2024-04-30-accounts

TOLLESHUNT KNIGHTS PRESCHOOL

CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1029105

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2024

Isobel Chaplin FMAAT AFA ATA IJC Finance Ltd Suite 2 Century House, 100A Church Road, Tiptree, Colchester, Essex CO5 0AB

TOLLESHUNT KNIGHTS PRESCHOOL

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2024

CONTENTS

• 1 – 4 Report of the Trustees 5 Report of the Independent Examiner 6 Statement of Financial Activities 7 Balance Sheet

TOLLESHUNT KNIGHTS PRESCHOOL

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2024

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Charity Name Tolleshunt Knights Preschool Charity Registered Number 1029105 Address of Principal Office Tolleshunt Knights Village Hall, Top Road, Tolleshunt Knights, Maldon, Essex CM9 8EU

Trustees

The Trustees who served during the year and to the date of this report were as follows:

Justine Davies May 2020 - May 2023 Kate Tracey (Axtell) - Chair May 2020 - Present Sara Ridgwell May 2022 – July 2023 Helen Bond - Secretary May 2020 – Present Jessica Wyatt – Treasurer July 2017 - May 2023 Mario Debono May 2018 - Present Jennifer Swift July 2017 - Present Melissa Ford September 2020 – July 2023 Katie Rogers May 2022 - Present Abby Kirk September 2023 – Present Kimberely Harris September 2023 – Present Clare Sabin - Treasurer May 2023 – Present

Principal Officer Kate Tracey, Chair Bankers Barclays Bank, 59 Newland Street, Witham, Essex CM8 2AJ Independent Examiners Isobel Chaplin FMAAT AFA ATA IJC Finance Ltd Suite 2 Century House, 100A Church Road, Tiptree, Colchester, Essex CO5 0AB,

TOLLESHUNT KNIGHTS PRESCHOOL

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2024(CONTINUED)

STRUCTURE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

a. Governing Document

The Charity is governed by the constitution, adopted at our AGM on 1 May 2012.

b. Methods adopted for recruitment and appointment of Trustees

In line with our constitution a maximum of twelve trustees are to be appointed at any one time. Recruitment is carried out throughout the year and parents/guardians of children who attend are asked to join. Trustees are appointed at the Annual General Meeting, being proposed and seconded accordingly. However, they can also be appointed during the year at normal committee meetings by pre-elected members.

c. Policies and Procedures adopted for the induction and training of Trustees

A committee file is maintained with all trustee details and each trustee is approved by Ofsted, who undertake a suitability check for each trustee. Roles are allocated on the committee and trustees are informed of their obligations towards the preschool and any liabilities, which could be incurred. Training is undertaken on the job.

d. Organisational Structure of the Charity

There are currently seven trustees on our committee. Trustee/committee meetings are held every 6 weeks throughout the year with the Annual General Meeting being held in May. There are three main posts, Chair, Treasurer and Secretary.

Wider Network

e. We are a preschool but we are not joined with any other preschool; however, we do hold membership of the Early Years Alliance.

• f. Related Parties

No trustees were remunerated for their work in this role on behalf of the charity.

g. Statement of Major Risks

Being a preschool brings a variety of risks associated with the hiring of a village hall and working with young children. We adopt policies each year that outline our procedures to be followed in all areas and aspects of preschool life. These policies are reviewed by our management committee of elected trustees and our staff each year and are put forward to the parents/guardians of children who attend for their approval. These policies cover all the risk areas such as Health and Safety, Fire Risk and Intruder Procedures. If a problem occurs at preschool, the risk is reassessed and steps are undertaken to keep the risk at a low level. We do have risk assessments on aspects of the hall, regularly carry out fire drills with the children and ensure that staff who have contact with the children are vetted and DBS checked accordingly. The policies are an evolving document and are updated accordingly.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The aims of the Tolleshunt Knights Preschool are:

1. To provide high quality care and education for children primarily below statutory school age

2. To work in partnership with parents to help children learn and develop

3. To add to the life and well-being of its local community

4. To offer children and their parents a service that promotes equality and values diversity

These activities are considered to be for the public benefit and in running the Charity the Trustees have regard for the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

This year has been a challenging year due to the continued impact of the cost of living , 2022- 2023 saw us overspend by a small amount, considering the large increase in expenses, particularly wage bills. The large 9.9% National Minimum wage saw our wage bill increase by nearly £10,000 this financial year, all staff and committee have worked hard to ensure that this has not impacted the overall expenditure or sustainability of the Preschool. The trustees have continued to focus on operational priorities for the preschool, maintaining sustainability and the continuation of fullday sessions. The student numbers increase significantly throughout the year, this is a result of working hard to promote the preschool within the local community. The trustees and staff have raised funds through a series of events, these have included end of term celebrations, Christmas production, and termly discos which have been made available to the general public. We continue to use online learning platform Famly, which parents and staff can both use simultaneously and appears to have had a positive impact. A new rebranded uniform for staff has been purchased, along with a catalogue of mandatory courses, which included Anaphylaxis and Allergy awareness for all staff employed by the preschool. Further online courses have been purchased that are required to continue effective learning. Staff supervision meetings, peer to peer observations have continued and a review has been undertaken of staff skills and training needs. We have implemented new Policies and Procedures which are reviewed yearly. Management systems continue to be reviewed and are implemented by the new manager and deputy manager when required, which has seen a great improvement in the day to day management of the preschool. We continue to find it difficult to recruit new trustees but continue to promote the importance of this.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The Charity’s financial position is as set out in the Balance Sheet on page 7 and is considered ok.

Reserves Policy

We hold an amount of approximately £32,000 which covers us for any potential redundancy payments should the preschool be unable to remain open.

PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS

Our objectives for the next year are to reinvest our profits into new equipment for the children, which will improve the quality of the setting and maintain the committee composition. Due to a high increase in our rent for the Village Hall that we hire half termly, and the increase in National Minimum wage some of our profits will be used to cover the costs incurred with these price rises. We will achieve these objectives by focusing on promotion of the preschool through advertising, e-marketing, social media and attending relevant community events. Fundraising will continue throughout the year. We will re-invest monies from fundraising in the personal development of staff, and the continuation of upgrading our equipment and facilities. We will work more closely with parents to involve them with the committee and look to delegate roles and responsibilities.

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES RESPONSIBILITIES

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 and Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

• Select suitable accounting policies and 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 and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

• 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 proper 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 1993, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the Trust Deed. The Trustees 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.

As far as the Trustees are aware, we have taken all the steps that we ought to have taken as Trustees to ensure there is no relevant information of which the charity’s independent examiners are unaware.

………………K Tracey……………………………….. CHAIR PERSON

…………04/02/2025……………………………………. DATE

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE TOLLESHUNT KNIGHTS PRESCHOOL FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2024

I report on the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 30 April 2024, which are set out on pages 6 and 7.

Respective responsibilities of the trustees and examiner

The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

• examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;

• to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners (under section

• 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act); and

• to state whether particular matters have come to our attention.

Basis of independent examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner’s statement

In connection with our examination, no matter has come to my attention:

• (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

• •to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and

• •to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act

have not been met; or

• (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Isobel Chaplin FMAAT AFA ATA IJC Finance Limited Suite 2, Century House 100A Church Road Tiptree, Colchester Essex CO5 0AB

TOLLESHUNT KNIGHTS PRESCHOOL

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2024

INCOMING RESOURCES Fees Grant Funded Fees Fund Raising Donations Milk Grant Bank Interest Received Uniform Sundry Income Commission Snack Fees TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES RESOURCES EXPENDED Wages Village Hall Hire Equipment Administration Insurance Stationery and Printing Advertising Outings Payroll Fees Sundry Expenses Crafts and Snacks Professional Fees Telephone and Internet Staff Training/Uniform Fund Raising Expenses Christmas Entertaining Staff Other TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED NET INCOMING/(OUTGOING) RESOURCES BEING THE NET MOVEMENTS IN FUNDS FUND BALANCES BROUGHT FORWARD FUND BALANCES CARRIED FORWARD		Unrestricted Fund General Fund 2024 £ 20,703 85,448 14,786 0 145 394 603 500 50 852 123,481 92,601 16,026 2,545 654 790 289 0 822 552 112 1200 50 122 861 4,258 0 131 121,013 2,468 59,125 61,593	Unrestricted Fund General Fund 2024 £ 20,703 85,448 14,786 0 145 394 603 500 50 852 123,481 92,601 16,026 2,545 654 790 289 0 822 552 112 1200 50 122 861 4,258 0 131 121,013 2,468 59,125 61,593		Unrestricted Fund General Fund 2023 £ 18,811 87,635 8,560 0 151 70 0 388 156 0	Unrestricted Fund General Fund 2023 £ 18,811 87,635 8,560 0 151 70 0 388 156 0	Unrestricted Fund General Fund 2023 £ 18,811 87,635 8,560 0 151 70 0 388 156 0
							115,771
							95,279 14,686 1,682 125 754 222 0 318 612 130 867 50 76 917 1,879 0 243
							117,840
							-2,069 61,194
							59,125

TOLLESHUNT KNIGHTS PRESCHOOL

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BALANCE SHEET
AS AT 30 APRIL 2024
2024 2023
£ £
CURRENT ASSETS
Bank Current Account 27,993 24,497
Bank Deposit Account 33,115 32,721
Cash in Hand 485 1,907
NET ASSETS 61,593 59,125
FUNDS
Unrestricted Funds:
General Fund 61,593 59,125
BOrQ
)
) Sharon Nicol
…………………………………………………. )
) TREASURER
)
…………………………………………………. )
February 2025
…………………………………………………. DATE
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