## Early Years @ Lightcliffe
Charity number 1037861
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 August 2025
Early Years @ Lightcliffe
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 August 2025
|**Contents**|**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' report|2 to 4|
|Examiner's report|5|
|Statement of financial activities|6|
|Balance sheet|7|
|Statement of cash flows|8|
|Notes to the accounts|9 to 14|
## **Prepared by West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
1
## Early Years @ Lightcliffe
## Trustees' report for the year ended 31 August 2025
## **Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors**
The trustees during the financial year and up to and including the date the report was approved were: **Name Position Dates** Emma Szyczak Secretary Sarah Hey Treasurer Carly Durrans Kimberley Szyczak Samantha Pearson **Charity number** 1037861 Registered in England and Wales **Registered and principal address Bankers** Christ Church Centre Lightcliffe Unity Trust Bank Leeds Road Nine Brindley Place Lightcliffe Birmingham Halifax B1 2HB HX3 8NU
## **Independent examiner**
Katy Sargeant ACA
**West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO** Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
## **Structure, governance and management**
The charity is governed by a constitution adopted on 27 October 1993, amended on 2 April 2007 and 18 January 2012.
The Setting Manager (Sam Pearson) undertakes day to day management of the setting and the building.
All major decisions, operational or financial, are discussed, agreed and minuted by charity trustees on a half-termly basis. Day to day decisions taken by the setting manager or by senior leadership team with approval by the manager.
## **Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees**
The trustees of the charity are appointed by the members at the AGM.
A volunteers policy operates in conjunction with Safer Recruitment Policy. All new trustees receive copy of Constitution, Trustees Handbook and sign Confidentiality Agreement and Committee Member Pledge.
## **Arrangements for setting pay and remuneration of the charity's key management personnel**
Salary banding undertaken, with levels set dependent on level of qualification and responsibility. Managers role is salaried rather than hourly pay, benchmarked against similar management roles within the area with an uplift to include additional responsibilities of managing the building as well as the setting, and being on-call. Charity trustees, excluding affected parties, discuss and agree pay levels.
2
## Early Years @ Lightcliffe
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 August 2025
## **Objectives and activities**
## **The charity's objects**
To enhance the development and education of children primarily under statutory age by encouraging parents to understand and provide for the needs of their children through community groups.
a) offering appropriate play, education and care facilities, family learning and extended hours groups, together with 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 Learning Alliance.
## **The charity's main activities**
To provide for children aged 2 to 5 pre-school education and an after school club.
## **Public benefit statement**
In setting our objectives and planning our activities our Trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular raising the standard of education for local children.
## **Achievements and performance**
We have continued to grow and expand the setting, including increasing the size and capacity of our baby room to meet community demands. We have welcomed more families into our setting and therefore have also increased our workforce accordingly. We have made several further improvements to the building, including replacement of washroom facilities, roof repairs, door and window replacements and upgraded security protection measures. We have hosted several successful fundraising events including raffles, Christmas fair, end of term performances. We continue to host a weekly stay and play toddler group, open to all members of the community, and continue to rent out our hall space to a local martial arts group.
## **Plans for future periods**
Further expansion to allow us to offer more baby room places to meet community demand. This is to be achieved by carrying out improvements and refurbishment to areas of the building which are not currently in use.
Increased flexibility offered to parents with the offer of hot meal provision at lunchtimes rather than having to bring own packed lunches.
Increased use of external providers to offer a more varied programme of activities (particularly during holiday club sessions) and increased hands-on curriculum activities that are not available in-house (e.g. visiting animals etc).
On-going upgrades to improve the general upkeep, security and energy efficiency of the building (replacement of single glazed windows, improvement to heating systems).
## **Financial review**
The net income for the year was £31,213, including net income of £28,943 on unrestricted funds and net income of £2,270 on restricted funds.
3
## Early Years @ Lightcliffe
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 August 2025
## **Principal risks facing the charity**
Uncertainties include lower birth rate years, when children intake levels may drop; families choosing other settings; government childcare funding levels insufficient to cover overheads; difficulties with staff recruitment to meet demand.
Risks are mitigated by: benchmarking fees to remain competitive against other local provisions; close monitoring of occupancy levels, with advertising to fill spaces if required; attention to staff welfare and wellbeing. Close monitoring of budget, tracking actual expenditure against forecast to allow adjustments to be made where necessary, for example if fee increases are necessary, if resource expenditure must be limited within scope of fundraising income.
## **Reserves policy**
The charity's total reserves were £348,531, of which £3,759 relates to restricted funds. Within the remaining funds, £399,167 was the value of tangible fixed assets. This leaves net liabilties of £54,395, however, when we exclude long term liabilities relating to the mortgage on the property, there is £175,051 as unrestricted working capital, which is effectively the free reserves.
The financial security of Early Years@Lightcliffe is important, therefore money will be kept in reserve for unforeseen circumstances. We aim to maintain a level of reserves to assist us if income falls below expected levels or to assist our recovery should we encounter a business disaster.
We need reserves in order to:
Meet redundancy liabilities should the pre-school have to close.
Ensure there are sufficient cash reserves in the current account to cover day to day running costs for a period of one month, with an aim to increase this to three months.
Ensure continuity of service provision by:
Meeting unexpected costs such as cover for illness or maternity leave, etc.
Covering running costs during periods of lower income (e.g. while adjusting to policy changes or following falls in fundraising).
Replace equipment as it wears out and carry out necessary building upgrades/maintenance.
Based on the above we have calculated that our reserves should be between £68,000 and £141,000. The trustees recognised the reserves at year end exceeded the upper range stated in the policy due to building up funds to allow building works/renovations to increase number of baby room places and to improve provision.
Approved by the board of trustees on 17/06/26
Sarah Hey (Trustee)
4
## Early Years @ Lightcliffe
## Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Early Years @ Lightcliffe
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charitable company for the year ended 31 August 2025, which are set out on pages 6 to 14.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity's trustees of the charitable company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the charitable company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
Since the charitable company's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a fellow of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act.
I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a fellow of ICAEW which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
- 1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or 2 the accounts do not accord with those records; or
- 3 the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
- 4 the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Katy Sargeant ACA
22/06/26
## **West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
5
## Early Years @ Lightcliffe
## Statement of Financial Activities
## (including summary income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 August 2025
|Notes
2025
Unrestricted
funds
£
**Income from:**
Donations and legacies
(2)
1,453
Charitable activities
(3)
268,953
Bank interest
1,121
**Total income**
271,527
**Expenditure on:**
Raising funds
(4)
686
Charitable activities
(5)
241,898
**Total expenditure**
242,584
**Net income / (expenditure)**
28,943
**Fund balances brought forward**
315,829
**Fund balances carried forward**
(6)
344,772|2025
Restricted
funds
£
255,515
-
-
255,515
-
253,245
253,245
2,270
1,489
3,759|2025
Total
funds
£
256,968
268,953
1,121
527,042
686
495,143
495,829
31,213
317,318
348,531|2024
Total
funds
£
185,704
263,480
1,162
450,346
246
406,690
406,936
43,410
273,908
317,318|
|---|---|---|---|
All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities.
6
## Early Years @ Lightcliffe
## Balance sheet
|as at 31 August 2025
2025
Unrestricted
£
**Fixed assets**
Tangible assets
(7)
399,167
**Total fixed assets**
399,167
**Current assets**
Debtors and prepayments
(8)
12,102
Cash at bank
250,612
**Total current assets**
262,714
**Current liabilities:**
**amounts falling due within one year**
Creditors and accruals
(9)
87,663
**Total current liabilities**
87,663
**Net current assets / (liabilities)**
175,051
**Total assets less current liabilities**
574,218
**Creditors: amounts falling due after one year**
(10)
229,446
**Net assets**
344,772
**Funds**
Unrestricted funds
344,772
Restricted funds
-
**Total funds**
344,772|2025
Restricted
£
-
-
-
3,759
3,759
-
-
3,759
3,759
-
3,759
-
3,759
3,759|2025
Total
£
399,167
399,167
12,102
254,371
266,473
87,663
87,663
178,810
577,977
229,446
348,531
344,772
3,759
348,531|2024
Total
£
411,785
411,785
11,215
212,862
224,077
79,408
79,408
144,669
556,454
239,136
317,318
315,829
1,489
317,318|
|---|---|---|---|
The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on 17/06/26
Sarah Hey (Trustee)
7
## Early Years @ Lightcliffe
## Statement of cash flows
## for the year ended 31 August 2025
|**Cash flows from operating activities:**
**Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities**
**Cash flows from investing activities:**
Bank interest
Purchase of tangible fixed assets (excluding donated assets)
**Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities**
**Cash flows from financing activities:**
Repayments on borrowing
Cash inflows from new borrowing
**Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities**
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period
**Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period**
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges
Bank interest receivable
(Increase) / decrease in debtors
Increase / (decrease) in creditors
Mortgage interest payable
**Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities**
**Analysis of cash and cash equivalents**
Notice deposits (less than 30 days)
**Total cash and cash equivalents**
**Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow**
**from operating activities**
Net movement in funds for the reporting period (as per the
statement of financial activities)
Cash in hand|2025
£
70,904
1,121
-
1,121
(30,515)
-
(30,515)
41,509
212,862
254,371
2025
£
31,213
12,618
(1,121)
(887)
7,791
21,290
70,904
2025
£
-
254,371
254,371|2024
£
137,476
1,162
(28,159)
(26,997)
(30,741)
-
(30,741)
79,738
133,124
212,862
2024
£
43,410
12,618
(1,162)
(1,570)
60,426
23,754
137,476
2024
£
-
212,862
212,862|
|---|---|---|
8
## Early Years @ Lightcliffe
## Notes to the accounts
## for the year ended 31 August 2025
## **1 Accounting policies**
## **Basis of accounting**
These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) and with the Charities Act 2011.
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
There has been no change to the accounting policies since last year. No changes have been made to the accounts for previous years.
## **Going concern**
The trustees are satisfied that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue.
## **Incoming resources**
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when the charity becomes entitled to the resources, if it is more likely than not that the trustees will receive the resources and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.
## **Grants and donations**
Grants and donations are only included in the SOFA when the charity has unconditional entitlement to the resources.
Where grants are related to performance and specific deliverables, they are accounted for as the charity earns the right to consideration by its performance.
## **Expenditure and liabilities**
Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred. Liabilities are recognised where it is more likely than not that there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out the resources and the amount of the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.
## **Taxation**
As a charity the organisation benefits from rates relief and is generally exempt from income tax and capital gains tax but not from VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it relates.
## **Tangible fixed assets**
Tangible fixed assets costing more than £1,000 are capitalised and included at cost including any incidental expenses of acquisition. Gifted assets are shown at the value to the charity on receipt. Depreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets at rates calculated to write off the cost on a straight line basis over their expected useful economic lives as follows:
Freehold land: nil Freehold buildings: over 50 years Furniture and Fittings: over 4 years
## **Pensions**
The charity operates a defined contribution scheme for the benefit of its employees. The costs of contributions are recognised in the year they are payable.
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.
9
## Early Years @ Lightcliffe
## Notes to the accounts continued
## for the year ended 31 August 2025
|**2 Donations and legacies**
Other grants and donations
**3 Charitable activities income**
Nursery Fees
Room Hire
Fundraising
Other income
**4 Raising funds**
Fundraising expenses
**5 Charitable activities expenditure**
Charitable activities|2025
Unrestricted
funds
£
1,453
1,453
2025
Unrestricted
funds
£
250,334
8,685
4,231
5,703
268,953
2025
Unrestricted
funds
£
686
686
Activities
undertaken
directly
£
427,171
427,171|2025
Restricted
funds
£
255,515
255,515
2025
Restricted
funds
£
-
-
-
-
2025
Restricted
funds
£
-
-
Support
costs
£
67,972
67,972|2025
Total
funds
£
256,968
256,968
2025
Total
funds
£
250,334
8,685
4,231
5,703
268,953
2025
Total
funds
£
686
686
2025
Total
cost
£
495,143
495,143|2024
Total
funds
£
185,704
185,704
2024
Total
funds
£
250,662
9,490
2,498
830
263,480
2024
Total
funds
£
246
246
2024
Total
cost
£
406,690
406,690|
|---|---|---|---|---|
10
## Early Years @ Lightcliffe Notes to the accounts continued
## for the year ended 31 August 2025
|**5a Support costs**
**Support cost type**
Management and admin salaries
Financial management support
Legal and professional fees
Memberships and subscriptions
Independent examination
**5b Charitable activities expenditure detail**
Salaries NI and pensions
(8c)
Casual staff
Educational materials, activities and trips
Food
Stationery and administration fees
Telephone
Independent examination
Training
Uniforms
Advertising and recruitment costs
Repairs and maintenance
Bank charges
Computer consumables
Toddler expenses
Cleaning
Equipment
Membership and subscriptions
Insurance
Mortgage interest repayments
Utilities
Depreciation
Staff gifts
Bad debts
Legal and professional fees
**5c Staff costs and numbers**
Gross salaries
Social security costs
Employment allowance
Pensions|2025
Unrestricted
funds
£
173,320
-
1,179
10,901
-
-
-
-
-
-
43,785
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
12,618
-
95
-
241,898|2025
Restricted
funds
£
181,432
-
7,901
-
4,182
1,176
1,440
1,304
1,645
120
7,662
480
189
55
1,017
844
3,768
2,802
21,290
9,220
-
-
-
6,718
253,245|2025
Total
cost
£
53,460
2,587
6,718
3,768
1,440
67,972
2025
Total
cost
£
354,752
-
9,080
10,901
4,182
1,176
1,440
1,304
1,645
120
51,447
480
189
55
1,017
844
3,768
2,802
21,290
9,220
12,618
-
95
6,718
495,143
2025
£
332,895
26,766
(10,500)
5,591
354,752|2024
Total
cost
£
47,323
2,512
2,400
3,527
1,134
56,896
2024
Total
cost
£
315,426
108
5,993
8,973
3,455
1,162
1,134
584
1,686
-
6,391
396
262
26
1,134
1,189
3,527
3,301
23,754
10,654
12,618
511
2,006
2,400
406,690
2024
£
295,694
19,469
(5,000)
5,263
315,426|
|---|---|---|---|---|
The average number of employees during the year was 16.7, being an average of 15.7 full time equivalent (2024: 14.9, 12.5 FTE). There were no employees with emoluments above £60,000.
|**Defined contribution pension scheme**|2025|2024|
|---|---|---|
||£|£|
|Costs of the scheme to the charity for the year|5,591|5,263|
|Amount of any contributions outstanding at the year end|852|1,038|
11
## Early Years @ Lightcliffe
## Notes to the accounts continued
## for the year ended 31 August 2025
|**Restricted funds**
CMBC - Early Education Funding
CMBC - Inclusion Funding
CMBC - DAF
EIYTT
Apprenticeship - Juniper training
Apprenticeship - Eden Training
Apprenticeship - Kirklees College
CMBC expansion grant|Balance b/f
£
-
-
-
1,489
-
-
-
-
1,489|Incoming
£
231,431
16,304
2,730
1,167
1,000
500
500
1,883
255,515|Outgoing
£
231,431
16,304
854
2,656
1,000
500
500
-
253,245|Transfers
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|Balance c/f
£
-
-
1,876
-
-
-
-
1,883
3,759|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
## **6 Restricted funds**
## **Fund name**
CMBC - Early Education Funding
CMBC - Inclusion Funding
CMBC - DAF EIYTT
Apprenticeship - Juniper training Apprenticeship - Eden Training Apprenticeship - Kirklees College CMBC expansion grant
## **Purpose of restriction**
For the supply of free early years provision for children aged 9 months - 4yrs.
To support early years providers in meeting the needs of individual children with Special Educational Needs.
Disability Access funding
To support for trainees enrolled on the Early Years Initial Teacher Training programme.
Towards costs of apprenticeships. Towards costs of apprenticeships. Towards costs of apprenticeships. Towards staff costs.
|**Tangible assets**
**Cost**
At 1 September 2024
Additions
At 31 August 2025
**Depreciation**
At 1 September 2024
Charge for year
At 31 August 2025
**Net book value**
At 31 August 2025
At 31 August 2024
**Debtors and prepayments**
Debtors
Prepayments|£
44,139
-
44,139
6,376
4,414
10,790
33,349
37,763
Building
Improvements|£
8,814
-
8,814
4,792
2,204
6,996
1,818
4,022
Fixtures
and Fittings|£
300,000
-
300,000
30,000
6,000
36,000
264,000
270,000
Freehold
Buildings|£
100,000
-
100,000
-
-
-
100,000
100,000
2025
£
8,426
3,676
12,102
Freehold
Land|Total
£
452,953
-
452,953
41,168
12,618
53,786
399,167
411,785
2024
£
8,089
3,126
11,215|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
## **7 Tangible assets**
## **8 Debtors and prepayments**
12
## Early Years @ Lightcliffe
## Notes to the accounts continued
## for the year ended 31 August 2025
|**9 Creditors and accruals**
Bank loans and overdrafts
Accruals
Grant funding in advance
Taxation and social security
Other creditors
**10 Creditors: amounts falling due after one year**
Bank loans
**11 Related party transactions**
**Trustee expenses**
**Trustee remuneration and benefits**
**Name of trustee or related party**
**Legal authority**
Sam Pearson
Governing document
Carly Durrans
Governing document
**Reason for remuneration**
No trustee received any expenses during this year or the previous year.|2025
£
17,672
1,440
64,766
2,933
852
87,663
2025
£
229,446
229,446
2025
£
53,227
2,587
55,813|2024
£
16,796
1,134
56,400
4,040
1,038
79,408
2024
£
239,136
239,136
2024
£
47,323
2,512
49,835|
|---|---|---|
Sam is employed as the pre-school manager, she was apointed as an affiliate member trustee in November 2023.
Carly is a parent member trustee and is paid for bookkeeping work.
No other trustee received any other remuneration or benefit during this or the previous year.
## **Remuneration and benefits received by key management personnel**
The total employee benefits received by key management personnel were £62,203 (previous year: £54,946).
13
## Early Years @ Lightcliffe
## Statement of Financial Activities including comparatives for all funds (including summary income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 August 2025
|2025
2024
Unrestricted Unrestricted
funds
funds
£
£
**Income**
Donations and legacies
1,453
-
Charitable activities
268,953
263,480
Bank interest
1,121
1,162
**Total income**
271,527
264,642
**Expenditure**
Raising funds
686
246
Charitable activities
241,898
222,475
**Total expenditure**
242,584
222,721
**Net income / (expenditure)**
28,943
41,921
**Fund balances brought forward**
315,829
273,908
**Fund balances carried forward**
344,772
315,829|2025
Restricted
funds
£
255,515
-
-
255,515
-
253,245
253,245
2,270
1,489
3,759|2024
Restricted
funds
£
185,704
-
-
185,704
-
184,215
184,215
1,489
-
1,489|2025
Total
funds
£
256,968
268,953
1,121
527,042
686
495,143
495,829
31,213
317,318
348,531|2024
Total
funds
£
185,704
263,480
1,162
450,346
246
406,690
406,936
43,410
273,908
317,318|
|---|---|---|---|---|
14