WHEATFIELDS NURSERY ASSOCIATION FOR PRESCHOOL EDUCATION (Registered Charity 288809), previously known as WHEATFIELDS PLAYGROUP ASSOCIATION, has formally closed and was de-registered as a charity by the Charity Commission on 11th July 2023.
The association was originally established in 1981 and first open its doors in 1982. It has been run and controlled by a voluntary parent management committee ever since it started.
On 7th August 2020 the management committee of the charity called the whole membership of the charity to an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) to propose transferring the nursery to the ownership and management of Wheatfields Primary School. This was agreed by a unanimous vote and on 2nd November 2020 this transfer took place, with all staff and children transferring to the new owners.
For any queries about the current preschool provision please visit the preschool section of the Wheatfields Primary School website.
This site contains certain statutory and regulatory information relating to the now closed Wheatfields Nursery Association.
Financial Reporting
Treasurer's Annual Report and CC16a annual return for year ending 05.07.23 (CLOSURE)
Treasurer's Annual Report and CC16a annual return for year ending 31.08.22
Treasurer's Annual Report and CC16a annual return for year ending 31.08.21
Treasurer's Annual Report and CC16a annual return for year ending 31.08.20
Treasurer's Annual Report and CC16a annual return for year ending 31.08.19
Treasurer's Annual Report and CC16a annual return for year ending 31.08.18
Transfer of ownership process
Joint Statement to parents with FAQ 24th February 2020
Letter to parents confirming governing body proposal 23rd July 2020
Formal notice of EGM 23rd July 2020
Minutes of EGM held 7th August 2020
Confirmation of status of the school for transfer of ownership
Confirmation of Asset Transfer
De-registration with the Charity Commission
Inspection Reports (Ofsted URN 221831)
Note that future inspections will take place as part of Wheatfields Primary School. Our setting is registered as closed with Ofsted.
Covid-19 Continuing Education compliance
Notice to parents of Nursery Closure and home learning book packs - 19th March 2020
Notice to parents of future partial reopening - 23rd May 2020
Partial Reopening details information pack for parents - 30th May 2020
Nursery re-opened in full as one bubble in September 2020 following the updated guidance of the time.
Historial Information
Summary of our earliest years including formation in 1981
An example of an early budget from 1983
A typical early newsletter 1983
Our last ever newsletter 2020
Any further historical information may be viewable from our former website for a short time.
A Closing Message for the former Treasurer
Hundreds of parents gave up their time since our association's launch in 1982 to serve on the committee, including many as a stint in chair, secretary or treasurer. Many many parents, especially in the early days, volunteered to help out with sessions and in much of our history a waiting list was in place due to demand.
Everyone who volunteered for the association, in whatever way they did, should be proud of what they contributed to.
In more recent years, it was becoming harder and hard to get folk to take on committee roles and we ended up one officer down in 2019 with the secretary temporarily stepping up to chair but the other vacancy being unable to fill. Our committee that had been well over 20 strong in the past was down to 5.
I first joined the committee as treasurer immediately after we declared a £17,000 loss and it was quite clear the voluntary committee structure was no longer sustainable. It wasn't fair on the few volunteers remaining. It was wasn't fair on the staff who were not getting fair access to continuing professional development or getting issues like employment grievances dealt with in a timely manner because volunteers were tasked with running a small business who did not necessarily have the appropriate skills or time required to deal with such matter professionally or promptly.
I was immediately able to deal with over-staffing and invoicing issues to prevent the loss repeating itself, resulting in a surplus that more than recouped our losses for 2019/20, but moving forward a more sustainable model was needed. In the previous year, Burleigh Hill Nursery, located within Wheatfields Primary School from 1997, had just closed down.
Locally, both Eastfield and Thorndown schools run their preschool provision, and at my first committee meeting I received full backing from the committee to approach the school to investigate their interest in running the nursery. The head teacher at the time, Mrs Theresa Thornton, was extremely supportive and wanted to help the nursery in any way possible.
The governing body approved the idea and our membership ended up voting unanimously for transfer to the school. Due to careful management during our last year and months in control, we were able to pass over £37,000 and our mobile classroom premises to the school for ringfenced use by the preschool.
In the summer of 2023 Wheatfields Primary School replaced our mobile classroom (which dates from 1998) with a new one, helping to ensure the future of preschool provision for the Wheatfields community for many years to come, showing the school's commitment to preschool provision and confirmation that the decision our membership made on 7th August 2020 was without doubt the best option for the ongoing future of preschool provision for the Wheatfields community.
Stuart Wilkinson
former Treasurer, Wheatfields Nursery Association