Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 21 August 2021 To 20 August 2022
Charity name: Trull Saplings Preschool
Charity registration number: 1018745
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document. |
Para 1.17 | The objective of the Charity is to advance the education of children below compulsory school age. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
• Providing a safe and satisfying group play, in which parents have a right to take part; • Encouraging other charitable activities through which parents may help the children; • Furthering the aims of the Pre-school Learning Alliance The charity aims to provide a safe, secure and stimulating environment, offering a range of fun and educating activities within a happy atmosphere. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The Trustees confirm that they have complied with section 17(5) of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
SORP reference Para 1.38 Policy on grant making Para 1.38 Policy on social investment including program related investment Para 1.38 Contribution made by volunteers
Other
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | During the year the preschool advanced its objectives in the following ways: • As part of our planned curriculum a wide range of toys and equipment have been available to enable the children to learn through play • Invested in staff training. • We have continued to maintain strong links with Trull Primary school, • We have had a visit from Ofsted and are very pleased to report that, thanks to the continued dedication and hard work of the staff, we have retained our ‘Good’ rating. • As part of our ongoing to response to the Covid-19 pandemic, whilst stringent cleaning measures remain in place and we continue with other changes to our systems and procedures, the “one setting” rule has been relaxed for the start of the 2021/22 academic year. This will allow the pre-school to operate at more normal levels again and we are excited to have started the year with a record number of students. The Board of Trustees would like to thank all of the staff for their commitment and contribution made throughout this challenging 12 month period and give a special mention to two individuals who left the pre-school this year. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 |
Other
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | The year ending 20 August 2021 was a challenging year for the preschool due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the fact that we continued to operate at a reduced capacity. This year, funding totalling £56,988 (2021 - £54,397) was received from Somerset County Council in respect of the preschool services provided to the community. Fees from parents, other fundraising activities and a small amount of interest contributed additional income of £42,768 (2018 - £16,932), Total income to for the year was £99,756 (2021 - £77,401). The fundraising restrictions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic were reduced for this reporting year, which resulted in an increased total of £1549 (2021 a £701). The largest expense in the year was the wages of the preschool staff, the quality of whom is critical to the realisation of the charity's objectives. The total cost to the charity was £83,012 (2021 - £65,749) which represents over 83% of the charity's total expenditure in the year (2021 – 78%) amounting to £99,579 (2021 - £83,698). As a result of the above the pre-school has returned a surplus of £177 (2021 – £6,297 deficit) in the year which has increased the reserves held by the charity to £26,466 (2021-£26,289). |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | Trull Saplings Preschool holds reserves in order to cover the cost of 6 months rent and rates plus enough to cover the redundancy costs of the current staff, should the preschool need to stop trading for any reason. Money is also held to pay for any large unforeseen repairs/replacement of equipment i.e for damages caused by a leaking storage shed roof. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £26,466 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | Inflationary stress currently being placed on households making childcare a less viable option, leading to reduced uptake and therefore, preschool revenue. This is also felt directly by the preschool by the fact that staff wage costs have risen to 83% of expenditure, 5% higher than the previous year, yet the funding received by the council |
remains unchanged, with further wage rises in the next reporting period, as well as rent rises and higher general expenses, it’s clear to see that it will become extremely difficult for the preschool to remain profitable unless funding is increased.
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including Para 1.47 any fundraising) Investment policy and objectives including any Para 1.46 social investment policy adopted A description of the principal Para 1.46 risks facing the charity Other
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Trull Saplings Preschool is governed by its constitution dated 5 October 1981 and as amended on 13 October 2011 and 27 June 2018. |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | Unincorporated charitable association. |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | The Board of Trustees must consist of Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary together with not less than 2 and not more than 9 other elected members, with up to a further 3 co-opted members. Co-opted members can be brought in at any point during the academic year to ensure continuity of governance. Not less than 60% of the Trustees shall be Family Members (i.e. individuals who are a parent or guardian of a child attending any group run by the Preschool. Members of the Preschool can put themselves forward for election to the Committee at the Annual General Meeting. Committee members are elected for a period of one year and must retire at the next. Annual General Meeting but can stand for re-election unless they have already served on the Committee in any capacity for ten consecutive years. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | |
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 |
Other
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Trull Saplings Preschool |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | |
| Registered charitynumber | 1018745 |
| Charity’s principal address | Trull Church Community Centre Church Road Trull Taunton TA3 7JZ |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee(if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Durnell | Chair | |||
| Kim Gapper | Secretary | |||
| George McCartney | Treasurer | |||
| Rhys Davies | ||||
| Kristen Davies | ||||
| Barbara | ||||
| Comfort Smithson | ||||
| Anna Temblett | ||||
| Lisa Curtis | ||||
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets held in this capacity
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of Name Address adviser
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date
Trull Saplings Preschool Accounts for the year ended 20 August 2022
| INCOME Fees Funding Fundraising Trips Milk Other Grants Deposit Account Interest TOTAL INCOME EXPENDITURE Salaries Payroll Costs Admin Staff Training Rent & Utilities Insurance Equipment & Consumables Refreshments Present & Parties Subscriptions Trips Milk Fundraising Grants Other TOTAL EXPENDITURE SURPLUS Surplus brought forward at 21/08/19 Add surplus for the year |
2021/22 £ 40,769 56,988 1,549 - - 446 - 4 99,756 83,012 603 211 754 10,806 516 2,340 - 101 314 - - 263 - 659 99,579 177 26,289 177 26,466 |
2020/21 £ 16,230 54,397 701 - - - 6,072 1 |
|---|---|---|
| 77,401 | ||
| 65,749 887 955 1,019 10,214 667 3,282 - 91 610 - - 25 - 199 |
||
| 83,698 | ||
| (6,297) | ||
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF TRULL SAPLINGS PRESCHOOL
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Trull Saplings Preschool (the Charity) for the year ended 20[th] August 2022.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the trustees of the charity, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011(‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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(1) accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or (2) the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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(3) the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Date: 20[th] June 2023
Alexandra Shore FCA CTA DChA A C Mole Chartered Accountants Stafford House Blackbrook Park Avenue Taunton Somerset TA1 2PX
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