## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 1 September 2023 to 31 Aug 2024** **Charity name: Ermington Pre School Unit Charity registration number: 1034037** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governingdocument|Para 1.17|**Pre School education for Children aged 2**
**to 5 years**| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or services
identified in the accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|**Providing high quality early years**
**education for children between the ages**
**of 2 to 5 years. Our curriculum is tailor**
**made and designed to give each child the**
**best possible start to their educational**
**journey, by equipping out children with**
**resilience, independence and curiosity**
**for lifelong learning.**
**Our mission statement is “Equipping**
**every child for a world they will**
**discover.”**| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|**We confirm that the Trustees have had**
**regard to the Charity Commissions**
**Guidance on public benefit.**| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|**We do not make grants to other**
**organisations**| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|**We have no investments.**
**We do not take part in social investments**
**or program related investments.**| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|**Volunteers work in administration and**
**fundraising.**
**All volunteers are enhanced DBS**
**checked and vetted for suitability**
**following Safer Recruitment procedures**
**and approval from OFSTED.**| |Other||**None**| 1 ## **Achievements and Performance** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|**From September 2023 we changed our**
**opening hours permanently and are now**
**open from 8 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. five days a**
**week, offering wraparound care. This has**
**been very successful and attracted a**
**higher number of new registrations than**
**anticipated.**
**The low national birth rate during the**
**COVID pandemic continued to have a**
**detrimental impact on numbers. However**
**this also had positive impacts in that**
**more time and resources could be**
**redirected to the children who were**
**attending the setting.**
**We continued to support a relatively high**
**number of children with additional needs,**
**successfully ensuring that children**
**entered mainstream education with**
**EHCPs in place.**
**Our reputation for providing excellent**
**care and support for children with**
**additional needs and looked after**
**children led to recommendations from**
**the Local Authority to families in the area.**
**We ended the year with a financial loss**
**but had anticipated this and covered with**
**reserves and fundraising wherever**
**possible.**| ## **Additional information (optional)** ## You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|**Successfully implemented extended**
**opening hours.**
**Manager and Deputy attended various**
**conferences provided by Devon County**
**Council and the Pre School Learning**
**Alliance. Staff continuous professional**
**development was encouraged and**
**supported wherever possible. However**
**slightly less was spent on training than in**| |---|---|---| 2 |||**previous years. Free courses were**
**sought out wherever possible. Mandatory**
**training was maintained as a priority.**
**Despite a difficult year financially the pre**
**school maintained its reputation and**
**continued to meet all objectives.**
**Progress continued to be made on**
**setting up CIO to replace current**
**structure which struggled to recruit**
**volunteers and trustees.**| |---|---|---| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|**Fundraising continued to be difficult due**
**to cost of living and inflation during this**
**period which left many families locally**
**with much lower disposable income.**
**SeaMoor lotto and Easy Fundraising**
**continued to provide a small income;**
**however Amazon Smile folded in this**
**year and was no longer providing any**
**income.**
**Small events locally such as pub quizzes**
**and Fair in the Square provided some**
**cash income, as well as Christmas card**
**sales from the children.**| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|**We have no investments**| |Other||**None**| 3 ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|**A loss was made this year due to the**
**following:**
•
**Higher costs associated with**
**providing care for children with**
**additional needs**
•
**Lower birthrate nationally due to**
**the impact of COVID-19**
•
**Increased costs and bills caused**
**by rising inflation**
•
**A new academy trust managing**
**the school site chose to increase**
**building and insurance costs**
**Signs of recovery are on the horizon and**
**we hope to have an improved year in**
**2024-25**| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|**The charity accumulates reserves**
**through fundraising to support the core**
**business and for the purchase of**
**equipment and other resources**
**We also maintain a level of reserves for**
**emergency situations.**| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|**£46357**| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|**Not applicable**| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|**Not applicable**| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|**Not applicable**| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|**Funding for core activities is from EYEF**
**and 2 year old funding, with unfunded**
**time being charged at cost to parents.**
**Additional funding was provided from**
**Devon County Council for the children**
**with a high level of additional needs.**
**Other income comes from various**
**fundraising activities.**| |---|---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|**Not applicable**| 4 |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|**The changes to the number of funded**
**hours for children announced by the new**
**government continues to have a**
**significant impact on our finances, like**
**that of the finances of many other**
**childcare settings. We have seen many**
**closures of settings like ours in the rural**
**Devon area.**
**The amount of funding per hour received**
**is still insultingly low and does not even**
**cover the basics of staff salaries, building**
**costs and utility bills. Recruiting and**
**retaining qualified and experienced**
**quality staff will become more of a**
**challenge for all settings without a radical**
**recognition of the true social and**
**economic costs of early years education.**| |---|---|---| |Other||**Not applicable**| 5 ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||**Advancement of Early Years Education**
**for children who attend aged 2-5 years.**| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed,royal charter)|Para 1.25|**Guidance in association with the Charity**
**Commission**| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association,CIO)|Para 1.25|**Early Years Alliance Constitution**| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|**We work in accordance with the Early**
**Years Alliance constitution.**
**Trustees are required to apply in writing**
**to the Chair of the Committee. They then**
**are selected based on suitability,**
**safeguarding knowledge and relevant**
**experiences that may benefit the needs of**
**the business.**
**They are proposed and seconded at a**
**democratic vote before being appointed**
**by the members making up the Pre**
**School committee.**| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:||| |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction and
training of trustees|Para 1.51|**Trustees are required to adhere to all**
**policies and procedures. They must also**
**complete training in safeguarding and**
**safer recruitment procedures. This**
**training is provided online by Devon**
**County Council.**| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|**Not applicable**| |Relationship with any related
parties|Para 1.51|**Not applicable**| |Other||**Not applicable**| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charityname|Ermington Pre School Unit| |---|---| |Other name the charityuses|Not applicable| 6 |Registered charitynumber|1034037| |---|---| |Charity’s principal address|The Lodge
School Road
Ermington
Ivybridge Devon
PL21 9NH| ||| 7 ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee(if any)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Katherine Toms|||| ||Sarah Foulis|||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| ## – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved ## **Director name** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity **Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year** ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** |Description of the assets
held in this capacity|Not applicable| |---|---| |Name and objects of the
charity on whose behalf the
assets are held and how this|Not applicable| 8 falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for Not applicable safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Additional information (optional)** **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** **Type of Name Address adviser** **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** Sarah Foulis – Manager Cathryn Isaac – Deputy Manager ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details **Not applicable** ## **Other optional information** **None** 9 ## **Declarations** **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**|K L Toms|S Foulis| |---|---|---| ||Katherine Lindsay Toms|Sarah Foulis| ||
Chair|Committee Member| ||29 September 2025|| ||29 September 2025|| 10 **Charity Name No (if any) ERMINGTON PRE-SCHOOL UNIT 1034037** ~~eeee~~ **Receipts and payments accounts** **For the period** Period start date Period end date **from** 01/09/2023 **To** 31/08/2024 ~~a~~ **Section A Receipts and payments** **Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total funds funds funds funds to the nearest to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ £** ## **A1 Receipts** Funding **61,838** Fee **31,284** Fundraising **1,396** Interest **596** **61,838 - - 31,284** **1,396** **596** Other Income **51** **51** **-** **-** **95,165 - - 95,165** ## _**Sub total** (Gross income for_ _AR)_ **95,165** **A2 Asset and investment sales, - - - (see table). - - - - - -** ~~——~~ _**Sub total**_ 11 **95,165 - - 95,165** ## _**Total receipts**_ ## **A3 Payments** |Wages and Salary|
**105,022**|





|**-**|





|**-**|





|
**105,022**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Tools and Equipment|
**352**||**-**||**-**||
**352**| |Food and Subsistence|
**1,738**||**-**||**-**||
**1,738**| |Telephone and Internet|
**2,426**||**-**||**-**||
**2,426**| |Uniform expenses|
**753**||**-**||**-**||
**753**| |Rent|
**5,832**||**-**||**-**||
**5,832**| |Repair and Renewals|
**1,509**||**-**||**-**||
**1,509**| |Advertising|
**174**||**-**||**-**||
**174**| |IT cost|
**863**|





|**-**|






|**-**|






|
**863**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Legal expenses|
**102**||**-**||**-**||
**102**| |Subscription|
**1,913**||**-**||**-**||
**1,913**| |Travel and Subsistence|
**126**||**-**||**-**||
**126**| |Staff expenses|
**518**||**-**||**-**||
**518**| |Consultancy|
**799**||**-**||**-**||
**799**| |Other expenses|
**2,429**||**-**||**-**||
**2,429**| |**_Sub total_**|
**124,555**||**-**||**-**||
**124,555**| |**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**|**-**
**-**
**-**|**-**
**-**
**-**|

|**-**|

|| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||||||**-**| |||||**-**||| ||**-**|||||| |||||||**-**| |||||||| ||**-**|||||| |||||**-**||**-**| 12 **-** _**Sub total**_ **-** _**Total payments**_ **124,555 - - 124,555** ## _**Net of receipts/(payments)**_ |**29,390**|||**-**||**-**
**29,390**| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**-**||||| ||**-**|

|**-**|

|**-**| |**75,748**|||||| ||**-**||**-**||
**75,748**| |**46,357**|||**-**||
**46,357**| ||**-**||||| ||||||| **A5 Transfers between funds** **A6 Cash funds last year end** ## _**Cash funds this year end**_ ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** **Categories** **Unrestricted Restricted Details funds funds to nearest £ to nearest £** **B1 Cash funds** 13 Current Account **4,735 -** Reserve Account **41,623 - - - - 46,357** account(s)) OK OK **Unrestricted Restricted funds funds** ## _**Total cash funds**_ (agree balances with receipts and payments **Details** ~~**-**~~ **to nearest £** ~~**-**~~ **to nearest £ B2 Other monetary assets - -** **-** **-** **Details** ## **B3 Investment assets** 14 ## **Details** ## **B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use** **-** **Details B5 Liabilities** **-** Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees Signature **-** **Fund to which asset Cost (optional) belongs** **Fund to Cost (optional)** **which asset belongs** **Fund to which liability relates** 15 ## Print Name |e|| |---|---| |Sarah Foulis
|| |

|| 16 ## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** > **Report to the trustees/** Ermington Pre-school **members of** **On accounts for the year ended** **Set out on pages** **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** 31[st] August 2024 **Charity no** 1034037 **(if any)** 14-17 (remember to include the pagenumbers of additional sheets) 14-17 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 Charities Act”) It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, - to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and - to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. **Basis of independent** My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given **examiner’s statement** 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 the 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. In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention ## **Independent examiner's statement** 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 Charities Act; and - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities 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. **IER** 1 * _Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply._ _M.Tuffaha_ ~~7)~~ **Date:** 22/10/2025 **Signed:** **Name:** M.H Tuffaha AFA **Relevant professional** IFA **qualification(s) or body** ~~Be~~ **(if any):** **Address:** Sterling Gate Accountants 3rd Floor 86-90 Paul Street London EC2A 4NE **Section B Disclosure** Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material problems.(E.g. accounting records have not been kept in accordance with s132 of the Charities’ Act 2011 and those accounts do not comply with the requirements of the 2008 Regulations setting out the form and content of charity accounts; any material expenditure or action which appears not to be in accordance with the trusts of the charity; any failure to be provided with information and explanations by any past or present trustee, officer or employee; and any material consistency between the accounts and the trustees’ annual report.) **IER** 2 **Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** . **IER** 3