2025-03-31-accounts - Littlebourne Ladybirds Playgroup

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Charity Number 1049558

LADYBIRDS PRE-SCHOOL ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS

FOR FINANCIAL PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 CHARITY NAME

Ladybirds Pre-School

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER

1049558

CHARITY’S PRINCIPAL ADDRESS

Church Road, Littlebourne Canterbury CT3 1XS

01227 728388

WEB ADDRESS

www.ladybirdspre-school.com

Email

ladybirdspreschool@yahoo.co.uk

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Emma Yonge Chairman and Trustee Helen Hilton Treasurer Jennifer Gallagher Secretary

Lucy Starr General Member Carol Childs General Member Sarah Childs General Member Rebecca Gibson General Member

BANKERS

CAF Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

Sam Tasou

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMT

Ladybirds Pre-School is incorporated under the Pre-School Learning Alliance

Ladybirds Pre-School is a registered charity (No 1049558) and is a non-profit, committee-run community pre-school offering pre-school education for children age 2 to school age.

The charity consists of 7 Board of Trustees.

Policies and Procedures

Refer to current Ladybirds Pre-school Policies and Procedures found at: - http://www.ladybirdspre school.com/policies.html

The Pre-school has a Child Protection Policy in place. DBS criminal record checks are carried out prior to commencement of employment, trusteeship or other voluntary work with the Pre-school.

All trustees give their time as volunteers and receive no remuneration or other benefits for duties fulfilled as part of their trustee role.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Ladybirds Pre-school works for the public benefit, having as its objects the development and education of children and young people in particular by:

(1) promoting their care and safety;
(2) promoting their education and promoting parental involvement;
(3) promoting their health and wellbeing;
(4) providing services to support them and their families and carers;
(5) providing services to individuals holding membership of the CIO; and
(6) furthering the aims of the Pre-school Learning Alliance

Ladybirds Pre-school is an integral part of the community, and we work hard to strengthen links with other local organisations and facilities. We aim to offer a strong grounding for our children below compulsory school age and to assist them in developing their own identities.

The pre-school aims to provide affordable and accessible childcare to pre-school aged children (age 2 – statutory school age), in a safe and supportive environment and to work in partnership with parents in the provision of this.

The Pre-school owns one building situated on land at Littlebourne Church of England School and also rents a second building at the same site. Sessions run concurrently at both sites, where qualified and friendly staff provide stimulating and creative play, which enables learning to take place in a fun and secure environment.

The Pre-school is open Monday to Friday during term time, providing sessional day care in a caring and learning environment. Children are cared for by qualified, paid staff that have shown great dedication and commitment to the Pre-school. The Preschool actively encourages parental involvement in the management of the Preschool and the development of their children, both within the setting and at home.

We look upon the Pre-school as the first stepping-stone to school and school life.

The daily routine includes a variety of activities that follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework taking in to consideration each individual child’s preferences and needs.

A great contribution is made by Committee members and parent volunteers, along with staff commitment outside their paid working hours.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Ladybirds Pre-school has had a good year. The Pre-school is very fortunate to have a dedicated staff team and board of trustees. The Pre-school is a highly valued part of the local community with an excellent reputation.

Training

Staff have continued their professional development by attending a variety of courses including, SEND, Safeguarding for the designated lead, Safeguarding for all staff, First aid training for all staff Forest school and equality and inclusion.

This year the setting has continued with the ‘The Balance System. We achieved the accreditation this year and have taken on different projects for the coming year to continue to support children’s speech and language development.

Allotment

We are continuing to visit the village allotments and the children spend many hours looking are fruit and vegetable plants Which has been invaluable for children’s development and learning.

Parent Visits

The pre-school welcomes parents and families into the setting. Parents are enjoying coming in and taking part in activities.

Fundraising

We have taken on more fundraising activities including an Easter bonnet Parade, Christmas nativity.

BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY

Ladybirds Pre-school has been educating children and benefitting the community of Littlebourne and the surrounding villages since 1992. We welcome all children in the local community from every background. Our work with children from 2 years to school age means we help children learn and develop important social skills they will take with them into school and beyond. We lay important foundations in skills such as sharing, teamwork, communication and language development, and conflict resolution. All of these accumulated skills enable our children to become wellrounded and responsible members of the local community and school.

IMPROVEMENTS AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

We aim to ensure the financial stability for the future of the Pre-school, whilst improving upon the facilities and resources we provide for the children and their families. We aim to build upon relationship with parents and their continued involvement in their children’s learning and development.

The Pre School has implemented a more efficient way of collecting fees, with the aim being that all of fees are collected via BACS payments. Unfortunately, this is something that has caused problems for the Pre School in the past, and with support of the committee members, the Pre School has taken a tougher line on unpaid fees. This has resulted in the majority of the fees paid in full and on time.

The Board of Trustees is looking forward to supporting the setting through another successful year next year.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The Pre School has made a profit of £3,485.55 on a turnover of 191,140.44. The increase yet again in the minimum wage has had an impact and we will need to increase the fees as the funding from the government Early years free entitlement has still not increased enough to cover the shortfall.

The majority of the Pre-school funding is met by government funding. Further funding comes through sessional fees. We also raise funds through various fundraising activities. Our expenditure has fully supported our key objectives to provide a quality, safe and stimulating environment for the children to learn through play. The main expenditure has included staff wages, rent, insurance and utilities.

DECLARATION

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 (e.g. Secretary, Chair, etc) Date	Carol Childs
	Mrs Carol Ann Childs
	Trustee

	08/07/2025

Llttlebourne Lad irds Pre-school Income and Ex enditure Account as at 3110312025 Income Fees KCC Fees EYPP SENIFIDAF Donations Fund Ralsing Tralning Reimbursement Bank Interest Bank Transfer Grants 21,531.40 145,965.79 1,368.50 7,678.67 30Q.00 540.00 709.88 46.20 13,000.00 0.00 191,140.44 Expendlture Wages Èmployer Pension Contributions ReseNe for Rent Utllitles OfflcelAdmin c08ts Gifts & Presents Activities Transfer to Reserves Tralnlng Legal Expenses Activity Equlpment Catering Advertising Malntance Insurance Bank Charges 137,514.60 8,409.33 13,868.51 7,004.15 2,925.13 634.69 2,794.27 627.LX) 747.21 3,075.15 2,386.39 214.15 5,536.52 1,862.79 55.00 187.654.89 Net Incomel(Expenditure) 3,485.55

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of Littlebourne Ladybirds Pre-School On accounts for the year 31/03/2025 Charity no 1049558 ended (if any) Set out on pages 1-2 (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 ended 31 March 2025 .
Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report 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 I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) 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
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.

Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.

Signed: Date: 29/10/2025 ~~|~~ Name: Sam Tasou ~~Cs~~ Relevant professional ICAEW 3801822 qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 1 Meadow Close Bridge, Canterbury CT4 5AT

October 2018

IER

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight 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 .

October 2018

IER