2025-08-31-accounts - Whiteshill Playgroup

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Whiteshill Playgroup Guide Hut, Playing Field, Whiteshill, Stroud, GL6 6AN Charity Registration Number: 900321 Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 August, 2025

The trustees present their report and financial statements for the year to 31 August, 2025.

Structure of governance and management

The charity is governed by its constitution and is run by volunteers, recruited from local community members and the parents of children at the setting.

The management committee is elected at an annual general meeting. The committee, who are Whiteshill Playgroup’s trustees, may co-opt additional members if required.

Trustees

The trustees who served during the period and up to the date of this report were as follows:

S.E. Clutterbuck (appointed 8th October 2024)

L. K. Goodchild (resigned July 2024)

T. C. Irwin (appointed 8th October 2024)

J.F. Lore (resigned July 2024)

L.C. Murray (resigned December 2024)

C.R. Parnell (appointed 15th October 2024)
R.H. Swanwick (appointed 7th May 2024)
G.A.Taylor (resigned July 2024)
S.J. Watson (resigned February 2025)

Activities and objectives

The principal activity of the charity is that of a childcare provider to pre-school age children between 2 and 4 years old. The trustees have sought to maintain the provision of a high quality of service to the children under their care. We provide an opportunity for local children to play and learn in a safe and nurturing environment. The service provided is affordable.

We have given due consideration to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission and consider our service of substantial public benefit in the local

community. The curriculum is regularly reviewed to ensure the level and content of education provided is appropriate, effective, and varied.

We are committed to securing the long-term stability of the setting.

Financial review

As of 9th November 2025, Whiteshill Playgroup holds £6,505.24 in the current account and £30,312.53 in the savings account, so total reserves amount to £36,817.77.

In 2024-25, we were awarded an EY Sufficiency Grant in the amount of £10,192.88, of which there is £2,278.80 remaining. This is ringfenced for spending on anything that will enable us to ensure that Playgroup is run sustainably (this can include staffing, providing equipment for staff, promoting Playgroup, or anything benefitting the running of the charity).

In 2025-26, we have been awarded an EY Inclusion Programme Grant in the amount of £8,000, of which there is £7,439.50 remaining. This is ringfenced for anything that will enable us to ensure that Playgroup is run inclusively (along with the necessary training for staff, this can include anything to do with making the space more inclusive, improving accessibility, or improving resources for the benefit of all children).

Our policy has always been to maintain at least a term’s-worth of costs in the event of possible closure, so – even once the ringfenced grant monies described above have been subtracted – the trustees consider their reserves adequate for the foreseeable future.

After reporting a significant loss of almost £40K in 2023-24, it’s pleasing to report that – despite facing a number of challenges – Playgroup returned a significant profit.

Following this Annual Report are our audited accounts and an independent examiner’s report.

Achievements and performance

There have been a huge number of positives this year for Whiteshill Playgroup.

The most important positive is that the children in our setting continue to thrive and learn, and our pre-schoolers made a successful transition to their first terms at school – all thanks to the wonderful care they’re given by Anna and her dedicated team.

Our Deputy Play Leader, Shell, has completed her Level 2 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner – an incredible achievement given all the upheaval this year. A ‘Leaders and Managers’ group with other local playgroups has also been set up, to encourage support and sharing between settings.

In December 2024, we received the fantastic news that the playgroup had been awarded a ‘Good’ rating by Ofsted. This came after the setting was graded ‘Inadequate’ the previous July, when Anna had only been in her role for a matter of weeks. It’s a testament to Anna and her team’s extremely hard work that they managed to increase numbers at the setting even while we had this rating, and that they were able to make the improvements required to obtain the better result in December.

The playgroup has continued to cement itself as an active contributor to local community events, including:

Creating a scarecrow for Whiteshill Primary’s Scarecrow Trail fundraiser
Making seasonal bunting for the church
Making poppies for the Remembrance Day memorial
Writing for the local ‘Warbler’ magazine
Participating in the Two Villages Festival

Fundraising activities led by the committee have also been very successful – in particular the inaugural fairy door trail during February half-term, an excellent pub quiz, and the two stalls we ran at the local Party In The Park event in June.

We were fortunate to receive a substantial sufficiency grant from Gloucestershire County Council, which enabled us to purchase much-needed new equipment. This was set up ready for the new academic term, and the children have thoroughly enjoyed exploring all the new toys and learning tools.

We were also delighted to be accepted into the Enhanced Inclusion Training Scheme, run by Gloucestershire County Council, and were given a grant to cover the cost of all training and to help make the setting fully inclusive. We aim to complete all the criteria throughout the year to receive ‘Inclusive Champion’ status.

The scheme includes all staff going on enhanced training throughout the year, writing and implementing a focus improvement plan, and attending cluster meetings. One member of staff will also complete the ‘Level 3 SENDCo in the Early Years’ accredited qualification.

Throughout the year, we have a dedicated advisor from the council who comes in every other week to make sure we are on track, to observe all staff, and to offer suggestions. We will have to create a portfolio to show all the improvements we have made, and give a presentation to the other people on the course at the end of the year.

We are delighted to report so many positive things happening at Whiteshill Playgroup. However, it must also be noted that it has been an extremely challenging year for us, due largely to staff illness and to having fewer children on the books than we would like.

February and March 2025 were particularly difficult, when both Anna and Shell needed long periods of time off due to health issues. To stay open as much as possible, we were forced to rely on expensive agency staff (roughly twice as much per hour as a normal staff member), and had to close the playgroup at certain times when it wasn’t possible to cover these costs.

Vicki really stepped up and took responsibility during this period, and the committee would like to thank her immensely for her efforts. Without her, the playgroup wouldn’t have been able to stay open as much as it did, and she remained focused on ensuring that there was as little impact on the children as possible.

The committee has since worked with Anna and the team to identify areas in which Anna’s responsibilities can be shared, so that it’s easier for us all to cope should a similar situation arise.

We had fewer children start at the beginning of the autumn term than we expected, due to a significant number of drop-outs over the summer holidays. Due to this, we intend to implement a new deposit and notice policy, to make sure we are less affected financially by such occurrences.

Committee membership has also remained a significant issue for the playgroup. Our constitution technically requires us to have five trustees, of which two should be parents of children currently at the setting. As it stands, we only have four trustees, of which only one now has a child at the setting.

We have struggled to attract more volunteers, despite repeated efforts. As a result, we have taken steps to try to secure the playgroup’s future by engaging with PATA (the largest voluntary sector provider of support to early years childcare and education in Gloucestershire) regarding their ‘PATA-managed’ setting initiative.

If our application is successful, the playgroup will be taken over and run by PATA, and the parent-run committee will be disbanded. PATA is committed to ensuring

that local playgroups remain open, and have had success with a number of other settings in the area.

----- Start of picture text -----
WHITESHILL PLAYGROUP
THE SCOUT HUT
PLAYING FIELDS
LOWER STREET
WHITESHILL
STROUD
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST AUGUST 2025
----- End of picture text -----

WHITESHILL PLAYGROUP

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Charity number 900321

Principal address

The Scout Hut Playing Fields Lower Street Whiteshill Stroud GL6 6AN

Trustees

S.E. Clutterbuck (appointed 8th October 2024) L. K. Goodchild (resigned July 2024)

T. C. Irwin (appointed 8th October 2024)

J.F. Lore (resigned July 2024) L.C. Murray (resigned December 2024) C.R. Parnell (appointed 15th October 2024) R.H. Swanwick (appointed 7th May 2024) G.A.Taylor (resigned July 2024) S.J. Watson (resigned February 2025)

Independent Examiner

Chris Vaughan Accountants 195 Ermin Street Swindon Wiltshire SN3 4NA

WHITESHILL PLAYGROUP

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST AUGUST 2025

The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31st August 2025.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its constitution which was adopted on 2nd October 1985 and amended on 15th April 2008.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES Objectives and aims

To enhance the development, care and education of children primarily under statutory school age, and also of children and young people, by encouraging parents to understand and provide for the needs of their children through community (voluntary managed) groups and by:

a) Offering appropriate play 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;
b) Encouraging the study of such needs of such children and their families and promoting public interest in, and recognition of, such needs in the local area;
c) Instigating and adhering to, and furthering, the aim of PATA

Public benefit

The charity meets the Charity Commission's public benefit criteria in furthering its aims and objectives.

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 12th June 2026 and signed on its behalf by:

........................................................................

T. Irwin - Trustee

WHITESHILL PLAYGROUP

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Whiteshill Playgroup.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The trustees’ responsibilities for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) are set out in the Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities.

You consider that the audit requirement of Section 144 Charities Act 2011 (the Act) does not apply. It is my responsibility to state, on the basis of procedures specified in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under Section 145 (5) (b) of the Act, whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of Independent Examiner’s Report

My examination was carried out in accordance with General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the financial statements presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements, and the seeking of explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently no opinion is given as to whether the financial statements present a true and fair view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements: - to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 130 of the Act; and
to prepare financial statements which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the Act have not been met; or
(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of

the financial statements to be reached.

C. Vaughan Chris Vaughan 195 Ermin Street Stratton St Margaret Swindon SN3 4NA

Date 12th June 2026

WHITESHILL PLAYGROUP

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31ST AUGUST 2025

CURRENT ASSETS Debtors Cash at Bank £ ACCUMULATED FUND At 1st September 2024 (Deficit) for the Year	2041 30069 32110 £ £	£ 32110 _ 32110 23556 8554 _ 32110	2024 3460 20096 23556 23556 _ £23556 62608 (39052) _ £23556	23556 ____ 23556

WHITESHILL PLAYGROUP

INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST AUGUST 2025

Income Donations Grant Fees Fundraising Bank Interest Other Income Expenditure Wages and Salaries 57687 Rent 6210 Insurance 464 Advertising and Marketing 172 Office Costs 349 Repairs and Renewals 5791 Staff Costs 200 Professional Fees 156 I T Expenses 354 PATA/ OFSTED costs 598 Fundraising Costs 277 Bank Charges 156 Miscellaneous Expenses 1615 Surplus (Deficit) for the Year	2024 413 10744 69750 1317 141 18 82383 94152 6600 459 - 223 3220 1445 174 387 741 39 - 898 73829 ___ £8554 £	230 - 67427 1249 180 - 69286 108338 ____ (39052)