Terms of reference
St Johns Methodist Church,
York Road,Sudbury. CO10 1ND
Terms of Reference for
St Johns Methodist Church Pre-School
The Playbox
Effective 1st January 2017
As amended and approved 12.03.2023
Recital
In the early 1990’s St Johns Methodist Church, Sudbury had agreed to provide outreach to the local community through the formation of a playgroup.
In March 1995 following opening of a new hall extension and refurbishment in 1993 it was determined to formalise the structure of the group and Standing Orders were prepared and approved by Church Council 30th March 1995, subsequently undergoing some changes to become known as The Playbox Constitution.
Following review and recommendations it was determined at a meeting of St Johns Methodist Church Council held on 17th November 2016 that further changes were desirous to meet regulatory and legal requirements recognising its pre-school educational status and that steps be taken to redraft the revised provisions in a Terms of Reference format encompassing the propositions passed at that meeting.
This document sets out the Terms of Reference for operation of the Management Committee of the group.
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NAME
1. The name of this group shall be ‘The Playbox’, St Johns Methodist Church Pre-School (hereafter referred to as “The Playbox”)
AIM
2. The object of The Playbox shall be to provide a safe, caring and stimulating environment to encourage intellectual, social, emotional and physical development and growing independence for children from two to five years of age, in which parents and guardians are encouraged to take part.
ROLES
3. The Playbox Management Committee shall make arrangements as required to:-
a) provide accommodation and equipment and engage staff;
b) raise money to pay for Playbox activities;
c) make such payments as shall be necessary;
d) fix and collect fees payable in respect of children attending Playbox;
e) control the admission of children to Playbox and, if appropriate, require parents or guardians to withdraw them;
f) have The Playbox become a member of the Pre-school Learning
g) take any such other action as may benefit Playbox.
MEMBERSHIP OF PLAYBOX COMMITTEE
4. Membership shall be open to all parents or guardians of children on the Attendance Register of Playbox.
GENERAL MEETINGS
5. An Annual General Meeting of the parents or guardians of the children on the attendance register (hereafter referred to as “the members”) and the officers and appointed representatives of the Church Council shall be held each year at which the Annual Report and Accounts for the preceding year shall be presented and agreed.
6. The Secretary or Chair shall arrange the date, time and place of each Annual General Meeting and arrange for notice and agenda to be given to all members, officers and representatives of the Church Council at least two weeks before the date of the meeting.
7. A Special General Meeting may be called at any time at the request of the Committee or one quarter of the members. If the Chair or Secretary do not call a Special General Meeting within two months of a request to do so, any member may call that meeting by putting up a notice in a conspicuous place where the group meets at least two weeks before the meeting.
8. The quorum for a Special General Meeting shall be seven members. If fewer attend a new meeting must be called.
CONSTITUTION OF THE PLAYBOX MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
9 The Committee shall consist of a maximum of 14 members appointed at the AGM:
A maximum of 5 and a minimum of 4 members representative of St John’s Methodist Church,
A maximum of 7 members from the parent/guardian body and the local community.
At the AGM 4 officers will be appointed – Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer and also a Safeguarding Lead.
The Chair and Treasurer must be appointed by the Church Council whilst others must be approved by the Chair or delegated representative of the Church Council.
All members of the committee will have one vote each. In the event of a tied vote the Chair has a second or casting vote.
If there are spaces on the committee up to 2 additional members may be co-opted by the committee. Their names must be notified to the Church Council and they must complete all the statutory checks, with their co-option then becoming immediately effective. They must retire at the next AGM but can stand for election at that AGM.
Any member of staff may attend committee meetings in an advisory capacity if requested by the Chair or as an observer.
A quorum for meetings and voting shall be not less than half the committee in post who have voting rights but to include two officers.
PROCEDURES OF PLAYBOX MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (PMC)
10 The Playbox Management Committee is collectively responsible for managing the Setting and:-
- Will abide by the Codes of Conduct
- Will ensure a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Safeguarding Lead are appointed
- Must be aware of and comply with current legislation
- Will recruit following robust safe recruitment procedures and line-manage staff
- Must monitor finances to ensure the financial stability of the group
- Will endeavour to recruit future members of the committee
- May engage an administrator
- May engage a bursar to be responsible for receipt and payment of funds and financial records
- Will ensure the Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements within the Early Years Statutory Framework are met
- Will appoint a ‘nominated individual’ who is a committee member to notify Ofsted of changes to the committee, the premises or the manager.
- Will have fair personnel and employment policies that meet legal requirements, protect the setting and those who work in it.
- Must ensure that organisational issues are dealt with efficiently at regular meetings
- Will be responsible for Development Plans of the setting in conjunction with the Setting Manager
- Will ensure Playbox is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance
- Will take such other actions as may benefit Playbox
The Committee shall meet at least six times a year and be responsible for ensuring that The Playbox complies with its aims and is properly managed. Adequate notice for each meeting shall be given to the Committee members. All Committee members, within two weeks of being elected or appointed, will complete a Disclosure and Barring Service certificate (DBS) and an Ofsted Early Years 2 form (EY2) to ensure they are suitable people to take up the office of Committee member. No committee member may attend a committee meeting until their suitability has been confirmed by OFSTED.
Minutes of each meeting will be maintained and copy submitted to each committee member including the committee members appointed by the church, following the meeting.
A copy of all agreed policies and procedures shall be maintained and filed in a Policy, Procedures and Administration guide folder.
At the beginning of each academic year the committee and the staff will meet during the professional development day (PD day) to review the previous year’s Nursery development plan and set new goals for the next one. The goals will be set out under the OFSTED inspection headings, will be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely).
Members of the PMC will then commit to be responsible for monitoring a specific goal over the next academic year reporting their monitoring back to the whole committee at a committee meeting. A monitoring plan will be drawn up and circulated to all committee members to ensure that monitoring visits are spread out over the three terms so they do not impact on the work of the setting.
At the AGM a committee member will be appointed with responsibility for Safeguarding. They will have an overview of all aspects of Safeguarding with an annual timetable for monitoring and reporting to the committee. Safeguarding will be on the agenda of every committee meeting.
All committee members will be required to sign the Code of Conduct annually to confirm they will comply.
11. Paid employees are employed by the Church and therefore cannot be Committee members. The Leader, Deputy Leader and bursar shall attend meetings in an advisory capacity.
12. The Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary and Treasurer shall comprise a financial sub-committee and be responsible for reviewing staff remuneration levels annually for recommendation to the committee and setting remuneration for new staff.
13. Officers, elected members and co-opted members each have one vote. In the event of a tie, the Chairman has a second or casting vote.
APPOINTMENT OF LEADER, DEPUTY LEADER AND BURSAR
14. The Leader, Deputy Leader, Administrator and Bursar nominated by the Playbox Committee shall have their names submitted to the minister for approval and appointment;
a) The Leader (or Deputy Leader) should preferably be a member of the Methodist church or supportive of the aims of the Methodist Church;
b) The Leader must be qualified, as acceptable by The Playbox Management Committee. The leader will be level 4 or be willing to undertake level 4 training. The interviewing panel will have at least one member who has up to date Safer Recruitment training
c) Where possible the appointment shall take place at a suitable time (e.g. commencement of the Summer Term; ready to take effect in September, with the retiring Leader finishing at the end of July);
d) One month’s notice on either side shall be required;
CHANGE OF TERMS OF REFERENCE
15. Terms of Reference may be amended from time to time by direction of St Johns Church Council or at the request of The Playbox committee to the St Johns Church Council. In the event of Playbox being for any reason dissolved St. John’s Church Council shall determine how assets previously utilised by The Playbox shall be disposed of.
