Registered Charity
1036866
RED SQUIRRELS NURSERY
TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT AND RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2023
RED SQUIRRELS NURSERY
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2023
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER
1036866
PRINCIPAL ADDRESS
Warcop C of E School Appleby-in-Westmorland Cumbria CA16 6NX
TRUSTEES
ROLE
Mrs C Patterson Mrs C J Shihadah Mrs C Thorpe Mrs E Hope Secretary Mrs S Lofthouse Mrs E Porter Treasurer Mrs AM Richardson Chair Mrs GL Dobson Mrs HA Porter
Resigned 21/11/23 Resigned 21/11/23
Appointed 4/11/22 Appointed 4/11/22 and Resigned 21/11/23 Appointed 4/11/22
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
Mr P Hornby, FCA JF Hornby & Co Chartered Accountants Daltongate Business Centre Daltongate Ulverston LA12 7AJ
Registered Charity 1036866
RED SQUIRRELS NURSERY TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2023
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The objectives of the charity are:
● To provide high quality day care and education for children aged 2 to 5.
- To help all children, regardless of sex, religious beliefs or ability to feel secure, happy and enjoy coming to nursery and gain in confidence.
● To enable all children to fulfil their potential, whatever their ability.
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To work through praise and encouragement, expect good standards of behaviour and enable children to work individually and together.
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Through play, provide a stimulating and wide range of experiences and challenges to enable children to develop as active learners, to give a sound preparation for school life.
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To enable children to leave the nursery and start primary school as happy, considerate and enquiring pupils.
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To encourage parents to be involved in all aspects of their child’s development
The charity operates from its own purpose-built accommodation on the site of Warcop C of E Primary School. The nursery is a provider of education and care for children aged 2 to 5 years who travel from surrounding towns and villages. The charity is registered as a provider with OFSTED. We are also registered with the current Government Grant Scheme for eligible children to receive free/subsidised education from the age of 2 also the term following their 3rd birthday. We have operated on 5 full days when economically possible, and this is sometimes reduced to four full days when there has been insufficient demand.
The Trustees currently employ 4 part-time members of staff, which includes an apprentice and bank staff, all of whom hold a recognised qualification in childcare. Volunteer helpers have also given their time to the charity on a regular basis. We are supported by an Early Years Development Worker and an Early Years Advisory Teacher.
In setting our objectives and planning our activities, our trustees have given consideration to the charity commission's public benefit guidance.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Ofsted Inspection
The nursery has worked hard to implement the recommendations made in the last Ofsted report (December22), which graded the nursery as ‘good’. An Action Plan has been drawn up and procedures have been put in place to satisfy the recommendations. The Ofsted Inspector made recommendations for the nursery to act upon:
- Strengthen communications with parents/carers on how to support their children’s learning within their next steps
Building
The Nursery and its covered outdoor area are organised to deliver the required seven areas of learning in line with the newest Ealy Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework (EYFS).
Staff training
The staff have continued to follow a training programme to ensure that they are up to date with all core training. Every member of staff holds a recognised first aid qualification.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The financial results are set out in the accounts.
Red Squirrels Nursery hold reserves to ensure we have enough funding in place if numbers of children drop or to cover unexpected expenses for repairs to the setting and other costs, which has been calculated at £15,000.
At 31 July 2023 £42,715 was held in bank funds.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
The charity is an unincorporated organisation governed by a constitution based on the Early Years Alliance template which is renewed each year. The current constitution was approved on 21/11/23
Trustees are elected from parents or the local community at the AGM held in the Autumn. The existing committee members hold an audit to see gaps in their experience and knowledge bases if a member leaves, ensuring experienced and knowledgeable trustees are in place at all times.
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees' report above on 6 September 2024
Mrs E Porter - Treasurer
Registered Charity
1173246
INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES AND MEMBERS OF RED SQUIRRELS NURSERY
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2023
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 July 2023.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation 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 examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention 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
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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.
Paul Hornby, FCA
JF Hornby & Co Chartered Accountants Daltongate Business Centre 7 Daltongate Ulverston LA12 7AJ
6 September 2024
Registered Charity
1036866
RED SQUIRRELS NURSERY
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2023
| RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS | 2023 | 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted Funds |
Restricted Funds |
Total Funds | Total Funds | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| RECEIPTS | ||||
| Donations & Fundraising | 840 | 840 | 98 | |
| Grant Income | 1,500 | 495 | 1,995 | - |
| Nursery Fees | 19,879 | 19,879 | 11,182 | |
| Childcare funding | 50,829 | 50,829 | 54,228 | |
| Miscellaneous Income | 500 | 500 | 693 | |
| Total Receipts | 73,547 | 495 | 74,042 | 66,200 |
| PAYMENTS | ||||
| Charitable Activities | ||||
| Activities | 7,859 | 7,859 | 5,012 | |
| Salaries and Pension | 50,219 | 50,219 | 38,508 | |
| Staff Training & Agency Staff | 778 | 778 | 140 | |
| Rent & Utilities | 2,037 | 2,037 | 4,848 | |
| Building & furnishings | 2,374 | 495 | 2,869 | 1,069 |
| Insurance | 2,627 | 2,627 | 2,370 | |
| Accountancy | 800 | 800 | 603 | |
| Sundry | 561 | 561 | 273 | |
| Total Payments | 67,255 | 495 | 67,750 | 52,823 |
| Net of receipts / (payments) | 6,292 | - | 6,292 | 13,377 |
| Cash Funds brought forwards | 36,423 | - | 36,423 | 23,048 |
| Cash Funds carried forwards | 42,715 | - | 42,715 | 36,425 |
| STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND | LIABILITIES | |||
| Cash funds held | 42,715 | - | 42,715 | 36,425 |
The accounts were approved by the board of trustees and signed on its behalf on 6 September 2024
Mrs E Porter Treasurer
Registered Charity 1036866
RED SQUIRRELS NURSERY
NOTES TO THE RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2023
Fixed Assets
In 2008 the charity obtained funding to enable the construction of a prefabricated building from which the Nursery now operates. The net cost of this building after deduction of grant funding was £2,280. The building is on land owned by Warcop C of E School for which ground rent is payable.
Related Party Transactions
The Nursery Manager is also a trustee. The charity welcomes those closely associated with the organisation to take part in the governance discussions and decisions. The Manager was appointed before and separate to the appointment as a trustee and is excluded from any decisions affecting their role as a manager eg salary or performance review.
One of the trustees receives activity costs, amounting to £670 in the year, from the charity for services provided through their business. This service is independent to their voluntary role as a trustee and the activity is regularly reviewed to ensure that the service is of benefit to the charity when considered alongside other activities that could be purchased.