| Charity name | Beckington Pre-school |
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| Other name the charity uses | |
| Registered charity number | 1035832 |
| Charity’s principal address | Beckington Memorial Hall Bath Road Beckington BA11 6SH (no longer operating from this address) |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emma Milton | Treasurer | Fullyear | ||
| Suzanne Chillman | Chair | Fullyear | ||
Structure, Governance and Management
| Type of governing document | Pre-school Constitution from the Learning Alliance Model dated 2011. |
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| How is the charity constituted? |
The charity is unincorporated. |
| 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 |
As per the constitution holding trustees will hold office until; a) Death; or b) Retirement with the consent of the remaining holding trustees; or c) Removal by a resolution of the Committee; or d) Removal by operation of the law But no retirement or removal shall be effective unless there will be at least two remaining holding trustees. |
| You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about: • policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees; |
The current policies and procedures are available on the website https://www.beckingtonpre-school.co.uk/about ; Also listed below. • 01 – Health and safety policy January 2024 • 01.03 – Kitchen January 2024 • 01.04 – Children’s bathrooms changing areas November 2024 • 01.06 – Short trips outing and excursions January 2024 • 01.07 – Outdoors January2024 |
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| • the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works; • relationship with any related parties; • trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them. |
• 01.09 – Maintenance and repairs January 2024 • 01.11 Staff personal safety January 2024 • 01.12 Threats and abuse towards staff and volunteers January 2024 • 01.13 – Entrances and approach to the building January 2024 • 01.14 – Control of substances Hazardous to Healthy January 2024 • 01.15 – Manual Handling January 2024 • 01.16 – Festival (and other) decorations January 2024 • 01.17 – Jewellery and hair accessories January 2024 • 02 – Fire safety policy January 2024 • 02.01 - Fire safety January 2024 • 02.01a - Fire safety risk assessment form January 2024 • 03 – Food safety and nutrition policy January 2024 • 03.01 Food preparation, storage and purchase January 2024 • 03.02 – Food for play and cooking activities November 2024 • 04 - Health policy January 2024 • 04.01- Accidents and emergency treatment January 2024 • 04.02a – Health care plan January 2024 • 04.03 – Life-saving medication and invasive treatments January 2024 • 04.04 – Allergies and food intolerance January 2024 • 04.05 – Poorly children January 2024 • 04.05a – Infection control January 2024 • 05 – Promoting inclusion, equality and valuing diversity policy January 2024 • 05.01 - Promoting inclusion, equality and valuing diversity January 2024 • 06 – Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults policy January 2024 • 06.01 – Responding to safeguarding or child protection concerns January 2024 • 06.01a – Child welfare and protection summary January 2024 • 06.01b – Safeguarding incident reporting form January 202406.01c – Confidential safeguarding incident report form January 2024 • 06.03 – Visitor or intruder on the premises January 2024 • 06.05 – Missing child January 2024 • 06.07 – Death of a child on site January 2024 • 06.08 – Looked after children January 2024 • 06.08a Care plan for looked after children form January 2024 • 06.10 – Key person supervision January 2024 • 07 – Record keeping policy January 2024 • 07.01a – PrivacyNotice January2024 |
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| • 07.02 – Confidentiality, recording and sharing information January 2024 • 07.04 – Transfer of records January 2024 • 08.01 – Staff deployment January 2024 • 08.03 Student placement January 2024 • 09 – Early Years practice policy January 2024 • 09.01 – Waiting list and admissions January 2024 • 09.01a – About our childcare and early education January 2024 • 09.01b - Application to join January 2024 • 09.01d - Childcare and early education terms and conditions January 2024 • 09.03 – Prime times The role of the key person January 2024 • 09.05 – Establishing children’s starting points January 2024 • 09,06 – Prime times Arrivals and departures January 2024 • 09.09 – Prime times Intimate care and nappy changing November 2024 • 09.13 – Identification, assessment and support for children with SEND January 2024 • 09.13a - SEN Support initial record of concern form January 2024 • 09.13b – SEN Support action plan January 2024 • 09.14 – Prime times Transition to school January 2024 • 10.01 – Working in partnership with parents and other agencies January 2024 • 10.09 – Complaints procedure for parents and service users January 2024 • Access audit form January 2024 • Anti Bullying policy November 2024 • Behaviour management policy November 2024 All trustees give their time as volunteers and receive no remuneration. |
• 07.02 – Confidentiality, recording and sharing information January 2024 • 07.04 – Transfer of records January 2024 • 08.01 – Staff deployment January 2024 • 08.03 Student placement January 2024 • 09 – Early Years practice policy January 2024 • 09.01 – Waiting list and admissions January 2024 • 09.01a – About our childcare and early education January 2024 • 09.01b - Application to join January 2024 • 09.01d - Childcare and early education terms and conditions January 2024 • 09.03 – Prime times The role of the key person January 2024 • 09.05 – Establishing children’s starting points January 2024 • 09,06 – Prime times Arrivals and departures January 2024 • 09.09 – Prime times Intimate care and nappy changing November 2024 • 09.13 – Identification, assessment and support for children with SEND January 2024 • 09.13a - SEN Support initial record of concern form January 2024 • 09.13b – SEN Support action plan January 2024 • 09.14 – Prime times Transition to school January 2024 • 10.01 – Working in partnership with parents and other agencies January 2024 • 10.09 – Complaints procedure for parents and service users January 2024 • Access audit form January 2024 • Anti Bullying policy November 2024 • Behaviour management policy November 2024 All trustees give their time as volunteers and receive no remuneration. |
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Objectives and Activities
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
The aims of the Pre-school are to enhance the development and education of children primarily under statutory school age by encouraging parents to understand and provide for the needs of their children through community groups and by; a) offering appropriate play, education and care facilities, familylearningand extended hoursgroups,together with |
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| the right of parents to take responsibility for and to become involved in the activities of such groups, ensuring that such groups offer opportunities for all children whatever their race, culture, religion, means or ability; b) 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; c) instigating and adhering to and furthering the aims and objects of the Pre-school Leaning Alliance. |
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| 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. |
Beckington Pre-school have been serving the village and surrounding area for nearly 30 years. Sessions are carefully structured to offer a tailored curriculum leading to approved learning goals. We also believe in making the most of each day, so we often enjoy what the weather brings, be it sunshine or snow. Individual care and attention is made possible by a high ratio of adults to children, helping to increase the children’s ability to concentrate on each new discovery. There are opportunities for you and your family to be directly involved in the activities of the group and in your own child’s progress. Our main aim is for your child to learn happily through play, ensuring individual attention to the needs and development of each child. • To provide a happy, stimulating and safe environment for your child • To enable your child to learn through play • To help develop your child’s social skills • To follow the Pre-School Curriculum We offer a wide range of activities, which include: • Books, jigsaw puzzles, construction toys and computer work • Painting, drawing in a variety of mediums, cutting, gluing • Playdough, sand and water play • Role play, physical play and manipulative play In the warmer months the staff take some of the indoor sessions outside where children can enjoy learning in the fresh air whilst seated on rugs. We also go out and about around the village on walks to explore our local environment, which the children love. These adventures occur all year round. Our overall aim at Beckington Pre-School is to provide a happy, calm and stimulatingsettingthatprovides a successful teaching |
and learning environment. This promotes the children’s healthy development.
We follow the Pre-School Curriculum where there are 7 areas of learning and development that shape educational programmes in early year's setting. All areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected. 3 of these areas are particularly crucial for igniting children's curiosity and enthusiasm for learning and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.
The 3 Prime areas are:
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Communication and Language.
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Physical Development.
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Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
The 4 Specific areas are:
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Literacy.
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Mathematics.
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Understanding the World.
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Expressive Arts and Design.
The specific areas include essential skills and knowledge. They grow out of the Prime areas and provide important contexts of learning.
With the planning every term at Pre-School we try to incorporate all areas of learning especially concentrating on the Prime areas.
When you visit us it will appear obvious that the children spend a great deal of time playing. Play has a serious purpose for each child – it is his or her main learning tool. Play offers the child a means of exploring and understanding the world – the way it works, the people in it and his/her place in it.
We welcome the interest and support of parents in all aspects of Pre-School. We try to keep parents and carers well informed about what the children are doing. Because our Pre-School is small, we find it easy to keep in regular contact with parents and carers and the staff are happy to have a quick word at the beginning or end of the day or an appointment can be made with the Pre-School Leader.
At the beginning of every half-term the children bring home a PreSchool Newsletter informing parents/carers of events and activities that are happening. This Newsletter is also available in the news and events section. On the Newsletter you will find the sound of
| the week. Please encourage your child to bring in an object that starts with this sound. Each child is designated a key person who has particular responsibility for that child and keeps records of all areas of their development, achievements and progress. These records are used to produce an annual report for parents. The pre-school accepted the early years entitlement grant from Somerset council including extended 30 hours grant for eligible parents. The funding can be used for all sessions with no restrictions. Each family have the right to one vote at general meetings of the preschool to which they are invited and to join the committee. |
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| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
During 2023-2024 the trustees were committed to providing a service and during the year we did all voluntarily to improve the service with trustees, committee members and staff donating time and or resources to the setting. During the year of 24/25 the trustees endeavoured to secure long term premises with the support of a local farmer donating land and a local firm working pro-bono on project management. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
You may choose to include Beckington Pre-school rely heavily on volunteers to support the further statements, where setting. relevant, about:
All committee members and trustees are volunteers with no remuneration for their service.
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policy on remuneration for their service. grantmaking;
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• policy programme Staff and trustees bought resources out of their own funds to related investment; support the setting.
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contribution made by volunteers.
Achievements and Performance
| 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. |
In May 2024 a member of staff started their apprenticeship Level 3 qualification to be able to support the setting and develop their skills for the future. This member of staff was able to complete and finalise their apprenticeship qualification before the redundancy process was finished and congratulate them on their achievement to take them into future endeavours. |
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Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
At the time of submitting the 23/24 return it had been identified that the charity was no longer a going concern and this formed the closing statement at the end of the previous year trustee report. Beckington Pre-School was identified as no longer a going concern in May 2025 and formal winding up procedures started in June 2025 after following voting protocols. Reason for closure In May 2025 the current pupils on roll were 11, 6 of these children were leaving in July to start school in the Autumn leaving 5 children on roll. There were enquiries from 3 families on the list to start and so a total of 8 pupils would have been on roll in September 2025. So few children would have resulted in a drop in Early Years Government funding and fees from parents. Different scenarios were costed out – list below of the forecasted scenarios; 1. Current pupil numbers 2. Full pupil numbers 3. 3 day week scenario 4. Extended hours 5. Reducing age to take 18month old 6. Later planned closure 7. Reduced staffing to just 1 assistant (rather than 2 part time) Decision making process In May 2025 once we identified the charity was no longer a going concern we held a committee meeting to discuss with all members the differing scenarios, advise from Somerset and to discuss any other options the rest of the committee could come up with, it was unanimously decided that there was no other viable or responsible option and we would call a full meeting with a proposal to close. |
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Following the constitution notice was given and a meeting called on with requirement of % of votes – as per the constitution only those present but even with proxy votes the % agreed for closure. Following this vote there was contact from our families to the local MP whom got in touch about the problem, after providing them with all the details they were also in support of closure due to no other available options. Asset distribution Under the constitution the Early Years Alliance assumes control of assets to be distributed to other charity early years settings, after discussions with them and due to the end of year deficit they granted permission to sell assets to reduce the deficit position with no distribution to other charities. Compliance with regulators The council provided advise on the procedure and a closure action plan drafted with completion dates for notice to all required. Legal formalities We followed all advise given from the Early Years Alliance and their supporting solicitors surrounding redundancy procedures which are all followed and documented. Ongoing responsibilities The trustees are aware of their ongoing responsibility to the closing of the charity and have been working tirelessly to ensure that all requirements are followed and documented. Long term the retention of documentation under the charity and requirements of child care settings is all with the treasurer. Charities principle source of funds The main source of funding for the operation of the setting was from Early years funding and parent fees. Investment and reserves At the start of the year the reserves was £32,586 – these were acquired from the closure of Rode Pre-school where their assets were distributed in line with their constitution to other local preschools. These funds had been held in reserves and during the course of 24/25 they supported the running costs of the setting and were depleted. For the year 24/25 the income of the charity consisted of; Early years grant funding £32,821 Parent fees £6,906 Sustainability Grant £8,000 Interest received £406 Fundraising £50 Asset sale £539 The expenditures of the charity were; Staff costs (wages, PAYE, Payroll costs, training £52,538 Premises costs £5,994
| Contracts (printer, internet) £5,457 (contract early termination) Resources and consumables £95 Insurance and Ofsted £621 Other (bank charges, website) £101 The running costs during the year came to (£16,493) this was offset with the opening bank balance and the reserves leaving £1,345 as the closing balance that was returned to Somerset Council from the sustainability grant. From the reserves the below expenditure was attributed Redundancy costs £10,168 Building planning and surveys £11,258 This left £11,565 that was used on running costs of the setting. |
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| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
The agreed reserves policy on record is dated January 2007. The reserves policy states that in line with guidance an agreed amount of £2,500 is to be held in reserves and that this is sufficient for one months running costs. It was recognised that this policy was outdated and the setting needed to ensure that there were sufficient reserves to close the setting and pay redundancy. |
| Amount of reserves held | At the start of 24/25 the reserves held were £32,586 with £13,000 ringfenced for potential new building and £10,000 for future redundancy (policy was for one month wages but this was felt uneconomical due to the long service of some staff) At the end of the year there were no funds held by the charity. |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Charity now closed. |
| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
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| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
The charities funding is from the early years grant scheme and parent fees. Fundraising is minimal as this cannot be used for staffing only resources. |
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Reserves were held in a deposit account with no funds invested. |
Charity Now Closed A description of the principal risks facing the charity
Other optional information
Enclosed copy of the voting and report to members on the planned closure that took place in July 2025.
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) (7 SC Mrs Suzanne Chillman Full name(s) Mrs Emma L Milton ~~a~~ Position (eg Secretary, Treasurer Chair Chair, etc) ~~ee ee~~ Date 08/12/2025 ~~Pn~~