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Stoke Gabriel Pre-School Meeting
29th September 2004
Present: Helen Tattersell, Luke Peakman, Julie Goodall, Thomas Goodall, Claire Turner, Amanda Bradbury-Hughes, Carolyn Sharp, Rebecca Gadd, Sarah Toon
Apologies: Caroline Ridge, Sue Stacy, Kate Hill, Alex Dunn
Chair’s Report – see attached
Supervisor’s Report:
First of all I would like to thank all of the committee for giving me this opportunity to become supervisor. I know there were a few doubts from people but I hope to show everyone that I am worthy of this role. I am very excited about my new position and feel very proud to be supervisor of Stoke Gabriel pre-school. I would like to say a big thank you to Claire for having the faith in me and for her continuing support. I take this opportunity to welcome Rachael back from her illness; it’s nice to see her looking well again, and to welcome our latest member Kate Peakman as our acting deputy supervisor. Kate has been a breath of fresh air and has brought plenty of life and humour into the pre-school. We would all like to welcome our new children and their parents to the pre-school. They are: Rachel, Jess, Jem, Zena, Georgia and George. They have all settled in well, especially George who is keeping us on our toes. This term we have been doing fairy stories and a letter has been sent out to parents to let them know what stories we are doing and to encourage their child to bring something in for show-and-tell relating to the story. These letters will be sent out every term to give you an idea of what your child will be learning about. If anyone has any questions or queries about the running of the pre-school please come and see me, but please understand that I am still finding my feet and mistakes may be made, but only once. I’d like to thank you again and thank all the children of this pre-school for making it one to be proud of.
Treasurer’s Report:
The current bank balance is:
£4296.98 (25.09.04)
Of which: £1191.62 is cash reserve/float £1000.00 is reserved for the toilets/renovations project required by OFSTED and fundraised for through 2003/4 £2105.36 used for the normal day-to-day running costs e.g. wages, consumables etc.
We are still anticipating money for: sick pay for staff during the summer term, carnival fundraising and milk vouchers. All amounts are still to be confirmed.
Based on current income and expenditure I would recommend that any new equipment required for the pre-school should only be purchased using income from fundraising events.
Fundraising:
In the last round of fundraising we experienced some difficulties and sadly raised only £17.50. Much of this can be put down to a few teething problems encountered by the new committee and lessons have been learnt as to how better to fundraise in the future. Coming up are a few tried and tested and more certain methods of generating revenue for the pre-school:
Christmas Bazaar
This event is coordinated with the primary school and is held in the village hall every year. We took a view of the other proposed activities going on at around that time and have voted for a date of the 27th of November for this event.
Volunteers are needed!!!!!!
So far we have: Lucky dip – Claire Turner, Face Painting – Carolyn Sharp and Guess the Something?? – Luke Peakman (+Kate). We have many other ideas for stalls at the event but just need volunteers to help set them up and man/woman them. This is a great fun event to join in with and a good fundraiser for toys and equipment at the pre-school.
Seventies Evening
This is a new event for the Stoke Gabriel calendar this year brought to you by Carolyn Sharp and Stacy Hurst. This will be a fundraiser for both pre-school and Parents and Toddlers. The idea basically involves a night of entertainment with a seventies theme at the village hall, dressing the part is essential fro’s and flares etc. There is promise of the ability to consume alcohol on the premises, a buffet bar and a dance floor for the groovers. Posters advertising the event will be around the village soon giving details of the night. Tickets will go on sale shortly and the proceeds will be divided between the two groups.
Sponsored Jump
OK so this is not going to involve a parachute jump for the kids but simply jumping around to music propelled only by their feet. Children will get sponsored to jump continuously throughout a song to “earn” their sponsorship money. This will hopefully prove to be good fun for the kids and a good fundraiser. Prizes will be given to the children with the most sponsorship money received.
Refurbishment Update
OFSTED have said that we need to complete the refurbishment of the toilets however, the timescale is up to us although we do need to provide a deadline for completion of the work. We have support from Mike Webster the Parochial Church Council Chairman to go ahead with the refurbishments but the plans and the deadline must be agreed with the PCC. We have architects plans and next we need quotes for the cost of the work before we can move forward and apply for grants from the council. Planning permission for the work has already been given.
In order for this project to proceed we agreed at the meeting to set up a Sub-committee to be responsible for the work, namely getting the plans finalised, a builder employed, grants and funding applied for, liaising with the PCC, agreeing a timescale for the work and getting the renovations done at a suitable time for all users of the building. Claire has much of what is needed to get the project off the ground already and knows of someone who can provide us with professional advice on seeking grants for this kind of project.
Provisionally the sub-committee will be composed of Luke Peakman, Julie Goodall, Claire Turner. This is however, only intended for the short-term and other more qualified people will be approached to join the sub-committee. Without the completion of this project then the pre-school will either need to relocate or close so as an appeal to you the parents if you have the drive and determination and/or the skills to help us complete the project PLEASE SUPPORT THE PRE-SCHOOL IN HELPING WITH THIS PROJECT.
New Chair
Unfortunately Claire is leaving as chair of the pre-school after 3 years of wonderful service. She would like it to be known that she has valued this time immensely and has loved being chair but feels that it is now time to pass on the role to someone new. Claire would like to begin handing over the responsibilities now giving her sufficient time to “train” the replacement. This is a bit of a letter of appeals but again without a chair the pre-school will close so we are all hoping that someone will step forward and take up the challenge. Claire would like it to be known that it is a very rewarding job (that also looks great on a CV). An option that we discussed at the meeting was that the pre-school employs an administrator that helps with the duties of the chair. This would considerably reduce the workload of the chair and therefore make the job somewhat easier. Possibly this makes the role of chair a bit more attractive to anyone interested. The means of paying for an administrator would need to be further discussed but it would almost certainly mean a small increase in fees. PLEASE COME FORWARD ANYONE INTERESTED IN THE ROLE OF CHAIR, WE NEED YOU.
A.O.B.
Stacy has requested that a member of staff from pre-school, preferably Sarah, comes to visit the Mother and Toddler group at around the end of the summer term. This in order for the children who are moving up to pre-school to meet Sarah in their own environment.
We are now going to start advertising officially for the post of deputy supervisor. Kate Peakman has been filling in for us so far and will be applying for the permanent position. As with the supervisors position we will advertise in the Job Centre, on the Zero14 website and locally. Claire is going to do the advertising and the closing date for applications will be three weeks from now and interviews will proceed as applicants come in.
Sue Stacy has completed her Health and Safety report for the pre-school and all her recommendations will be acted on immediately by the pre-school staff and the committee. The report is available for all to see.
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