Little Acorns Annual General Meeting 02/07/2025
Chairperson’s Report
– September 2024 August 2025
We opened this school year in September 2024 with 20 children attending. With more starting after the Oct half term taking us up to 23 children. 7 Children are leaving to start Primary school this September. This is Little Acorns 21[st] birthday year.
Jenny is now in her second year as manager and is ensuring our pre-school continues to thrive. It is clear to see how much work Jenny puts into the setting and we all thank her for all her hard work. We were rated Outstanding by Ofsted in the summer of 2024 and I am so incredibly proud of this fantastic achievement. The sta� all work so hard, and it is evident on my visits that the children are all so happy and thriving. It was great to hear the feedback from Ofsted really demonstrating how great the sta� we have are.
The biggest challenge we have continued to face this year is the building we are in. Evershot Parish hall is very much showing signs of its age, and this was very apparent, especially in the winter months, forcing some emergency short notice closures. Sadly the hall does not future proof Little Acorns and so we have continued to investigate the options of grants for updating the hall or moving. We were unable to get a council grant for the Hall as it is not our building and there is no current lease, so we have been in discussions with Stickland’s school to move into a purpose-built new build on the school site. We have recently been successful in obtaining a childcare expansion grant from Dorset Council and this alongside our savings from previous fundraising and grants now enables us to move at pace on getting the new build underway. We are currently in the initial planning stage of this. Whilst we will be on the school site, we will remain a separate entity and will continue to run as a charity, committee run pre-school.
and we are all really excited to continue to build on our strong relationship with the school and continue to make the transition for school rising children as strong as it can be.
Fundraising has been quite successful this year with fundraisers including Bags to school, The Rampisham Christmas toy bizarre, Jeremy organised a 21[st] birthday celebration skittles event at the Fox Inn in Corscombe raising money from the fabulous ra�le. We still also have plans for Corscombe, Evershot and Halstock fetes later this summer.
The government announcement regarding fees and what we can and cannot charge for has caused some worry in early 2025, Jenny has been working hard to ensure we are in line with the latest guidance, and we have worked hard as a committee to keep fees as low as possible. Fees have needed to rise for September 2025 to enable us to continue to provide the service that we do with the costs of utilities and sta� wages all rising this year, all families have been made aware of this.
Little Acorns is currently over subscribed with a waiting list, our new build will enable us to increase our numbers, as sta�ing allows.
Sta�ing: We sadly said goodbye to Julia in 2025 as she moved on to a role in Beaminster School, we were all very sad to lose Julia but we are very happy that she is now continuing to support Little Acorns as a committee member. All other sta� have remained the same and are a fabulous team.
Training that has been completed this year:
Safeguarding (SG) Level 3
Laura: SG Level 3, Senco level 3, Neuroscience
Jeannie: SG level 2
Astrid: SG level 2, PFA
All Sta�: Sign 100, PIEC-D and Autism awareness
The committee supported the setting to have an inset day for all sta� to complete the Sign-100 course in October as it brings such a benefit to the children and sta�.
Our lovely garden area is being very well used and with the pre-school being full it would be lovely to plan to put some funds into making this space even better for the children. This plan has been put on hold until we have our new build, but I am keen that the garden will be our next big project.
Our links with Stickland’s School are fantastic. We continue to attend weekly forest school sessions on a Wednesday with key stage 1, this really helps the school risers in particular to get used to school and the children and teachers. Abi and Jenny have had regular contact with the Headteacher Miss Adler and Jenny keeps in regular contact with Mrs Will, Reception teacher to ensure the transition to school is smooth for all.
we will now be in a position to get the new build we need to future proof the longevity of Little Acorns and keep us open for another 21 years ++. We have been able to continue to pay sta� above national living wage and have been able to add extra activities to our curriculum and in July we have ‘Strawberry Jam’ a brilliant children’s entertainer booked to come in for an end of year party.
I continue to enjoy my role as chairperson and look forward to an exciting year ahead, the thought of being in a warm purpose-built building by next year is a wonderful feeling and myself and the committee will do all we can to make this happen.
Abigail Warne Chairperson June 2025.
Little Acorns Playgroup (Evershot) Charity Number: 1099880. Little Acorns Pre School Evershot Village Hall The Common Evershot DORCHESTER DT2 0JY
Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 for Little Acorns
Little Acorns
Contents of the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2025
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Independent Examiner's Report | 1 |
| Profit and Loss Account | 2 |
| Balance Sheet | 3 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 4 |
Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 August 2025
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of
Little Acorns
I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31 August 2025, which are set out on Pages 2 to 3.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner.
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the 1993 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
-
examine the accounts under section 43 of the 1993 Act;
-
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 43(7)(b) of the 1993 Act; and
-
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner's report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner's statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the 1993 Act; and
-
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 1993 Act
have not been met; or
(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Roz Heywood Accountancy Services 61 Prankerds Road Milborne Port Sherborne Dorset DT9 5BX
Date: 28[th] June 2026
Page 1
Little Acorns
Profit and Loss Account
For the Year Ended 31 August 2025
| INCOME Fees Grants Fund Raising Donations Interest Total Income EXPENSES Wages Rent and Electricity Ofsted Insurance Playgroup Materials and Equipment Playgroup Activities Garden Expenses Work to School Cost of Fund Raising Printing, Stationery, Postage and Telephone Sundries Audit and Accountancy Depreciation Capital Grant Expenditure Provision for Bad Debts Bad Debts Writte Off Total Expenses PROFIT/-LOSS |
31.08.25 31.08.24 £ £ 78,082.93 87,236.71 101,700.00 - 767.13 557.00 940.81 374.39 116.19 - 181,607.06 88,168.10 79,957.73 71,894.76 8,639.75 8,452.29 50.00 50.00 788.05 824.89 1,148.92 870.53 476.94 - 52.95 - 1,110.00 - 3.99 - 313.59 240.20 644.96 2,345.57 560.00 460.00 492.58 615.73 - - - - - - 94,239.46 85,753.97 87,367.60 2,414.13 |
|---|---|
Page 2
Little Acorns
Balance Sheet
31 August 2025
| FIXED ASSETS Tangible Assets CURRENT ASSETS Debtors & Prepayments Reserve Account Current Account Cash in Hand CURRENT LIABILITIES Creditors and Accruals NET CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES CAPITAL AND RESERVES Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds: Building Fund HR Fund Work to School Enrichment |
2025 2024 £ £ 1,970.32 2,462.90 100.00 - 119,006.19 - 19,032.85 39,128.85 299.94 29.88 138,438.98 39,158.73 20,504.03 9,083.96 117,934.95 30,074.77 119,905.27 32,537.67 (679.57) 32,537.67 119,006.19 - 1,578.65 - - - - - 119,905.27 32,537.67 |
|---|---|
Page 3
Little Acorns
Statement of Financial Activities Restricted and Unrestricted Funds For the Year Ended 31 August 2025
| Incoming resources from generated Funds Voluntary Income: Donations Grants receivable Activities for generated Funds Fees, and other income Total Incoming resources Resources expended Costs of generating funds Fundraising trading costs Charitable activities Governance Costs Transfer of Funds Total Payments Net expended resources Fund balances brought forward At 1stSeptember 2024 Fund balances carried forward At 31stAugust 2025 |
Unrestricted Restricted Total Funds Total Funds Funds Funds 31/08/25 31/08/24 940.81 - 940.81 374.39 - 101,700.00 101,700.00 - 78,850.06 116.19 78,966.25 87,793.71 £79,790.87 101,816.19 £181,607.06 £88,168.10 3.99 - 3.99 - 92,444.12 1,231.35 93,675.47 85,293.97 560.00 - 560.00 460.00 20,000.00 (20,000.00) - - £113,008.11 18,768.65 - £94,239.46 £85,753.97 (33,217.24) 120,584.84 87,367.60 2,414.13 32,537.67 - 32,537.67 30,123.54 (679.57) 120,584.84 119,905.27 32,537.67 |
|---|---|
Page 4
Finaneial Statement5 for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Little Acorn5 I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31 August 2025, which are Set out on Pa¥es 2 to 3. Reqpective respL)nsibilities of trustees and examiner. The charity's t[SteeS al'e iesponsible for the pieparation of the accounts. Tlie charitV'5 ttustee5 consider tliat an audit 15 not rcquircd for this ycar undcr scctiot] 43(21 of thc Charitics Act 1993 (thc 1993 Act) and that an indcpcndcnt cxaminatian is needed. It 15 my responsibility to.. examine the Jccounts under section 43 ot the 1993 Act; to lollow the procedures laid dowm in the general Directions given by the Charity Coinmission under section 43(7llb) of the 1993 Act; and to statc wh¢th¢r particular matt¢r$ hav¢ com¢ to my attcntion. Basis of indepeNdeNt ex#miner'5 report My examination was carried oui in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Comrnission. An examination includes a ievieiv ol'the aLLounting iecords kept by the chltY and a comparibon ot the aLcounts presented with thuse reLords. 11 also includes consideration of any unusual item5 or disclosure5 in the account5, and seekingT expla[tIonS from you as tru$t¢es concerning ally such matters. Th¢ proc¢dure8 Ulldertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and Lonsequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts preseni a'true and tair view, and the report is limited to those iknatters set out in the statement below. Independent exominer's statement In ¢onne¢tioi) with my examinatitsn, no mattel has come to my attention.. 11) which givcs mc rca%onablc causc to bclievc that in any matcrial rcspcct thc rcquircmcnts.. tv keep acLountin¥ ieLurds in dLLoidanLe with stLtiun 41 of the 1993 ALt; and to prepare accout]ts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 1993 Act have not been met,. or 121 to which, in my opit]ion, attention should be draTh in order to enable a proper understsnding of the account5 to be reached. Roz Heyvood Accountancy Services 61 Prankerds Road Milborne Port Sherbome DoTSet DT95BX Date.. 28, June 2026 Pag¢ I