Trustees' Annual Report for the period
| Period start date | Period start date | Period end date | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **From ** | 1 | Sept | 2022 | To | 31 Aug |
2023 |
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name Elstow Pre-School - The Ladybirds
Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1020327
| Charity's principal address | The Bunyan Meeting Place |
The Bunyan Meeting Place |
|---|---|---|
| High Street, | ||
| Elstow | ||
| Postcode | MK42 9XP |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole **year ** |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joanna Jameson | Treasurer | |||
| Lorraine Kemp | Administrative Manager |
|||
| Sonya Ford | Chair | |||
| Colin Kemp | Vice Chair | |||
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year
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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) |
|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser Name Address |
||
| EYFS Business Development officer |
Karen Davis | Bedford Borough Council, Cauldwell St, Bedford, MK42 9AP |
| EYFS Adviser for Teaching & Learning |
Nicola Millard | Bedford Borough Council, Cauldwell St, Bedford, MK42 9AP |
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Type of governing document
- (eg. trust deed, constitution)
How the charity is constituted
- (eg. trust, association, company)
Trustee selection methods
- (eg. appointed by, elected by)
Constitution Committee Voluntary/Elected
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:
-
policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
-
the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
-
relationship with any related parties;
-
trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
The Committee adopt and review pre-school policies & procedures on a rolling adaptation basis. New committee members are inducted via welcome packs and guides. Chair, Treasurer and Secretary have specific induction/hand over packs.
- The pre-school has a line management flow chart within the staff handbook that details the structure and responsibilities of both staff and committee.
We also work with and are advised by Bedford Borough Council Early Years Foundation Stage officers.
Members of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.
- Monitored by Bedford Borough Council EYFS during academic year and OfSTED inspection every three years.
Section C Objectives and activities
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
To provide a protective, happy, caring and stimulating environment for young children to gain essential early skills, thereby affording peace of mind to parent/carers when entrusting us with their child’s care. Enhance the development and education of children under statutory school age by encouraging parents to understand and provide for the needs of their children.
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The main activities undertaken by the pre-school are:
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)
Provide accommodation and equipment. Raise money to pay for pre-school activities. Make such payments as shall be necessary. Fix and collect the fees payable in respect of children attending sessions run by the pre-school. Subject to adherence with all applicable legistration, to control the admission of children to the sessions run by the pre-school and if appropriate, require parents or guardians to withdraw them. Insure the property and assets of the pre-school against any foreseeable risk and to take out other insurance policies to protect the pre-school as required.
-
Provide indemnity insurance to cover the liability of the committee members which by virtue of any rule of law would otherwise attach to them in respect of any negligence, default, breach of trust or breach of duty of which they may be guilty in relation to the pre-school. Ensure that any such insurance shall not extend to any claim arising from any act or omission which the committee members knew to be a breach of trust or duty or which was committed by the committee members in reckless disregard to whether it was a breach of trust or duty or not. Also that any such insurance shall not extend to the costs of any unsuccessful defence to a criminal prosecution brought against the committee members in their capacity as committee members of the preschool.
-
Employ paid and unpaid staff, agents and advisors as maybe required from time to time.
-
To do any other lawful things which are necessary or desirable to enable the pre-school to achieve its aims.
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
Membership of the pre-school committee is voluntary and is divided into two kinds:
- (a) Family Membership
You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:
-
policy on grantmaking;
-
policy programme related investment;
-
contribution made by volunteers.
-
Parents or guardians of all children who attend any group run by the pre-school wishing to support the aims of the pre-school.
Each family holding Family Membership will count as one member of the pre-school and will be entitled to one vote at any general meetings of members of the pre-school.
(b) Affiliated Membership
Affiliated Membership is open to those individuals, organisations or other bodies interested in supporting the aims of the pre-school, but who may not have a child attending the pre-school.
An Affiliated Member will be entitled to one vote at any meetings of the pre-school.
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Section D Achievements and performance
Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year
- The pre-school continues to keep the number of children at suitable levels to ensure the continuing employment of staff.
New play equipment has been purchased and we replace equipment and toys that are more popular as and when required. The committee membership has declined in membership with turnover of members as children join and leave the pre-school. We continue to advertise for and encourage new committee members to join, but volunteers are often difficult to come by.
Key roles in the committee have been stable for several years.
Provided one-to-one care for specific children, funded by government.
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Section E Financial review
Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves
Ladybirds is run so as to keep an available cash balance in reserve, at a level sufficient to meet our statutory obligations under employment law, should we be unable to continue operating.
Details of any funds materially in deficit
None.
Further financial review details (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:
-
the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
-
how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
-
investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
Ladybird’s principal source of income is from Government funding of the pre-school places for children. This is available for all after their third birthday, though Ladybirds is also an approved setting for younger children who are entitled to receive funding.
Additional income is derived from private fees charged for children before they are entitled to the government funding, and for sessions not covered by the funding for older children. We do our best to supplement this income with fundraising as far as possible.
All Ladybirds expenditure is for the benefit of the children - employing caring competent staff, and providing stimulating and fun activities and play equipment, in a safe supportive environment.
Section F Other optional information
During the financial year to August 2023, child numbers have remained at or near capacity, keeping staff costs high, but also generating good levels of income.
Overall Ladybirds are showing a financial surplus position for this year, though as this is calculated on a receipts and payments basis, the increase is predominantly due to timing differences on certain expenses. Any surplus funds will be re-invested into equipment and improvements in the setting.
Section G Declaration
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 |
||
|---|---|---|
Colin Kemp |
Joanna Jameson | |
Chair |
Treasurer | |
| 01/09/2025 | ||
| 01/09/2025 |
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----- Start of picture text -----
Charity Name No (if any)
Elstow Pre-School - The Ladybirds 1020327
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period Period start date Period end date
To
from 01/09/2022 31/08/2023
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A1 Receipts
Government funding 155,336 - - 155,336 126,501
Session and other fees 12,878 - - 12,878 10,116
Sales 300 - - 300 374
Other income 587 - - 587 534
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total (Gross income for
169,101 - - 169,101 137,524
AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 169,101 - - 169,101 137,524
A3 Payments
Staff costs 123,105 - - 123,105 106,216
Payroll taxes 1,751 - - 1,751 2,119
Overheads 18,567 - - 18,567 10,531
Other miscellaneous costs 7,018 - - 7,018 8,786
Overpayment refunded - - - - 2,422
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total [ 150,441 ] - - 150,441 130,074
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 150,441 - - 150,441 130,074
Net of receipts/(payments) 18,660 - - 18,660 7,451
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 37,923 - - 37,923 30,473
Cash funds this year end 56,583 - - 56,583 37,923
----- End of picture text -----
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
05/09/2025
1
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B1 Cash funds |
Details Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Balance at bank Undeposited cash Details Details Details Signature J Jameson |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 56,231 - 352 - - - 56,583 - OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name Joanna Jameson |
Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - - - - - When due (optional) Date of approval 01/09/2025 |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
05/09/2025
2
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examlner's Report Report to tho trusts1 m•mbers of Elslow Pre-school - The Ladybirds On accounts tor the year ended 31 August 2023 Charlty no Ilf any) 1020327 Sot out on pages 1 aThJ2 I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the abo¥e charfty I"Ihe Trusfi for year ended 31 August 2023. Responslbllltlos and As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are Tesponsible for the preparatson b•sls of report of the aowunls in acctsrdan with the quirementS of the Charitts Act 2011 ('Ihe Aet'i. I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under sedion 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5}{b} of Ihe Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come lo my attention (other than Ihal disdosed below") in connection Vth the examination vthich gives me Cause to believe that in. any material respect." accounting records V•E not kept in accordan with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord vrilh the aCUnting reojrds Indepgndont examlnees statement I have no concerns and ha come auoss no olher matters in connection with the examinab'on to which attention should be drawn in order to enable proper u Pleas ding of the accounts to reached. wortls in the brackets rfthey th not appty. Dato: Slgnod: Name". Roy Nicol Rolwani professlonal qualMcatlon(sl or body (11 any): FCCA Address: WIltho¢xI, BowErs Lane Riseley Bedfordshire MK44 1DL IER October 2018