# **Benger Bears Pre-school**
# **Financial Accounts**
**Financial Year Ended 31[st] August 2022**
## **Contents**
Trustees Report .....................................................................................................................................1 Independent Examiner’s Report.............................................................................................................6 Receipt and Payments Account..............................................................................................................7 Statement of Assets and Liabilities.........................................................................................................8
## **Trustees Report**
**Charity Name**
Benger Bears Pre-School
**Registered Charity Number** 1029641 **Principal Address** The Village Hall Sutton Benger Chippenham Wiltshire SN15 4RP
## **Management Committee**
The Pre-School is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission and is managed by an elected management committee governed by a constitution adopted from the Pre-School Learning Alliance. Members are elected annually.
Trustees of the Committee during the period 1 September 2021 until the date of signing the report were:
Jemma Garland (Chairperson/Secretary) Appointed 18[th] November 2021 Anna Parkinson (Treasurer) Appointed 30[th] September 2014 Nina Abel Appointed 18[th] November 2021 Katy Spencer Appointed 18[th] November 2021 Bridget Meadows Appointed 18[th] November 2021 Jesika Hegley Appointed 3[rd] October 2017
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## **Structure, Governance and Management**
The Pre-school is governed by a Constitution. The Constitution provides guidance to the Management Committee (the “Committee”), in respect of both the formation of the Committee and also how the Committee should be governed. The Constitution was initially adopted by the Committee on 07/09/1993 and has been amended on 22/02/2012.
The overall management and control of the Pre-school rests with the individual members of the Committee. As well as being responsible for the management of the Pre-school the Committee members are also the charity trustees of the Preschool. The minimum number of Committee members shall be 5 and the maximum shall be 12, together with up to a further 3 co-opted members.
The Committee members shall be elected for one year at the Annual General Meeting. Retiring Committee members are eligible for re-election unless they have already served on the Committee in any capacity for ten consecutive years. All Committee members will have one vote each at Committee meetings. In the event of a tie the Chair of the Committee has a second or casting vote. A quorum for Committee meetings is not less than half the Committee, including any two of the Officers.
At the Annual General Meeting the prospective new elected members of the Committee will be those candidates receiving the highest number of votes from the Members, up to a maximum of 12 elected Committee members in total. At the first Committee meeting following the Annual General Meeting at which the newly elected members of the Committee are elected they shall choose from amongst their number the members who will act as Chair, Treasurer and Secretary.
The Constitution states, that the Committee shall hold at least 2 Committee meetings each year unless the Committee shall decide by simple majority to hold a further meeting or meetings. The Committee aims to meet more regularly than this, usually between 6 and 12 weeks.
The Pre-school shall in each calendar year hold a general meeting as its Annual General Meeting, in addition to any other general meetings in that year and shall specify the meeting as such in the notice calling it. The Annual General Meeting in each year shall be held at such time and place as the Committee shall decide. All General Meetings other than the Annual General Meeting shall be Extraordinary General Meetings. Each Annual General Meeting will be chaired by the Chair or in his/her absence another member of the Committee.
## **Objectives and Activities**
The aims of the Pre-school are to enhance the development and education of children under statutory school age, by encouraging parents to understand and provide for the needs of their children through community groups, and by:
- offering appropriate play, education and care facilities, together with the right of parents to take responsibility for and to become involved in the activities of the pre-school, ensuring that we offer opportunities for all children whatever their race, culture, religion, means or ability;
- encouraging the study of the needs of such children and their families and promoting public interest in and recognition of such needs in the local areas; and
- Instigating and adhering to and furthering the aims and objects of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.
The Pre-School is set in the rural village community of Sutton Benger. It is located in the village hall and the children make use of both the inside and outside space as well as using the local woods for
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forest school. The village hall is next to the primary school and links with the school are positive; with the majority of those attending the pre-school transitioning to this school. The Pre-School is well regarded in the community many of whom are alumni parents.
The Pre-School is open from 9am to 3pm four days of the week, offering flexible sessions to enable people to use their Nursery Education Grant. One day of the week has been reserved for ‘Polar Bears’ (children starting school the following academic year). The pre-school has a total daily capacity of 24 children on current statutory guidance.
The Pre-school provides high quality, affordable and accessible childcare to children aged between 2 and 5, in a safe and supportive environment. We work in partnership with parents in the provision of this childcare. Benger Bears values each child’s individuality in a caring, stimulating and nurturing environment. Children are inspired to learn through play to reach their full potential.
The Committee have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in deciding what activities the charity should undertake during the year.
## **Achievements and Performance**
## **Child numbers**
During the previous financial year, the pre-school felt the impact of the COVID pandemic and saw a decrease in child numbers as well as a reduction in hours of attendance from those children this has improved for the current financial year which saw a greater number of children attending the setting. The Pre-school has benefited from the building of new housing in the village over the last few years and child numbers as well as the numbers of sessions attended, increased for the current year.
## **Financial**
During the Financial year, the Pre-school has made a net surplus of £2,836 (2021 deficit: £13,224). In the previous year, there were significant restrictions in activities due to COVID and in the current year, there was an increase in the number of children and also in the activities provided.
Fee income receipts totalled £72,161 (2021: £44,305). The increase is due to increased number of children attending the setting. The Committee and staff increased fundraising efforts during the year and there was £1,003 (2021: £218) raised through fundraising activities this year. A £999 grant was received and paid to the village hall for repairs to the fence.
Total costs have increased from the prior year, being £71,338 (2021: £57,748). This is due mainly to the increase in underlying costs of rent, salaries and activities.
## **Designated funds**
The Pre-school holds reserves, which are classified as designated funds to cover potential future costs of closure, to support the pre-school where we incur a short-term fall in child numbers, and to cover any other unforeseen costs. The largest component of this is redundancy payments. The policy includes a detailed calculation for redundancy costs to support the monetary value of reserves held. During the year, our review of reserves has indicated that it would be prudent to maintain reserve levels at £12,000 in line with the prior year. The Pre-school reserves are ring fenced in the CAF Reserves bank account at the end of the year.
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The committee is confident that the pre-school has sufficient funds to meet its obligations for the foreseeable future.
## **Advisors**
|Bank|CAF Bank|25 Kings Hill Avenue|
|---|---|---|
|||Kings Hill|
|||West Malling|
|||Kent|
|||ME19 4JQ|
|Independent Examiner|Janette Collier-Marsh FCA|Collier-Marsh Accountancy|
|||Old Coach House|
|||Seagry Road|
|||Sutton Benger|
|||Wiltshire|
|||SN15 4RX|
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## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Benger Bears Pre-school**
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2022, which are set out on pages 1 to 7.
## **Respective responsibilities of 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(2) 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 Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my 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 my 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.
Janette Collier-Marsh FCA 23 October 2024 Collier-Marsh Accountancy Old Coach House, Seagry Road Sutton Benger Wiltshire SN15 4RX
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## **Receipts and Payments Account**
|**Receipts**
Revenue
Grants
Fundraising
Interest/Investment income
**Total Receipts**
**Payments**
Advertising
Bank charges
Children’s Activities
Consumables
DBS Checks
Equipment
Fundraising costs
Gifts/Charitable expense
Insurance
Office Costs
Professional Fees
Registration Fees
Rent
Repairs and Maintenance
Salaries
Software
Welfare and training
**Total Payments**
**Net gain/(loss)**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds 2022**
**£**
72,161
-
1,003
10
73,174
465
98
1,425
1,089
52
173
343
245
813
2,066
923
138
8,459
-
52,713
627
709
70,338
**2,836**|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
-
999
-
-
999
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
999
-
-
-
999
**-**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds 2021**
**£**
44,305
-
218
1
44,524
58
84
555
472
129
91
123
98
798
857
590
130
7,714
-
45,340
625
84
57,748
**(13,224)**|
|---|---|---|---|
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## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities**
|**Bank and Cash Accounts**
CAF Current
CAF Reserves
Cash
**Total Bank and Cash**
**Other Monetary Assets**
Prepayments/Other debtors
**Total Other Monetary Assets**
**Other Monetary Liabilities**
Fees received in advance
Accruals
**Total Monetary Liabilities**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
27,085
-
27,085
12,250
-
12,250
-
-
-
**39,335**
-
**39,335**
886
-
886
886
-
886
729
-
729
1,356
-
1,356
2,085
-
2,085|**2021**
**£**
22,676
12,242
204|
|---|---|---|
|||**35,122**|
|||312|
|||312|
|||200
521|
|||721|
Signed on behalf of the Trustees
**Anna Parkinson (Treasurer)**
October 2024
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