2006

Trustees’ Report - 2006

Overview

2006 was a year of tremendous achievement for the Charity and a great celebration on the occasion of our 50th Anniversary.

As HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, our President from 1960 to 1965, put it in his letter of congratulations:

“It is usually fairly easy to set up a new organisation with the impetus of enthusiastic pioneers. The challenge is to keep the organisation going, and to ensure that it continues to meet the intentions of its founders.

The National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations has not only met the ambitions of its founders, it has gone on to achieve even greater success. I am therefore delighted to have this opportunity to offer my very warmest congratulations to the National Confederation on its 50th anniversary. Its success is a testament to the energy and hard work of a succession of trustees, volunteers and staff. I have no doubt that it will go on to achieve even greater things in the future.”

HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh KG KT

Objectives and Activities

The principal objects contained within the charity’s memorandum and articles of association are:
To advance education by encouraging the fullest co-operation between home and school, education authorities, central government and all other interested parties and bodies.

The charity carries out a biennial review of its aims and activities and during 2005 confirmed the six areas of strategic importance as noted below.

Achievements and Performance

Membership grew again during 2006, with net membership income increasing to £967,079 in 2006 from £863,863 in 2005. Expenditure on charitable activities rose to £1,162,346 compared with £922,727 on an equivalent basis in 2005. The investment portfolio, held by RCM (UK) Ltd, performed in line with the chosen benchmark index as set by the WM Company for the Charities universe.

The six key strategic objectives agreed in December 2003 and reported last year remained in force throughout 2006. They continued as the focus of our work during the year, and the key items are reported under the six headings below.

1. To maintain and expand the quality and range of PTA support

As a membership organisation this remains our core focus and we are most grateful to the membership team in the office and our Regional Advisers who continue to manage the relentless demand. Member response to our range of products and services continues to be very encouraging, and our own research amongst members has reinforced our core focus. Top of the list of member interests was insurance (93%), website (87%), fundraising ideas (86%) and information sheets (83%). Our subscription linked insurance cover and the fundraising advice we provide continues to be of paramount importance to members. These services will continue to be centre stage in all that we do.

2. To achieve high levels of service for existing and new members

Yet again in 2006 we surveyed member opinion and we are pleased to report that satisfaction remained very high, with 85% of respondents rating service, contact and value as either excellent or good.

The strength of this member feedback gave us the backing we needed to invest in high levels of local support and to reinforce our decision to increase the number of Regional Advisers, so that members in all areas will benefit from the full range of NCPTA support services including their own local Regional Adviser. This investment has required a draw down from our reserves, but it is one we feel will prove worthwhile in the long run and a major factor in our ability to increase membership throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Another major plank in our development work to provide added value for members was the commencement of a project in late 2006 to restructure our website. We expect this project to be complete in spring 2007.

3. To increase the number of PTAs in membership

Each year we inevitably experience some attrition as schools close and formerly active PTAs lose their momentum. However, during the year we established that many of these PTAs who are forced to close and therefore discontinue their membership do start up again and return to enjoy the full range of benefits NCPTA has to offer. We continue to pursue membership growth and are pleased to report that membership in 2006 was 13,104 compared to 13,080 in 2005.

4. To expand NCPTA’s knowledge available to members and of members views and opinions

We continue to focus on the provision of a range of information sheets and late in the year began to review and update them. We also continued our member survey work both to inform the way in which we provide services for members but also to learn more of their views and opinions on key educational issues, which in turn feeds into the “voice” mentioned below.

5. To be the voice of parents in education

As a membership organisation our focus must remain on the core services of insurance and fundraising ideas demanded by our members. However, parental opinion continues to be sought by media and through various consultations by government departments. As a result we ensure that we can provide a professional response to the requests we receive. Part of this work involves media response and part involves membership of Government working parties for which we continue to receive request for participation by our Chief Executive.

6. To increase the charity’s profile amongst its key audiences

The profile afforded by exhibition attendance was highlighted in our Reports in 2004 and 2005 and we have continued the practice in 2006. As part of our commitment to members we have increased the number of workshops and regional training events for both member and non-member PTAs. Requests for our Chief Executive to speak at conferences and policy seminars also continue to grow.

50th Anniversary

2006 was NCPTA’s 50th Anniversary. As well as promoting and praising the first successes of our two new award schemes (Gold Star Rewards recognising historic excellence in PTA activity, and LEAPP learning, education and parental partnership by providing seed corn funding for innovative projects aimed at increasing parental involvement in education) we were also able to offer new member benefits linked to our Anniversary year. One such success was our 50p Anniversary Trail, which was such a success that we propose to continue the concept for PTAs in 2007 and beyond.

Premises

From 2000 our headquarters staff have occupied rented premises in Sevenoaks. Since then we have continued to search for a permanent base, maintaining a Property Fund of some £500,000 to be used to acquire a suitable freehold property. In autumn 2006 we were fortunate to find a spacious ten year old office building in nearby Tonbridge, and after refurbishment were able to move in just before Christmas. The new offices provide greatly improved accommodation and facilities to enable our staff to expand and develop our range of member services.

Staff Commitment

Particular thanks are due to the Chief Executive and his team for continuing to drive our six key areas of strategy forward and for keeping member services and their interests at the heart of our activity, while at the same time meeting the additional demands of the Golden Anniversary Year.

Structure, Governance and Management

The NCPTA is both a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity. It governs itself in accordance with its memorandum and articles of association which were last reviewed by the Board in December 2003. The number and appointment of trustees is set out in the memorandum and articles of association. The decision to appoint all trustees is a power of the Board and there are no external appointments.

The organisational structure of the charity is set by its Board who form from amongst their number working committees to make recommendations to the Board. Following a review in 2005 there are now five such committees, namely:

Membership Services and Development
Policy and Research
Finance, Insurance and Risk
Employment and Remuneration
Nominations (of trustees)

Minutes of these committees are always reported to the Board. The Memorandum of Association includes the power of investment and the power to delegate the management of investments to professional advisers. The powers also include the ability to establish subsidiary companies, one of which, NCPTA Enterprises Limited, was incorporated in 1999. Towards the end of 2005 the Board established a document which lays out the powers reserved to the Board and thereby which matters can be delegated to the Chief Executive. In line with good governance practice the Board is itself responsible for the definition of strategy and the establishment of strategic and financial objectives including the operating budget. The Chief Executive reports progress on strategy, budgets and activity in writing to the Board on a quarterly basis.

Through its finance, insurance and risk committee the Board reviews, on an annual basis, major risks which it may face together with actions and provisions appropriate to ameliorate such risks. Once reviewed the committee’s recommendations are passed to the full Board for their approval.

Policies, Procedures and Operational Authorities

The Board reviews its policies, procedures and operational authorities annually and again with a few small changes all were reaffirmed as appropriate during 2006. General reserves of between one and two years’ expenditure are held to fulfil commitments and to meet obligations for the repair and maintenance of facilities.

Trustees’ responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the surplus or deficit of the company for that period. In preparing these accounts the Trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
prepare the accounts on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in operation.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and to enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Companies Act 1985. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Statements of disclosure to auditor

So far as the Trustees are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company's auditors are unaware, and
They have taken all the steps that they ought to have taken as Trustees in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company's auditors are aware of that information.

Auditors

On 1 June 2006, Creaseys transferred their business to Creaseys LLP, a limited liability partnership incorporated under the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000. The company has given its consent to treating the appointment of Creaseys as extending to Creaseys LLP with effect from 1 June 2006. Accordingly a resolution for the re-appointment of Creaseys LLP as auditors will be put to the Annual General Meeting.

Summarised Accounts - 2006

A copy of the full report and accounts can be obtained by writing to NCPTA at 39 Shipbourne Road Tonbridge Kent TN10 3DS.