2025-08-31-accounts - Noah's Ark Nursery Group

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NOAH'S ARK NURSERY GROUP

REGISTERED CHARITY : 1022584

TRUSTEES REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

13 MONTHS ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

NOAH'S ARK NURSERY GROUP

Legal and administrative information

Trustees:

Chair: Claire Ashworth Treasurer: Kate Verhaag Sophy Moynagh Fleur Robinson - retired 26 March 2025 Georgia Timmis Christine Tulley

Registered Address:

Village Hall, Nayland Road, Bures, CO8 5BX

Bankers:

Lloyds Bank plc, 27 High Street, Colchester CO1 1DU

NOAH'S ARK NURSERY GROUP

Report of the Trustees for the 13 month period ended 31 August 2025

The Trustees present their report with the financial statements of the Nursery for the 13 month period ended 31 August 2025.

The Trustees approved the change of accounting period end from 31 July to 31 August in 2025 to align the reporting period to reflect the normal school terms. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act 2011 based on an income and expenses report.

Objectives

The mission statement of Noah’s Ark Nursery is ‘To provide a high-quality playgroup that is affordable and accessible to all’. It has been at the heart of Bures village life since January 1971 and is led by a Voluntary Committee. They aim to prepare children for future learning by supporting them in building a firm foundation through productive play-based activities.

Structure, Governance and Management

Noah’s Ark Nursery Group is run by a voluntary committee of between 5-12 people and operates under the Pre-School Learning Alliance 2011 Constitution. The Trustees meet 2-4 times a year with a bookkeeper responsible for dealing with monthly reports and payroll matters, including tax, national insurance and all auto enrolment pensions contribution records and payments.

The manager, Leanne, assisted by her deputy manager, Chloe, deals with liaising with prospective parents, managing income and all staff matters.

The Nursery operates in Bures Village hall, during Suffolk school term time and provides a daytime early years nursery, as well as an after school club for children from the local primary school.

Achievements and Performance

After the success of the summer Holiday Club in 2023 and 2024 it was repeated for 6 days in the summer of 2025, together with 3 days at Easter.

The new Baby room has been set up during 2025, with a grant from Suffolk County Council claimed and received to cover some of the new equipment purchases. With expansion of the team to cover the extra baby room more training will be undertaken as required.

Community

The team at Noah’s Ark have carried out more brilliant fundraising this year, to include Messy play and raffles.

Through these events and donations, including grants from the Bures Music Festival, they have managed to raise £2,261.

NOAH'S ARK NURSERY GROUP

Report of the Trustees for the 13 month period ended 31 August 2025 (continued)

Financial review

The incoming fees, donations and interest amounted to £162,358 (2024:12 months £167,092), nursery running expenses amounted to £160,602 (2024:12 months £140,811) with a surplus incoming of £1,756 (2024:12 months surplus £26,281).These figures include interest received on bank balances of £272 (2024:12 months £326). The balance on accumulated cash funds at the period end amounted to £111,257 (2024: 31 July £109,501).

Risk management

The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the Nursery is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the Nursery, and are satisfied that there are systems in place to mitigate exposure to those risks.

Reserves policy

The unrestricted funds represent the cash funds arising from past charitable activities running the Nursery, and reflect careful planning and budgeting, so the position is considered now to be healthy.

The Trustees need to make sensible provision for expected running costs in the future academic year and will monitor Suffolk County Council Early Years Funding and incoming fees closely. The annual running costs have been running at approximately £12,000 per month, so the current position funds equates to around twelve months costs. Current staffing costs are the majority of expenditure and management concentrates on the payroll and following all employment legislation including training and pension contributions. Considering the payroll the Trustees are happy with the level of current reserves.

Within their planning the Trustees are aware of their responsibilities and have acted in reference to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit.

The Trustees' responsibilities in relation to the financial statements

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

The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the Committee to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Committee is required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011 and trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Approved by the Trustees on 11 November 2025 and signed on their behalf:

Claire Ashworth - Chair

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of

NOAH'S ARK NURSERY GROUP

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Noah's Ark Nursery Group for the 13 month period ended 31 August 2025.

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 Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 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:

1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act: or
2 the accounts do not accord with those records.

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.

L C Tippett ACA

Chartered Accountant

121 Colchester Road West Bergholt Colchester CO6 3JX 11 November 2025

NOAH'S ARK NURSERY GROUP RECEIPTS and PAYMENTS ACCOUNT for the 13 MONTH PERIOD ENDED 31st August 2025

Receipts Nursery and registration Fees SCC Early years funding Holiday Club SCC Baby room funding Fundraising and donations Interest received Total receipts Payments Rent Wages and staff cover Training courses and travelling expenses Insurance, PLA membership and inspections Outings and entertainment Toys and equipment Craft Clothing Milk and refreshments Repairs and renewals Cleaning and first aid Telephone Office expenses Tapestry and Nursery in a box Bookkeeping and accountancy Advertising and publications Fundraising expenses Holiday Club Baby room Total Payments Net receipts / (payments) Bank and cash balances brought forward Bank and cash balances carried forward	£ £ 48,782 104,568 4,475 2,000 2,261 272 162,358 16,110 126,660 869 3,001 913 1,626 457 472 1,935 - 452 358 688 2,324 250 - 65 327 4,095 160,602 1,756 109,501 111,257 13 Month 2025	£ £ 53,434 108,186 3,505 - 1,641 326 167,092 13,410 113,618 1,115 1,323 956 2,708 783 175 1,724 621 411 324 1,143 1,793 250 76 260 121 - 140,811 26,281 83,220 109,501 12 Month 2024

NOAH'S ARK NURSERY GROUP Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31st August 2025

Bank balances Bank current account Bank deposit account Petty cash Total reserves	£ £ 84,394 26,818 45 111,257 31 August 2025	£ £ 82,930 26,546 25 109,501 31 July 2024

for and on behalf of the Committee:

Claire Ashworth - Chair Kate Verhaag - Treasurer Date 11 November 2025 Date 11 November 2025