St Matthews Pre-School Group
Annual Trustees Report 2022-2023
Introduction
St Matthews Pre-School Group, a registered Charity (Number 1019336), is committed to transparency and accountability. We are obliged to hold an AGM and present this Trustees' Annual Report, inclusive of a comprehensive financial overview for the year. This document is subsequently submitted to the Charities Commission and made accessible on their website for public viewing.
We adhere to the 2011 Early Years Alliance Constitution and elect a committee of service users (parents/caregivers) for whom oversee the running of the pre-school. This committee must consist of a Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and a minimum of 2 additional members to achieve quorum for decision making.
Parents of all children of 3 years and over are eligible to claim up to 15 hours free childcare (30 hours if eligible). St Matthews Pre-School Group receives its funding from Warrington Borough Council.
Overview of the Year 2022/23
Commencing the year with 16 children on our register, we welcomed both returning and new children, all settling quickly. The initial lower headcount prompted adjustments to staff hours in response to reduced income. By yearend, we had 23 children enrolled, with 11 of them moving up to primary school.
We continued to adapt to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) changes implemented in September 2021, with streamlined paperwork and enhanced safeguarding protocols.
The committee continued with fundraising efforts, organising sponsored events such as the Autumn and summer Toddles, as well as holding raffles during the Christmas nativity and Sports day. Additional funds were generated through a Christmas craft breakfast and door stop Santa visits. At the school's summer fair, we successfully sold doughnuts, with all proceeds going towards essential resources and pre school improvements.
Our team of 6 Pre-School staff remained consistent throughout the year, providing a nurturing and effective learning environment for the children. A
supply cover practitioner was available as needed. At the end of the year we bid farewell to two members of staff, Manager Alison Lockie and Assistant Andrea King. Following an extensive recruitment process, we welcomed a new pre-school manager in September 2023.
Committee
The committee for 2022/23 comprised:
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Chair – Vicky Lockwood
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Secretary – Rebecca King
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Treasurer – Bethan Fawcett
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Member – Louise Moye
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Member – Lizzie Overend
Appointed trustees included Vicky Lockwood, Rebecca King, Louise Moye, and Beth Fawcett. Alison Lockie serves as the nominated person for Ofsted, and Tracy-Anne Clancy is our point of contact for the Charities Commission. Signatories for payroll remain Alison Baird and Tracy-Anne Clancy, subject to adjustment to reflect newly appointed officers.
Looking Forward to 2023/24
The new academic year has commenced on a positive note, with 8 new starters settling well. A healthy waiting list and upcoming new starters indicate a promising year ahead.
Over the summer, we transitioned to a nursery management system to enhance invoicing and parent communication. We plan to utilise this system further implementing electronic learning journeys.
In pursuit of efficiency, we made cutbacks by discontinuing our landline, changing website providers, and altering our broadband and mobile phone services. Considerations are being made to convert to a CIO (Charity Incorporated Organisation) in the coming year to ensure future stability for pre school.
Fundraising will target a goal of purchasing iPads for the electronic learning journals and PE equipment for weekly sessions.
Anticipated changes to the National Living Wage from April 2024 and adjustments to government funding for 2-year-olds highlight the necessity for careful financial planning over the next year.
Thank You
Thank you to all our staff for their hard work and commitment to our pre school. The nurturing environment they provide fosters confidence and independence, greatly appreciated by parents and carers.
Special thanks go to the committee for their support over the past year, which has been invaluable. Their contributions to fundraising, ideas, and encouragement are much appreciated.
Lastly, thank you to the parents, relatives, and friends whose generous donations and ongoing support sustain the operation of our pre-school.
This concludes the report.
| ST MATTHEWS PRE SCHOOL GROUP | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE | |||||||||
| YEAR ENDED 31JULY 2023 | |||||||||
| REGISTERED CHARITY NO: 1019336 | |||||||||
| Year Ended 31 July 2023 £ 2,694 8,521 902 20 21,482 39,564 |
Year Ended 31 July 2022 £ 1,960 9,520 -111 18,431 35,660 |
Year Ended Year Ended 31 July 2023 31 July 2022 £ £ 53,044 48,413 671 1,114 547 428 1,119 1,016 6,375 4,920 566 392 170 0 |
|||||||
| INCOME | EXPENDITURE | ||||||||
| Balance brought forward 1 August | Salaries / Pensions | ||||||||
| Current account | |||||||||
| Reserve account | NIns / Tax | ||||||||
| Accruals | |||||||||
| Cash | PayslipService | ||||||||
| Fees | Subscriptions / Insurance | ||||||||
| Government Grants | Rent | ||||||||
| Telephone | |||||||||
| Staff Training | |||||||||
| Sub-Total | 61,046 2,420 535 150 2,296 340 49 8 |
54,092 1,685 552 1,470 3,446 266 14 1 |
Sub-Total | 62,493 56,282 2,617 724 0 419 184 1,545 456 572 94 112 81 4 99 189 173 227 243 260 904 425 |
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| Snack Fees & Lunch Fees | Snacks & Lunches | ||||||||
| Uniform Sales & Registration Fees | Uniform & BagSupplies | ||||||||
| Curriculum,Outings & Events | Curriculum,Outings & Events | ||||||||
| Fundraising (inc Gift Aid) | FundraisingExpenses | ||||||||
| Grants & Donations(inc. matchedgiving) | CleaningSupplies / PPE | ||||||||
| Other | Stationery/Postage | ||||||||
| Bank Interest | DailyActivities | ||||||||
| Children's Profiles | |||||||||
| Toys & Equipment | |||||||||
| Other / Advertising | |||||||||
| Total Income in the Year | 66,844 | 61,525 | Total Expenditure in the Year | 67,344 60,759 |
|||||
| 927 2,694 10,529 8,521 151 902 30 20 |
|||||||||
| Balance carried forward 31July | |||||||||
| Current Account | |||||||||
| Reserve Account | |||||||||
| Accruals / Prepayments | |||||||||
| Cash in Hand | |||||||||
| Total | 78,981 | £72,895 | Total | 78,981 £72,895 |
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Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of St Matthews Pre-School Group
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of St Matthews Pre-School for the year ended 31 July 2023.
Responsibilities and Basis of Report
As the charity trustees of the Trust 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 pre-school’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 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 accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act.
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.
Signed: P Clancy
Name: Paul F Clancy (ACA, MBA)
Date: 20[th] September 2023
Financial Overview of St Matthews Pre School Group Accounts
1[st] August 2022 - 31[st] July 2023
Registered Charity No: 1019336
Overview
The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and cover the period 1[st] August 2022 to 31[st] July 2023.
Income for the year totalled £66,844, the major source of income being fees and grants (£61,046) coupled with a particularly impressive amount of fundraising (£2,296).
Expenditure for the year was £67,344, an increase of £6,585 compared with the previous year, being mainly in respect of salary/pension costs. There has also been a step increase in rent of £1,455 year on year.
Expenditure was £500 in excess of income for the year.
The closing balance on the Current Account is £927, with the Reserve Account closing at £10,529. At the end of the academic year, we had overpaid WBC £151 for lunches which has been adjusted for in the income and expenditure accounts.
Income
The key areas to note are as follows:
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Fees & Grants – Total income from parental fees and grants from Warrington Borough Council (WBC) amounted to £61,046 compared with £54,092 the previous year. By way of note, the basic running costs of pre-school (staff costs, rent, telephone and insurance) totalled £62,493. The reserve account was used to supplement the cash flow.
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Snack Fees – We were grateful to receive the continued financial assistance towards the cost of snacks this year, amounting to £1,192. This was spent on healthy snacks for the children (including special events) and also ensured that the premises, equipment and hands were kept as clean as possible.
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Fundraising – Fundraising during 2022/23 amounted to £2,296 (net £1,840), the most profitable events being the Autumn Toddle, Santa Visits, Summer Toddle and Cake Stall. Annex 1 presents the analysis of fundraising income and expenditure.
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Donations – We were fortunate to receive £340 of donations during the year, the main one resulting from the closure of Appleton Thorn Pre-School as a charity. Very much appreciated.
Expenditure
The main areas of expenditure are discussed below, with a more detailed analysis of capital expenditure included in Annex 2.
- Staff Costs – As a child-care organisation, the main expense for pre-school is in respect of staffing. Total staff costs this year totalled £54,262 compared with £49,955 in 2021/22. There were 6 staff on the payroll for the full year. Although this at face value appears to be a large outgoing, it should be considered in context with the hourly rates paid. We are a registered charity and as such we can only pay what we
can afford. The hourly rates at the close of the year were: Manager £12.50 / hour, Deputy Manager £12.20 / hour and £10.50 per hour for Assistants. For reference, the National Minimum Wage announced by the Chancellor (effective from April 2023) is £10.43. Legally, we also have to provide and contribute into a workforce pension scheme.
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Snacks, Lunches & Supplies – Our outgoings on snacks and lunches (payable to WBC) this year totalled £2,617 with an additional £94 being spent on cleaning equipment (Dettol wipes, hand sanitisers etc). Each child is provided with a healthy snack and we were grateful for ongoing parental contributions towards this cost.
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Rent – Our rent (payable to St Matthews PCC) totalled £6,375 compared with £4,920 (2021/22). The hourly rate during 2022/23 was £6.70 a 15% increase from £5.82 per hour the previous year.
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Toys & Equipment – During 2022/23, £243 was spent on Toys and Equipment, in line with the previous year. The analysis of expenditure is shown in Annex 2.
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Curriculum, Outings and Events – A total of £184 was spent on special events including the Christmas and Leavers Party and Sports Day. The expenditure in previous years has included Fun French lessons.
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Telephone – Pre-school pay for a telephone landline into the building to ensure contact can be made with other parties (e.g. parents, Ofsted, emergencies etc) as required, ensuring no “loss of signal”, “low batteries” or “loss” as experienced with mobile phones. Plusnet provide both the telephone and internet service which costs approximately £452 per year. We also have a mobile phone for parent messaging which costs us £9.50 per month.
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Other – We continue to use Juniper Education (Primary Site) to ensure our website functionality is maintained. Also included are volunteer DBS checks and expenses, first aid equipment and one-off expenses.
Cash Flow
Cash flow is monitored and accounted for on a term by term basis. The reserve account was utilised during the year to cover the initial few months until numbers increased and fundraising got underway.
St Matthews pre-school group holds a business reserve account in order that we can:
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cover costs in the event of pre-school closing
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cover for periods of low income
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replace old equipment as necessary
Reserves are held as follows:
| Description of Reserve Fund | Amount Held £ |
|---|---|
| Redundancy Fund | 10,529 |
| Or: | |
| Emergency running costs for one month | 5,500 |
| Replacement of Equipment | 2,500 |
| General Use | 2,529 |
| Total | 10,529 |
Annex 1
| Fundraising | Income £ |
Expenditure £ |
Profit £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photos | 44 | - | 44 |
| Autumn Toddle | 419 | - | 419 |
| Pumpkins | 42 | - | 42 |
| Santa | 228 | 79 | 149 |
| Christmas Raffle | 63 | - | 63 |
| Craft Breakfast | 65 | 64 | 1 |
| Calendar | 14 | 8 | 6 |
| Easter Party | 100 | 8 | 92 |
| Ice Lollies | 217 | 115 | 102 |
| Sports Day | 325 | 49 | 275 |
| Summer Toddle | 235 | - | 235 |
| Cake Stall | 369 | 133 | 236 |
| Tuck Shop | 1 | - | 1 |
| Bag2School | 115 | - | 115 |
| EasyFundraising | 59 | - | 59 |
| Total | 2,296 | 456 | 1,840 |
Annex 2
| Major Expenditure | £ | £ |
|---|---|---|
| Storage Boxes | 78 | |
| Mat | 10 | |
| Software | 60 | |
| Play Sand | 13 | |
| Decking Repairs | 50 | |
| Mermaid Sequin Frame | 23 | |
| Blanket | 5 | |
| Sandpit Covers | 4 | |
| Total Toys & Equipment | 243 |