2024-08-31-accounts

The Reading Room, School Lane, St. John’s Crowborough TN6 1SB Tel: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

Trustee Report (2023/2024)

St Johns preschool is a Registered Charity that is run by parental committee. The committee consists of Becca Gunn (Chair), Jerry Lamb (Treasurer), Jessie Loveday (Secretary), general member Denise Baker and a team of Fundraisers led by Amy Brann. Lynda Milham is a newly appointed Manager and is responsible for the operational day to day running of the preschool; she is supported by Chantal Henton (Deputy Manager), Ella-May Freeman, Jenny Carr and most recently Holly Holt, who joined the pre-school on in October 2023.

Preschool 2023/24:

We have 33 children attending St. John’s Preschool, 11 of whom left in September 2024 to move onto to local primary schools. There were 14 new starters in the September, bringing our number of children attending for the academic year 2024/25 to 36.

The new 2-year funding that came in place from April 2024, meaning we had some decisions to make regarding our fee structure. As the information provided by the local authority was minimal right up until just before the Easter term, we were forced to make a decision based on indicative figures. As a result, the decision was made to remove some hours that were funded during the pre-school day, enabling us to continue to keep open.

In April 2024 we saw an enforced 9.789% increase in the Living Wage, up £1.02 per hr. This, along with the change in funding from the government and ongoing overhead increases seen across the board, has a significant impact on our profit and loss. As you know a decision was taken by the committee to revise the fee structure again to accommodate these cost rises, but we wanted to create as minimal impact to our families as possible. This saw hourly rates rise from £6.80 flat rate for all children, to £8.10 for 2-year-olds and £7.50 for 3 & 4-year-olds from 1[st] April 2024 and the return of all funding hours being able to be used. The snack/resource fees were also increased in line with analysis of our costs to £2 per session (sessions are 9am-12pm and 12pm -3pm). The fee increases were communicated with all parents in March 2024. We are pleased that the increases were received well by thepreschool community and with these changes it meant that we were able to continue to offer our families their full funding entitlement by the local authority whilst being able to continue to run our preschool and pay our staff in line with the national living wage.

Proprietor St John’s Pre School & Toddler Group AGM Chair Report 2023/2024

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The Reading Room, School Lane, St. John’s Crowborough TN6 1SB Tel: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

At the start of the year the new committee had ~~four key objectves:~~

1. Communication – simplifying and making communication more manageable for parents/carers, allowing opportunity for feedback.

2. Building Improvements – invest in improving key spaces in the main building and the playground to positively impact children and staff for the future.

3. Social Events – run more regular social events/fundraising events to help our children and parents/carers to integrate and socialise together,

4. Staffing – recruit for a manager in readiness for the Manager’s retirement and assist in the transition of this.

In terms of communication , the committee continued with the monthly newsletter, bringing to light more of the activities and focus areas for play and learning, communicating key dates and reminders from staff and updating on all fundraising activities. The website has been updated to cover termly snacks and activity plans. The committee also looked to maximise the potential of Facebook sharing frequent imagery ‘behind the scenes’ as well as fundraising updates and celebrating key milestones i.e. birthdays/leavers etc. Primarily, implementing a pre-school parents/carer WhatsApp, enabling a quick way to communicate with parents and to also share key information. Staff and committee now communicate with families via an @stjohnspreschool.co.uk email address which we hope has enabled Parents to recognise us when receiving correspondence from one of the team, aligning communication streams. We believe this has built a stable framework for communication moving forward.

In the more recent months, the activity on Tapestry has increased and we aim to move over to sharing Newsletters on here along with other key information, so that everything is in one place.

The second objective was to make improvements to the building and play area, and this year really has been a year of change. In the Easter holidays the committee, staff and some volunteers from the Preschool families gave the preschool interior and toilets a fresh lick of paint. Along with multiple trips to the tip and charity shops, we

Proprietor St John’s Pre School & Toddler Group AGM Chair Report 2023/2024

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The Reading Room, School Lane, St. John’s Crowborough TN6 1SB Tel: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

condensed the resources that was in the pre-sc ~~hool, had new storage built, alo~~ ng with a new changing area, kindly fitted and donated by Enhance Property Developments. Along with some new fresh resources and equipment, this has made the interior brighter, more inviting and a calmer space to welcome the children in, as well as make best use of the space so to open it up.

We were also lucky enough to have Jack at Country Oak Barns and his team build a lean-to on the side of the preschool, to create an undercover, all-weather area for the children to play, which has been a fantastic addition to our outside space. Under here also houses our new outside sink that was purchased with the money obtained from the Tesco Grant we received and kindly fitted by a Grandparent of children from the setting. There are still some improvements we’d like to continue to do in 24/25, but we have made headway.

For Social Events we hosted a curry and quiz night and have had some really positive feedback that brought the community together, we hope to host a few more of these in the next year. It turned out to be a fantastic fundraiser and great fun too. We also have done our regular Christmas raffle and a few bake sales, along with some fun activities throughout the year for the children to participate and have fun, by also fundraising too. We aim to host a golf day at the Crowborough Golf Club in the next academic year.

Additionally, the beloved Mrs Scott was set to retire in April 2023, but continued in post until we found a suitable replacement. The Committee worked tirelessly to recruit for a new manager, and it took almost 12 months of advertising, interviews and recruitment, but we said goodbye to Mrs Scott at the beginning of the Easter holidays 2024 and welcomed MrsMilham. She has had a positive impact in the change we have adopted since she has been in post and been the driving factor for freshening up the pre-school and the new structure of the daily routine which has been fantastic for the children and all the staffing team.

Grants and Fundraising:

We would like to say a huge thanks to all parents/carers/family members who have supported our fundraising efforts this year, you have been so brilliantly generous.

Proprietor St John’s Pre School & Toddler Group AGM Chair Report 2023/2024

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The Reading Room, School Lane, St. John’s Crowborough TN6 1SB

Tel: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

We won the Tesco £500 grant this year, which a ~~s mentoned, was the reason w~~ e were able to invest in an outdoor sink, which has been fantastic for the children’s outdoor water play, encouraging more outdoor activities and assisting in their development.

The Future:

The following committee roles stepped down from August 2024: Chairperson and Secretary. This is due to

Becca’s children no longer at the pre-school and Jessie will be continuing on supporting the pre-school as the administrator, so her time will be taken up with fulfilling that role. It is a requirement for these positions to be filled for the pre-school to remain open, we hope that the parents/carers or extended family of current children at the preschool will consider these roles.

We were also looking for a team of fundraisers that can take on the organisation and implementation of the

fundraising events throughout the year ahead. This is fundamental to the success of the pre-school and a role that, if spread across a number of people, is easy to fit around your day-to-day life.

In terms of the key focus areas for the future, they are as follows;

• Exploring grants and fundraising options to allow further building and improvements to the interior and outside space, refreshing resources and looking at providing an outdoor breakout area for the staff to securely store their belongings and have an area to have their well earned breaks throughout the day.

• Building a robust bank staff team to support future staffing schedule pinch points due to illness.

• Maintaining a strong eye on the numbers with focus (1) ensuring fees are covering overheads, with an

annual fee review to take place every year (2) a strict process with regard to aged debtors that ensures cashflow is maintained.

• We would love to do more social events for parents/carers so that our community can grow.

Thank you all for your support!

Rebecca Gunn – Chairperson 2023-2024

Proprietor St John’s Pre School & Toddler Group AGM Chair Report 2023/2024

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The Reading Room, School Lane, St. John’s Crowborough TN6 1SB Tel: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

Proprietor St John’s Pre School & Toddler Group AGM Chair Report 2023/2024

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Profit and Loss St Johns Pre School

September 1, 2023-August 31, 2024

Distribution account	Total
Income Fees Fundraising Income, General Fundraising Income, Tesco Miscellaneous/Other Income Nursery Grant Snack Donation Voluntary Contributions Total for Income Cost of Sales Consumables (Food/Cleaning) Equipment & Materials Fundraising Costs, General Fundraising Costs, Tesco Hall Hire Total for Cost of Sales Gross Profit Expenses Bank Charges Bank Interest Paid Bookkeeping & Administrative Fees Cleaning Electricity/Gas Employers N.I. (Non-Directors) Employers Pensions Gross Wages Gross Wages - Admin Gross Wages - Agency Gross Wages - Casual Labour Insurance IT Costs Office Stationery Payroll Expenses Employer Contributions Retirement Total for Employer Contributions Taxes Wages	47,385.84 4,668.49 500.00 222.03 51,065.78 8,994.00 2,965.72
	£115,801.86 1,724.51 2,214.54 668.53 500.00 270.00
	£5,377.58
	£110,424.28 0.68 -43.73 2,465.00 2,515.95 4,399.32 824.69 79,440.50 1,411.46 1,812.48 46.20 759.14 43.62 267.77 0.00 0.00
	0.00 807.01

Total for Payroll Expenses Refuse Rates Rent/General Rates Repairs and Maintenance - Expense Staff Training Costs/DBS Checks Subscriptions Telephone and Fax Total for Expenses Net Operating Income Other Income Other Expenses Net Other Income Net Income	£807.01 1,209.86 3,499.92 2,316.18 1,008.46 654.33 836.99
	£104,275.83
	£6,148.45
	0.00
	£6,148.45

Accrual Basis Monday, September 22, 2025 01:13 PM GMTZ

Balance Sheet

St Johns Pre School

As of August 31, 2024

Distribution account	Total
Called up share capital not paid Fixed Asset Tangible assets Equipment Equipment Depreciation Total for Tangible assets Non-current Assets Total for Fixed Asset Cash at bank and in hand Company Credit Card HSBC Bank Account HSBC Savings Account Petty Cash Santander Bank Account Santander Savings Account Total for Cash at bank and in hand Debtors Debtors Control Account Total for Debtors Current Assets Prepaid School Fees Prepayments Total for Current Assets NET CURRENT ASSETS Prepayments and accrued income Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Trade Creditors Creditors Control Account Total for Trade Creditors Credit Cards Current Liabilities Accruals Net Wages P.A.Y.E. Payroll Liabilities HMRC Tax Payment Group Smart Pension Student Loan	6,811.03 -6,811.03
	0.00
	0.00 43.72 22,614.83 22,906.12
	£45,564.67 10,395.20
	£10,395.20
	0.00
	£55,959.87 1,820.12
	£1,820.12 2,685.08 1,141.37 0.00 131.75

Total for Payroll Liabilities Pension Fund Pre paid nursery fees Sundry Creditors Total for Current Liabilities Total for Creditors: amounts falling due within one year NET CURRENT ASSETS (LIABILITIES) TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year Provision for liabilities and charges Accruals and deferred income TOTAL NET ASSETS (LIABILITIES) Capital and Reserves Reserves Retained Earnings Net Income Called up share capital Total for Capital and Reserves	£131.75 14,092.20
	£18,050.40
	£19,870.52
	£36,089.35
	£36,089.35
	£36,089.35 24,382.33 5,558.57 6,148.45
	£36,089.35

Accrual Basis Monday, September 22, 2025 01:22 PM GMTZ

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees On accounts for the year ended Set out on pages Responsibilities and basis of report	Charity Name St John’s Preschool and toddler group	Charity Name St John’s Preschool and toddler group	Charity Name St John’s Preschool and toddler group
	31 August 2024	Charity no (if any)	1045290
	(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
	I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended31 / 08 / 2024. As the charity's trustees, 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 all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

• the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or

• • the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or • the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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.

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.

Signed: Date: 30/09/2025 Name: Oliver Locke Relevant professional ICAEW qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: Old Forge Cottage, Church Road TN6 3LG

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Oct 2018

IER

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

2

Oct 2018

IER