining supplies for events, running the Christmas card project and reminding me to breathe! Michelle first took on this role in 2018 and we’ve worked together for five years, with four of those as Chair and Vice Chair. Her loyalty, her ability to stay calm and problem solve when plans aren’t going as expected, her willingness to get on with anything and everything that gets thrown our way, and her exceptional capacity for hard work (and shed tidying!) have been an invaluable support to me and have hugely benefited our community. From sorting Christmas card payments at 1am to catch the courier in the morning (whilst heavily pregnant) to putting in 12 hour days at the summer fair and secret present room whilst also running a new business and raising her three young children, she has truly been a force of nature. Thank you Michelle for all you have done.
Secondly, Chris Stevenson, our Secretary, who continues to improve our website and find new ways to make selling tickets, and signing up volunteers easier and more cost effective. The QR codes and the enhanced sales tracking options are making a real difference to things this year.
Thirdly, Stephanie Nailor Stevenson who had done so much work behind the scenes this year. She’s always on the look out for new fundraising ideas, and is prepared not just to suggest something but to take the idea and run with it until we have a brand new event ready to share with you. The Tutt Bars are just one example of her drive and creativity. And Steph has been hugely involved with other events too – including co-ordinating volunteers, posting our social media updates, creating graphics for comms, taking the lead on purchasing for the summer fair and playing a key part in all things website related.
I’d also like to formally record here my thanks to Jane Chapelard for many many years of hard work with the uniform sales as she steps down from this role. Jane has spent over ten years sorting and selling pre-loved uniform and has organized regular sales at school and at the fair, including a stint of online selling through the first lockdown. Jane has been the first parent to meet many of our new in-year starters and with her calm and friendly welcome has been a great ambassador for the PTA and school community.
Finally, I’d like to thank the school team for being so supportive of all our events. All of the staff are always helpful and welcoming, even when they are in the middle of a lesson, and they go out of their way to make sure the children get to benefit from the fun activities. Thank you to the office team for taking in deliveries, passing on messages and notes, dealing with endless questions and always being positive and welcoming to our volunteers, Stuart Fleming for moving stuff around, finding space for us and making sure we have access to everything we need and Sarah Greenfield, Lucy Hayward and John Tutt for showing up at so many events, problem-solving beforehand and on the day, shifting so many heavy boxes and genuinely being a pleasure to work with. Not all PTA teams are so lucky and we really appreciate it.
2022/2023 – an overview
We had a great start to 2022/2023 selling tickets for the Round Table Fireworks display and the pantomime and running the Christmas Card project for our amazingly artistic children. The term ended with the raffle and the brilliant secret present room where approximately 1100 presents were sold and wrapped in a single day!
In the spring term we held discos for all year groups and the children enjoyed the Easter Bunny Hunts. The weather was once again a bit of everything (thankfully no snow this year!) but despite a few downpours and two very slippery playing fields, this was lovely day for helpers and children. We also sold tickets to the TWODS production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
The summer term was mostly about the Summer Fair, which we were delighted could go ahead even though parts of the school were closed due to the RAAC issue. It was another gorgeous sunny day, and a much needed opportunity to reunite our community as was clear from the huge turnout!
The ice cream sales ran through the summer term and were very popular, as was the tuck shop. And uniform sales also made regular appearances in the school car park throughout the year.
Last but not least, year 6 were really lucky to have not only hoodies for their residential trip and yearbooks, but also a fabulous leavers’ disco.
This year’s volunteers have once again faced lots of extra challenges and last minutes changes of plans. They have needed to ensure events are affordable and open to every child and find new ways to increase our income. And I’m so proud to be part of a community that has pushed through these challenges and provided amazing experiences for our children. Thank you to everyone who helped make all of this possible, whether by donating things, money, expertise or time, or by taking care of children so others can help out at an event.
All this hard work and generosity means that the fundraising goal that the PTA has been working towards for several years, through Covid and concrete closures and everything in between has finally been met and we were able to donate £45,000 towards the all-weather path for the KS2 field!
It’s a real pleasure to end on such a high note, and I wish the new committee all the best for the future and hope they can find as much enjoyment in it as I did.
Special thanks to:
Michelle Wilson for organizing the Christmas cards
Jane Chapelard and Kate Winter for the pre-loved uniform sales – and Kate Bloomfield, Farheen Bannerjee and Yorleny Long for helping them
All of the team, especially Jane Woolcott, Natalie Sharp and Emma Stevens for their work on the Christmas raffle, and to all the local businesses and individuals who donated prizes
The secret present room team - Farheen Bannerjee, Kate Bloomfield, Jenny Heylin-Smith, Stephanie Nailor Stevenson, Chris Stevenson and Michelle Wilson and everyone who helped out on the day
Jo Fisher, Sally Cruickshank, Melissa Simpson and Farheen Bannerjee for the Easter Bunny Hunt
Stephanie Nailor Stevenson and Chris Stevenson for organizing the panto, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Legoland
Emily Cliff for taking the lead on the year 6 hoodies
Emily Cliff, Laura McNerlin, Pam Thompson and Farheen Bannerjee for organizing the yearbook
Clare Greig, Sara Carter, Karen Dunn, Kate Bloomfield, Em Hawkins, Chloe Harrison Bamber, Emma Heasman and the rest of their team for their leavers’ party.
Mike Drew for providing the disco and summer fair music and entertainment.
2 June 2024
2022-2023
St James’ PTA Addendum to Treasurer’s Report
Includes accounts for the academic year 2022-2023 (from 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2023)
Introduction
As recorded in the minutes of the AGM held in November 2023, the then Treasurer, Stephen Carter, had not prepared the draft accounts for the academic year 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2023 but did provide some provisional figures. The then Treasurer had indicated that he would prepare the accounts shortly, but has not done so, and so the then Chair, Kirstin Lane has prepared them instead. As a result, the preliminary figures provided at the AGM need to be updated and expanded on, and that is the purpose of this addendum.
For the first time since the Covid pandemic began, the PTA were able to run a full programme of events, though there was no sponsored event due to financial pressures on families following the cost of living crisis and no discos in the summer term due to the Junior Building being closed due to issues with the concrete roof.
Events included a Christmas raffle, Cauliflower Christmas cards, Secret Present Room, Spring discos, Easter Bunny Hunt, the Summer Fair and Ice Cream and Uniform sales. Additional funds were raised by “Box Office” events where the PTA sold tickets for external events and earned commission including a Firework Display, Pantomime and Legoland Day Out.
The school was happily in a position to go ahead with building an all-weather path on the junior field and as previously agreed, the PTA provided funding to the school of £45,000 as a donation towards the cost of this. The PTA also funded an Easter Bunny Hunt at school during the school day and Leavers’ Hoodies for the year 6 children to wear on their residential trip and then keep as a souvenir.
This report provides a breakdown of the profitability of the events and activities taking place in the academic year together with details of where the funds were spent throughout the year. The numbers presented show the actual bank transactions taking place between 1 September 2022 and 31 August 2023.
The results for the academic year show that the PTA raised a total of £16,240.10 through the organized events. Additional donations totalled £1,687.85. Matched funding income was received this year amounting in total to £3,926 included as part of the Event Profit for which we are very grateful to the parents and businesses supporting us with this. With the context of all the global events going on, this was a very positive outcome for the PTA and school from the events that were able to be held in the year.
It should also be noted that the then Treasurer had not moved funds from the PTA PayPal account for events from January 2023 onwards before the end of the financial year, and so the figures for Discos, Box Office events and the Summer Fair do not accurately reflect the level of profits as they either do not include any payments received via PayPal or do not include all the payments received via PayPal. Nor does the total income include the income from nominal payments for year 6 Leavers’ Hoodies which were made via PayPal.
Due to the significant donation to the school for the path, which included funds raised over the last three years, there was an overall net movement of cash this year. However, it was still possible to maintain a reserve of £10,000 to cover event expenses that need to be paid upfront such as stock and suppliers for the Summer Fair, general expenses such as insurance and licences, and items that the PTA usually funds each year including the Easter Bunny Hunt and Leavers’ Hoodies. This is in line with previous discussions at AGMS and General Meetings about the level of reserves required.
Account summary
The information in this table shows the cash movements in the PTA bank account for the year ended 31 August 2023:
| 2022/23 | 2021/22 £ |
2020/21 £ |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Event profit Matched funding Other income Donations to School Funding of School Events Other expenditure |
16,240.10 (included in event profit) 1,687.85 (45,000.00) (2,484.18) (765.14) |
15,588 2,959.50 927 (758) - (636) |
3,570 2,390 405 - - (375) |
| Net movement | (30,321.37) | 18,079.50 | 6,080 |
All transactions recognized within the analysis above in both academic years have been accounted for on a cash basis.
Available funds as at 31 August 2023
The funds available with Metro Bank at 31 August 2023 is £17,068.01 (2022: £47,389.38).
Summary of event profitability and funds raised:
The events are listed in order of profitability for the year ended 31 August 2023. This covers the period 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2023. There are also footnotes (X) to provide details of where matched funding has been allocated to an event during the year.
| Event | 2023 Income £ |
2023 Costs £ |
2023 profit £ |
2023 Profit as % of income |
2022 profit £ |
2022 profit rank |
2022 Profit as % of income |
| Summer Fair(1) | 11,370 | (4,255) | 7,115 | 63% | 5,476 | 2 | 54% |
| Christmas Events | 4,860 | (1,067) | 3,792 | 78% | 2,368 | 3 | 66% |
| Sponsored Event 2022(2) | 2,926 | - | 2,926 | 100% | 5,960 | 1 | 100% |
| Uniform | 1,295 | (8) | 1,287 | 99% | 1,163 | 4 | 100)% |
| Ice cream sales | 1282 | (661) | 621 | 48% | 576 | 7 | 58% |
| Cauliflower cards | 482 | - | 482 | - | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Fireworks | 1987 | (1654) | 333 | 17% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Discos * | 486 | (425) | 61 | 13% | 523 | 8 | 68% |
| Box Office Events** (Pantomime, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Legoland) |
3,173 | (3,551) | (378) | - | 306 | 9 | 8% |
| Other 2021-2022 events (reported as Easter and Raffle) |
- | - | - | - | 2,175 | - | - |
| Total | 27,863 | (11,623) | 16,240 | - | 18,547 | - | - |
(1) Includes £1,000 matched funding
(2) Includes £2,926.25 matched funding
- Does not include income received via PayPal on website sales.
** Does not include all income received via PayPal on website sales.
Summary of donations and money expensed:
Donations made to the school during the 2022-23 academic year amounted to £45,000 (2023: £758).
The monies donated in 2023 related to:
| Description | 2023 £ |
| All weather path | 45,000.00 |
| Total | 45,000.00 |
Other items funded by the PTA for the benefit of children at the school during the 2022-23 academic year amounted to £2,484.18.
Other items funded in 2023:
| Description | 2023 £ |
| Year 6 Hoodies | 2,176.48 |
| Easter Bunny Hunt | 307.70 |
| Total | 2,484.18 |
Other expenditure – total £765.14 (2022: £636.42)
| Description | 2023 £ |
2022 £ |
| Insurance / subscriptions / memberships / licences Equipment Event Tents Stationery and Sundry |
256 - 503.96 5.18 |
224 263.63 - 175.79 |
| Total | 765.14 | 636.42 |
This total excludes a current float balance of £200. It is recommended that this current float balance continues.
Details of Other income £1,687.85 (2022: £926.56) *
| Description | 2023 £ |
2022 £ |
| Donations / sponsorship | 1,687.85 | 926.56 |
| Total | 1,687.85 | 926.56 |
- Does not include income received via PayPal for year 6 Hoodies.
Comments and recommendations
The following comments and recommendations are suggested in order to ensure that the integrity and accountability of the PTA funds are enforced. This follows the code of conduct as laid out by PTAUK.
-
Events should have indicative budgets that identify elements of expenditure and anticipated spend.
-
Where spend on an individual item of expenditure is anticipated to exceed £400, then a minimum of two estimates/quotes should be obtained and submitted to the PTA Committee for approval.
-
Payments to suppliers in cash should only be made for amounts less than £20 and receipts provided.
-
Suppliers should issue the PTA with receipts in all instances.
-
Due to the size of the PTA activities, the accounting records should be maintained on a cash basis.
-
The annual report will be published with the Charities Commission and each year at the AGM, the level of income should be checked against the relevant statutes to see whether they are required to be reviewed by an Independent Examiner prior to publishing. Even if income does not reach the level where an Independent Examiner is legally required, it should be considered whether it would be advisable.
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