Dear Parents
We are writing to let you know of plans for the Sydling Springs Pre-School for 2011-12; and to ask for your help.
Sydling Springs Pre-School 2011-12
Projections show the year group for 2011-12 at Sydling Springs is at present smaller than recent years. Pre-schools like ours operate on a knife-edge in terms of funding – our outgoings of staff salaries and hall rental come to about £2,100 per month from September – and without changes, the income from parents and government will not cover the costs of keeping our pre-school going.
Over the summer, the committee has been looking energetically at ways to grow the pre-school and balance the books, including fundraising, grants and marketing (see later), and some agreed reductions in staff hours. It also became apparent that we currently charge fee-paying children less (£3.40/hr) than the amount we receive from the Council for funded children (around £3.75/hr). From September 2011 we will therefore be bringing the fees into line with the Council’s valuation:
| Session |
Cost |
Duration |
| Morning |
£9.75 |
2.5 hours (9.30am to 12pm) |
| Afternoon |
£9.00 |
2.5 hours (12-2.30pm) |
| Full Day |
£18.75 |
5 hours (9.30am – 12.30pm) |
| Lunch club (on top of morning session) |
£4.00 |
1 hour (12-1pm) |
This increase will only go a small way to sustaining the pre-school and, without further effort, will not be enough.
Your help
To retain our vibrant, friendly, local pre-school, with all the benefits of outdoor facilities which enable us uniquely to offer Forest School, the pre-school also needs your help. Other pre-schools locally have closed due to lack of funds. Imagine the inconvenience to you if Sydling Springs suffered the same fate. Without it, the character of the village and surroundings would also change.
The pre-school exists as a result of the efforts of a small group of individuals who make up the staff and the committee. We therefore require both your continued support of our fundraising activities and your involvement.
For the coming academic year we need:
- Fresh volunteers for the Governing Committee to fill key roles including the Chair, Secretary and Fundraising positions.
- Someone who can take a lead or work with Sam to identify and apply for grants.
- Help in marketing our preschool. It is unique and we provide expert childcare, but to be sustainable we want a fuller register of children for the 2011-12 academic year.
Without the active involvement of all our parents, the preschool will not flourish. So, if you have valued the preschool please help keep it going for those who come after you. Please come along to the AGM scheduled for Monday 19 September at 20.00 (venue details will follow), where we will be looking ahead to 2011-12 and seeking nominations to the committee.
If you have any comments, questions or suggestions in the meantime, please also do not hesitate to contact Sam Mercer or any member of the existing committee. We look forward to seeing you next term!
Yours truly
Mike Rose (Chair), Sophia Gallia (Treasurer), Sam Mercer (Play Leader