2025-08-31-accounts - Acton Playgroup

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Acton Playgroup C/O Acton Primary School Lambert Drive, Acton Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 0US

 01787 464270 07725 321237 (Chairperson)

 07725 321237

Registered Charity # 1027943 Email: a cto n p l aygro UP@ho tma i l .co . UK

Establishing the Trustees:

Chair: Emma Brewster Secretary: Nicole Painter Treasurer: Danielle Parmenter

Committee Members:

Angela Scott Rachel Dark Laura Thorogood Jessy Nelson

Bank:

HSBC 46 Market Hill Sudbury Suffolk CO10 6ES

Establishing the committee:

Sabrina Elsden stepped down as chair and Emma Brewster was elected into post. Danielle Parmenter stepped down as treasurer and was re-elected into post. Nicole Painter stepped down as secretary and was re-elected into post. Angela Scott was voted in to join the committee (pending suitability). Rachel Dark was voted in to join the committee (pending suitability). Laura Thorogood was voted in to join the committee (pending suitability). Jessy Nelson was voted in to join the committee (pending suitability).

Chair’s Report

It has been another truly amazing year for Acton Playgroup. The staff went above and beyond for all children within the setting just like they always do, so well done to all of you. Thank you to all the committee for your help and ideas on supporting the setting and fundraising. Thanks also for stepping in when needed. Let’s look forward to another amazing year.

Manager’s Report

The last year has been full of experiences and trips out. We have listened to our children, used their interests and managed to plan opportunities to enhance their learning. We have been on a train, bus and had various visits into setting. We have made links with 1Oak day centre and have pen pals in an early years setting in Luton. We introduced staff wellbeing days for the staff and we will continue again this year.

Today we launched our cheers, chill and chat coffee meet ups for parents. Thank you, Danielle, for your support with well-being for staff and families.

Last Autumn we welcomed Charrlotte into our setting, starting her apprenticeship and Ava this autumn. I have a passion to teach and support in the early years and I want to pass that passion on to training high quality practitioners. We have worked closely with other professionals and developed strong links with our feeder schools.

Key staff as always have gone above and beyond, always updating their training and eager to continually enhance their own personal development.

We have reflected, adapted and enhanced many areas of our practice.

A big thanks to Jo for keeping us organized and remembering where we’ve put things. The staff for always wanting to raise the bar and for Vic who’s always at the other end of the phone and never hesitates to support us. I appreciate each and every one of them.

Thank you to the committee for supporting all our fundraising and lastly, Sabrina for being a fab chair for the last few years, making The Jubilee and Coronation amazing events attended by the whole village.

Administrator’s Report inc. Accounts

Current situation

Balance across accounts £14,562 – balance of Autumn funding due by 25/10/24 will update on position at next meeting.
No significant expenditure since last meeting
Rent all up to date
Outstanding invoices £273.40 and school dinner fees £29.90 (from this half term only)
cut back on spending on resources where possible – use what we have
No overtime payments permitted at present - staff are given time in-lieu at times when over-staffing is occurring.

Fundraising

Last event – Summer Fete which raised an amazing £2000

Current Events – Autumn Stay and Play with 66 children booked (capped at 70). Will report on funds raised at next meeting.

Future Events

Festive Fayre – Outdoor Wagyu, Ginfinity, 7 trade stalls,

Indoor Bubble n Bounce, Face Painting, Sweetie King, crafts, raffle NEED SANTA

Tea Towels – 75 ordered with payment outstanding for 13 which have been given deadline of Wednesday at 4pm

Prontaprint Christmas Cards – A good number of orders placed. Monies raised to be reported once finalised with PP.

Raffles to be held over Christmas inc. advent calendar raffle (care of Becky).

Photoshoot Raffle to be launched in next 2 weeks (care of Kim).

GoFundme for touchscreen tv – ongoing with target of min £2500.

Summer Fete 2025 – all essentials booked – ongoing.

Any other fundraising events/opportunities must be explored, ready for the new year.

Reserve account

Our reserve account is currently sitting at £3000 (in preparation for October’s wage bill) but based on current payroll/rent etc this should be in the region of £30,000. These funds are necessary to hold in reserve for emergency costs, 3 months redundancy/closure liabilities etc.

General position

Currently we are in a vulnerable financial position as we do not have the reserve funds in place, as detailed in our constitution. Fundraising is, as always, of huge importance, this coming year.
Staffing – an additional apprentice wage has been mainly counteracted by a reduction of hours by another staff member. We are currently overstaffed during some sessions so these will used for allocating staff training, any time off in-lieu and actioning any tasks that can be completed in advance, for the term/year ahead. Apprentice was agreed at time when Autumn Term child numbers were higher and to ensure staffing stability from January 2025.
Consideration of projected minimum wage increase is being supported by maximizing the amount of children in sessions. Most sessions now full for Summer Term with waitlist in operation.

Report ends Thank you

Acceptance Of Accounts

Accounts are currently with accountant for verification. No queries have arisen. Accounts should be available for presentation at the next committee meeting.

Governance

The Charity is governed by the Constitution adopted 15 October 1992, as amended on 20 November 2006 and again in 2011.

Aims and Objectives

Acton Playgroup provides an excellent standard of Care and Education for children aged 2 years to 5 years. We accept that every child is a unique individual and we will provide opportunities and experiences, which will help them reach their full potential.

Our Aims:

To provide a secure, loving and stimulating environment, in which children can develop their confidence and independence.
To provide a quality provision and a balanced curriculum to enable children to develop socially, emotionally, intellectually, physically and morally.
To develop and encourage parental partnership and involvement, recognising the parents are the first and most influential educators of children.
To emanate a warm, caring approach to all children and arrange interesting, stimulating activities to inspire children on all levels.
To take the time to talk and listen to every child as well as acting as a positive role model.
To operate and equal opportunities policy to ensure that children will feel accepted regardless of sex, race, religion or family circumstances. We will endeavour to accommodate any child with special educational needs.

Through a play-based approach we:

Create opportunities for children to explore, appreciate and respect their environment.
Provide opportunities to stimulate interest and imagination.
Encourage children to communicate ideas and feelings in a variety of ways.
Give children appropriate responsibility to make decisions, choices, express judgements and be respected as active independent learners.
Value the rights of the child to realise and expand his/her potential.

A high-quality early years experience provides a firm foundation on which to build future academic, social and emotional skills.

Acton Playgroup C/O Acton Primary School Lambert Drive, Acton Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 0US

 01787 464270

 07725 321237 (Chairperson) Registered Charity # 1027943

Email: actonplaygroup@hotmail.co.uk

Annual Account Summary 1st September 2024 - 31st August 2025

Balance brought forward from 31st August 2024 £ 961.58 Income £ 171,481.69 Expenditure £ 166,500.02

End Balance £5,943.25

Bank Balance as at 31st August 2025 Current account £ 5,617.53 Saving Accounts £ 54.70 Total £ 5,672.23 Cash in hand £ 271.02 End Balance £ 5,943.25

Checked by_Annie Driver________

“Our setting is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at all times and expects everybody working within this setting to share this commitment”

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of Acton Play Group On accounts for the year 31[st] August 2025 Charity no 1027943 ended (if any) Set out on pages 1 & 2 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31[st] August 2025
Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report 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 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 the Act.

Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
• the accounts do not accord with the accounting records

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.

Signed: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address:		19/02/2026

	Annie Driver

	FMAAT – Fellow Member Association of Accounting Technicians

	Epsilon House, Ipswich
	IP3 9FJ

October 2018

IER

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

The trustees confirm that adequate accounting records are maintained appropriate to the size and nature of the charity. Prime documents, including bank statements and supporting documentation for income and expenditure, are retained and summarised within an Excel-based accounting system. The records are maintained in an organised manner sufficient to explain the charity’s transactions and financial position.

Based on the records provided for the purposes of the independent examination, we have not identified any material errors in the bookkeeping.

The charity operates payroll for its employees and is responsible for compliance with HMRC requirements, including PAYE and National Insurance obligations. We recommend that the trustees confirm directly with HMRC whether the charity is eligible to claim the Employment Allowance and ensure that any entitlement is correctly applied through the payroll system, as this has not yet been confirmed.

October 2018

IER