BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Message from the Chairman

The School Governing Body (SGB) comprises 9 voting members (made up of 5 parents, the headmaster, 2 educators, 1 non-teaching staff member) and the 2 non-voting deputy principals: 

As the Board of the school, we represent the combined interests of all our families in ensuring that Chelsea Prep continues to offer a superior education package to our children. Whilst the Principal and the School Management Team (SMT) deal with all education and curricula issues and day-to-day running of the school, the SGB’s governance role covers the following responsibilities:

1. The School Budget and School Fees
2. Financial Management
3. Policy Formulation and enactment (including Sport)
4. Development and Planning for the Future
5. Supervision of the school buildings and other assets

Chelsea has an exceptionally strong SMT and excellent staff. As one of the cogs in the ‘Chelsea Family’ wheel, we as the SGB will continue to work closely with the SMT to provide excellence in our children’s educational experience. We view our governance role as a privilege and an honour and look forward to good and happy memories for our children.

We welcome your input as parents of the school and have included a facility in the website for you to write to the board on any issues that we have responsibility for. We encourage you to get involved where you can in the school ‘family’. Recently a Parents Association (PA) was formed which has been tasked to assist the SMT organise functions and play a role in certain projects the school is involved with. This committee meets regularly and Donne Simpson has been elected chairperson.

Brad Bricknell
Chairman.
CHELSEA PREP SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY

CHELSEA PREPARATORY SCHOOL

BUDGET MEETING

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of parents to discuss the 2011 Budget held on Tuesday 26 October 2010 at 19h00 at the Chelsea Campus

Mr. Nel welcomed all present

1.             Notice of Meeting

Mr. Nel moved that the notice of the meeting be taken as it had been circulated. The meeting was duly convened.

Proposed:  Kerry Golten

Seconded: Michele Melville

2.             Present

                39 Parents – 5 Board of Governor members; 6 teachers

                Chelsea and Northway staff

3              Apologies

                Nil

4.             Confirmation of Minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed and taken as read.

5.         Presentation of Budget 2010

Mr. de Beer presented the Budget for 2011 emphasizing that Chelsea and the Board of Governors introduce this budget with the best interest of the children in mind.

Budget Consideration

·         Retain and provide stable environment for teachers.

·         Bad debts and debt collection procedures

·         Abnormal increased in water and electricity

·         Maintain and improve facilities – repair toilets, hose kitchen (aftercare at Northway), repaint exterior of Chelsea Campus, library air-conditioning on both campuses, upgrade PA system and CCTV in passages.

·         Increase reserves to fund Northway development – plans displayed to parents.

·         Remedial support – part-time psychologists to support staff.

School Fees – 2011

·         Slight increase in number of learners

·         Current – R14 500.00

·         Proposed – R16 500.00

 DPHS                     R29 000

 Virginia                   R18 000

 Glenashley             R14 500

 La Lucia JP             R18 000

 Atholton                  R15 500

·         This is an increase of R170/per month

·         R1650 per month for 2011

·         After subsidies and bad debt fees collected – R14 172m

Summary of Expenses

                                                2011                       2010

Staff                                           65%                       66%

Operating expenditure                29%                       31%

Capital Expenditure                     4%                          2%

Sports/Culture                             2%                          1%

TOTAL                                  R14 250m                 R12 382m

Summary of Income and Expenses

                                                2011                       2010

School Fees                             95.0%                    96.2%

Hire of facilities                          1.4%                      1.5%

Government subsidy                  0.9%                      1.0%

Remedial/Aftercare                    2.5%                      2.9%

Total Income                         R14 903m                R13 068m

Expenditure                          R14 250m                R12 384m

Surplus Income

(Development fund)               R653 000                 R686 000

Budget Concerns

·         Extent of arrears and unpaid school fees

·         1% from Government diminishing

Payment of school fees is imperative to maintain the standard of education and facilities

·         Collection of fees in 2011

Full accounts to be invoiced at beginning of year

·         Signed commitment to pay in full by 28 February – 10% discount

·         Signed commitment for 10 x monthly payments – 5% discount

Legal action will be taken on outstanding amounts.

Budget Summary

2011 will be a year of financial consolidation – capital reserves have to be built for next big capital project – Northway extensions.

Increase in school fees is adequate to meet the immediate need of the school.

Expenses are well controlled and debt collection is a priority.

Mr. de Beer thanked Mr. Nel and Mrs Scott for putting the budget for 2011 together.

6.         Adoption of Proposed Budget for 2009 and approval of school fee amount for 2010

No objections from the floor

School fees for 2011 – R16 500.00 p.a. accepted.  Proposed by Keith Goulding, seconded by Donnee Simpson

7.         Adoption of procedure for subsidies

                Mr. Nel explained the procedure to the floor.

8.         Election of Trustees

Mr. M de Beer was elected a trustee of the school trust. Proposed by Craig van Heerden and seconded by Laurence Stevens

Meeting closed at 19h30

Mr.  B Bricknell (Chairman)                                               Mrs. A Frost (Secretary)                    

CHELSEA PREPARATORY SCHOOL

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of parents to discuss concerns from the parent body held on Tuesday 26 October 2010 at 19h30 at the Chelsea Campus

Mr. Bricknell explained the reasoning behind the second meeting on Budget night and introduced the members of the Board of Governors.

1.             Chairman’s Report – Mr Brad Bricknell

The role of the Board of Governors is non-academic.

·         Determine language and admission policy

·         Be the official mouthpiece of the parents

·         Exercise supervision of the school buildings and other assets

·         Set sport and culture policy

·         Set annual tuition fees

·         Manage the use of school funds

Managing school funds

·         65% school income  = hiring academic and support staff

State pay for 22 academic, 2 secretarial, 2 cleaning staff

SGB pay for 31 Academic, 3 sport, 9 admin, 10 maintenance and 6 aftercare staff

² / ₃  of all staff at the school are SGB hired.

·         Sport – hiring of staff, coaches and equipment

15 rugby teams

20 cricket teams

35 hockey teams

17 netball teams

2 action netball teams

1 cross-country team, 1 tennis and 2 chess teams

·         Support Unit (counseling of parents and children, identifying learning disabilities, free assessment by remedial teacher, have OT on the spot. Next year, qualified psychologist will work on programs that will run through the school e.g. bullying, peer pressure.

2010 – Key Focus Areas

·         Northway strategy – 3:5:5:5 by 2012

·         Improve bottom sports field

·         Upgrade Chelsea campus back entrance

·         New and improved school website

·         Formation of Parents association

·         All these objectives are on track or have been achieved.

Future Capital projects

·         Build 3 classrooms at Northway to replace prefab classrooms

·         Develop sports field at back of 137 Northway into a little hockey field including cricket nets.

·         Revamp toilets next to bottom field at Chelsea Campus

·         Northway Hall extension

·         FUNDING!

2.           Chairperson – Parents Association – Mrs Donne Simpson

              Mrs Simpson explained the role of the Parent Association and the reason

              for its inception.

3.            Open Discussion and Questions from the Floor

3:1:1       Mr. S Govender expressed his concerns and asked why the school had not approached large corporations in the area for funding – Mr Nel replied that large corporations are more interested in disadvantaged schools but Chelsea has approached Lotto but has been told this may not be forthcoming. Mrs Alston said that Mr Nel and she had approached Drakes International to assist in getting large funding but this is costly and we need to take small steps.

3:1:2       Mr. Govender enquired re fundraising for all the major projects. Mr Nel explained what actually happened to monies raised by fundraising.

3:1:3       Mr. Govender said that we need to get more parents to the budget meeting – obviously the main parent body trusted the BOG in putting together the yearly budget. Mrs Frost had sent out a sms to all parents earlier in the day.

3:1:4       Mr Baxter said that although the new entrance at the back of Chelsea was a vast improvement he did voice some concerns over the manner in which some parents speed and the behavior of the children with disregard to cars coming in and out. The placing of the waiting area was too far and quite remote. Could the guard that is posted down at the bottom gate do some patrolling in trying to manage the situation as it was an accident about to happen. Mr Nel replied that the management of the school was aware of the problem and it would be addressed as soon as possible. Mrs Simpson added that this problem was really only straight after the bell had gone in the afternoons.

3:1:5       Mrs Young voiced concerns re the boundary walls and how safe and secure they were – people can quite easily jump over the wall and enter the school. Mr Bricknell said that ideally Chelsea would like to fence the whole of the Chelsea Campus like Northway but the costs were astronomical as the poles need to be quite close so as not to let balls go through. The priority for next year is the upgrading of the toilets which are in dire need of renovation.

3:1:6       Mr Baxter said that he had gone and seen the audited accounts for last year and was horrified at the bad debt situation. Mrs Scott replied that it had improved with the new strategy that has been implemented this year in the collection of bad debt fees.

3:1:7       Mr Gilbert asked about the sport policy. Mr Field explained that Sport For All policy and the need to outside coaches to be employed to keep this policy going satisfactorily.

3:1:8       Mrs Young reiterated that Chelsea Prep was really unbelievable value for money and the Chelsea parents should be grateful with what their children are getting at Chelsea.

3:1:9       Mr Golten compared the UK education with South Africa with O levels and the option for A levels. Mr Nel said this was so in South Africa with the inception of FET school but although it is on paper the government does not have the funds to equip these schools. Mrs Alston also mentioned the CAPS curriculum which is supposed to be implemented in the Junior phase next year. This new syllabus is very prescriptive with the use of textbooks, longer school hours, introduction of old subjects again, higher standard of maths, technology and science.

Meeting closed at 21h00            

Mrs B Bricknell (Chairman)                                 Mrs. A Frost (Secretary)