Great Chart and Singleton Pre-School Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Friday 15th October 2021 9.15am
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Name of attendee Name of child at Pre-school
Ellie Axon Ruben Fell
Michelle Beerensson Staf
Hui Cheng Mia Hoh
Caroline Brookshaw-Robinson Committee
Jo Garrett Samuel Garrett
Kezia Newman Sullivan Martin
Tracy Gorham-Brown Staf
Richard Maijidadi Danielle and Daniella Majidadi
Simrat Rait Committee
Hayley Petts Oliver Petts
Amanda Oliver Committee
Karolina Ruseva Siana Baharova
Martine Rukengwa Akinbolade Akintunde
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Welcome: The Co-Chair, Caroline Brookshaw-Robinson, welcomed everyone, reminded everyone of the need for confidentiality, introduced existing members of the committee and briefly described the role of the committee:
Role of the Committee: The preschool requires a committee to act as the Charity Trustees and is generally made up of parents of attending children. The committee is responsible for the overall management and smooth running of the setting. This includes recruiting, training & development of staf, as well as improving the preschool resources through fundraising activities.
Chair Report: Read by Co-Chair Hayley Petts: Being our first year as Co-Chairs, we have found the role challenging due to the restrictions of Covid-19. We started the year really positively with a full committee, but unfortunately, we have seen some members leave for personal reasons. However, we have continued to support the management team and staf, to add to the outstanding status of the Preschool.
So, how have we done this? Although it has been difficult to hold any in-person events, we have still achieved various fundraising throughout the year. For example, an online Christmas raffle, a sponsored letter find, clothing collections, and our biggest event which was a sponsored walk, in which both the committee and staf participated.
Along with a grant from GC & Singleton Parish Council, which went towards the artificial grass in the garden, and the fund matching from Barclays Bank for two of our events, we raised just over £10,700 for the preschool. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our committee members David & Amanda for their work in organising the grant, and Natalie who is our link to Barclays Bank.
We have also worked with local businesses, including Sandersons, who kindly created a Virtual Tour video of the preschool and B&H Construction who completed much needed repairs on the playhouse free of charge.
Throughout the year we have held monthly committee meetings, even during lockdown via Zoom. We have played an active role in recruitment and more recently staf appraisals. We have also been able to give all staf a pay rise this year. We would like to thank the staf for their continued hard work and dedication to the preschool and the children that attend too.
Manager’s Report - Read by Michelle Beerensson: Since last October things did start to return to normal for Early Years settings. In January primary/secondary schools closed to all but essential workers children but this did not extend to Early Years so it was business as normal for us and we continued to have almost a ‘full house’ we are pleased that our parents had confidence in our setting. It was great that we could ofer a leaver’s show this year although with limited parents. We also encouraged visits from all it the schools our leavers were attending and most did visit or speak to us via a phone call. We had two staf leave at the end of July to take full time roles and we employed a new member of staf from Sept, Tash has fitted in well with staf and children. Tash is expecting and will be on maternity leave sometime in the new year. We have interviewed this week and hopefully will have employed at least two new members of staf, which we intend to train and once their probation is completed they will study for a level 2/3 qualification. We hope that this year we can be back to normal with transition opportunities for next year’s leavers and get support when appropriate for children with additional needs which sadly lacking last year. We would like to thank you and the preschool committee for their continued support. Please remember that you can email/ phone to arrange a time to speak to a member of staf
Treasurer’s report – read by Amanda Oliver:
This report breaks down our income and expenditure into categories so that I can show where expenditure in certain areas have increased or decreased from last year.
Income
Fees
The amount of fees paid increased significantly from last year as the previous year included a term we had no fee paying children due to Covid lockdown. This year we were able to remain open to all children including fee paying and the figures reflect this.
Funding
Free Early Education funding from the KCC is the Preschool’s main source of income, with 6 payments received each year and the amount received for 3 and 4 year old funding, FF2 funding and EY pupil premium remained the same as last year. In addition to the funding, we received approx. £3.5K from KCC as a one-of payment to match the income we should have received the year before but didn’t because of the lockdown restrictions.
Fund Raising and donations
Despite restrictions we have had another successful fundraising year raising a fantastic £10,716.26 which is a much much higher figure to previous years. This has been raised by applying to the council for a £7K grant to pay towards the artificial turf, online raffles, textile recycling, ice cream van commission, uniform sales, and 2 sponsored events. We have had 2 lots of fundraising matched by Barclays Bank this year
Donations We received a donation of £200 from parents at the end of the school year as a thank you.
Interest Although any surplus funds are moved from the current account into the savings account to maximise the amount of interest received, the interest rate is so low at the moment we have seen a marked decrease this year.
Deposits (Outings) Although listed as outing income, this amount is the deposits received by the new families of September 2021 to secure their place and will be refunded or taken of invoices throughout the year.
Other income
We received payments of approx. £1000 and £500 for project funding from the Ashford Early Years Collaboration. The AEYC have also refunded the cost of several members of staf to do mindfulness training. Included in other income were some overpayments on a payment plan which had to be refunded.
Expenditure
Wages
The wages figure has remained the same despite the increase of National Living Wage and associated pay rises as we have yet to replace members of staf who have left. Numbers of attending children were not increased throughout the year as we normally do due to this staf shortage.
Craft & Equipment / Café / Phone/ Gardening/ Waste collection
Craft and equipment were higher as we were given resources from the collaboration to spend on equipment. Café, telephone, postage costs remained the same but a new laptop was bought for the administrator which increased the office supplies expenditure this year. The photocopier has been used more this year with the release of the new EYFS. The garden expenditure was extremely high due to the installation of the artificial lawn but most of this most covered by a council grant and we have not had to pay a gardener since. Waste collection was extremely high this year as we feel the efects of increased hand washing and paper towel disposal because of Covid.
Gifts The staf were given morale boosting gifts during the year and both staf and child leavers were given leaving presents.
Professional Memberships
We have upgraded our PLA insurance package to include the artificial lawn and continue to use a payroll company for processing wages and pensions. We also have to pay an annual fee for the lottery licence, music licence, Information Commissioners Office, Ofsted, accountancy fees and the accounts software package. DBS checks for staf and committee members are also included in this figure.
Staff Training Most staf training has been paid for by the Ashford Early Years Collaboration this year.
Conclusion
The figures show we made a £11,370.96 surplus this year. This was very welcome after concerns over numbers and staf availability and the expenditure of the garden revamp. We are now in a comfortable financial position and plan to continue to reinvest whilst being mindful of ongoing funding challenges. We will also continue to look at ways of increasing income without having a negative impact on the quality of the teaching provision of which we are so proud.
Question Time : No questions were asked.
The existing committee stood down.
New committee expectations: Read by Caroline Brookshaw-Robinson: As per our
constitution, a new committee will be re-elected by nomination and seconding. As a committee member, you’ll need to be able to attend one meeting a month as well as dedicate some of your private time to administration and fund-raising acitivites. Help with registration would be appreciated.
Approved by the committee of Great Chart and Singleton Preschool on: ___
Signed:
Dated:
Great Chart and Singleton Pre-School Minutes of the General Meeting held on Friday 15th October 2020 9.30am
Michelle Beerensson headed the meeting until the new committee members and officers were appointed:
New Committee
The following new Committee members were voted in:
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Name of Committee
Nominated by: Seconded by:
Member
Simrat Rait Michelle Beerensson Hayley Petts
Caroline Brookshaw-
Michelle Beerensson Hayley Petts
Robinson
Caroline Brookshaw-
Simrat Rait Michelle Beerensson
Robinson
Caroline Brookshaw-
Hayley Petts Amanda Oliver
Robinson
Caroline Brookshaw-
Amanda Oliver Michelle Beerensson
Robinson
Caroline Brookshaw-
Martine Rukengwa Hayley Petts
Robinson
Caroline Brookshaw-
Kezia Newman Hayley Petts
Robinson
Caroline Brookshaw-
Joanne Garrett Simrat Rait
Robinson
Caroline Brookshaw-
Natalie Haynes Hayley Petts
Robinson
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We have 9 elected committee members. TGB stayed in the meeting to take minutes.
Officer Roles:
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Officer Role Name of
Committee Nominated by: Seconded by:
Member
Co-chair Caroline Brookshaw- Michelle
Hayley Petts
Robinson Beerensson
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Co-chair Caroline Michelle
Hayley Petts Brookshaw- Beerensson
Robinson
Secretary Michelle
Kezia Newman Simrat Rait
Beerensson
Treasurer Caroline
Amanda Oliver Brookshaw- Hayley Petts
Robinson
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It was decided that Co-Chair Hayley Petts and Treasurer Amanda Oliver would remain as the signatories for the HSBC accounts alongside the Administrator, Tracy Gorham-Brown. It was also decided that as no new mandate was required, we would request a current account debit card with only one signatory from the HSBC as soon as possible.
The Secretary and Treasurer roles will be supported by the paid administrator.
Committee member information sheets and data consent forms were handed out for immediate completion. TGB to change Charity Commission information.
MB to email Ofsted with EY3a information w/c 18[th] October 2021.
Whatsapp group to be set up with new committee to assist new committee members through the EY2 and DBS check procedures w/c 18[th] October 2021 and hopefully new members will be able to complete on-line at home. New members to submit receipt of DBS cost to TGB via the preschool email (approximately £8) which will be reimbursed immediately. DBS and EY2 should be completed as soon as possible and certainly within 1 month of this meeting. MR to forward details of current DBS as on the DBS update system.
The minutes from September 2021 were adopted with the following issues raised: The staining of the playhouse - MB has the stain but not the time to apply. We also need some weeds removed from the borders of the garden. The decision was made to approach the Village Hall Committee or the Parish Council to get the weeds removed, or if unsuccessful, we will pay someone to tidy the garden.
HP reported on her attendance at the last staf meeting where the anonymous committee suggestion box was raised. Staf also agreed that they felt the exit interview procedure was too late in the process so we will not be holding them in future unless one is specifically asked for.
Chair Report : A schedule for committee attendance at registration was agreed:
Monday – HP (TGB) Tuesday – CBR / AO / JG Wednesday – HP / KN Thursday – CBR / NH / MR if available / JG Friday – HP / KN / JG
The virtual tour is to be sent to all parents via Email.
Staff Report: Limited report but MB asked if Committee would approve a payrise for MV as she is doing so well as our new SENCO. She suggested paying MV the same rate as the Senior Lead Practitioners from 1[st] November and committee unanimously agreed.
Treasurer’s report : AO detailed the most recent Profit and Loss report which shows we are currently at a loss for this financial year but this is normal at this point and we are expecting to break even over the next few months.
Newsletter: SR to do October 2021 newsletter but will be shared amongst committee members in future. Items to always include: Committee email address, term dates and a request that all items are to be named. October newsletter to include: welcome to the new committee, children are settling well and dates for nativity and Xmas party.
Next meeting: Friday 5[th] November 2021 at 9.15am
Approved by the committee of Great Chart and Singleton Preschool on: _____
Signed:
Dated:
GRE4T CIL4RT SP*GLETONi PL41"GROL? L%CONIE EEN1)rrLRE ACCOLThT FOR THE I"EAR E,NDED 31 JULY 2021 2020 2020 LN'COME Fees KCC Funding Fund Raising Donations KCC payment Outings Parties Interest Other income 19,577.41 110,424.54 10,716.26 200.00 3,734.10 650.00 11,325.50 110,037.92 2,517.47 57.47 1, 749.00 100.00 133.86 1,960.00 7.65 1,700.51 Net Income 147,010.47 127,926.22 EXPENDITURE Wages Tax and NI General running costs Rent Craft and equipment Cafe Telephone and internet Entertainment Advertising Training Gifts Outings Fund raising Professional memberships and insurance 99,997J6 3,482.30 1,481J4 9,579.50 3,865.89 1,481.71 569.66 43.80 288.00 235.50 535.09 1,126.50 lJ37.63 2J37.65 8,149.20 99,998.00 4,175.46 944.16 9,419.50 2.632.99 1,379.75 535.22 37.60 288.00 33.60 345.35 696.50 461.54 2,247.68 60.00 324.55 165.47 012.00 104.46 11 Gardening Donations Parties Waste collection Photocopier 972.00 156.38 135,639.51 124,461.83 Surplus/(Defecit) for the year IIJ70.96 3,464.39 General Fund Opening balance Surplus/(Defecit) for the year 96,816.85 11,370.96 93,352.46 3,464.39 108,187.81 96,816.85 resented b ,: Reserve account Current account Cash in hand 86,181.70 21,529.85 476.26 76, 174.05 20, 145.49 497.31 108,187.81 96,816.85 Page 2
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of 1 14cl',: Great Chart and Singleton Playgroup On accounts for the year ended 31 July 2021 Charity no (if any) 295122 Set out on pages rts! jiL; I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 31107 12021. Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the ACY,). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ") in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no COnrnS 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. . Please delete the words in the brackets rf they do not apply. Signed: 1310812021 Name: Catt Accountancy Limited Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA) Address: Church Barn, Westwell Court Ashford, Kent TN25 4JX IER October 2018