Cylch Meithrin Tedi Twt Trustee Annual Report Cylch Meithrin Tedi Twt Trustees Annual Report. The board of trustees of Cylch Meithrin Tedi Twt Charity present their annual report and audited accounts for the year ended April 30[th] 2021 and confirm they comply with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011, the trust deed and the Charities SORP (FRS 102). Our aim is to provide quality pre-school provision for children aged 2- 4years through the medium of Welsh, in a happy, safe and secure environment, having fun, meeting new friends and learning through play. We believe every child has a voice and the right to be heard. We create an environment that promotes independence and confidence encouraging all children to develop to their full potential building their self-confidence and preparing them for future opportunities and life experiences. We aim to work closely with the local school and other settings to provide a service for local children and families to access and thrive. Our objectives reflect our settings aims and ethos. It is important to us that we maintain and enhance the success of the setting and individual objectives are set for each year that will help the setting move forward in continuously achieving and working towards the highest of standards. Our key objectives for the past year included: - Running as smoothly and efficiently as possible throughout the COVID 19 pandemic - Continue to ensure that practitioners use the Welsh language effectively and consistently to improve children’s spoken welsh (ESTYN Recommendation 2) - Improve resources and equipment in the outdoor area to ensure children are safe and have opportunities to develop to their full potential. ## Review of our activities and achievements. This year has been a difficult year with the COVID 19 Pandemic but we have successfully continued to provide children attending the setting a high-quality care and learning experience. Our afternoon sessions and wrap around service have been busy. Our morning sessions have gradually increased throughout the year with limited spaces available for the summer term. Following our ESTYN inspection in June 2019 we have been working towards the two recommendations. Staff have attended virtual Welsh language courses and training to further develop their language skills in promoting the Welsh language to children. Practitioners have attended online training throughout the past year to enhance and develop their professional skills and extend their 1 Cylch Meithrin Tedi Twt Trustee Annual Report understanding of the Welsh government curriculum, with excellent knowledge of child development, observational techniques, activities and assessment strategies practitioners can clearly evidence the individual progress of learners and service users within the setting. All children attending the setting has made good individual progress with 92% of children reaching their end of year targets. One of our objectives this year was to improve staff observation skills and use these effectively in setting. All staff have attended observation training with a link clearly being identified to our planning, the individual children, their development and observations. Staff are enrolled on Welsh language courses to improve the standard of spoken Welsh within setting, this will be a long-term target spread over a minimum of 2 years allowing staff to progress through the levels of Welsh language. The spoken Welsh language is improving in setting and will be monitored over the next 12 months to ensure the children’s spoken Welsh improves. This year we have continued working in partnership with the local authority to provide numerous funding opportunities to service users in the local area. We continue to offer - Early years education places for children aged 3 - Flying start funded places for children aged 2-3 - The childcare offer for working parents in Wales entitling parents to 30 free hours childcare a week - Assisted and Supported funding places These funding opportunities allow children and families with varying needs to be able to access the setting and for all children to have opportunities to feel happy, safe and secure in a fun environment where they can develop individually. Our Community Benefits plan was implemented last year with us reaching out to local business and groups to work in partnership and support one another. We work closely with the school ensuring there are strong transition procedures and practices in place for children moving from setting to school, we support one another in fundraising events and have good support from local businesses. Weare continuingly working on developing the outside area and the resources within setting, these are monitored regularly and renewed when funding is available. Future plans. 2 Cylch Meithrin Tedi Twt Trustee Annual Report The board of trustees intend to continue their current strategies of maintaining the settings position in a competitive market by investing to provide high quality care and education opportunities for children and local families. Achieving a high standard in inspection outcomes is a constant aim whilst maintaining the quality of care, education and opportunities we provide. The setting leader and other practitioners continue to review the curriculum and opportunities provided to ensure they remain appropriate for our children’s individual development. Our future plans are financed primarily from local authority funding, fee income, fundraising events and grants. The trustees ensure the finances are healthy and a balance is maintained between the continuous improvements in the setting and the reserve of finances to ensure the security of the organisation. Maintaining and, where necessary, developing the facilities of the setting is crucial to the future success. Our plans for the next year are primarily focused on controlling the natural light, renewing the main entrance doorway and working on developing the outside area. We will be continuing to develop our community benefits plan and are hoping to create and outside planting area that can be used by the children and local families to plant and harvest home grown vegetables and foods. The board of trustee and the staff are committed to working with each other and are constantly reviewing and renewing our procedures in the current ever-changing situation with COVID 19. ## Finances. The financial statements show gross incoming for the year for the setting as £58,465 The principal source of income is local authority funding accounting for £43,039 (73.61%) of the settings income. The board of trustees has deployed 100% of its income on the care, education and running of the setting. 83.63% of the expenditure went on staff wages, including pensions. In the reporting period the charity also received further external funding, primarily from the government covid relief schemes. The impact of the covid pandemic saw a reduction in fee income which was also reflected in a reduction of non staff pay expenditure. As an educational charity, we are unable to reclaim VAT input tax on our costs as we are exempt for VAT purposes. We pay tax as an employer through national insurance contributions we make. 3 Cylch Meithrin Tedi Twt Trustee Annual Report ## Developments and maintenance. There was a substantial investment in the teaching equipment and resources at a cost of £12,266. This included outdoor resources and equipment, Covid-19 PPE and cleaning equipment, staff training, IT equipment and website fees. ## Reserves and Financial health. The board of trustees regularly review the finances, budgets and spend against budget together with a monthly cash flow analysis as part of the effective management of the setting. As shown on the accounts a loss of £3,144 was made for the year ending April 2021 with a closing cash funds balance of £8,358, The board of trustees consider that given the strength of the increasing numbers in the later part of the year and the stable cash flow from local authority funding the ongoing popularity of the setting there is a good reserve to support any future needs. ## Ethos, Strategies and Policies. Our ethos: a caring setting serving our local community, we are a CIO which seeks to benefit the public through the pursuit of its stated aims. Our fees are set at a level to ensure the financial viability of the setting and at a level that is consistent with our aim of providing a quality care and education experience to children and families. Our Setting welcomes pupils from all backgrounds. We are an equal opportunity organisation and are committed to a working environment that is free from any form of discrimination on the grounds of colour, race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation or disability. We will make reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of staff or pupils who have additional physical needs or who are disabled. Our setting is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and service users and expects all practitioners and volunteers to share this commitment. Parents and Carers are given regular information about their children’s progress through parent evenings, in addition to the end of term and year reports a weekly diary with information on activities, celebrations and interests of individuals are provided to parents with opportunities for them to contribute to. We maintain regular contact with parents throughout the year through informal contacts and through our newsletters. ## STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT 4 Cylch Meithrin Tedi Twt Trustee Annual Report The charity trustees are responsible for the overall management and control of Cylch Meithin Tedi Twt and meet once a month. All trustees give up their time freely and no remuneration or expenses were paid in the year. The implementation of most policies and the day to day running of the setting is delegated to the leader. The Leader undertakes the key leadership role overseeing the care, education and administrative functions. The day to day administration for the setting is undertaken within the policies and procedures approved by the trustees which provide for only significant expenditure decisions and major capital projects to be referred to the trustees for prior approval. The trustees are responsible for the recruitment of all practitioners. The leader is invited to attend trustee meetings. The Leader of the setting attends termly non maintained network meetings which provide opportunities to share expertise, knowledge and experience across the non-maintained settings sector. The meetings also permit appropriate representation to Government and local authority. Risk Management - The trustees are responsible for the overseeing of the risks faced by the setting. Risks are identified, assessed and controls established throughout the year. A formal review of the charity’s risk management processes is undertaken on an annual basis. Risk is managed under the headings of financial sustainability, setting safety, child welfare/ safeguarding and employment. The main risks that the trustees have identified and the plans to manage those risks are: Reputation. The settings success is built on its reputation for the care, education and well-being of our service users. We manage this risk through safeguarding policies, staff recruitment policies, and active identification and resolution of health and safety related issues. Finances. Our ability to continue is reliant on children’s fees and the ability to pay bills as they fall due. This risk is managed by local advertising, having a good reputation in the local area and fundraising events held throughout the year. General setting safety is monitored by the setting leader and risk or actions required reported to the trustees to act upon appropriately. Child welfare / safeguarding is managed with robust safeguarding policies and procedures. All practitioners have appropriate safeguarding training along with members of the board of trustees. Safeguarding policies and procedures are covered in-depth during staff inductions and are regularly discussed in in house training and staff meetings. 5 Cylch Meithrin Tedi Twt Trustee Annual Report Employment and the turnover of staff is managed by staff recruitment policies, staffing policies and a good relationship between trustees and the practitioners. We offer good hourly rates of pay, training opportunities for practitioners to further develop their skills and have regular meeting, supervisions and annual appraisals to monitor and encourage staff. Through the risk management processes established for the setting, the Trustees are satisfied that the major risks identified have been adequately mitigated where necessary. It is recognised that systems can only provide reasonable but not absolute assurance that major risks have been adequately managed. Trustee recruitment and training requires breadth and depth of experience to carry out its duties effectively and efficiently. When recruiting new trustees the important attribute is a passion for the aim of our setting and an understanding of care and education as a holistic and rounded experience to the individual child. We advertise locally for new trustees and through our newsletter to parents. We also invite senior local business people to consider joining our Board. Where possible the trustees consider that the skills and experience of the board should comprise the following: - A trustee with a legal background - A trustee with a financial/accounting background - A Trustee with care and education experience - A Trustee with senior managerial or business experience - A Trustee with experience of equal opportunities or disability needs - At least one female and at least one male Trustee One Trustee may have one or more of these skills. New trustees are appointed by the existing board. ## References and administrative details. Cylch Meithrin Tedi Twt, Ysgol Gymraeg Gilfach Fargoed, Commercial Street, Gilfach, CF81 8JG. 07847 248430 cmteditwt@outlook.com Charity number 1175575 All trustees have served throughout the year except where indicated and were a part of the production of this report. Jaqueline Davies 03/07/2017 – 18/11/2021 Joanne Heaven-John Chairperson 03/07/2017 – Present Bethan Chard Vice Chair 03/07/2017 – 18/11/2021 Matthew Price Treasurer 01/04/2020 – 18/11/2021 6 Cylch Meithrin Tedi Twt Trustee Annual Report We are in the process of adding and removing trustees, with the following committee members due to become trustees, and they have also been involved in the production of this report. Helene Braithwaite Secretary & Responsible Individual Melanie Peake Committee Member Professional advisers Bank: Lloyds Bank, 21 Cardiff Road, Caerphilly, CF83 1WD Accounts: Audited by Simon Penfold. 7 Receipts and pa ..￿rnents accounts T• CC164 Seciaon A R•coi ts and ments rotai i) API J i •) s￿(10n B Stalomenl ol aSJots und liabililios al th• ond ol the P•fk CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANO ANO WALES Indepond•nt examln•rfs report on th• accounts Srtiion A T•th T*1 Chwlty W• 117WS Xiii 145 dlt• 2011 I wwlw ••Giwi 14¥5Xb) ¥¥•ci Ad(¥ CF81 ¥BF O•*bw 2Ql1,