St Mary’s Church Nursery, Great Dunmow Registered charity no: 1120280 The Nineteenth Annual Report of the Trustees 1st September 2024 – 31st August 2025
1 Reference & Administrative Details
Address: St Mary’s Rooms, Church Street, Church End, Great Dunmow, Essex CM6 2AD Trustees: Mr Philip Cobb PCC Trustee and Chairman (from 1/09/24 to date) Mr Tony Beecroft PCC Trustee (from 1/09/24 to date) Mrs Wendy Bowler PCC Trustee (1/4/2019 to date) Mrs Marzena Jeffrey Elected Parent Trustee (from May 2022 to 31/08/25) Mrs Faye Atwell Elected Parent Trustee (from 1/09/24 to 31/08/25) Mrs Michelle Edwards Secretary (from 1/1/2018 to 31/08/25) Revd Tom Warmington Ex-Officio Trustee (1/09/24 to date) Treasurer: Mr Malcolm Dulwich (May 2022 to date) Independent Examiner of Accounts: Mr Mike Best Nursery Supervisors: Mrs Claire Smith and Mrs Helen Worthington Bank: Barclays Bank PLC, (Dunmow branch until closed August 2022) Solicitor: Wade & Davies 28 High Street, Great Dunmow, Essex, CM6 1AH
2 Structure Governance & Management
St Mary’s Church Nursery: Charitable Unincorporated Association, established 1st September 1997. Charitable Status achieved: 16th October 2006. GD3 model constitution as governing document (which will need to be updated).
Objectives and Activities
Aim: to provide education for children aged 2-5 years whose parents/guardians live or work within the Uttlesford District Council area and to advance their education in accordance with Christian principles and to do so with respect for other religious beliefs.
Management: Governing body of up to 5 Trustees who meet annually.
The management committee meet once per term to discuss Nursery business. The management committee are directly responsible to the Trustees who meet as necessary but at least once per year. The PCC Trustees report to the Annual Parochial Church Meeting about Nursery activities. The Parent Trustees report to parents at the Nursery Annual General Meeting in November. Ofsted & Pre-School Learning Alliance offer safeguarding advice.
3 Financial Review to 31st August 2025
The Nursery is funded from parents who pay for their child’s sessions together with government funding of Nursery places. Malcolm Dulwich continues as Treasurer (appointed from May 2022). Accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis and reported to the management committee termly. They were independently examined by Mike Best. The Nursery has a cash balance of £131,848 (at 31/08/25) of which £50,164 is held in deposit accounts.
Reserves Policy (from the Financial Policy Document)
The Nursery has a contingency reserve to £20,000 as a provision in case of sudden closure and or winding up of the charity.
Why does the Nursery need this reserve?
St Mary’s Church Nursery holds at least £20,000 in reserve as it is a requirement for winding up, continuation, or interim building replacement in case of emergency. It represents 2 terms running costs and redundancy payments for all nursery staff should the nursery have to close. What is level of other reserves held? Some £70,000 is informally designated to provide the Nursery with options to improve the current accommodation after consultation and approval by St. Mary’s PCC or for future accommodation either in its own building or to move to another building.
Arrangements for monitoring & reviewing of this policy : Annually by Trustees.
4 Funds held as Custodian Trustees
A CAF Bank account was opened in October 2009 as an investment. This is now with Scottish Widows.
5 Activities, Achievements and Performance
This has been a busy year for the Nursery. Numbers have been very good with most sessions full. There have been no safeguarding concerns within the Nursery. There are a number of children with additional needs. 6 children require extra support and 2 have complex medical needs. This adds to the workload of the staff.
We have a great staff team ably led by Helen and Claire and all work tirelessly to provide the very best opportunities for the children to progress. All the staff are fully trained. Michelle Edwards left at the end of the summer term and the Nursery appointed 2 new members of staff in June (to start work in September), one fully trained and one trainee.
New furniture and resources have been purchased and the Trustees thank the Managers for their hard work sourcing these items which have greatly improved the learning experience for the children. Staff have also spent time improving the environment by creating a sensory area, making a music station and planting flowers in the outside area as well as creating herb and fairy gardens. The trustees are grateful to the staff for their hard work here.
All the staff continue to develop their skills through online courses and the trustees are grateful for this commitment towards providing the best experience for all the children. The Nursery has an excellent website (www.stmarysnurserydunmow.co.uk) and also uses its Facebook page to publicise its activities.
The Trustees thank Marzena Jeffrey and Faye Attwell for their time as Parent Trustee representatives. We also thank Michelle Edwards for her work both as a staff member and as secretary to the trustees and Tim Potter for his time as the Chair of Trustees
The Trustees thank Malcolm Dulwich for being honorary treasurer and Mike Best who was appointed as Independent Examiner and gave the Nursery accounts a clean report.
From January 2022 the Trustees decided that at least the National Living Wage should be implemented annually with a corresponding percentage increase for the Managers. The Trustees, fully aware of the current cost of living crisis, reviewed and increased wages in January 2025 and will review all wages again in January 2026.
The Trustees are grateful for the fundraising efforts of staff and others which help to provide the best equipment possible for the children.
The Trustees value the support of the church PCC and are grateful for the redecoration of the toilet area.
6 Public Benefit
The nursery’s benefits to public include evidence that primary children gained from us, settle quickly and easily into reception classes. Consequently, their work and development there is enhanced. By providing the appropriate early years foundation education, excellent preparation for school is achieved along with the satisfaction of receiving good measurable external assessment from parents, primary schools, St Mary’s Church PCC, Ofsted and the Pre-School Learning Alliance.
7 Future Plans
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To continue to monitor the Nursery role, income levels and careful use of resources
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To look to achieve the best possible accommodation for the Nursery.
Philip Cobb: Chair of Trustees (as at 31/08/2025)
ST MARYS CHURCH NURSERY
ACCOUNTS 2024-2025
FULL YEAR AUTUMN, SPRING, SUMMER TERMS
TRUSTEES MEETING September 15 2025
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Index
• Title
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Results Years 24-25
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Financial Review Year 24-25
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Assets and funds 24-25
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Variances 24-25
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Accounts per term 24-25
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St Marys Nursery, Dunmow Accounts for the year ending August 31 2025
Income and Expenditure Account
| 2023/24 Total 31/08/2024 £ 11,950.50 74,562.78 638.11 1,328.68 500.00 305.00 89,285.07 4,464.12 4,411.86 56,938.16 860.80 50.00 10,738.78 106.80 2,643.59 432.00 637.12 81,283.23 8,001.84 102,558.00 8,001.84 110,559.84 |
Income Fees from parents Fees from Essex County Council Interest Consumable contributions Grants Fundraising Total Income Expenditure Premises - rent Repairs Staffing Insurance and PSLA fees Ofsted Equipment Admin Course fees Childrens supplies & consumables Website EE Total expenditure Surplus/(deficit) Surplus b/f Surplus/(deficit) Surplus c/f Check |
2024/25 Total 31/08/2025 £ 10,811.00 95,144.12 742.55 1,575.00 0.00 142.00 |
|---|---|---|
| 108,414.67 | ||
| 4,887.96 108.00 70,879.25 853.07 50.00 5,819.01 920.45 450.00 2,134.42 432.00 592.79 |
||
| 87,126.95 | ||
| 21,287.72 110,559.84 21,287.72 |
||
| 131,847.56 | ||
| 21,287.72 |
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Results Years 24-25
St Mary's Nursery, Great Dunmow. Financial Review for the Year 2024-2025
Overview - Result and Balances
Year Result
The result for the year was a gain of £21,738 compared to gain of £8,002 for the previous year.
Total income
Income for the year was £108,415 being an increase of 21% from last year's income of £89,285.
Fees from parents have decreased by 10% from £11,951 to £10,811.
Fees from Essex County Council have increased 28% from £74,563 to £95,144.
Total expenditure
Expenditure for the year was £86,677 being an increase of 7% from £81,283
Rent costs have increased 9% from £4,464 to £4,888
Staffing costs have increased 24.5% from £56,938 to £70,879.
Children's supplies and consumables have decreased 19% from £2,644 to £2,134. Contributions to consumables have increased to £1,575 from £1,329 Net cost is therefore £558 compared to £1,315 last year
EE and website costs have decreased slightly to £1,025 from £1,069
Balances
The Net worth of the Nursery is £132,298 up from £110,560.
The funds are held with Barclays Bank Community Account £80,684, Barclays Reserve Account £31,164, and CAF Bank Bond (Scottish Widows) £20,000
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Financial Review Year 24-25
St Marys Nursery, Dunmow Accounts for the year ending August 31 2025
| 2023/24 Summer Total 59,839.09 0.00 0.00 59,839.09 0.00 30,720.75 20,000.00 110,559.84 90,559.84 20,000.00 110,559.84 |
Assets Current bank statement balance Add income not on statement Less unpresented 2023-2024 Bank account as per cash book Cash Investments: Barclays Reserve account CAF bank bond Total cash assets Funds and reserves General Reserve Employment liabilityreserve Total funds and reserves |
2024/25 2024/25 2024/25 Autumn Term Spring Term Summer Term Total Total Total 71,388.25 94,436.88 80,683.95 - 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 71,388.25 94,436.88 80,683.95 0.00 0.00 0.00 30,720.75 30,720.75 31,163.61 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 122,109.00 145,157.63 131,847.56 102,109.00 125,157.63 111,847.56 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 122,109.00 145,157.63 131,847.56 |
|---|---|---|
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St Marys Nursery, Dunmow Accounts for the year ending August 31 2025 Income and Expenditure Account
| St Marys Nursery, Dunmow Accounts for the year ending August 31 2025 Income and Expenditure Account |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 Total 31/08/2024 £ 11,950.50 74,562.78 638.11 1,328.68 500.00 305.00 89,285.07 4,464.12 4,411.86 56,938.16 860.80 50.00 10,738.78 106.80 2,643.59 432.00 637.12 81,283.23 8,001.84 102,558.00 8,001.84 110,559.84 |
Income Fees from parents Fees from Essex County Council Interest Consumable contributions Grants Fundraising Total Income Expenditure Premises - rent Repairs Staffing Insurance and PSLA fees Ofsted Equipment Admin Course fees Childrens supplies & consumables Website EE Total expenditure Surplus/(deficit) Surplus b/f Surplus/(deficit) Surplus c/f Check |
2024/25 Total 31/08/2025 £ 10,811.00 95,144.12 742.55 1,575.00 0.00 142.00 108,414.67 4,887.96 108.00 70,879.25 853.07 50.00 5,819.01 920.45 450.00 2,134.42 432.00 592.79 |
Variance % -1,139.50 -9.54% 20,581.34 27.60% 104.44 16.37% 246.32 18.54% -500.00 -100.00% -163.00 -53.44% |
| 19,129.60 21.43% |
|||
| 423.84 9.49% -4,303.86 -97.55% 13,941.09 24.48% -7.73 -0.90% 0.00 0.00% -4,919.77 -45.81% 813.65 761.84% 450.00 -509.17 -19.26% 0.00 0.00% -44.33 -6.96% 5,843.72 7.19% 13,285.88 |
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| 87,126.95 | |||
| 21,287.72 110,559.84 21,287.72 131,847.56 21,287.72 |
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St Marys Nursery, Dunmow Accounts for the year ending 31st August 2025
| 2019/20 Total £ 16,473.40 44,932.44 98.86 298.00 580.20 6,040.99 |
2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Total Total Total Total £ £ £ 11,017.50 10,272.50 13,770.50 11,950.50 47,671.59 56,559.26 48,125.93 74,562.78 24.09 305.26 314.74 638.11 286.00 1,118.00 615.50 1,328.68 500.00 411.00 521.00 437.71 305.00 4,413.43 0.00 |
Income Fees from parents Fees from Essex County Council Interest Donations Grants Fundraising JRS Payment |
Actual Actual Actual 2024/25 Autumn Spring Summer Total Term Term Term £ £ £ £ 4,680.00 3,094.50 3,036.50 10,811.00 33,249.47 44,616.74 17,277.91 95,144.12 742.55 742.55 545.00 380.00 650.00 1,575.00 0.00 142.00 142.00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 68,423.89 | 63,823.61 68,776.02 63,264.38 **89,285.07 ** |
Total Income | 38,616.47 48,091.24 21,706.96 108,414.67 |
| 2,800.00 0.00 52,234.24 782.45 50.00 463.55 735.95 30.00 183.00 1,697.41 469.80 0.00 90.00 |
3,100.00 4,116.00 4,158.00 4,464.12 1,830.46 0.00 4,411.86 47,531.71 54,361.00 55,041.62 56,938.16 783.70 797.97 821.53 860.80 0.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 1,260.60 661.01 1,099.04 10,738.78 516.00 260.08 331.28 106.80 0.00 0.00 0.00 525.00 25.80 0.00 844.84 3,615.55 1,812.26 2,643.59 286.34 0.00 246.24 590.76 1,127.45 0.00 80.00 432.00 557.12 128.36 0.00 |
Expenditure Premises - rent Premises - costs Repairs Staffing Insurance and PSLA fees Ofsted Equipment Admin Advertising Course fees Childrens supplies & consumables Misc incl. xmas & photos Internet and Website Phone Website EE Fundraising |
1,771.00 1,629.32 1,487.64 4,887.96 108.00 108.00 23,217.07 18,552.87 29,109.31 70,879.25 853.07 853.07 50.00 50.00 936.18 2,337.61 2,545.22 5,819.01 162.00 648.95 109.50 920.45 450.00 450.00 486.58 1,084.31 563.53 2,134.42 0.00 0.00 0.00 144.00 144.00 144.00 432.00 192.48 195.55 204.76 592.79 |
| 59,536.40 | 56,528.25 64,977.37 64,466.98 **81,283.23 ** |
Total expenditure | 27,067.31 25,042.61 35,017.03 87,126.95 |
| 83,779.10 8,887.49 92,666.59 8,887.49 0.00 42,752.76 -370.24 42,382.52 116.43 30,167.64 20,000.00 |
92,666.59 99,961.95 103,760.60 102,558.00 7,295.36 3,798.65 -1,202.60 8,001.84 99,961.95 103,760.60 102,558.00 110,559.84 7,295.36 0.00 51,199.01 53,756.04 52,148.34 59,839.09 -1,420.93 -197.27 |
Surplus b/f Surplus/(deficit) Surplus c/f Assets Current bank statement balance Less unpresented Bank account as per cash book Cash Investments: Barclays Reserve account CAF bank bond Acc |
110,559.84 122,109.00 145,157.63 110,559.84 11,549.16 23,048.63 -13,310.07 21,287.72 122,109.00 145,157.63 131,847.56 131,847.56 71,388.25 94,436.88 80,683.95 0.00 0.00 71,388.25 94,436.88 80,683.95 0.00 0.00 30,720.75 30,720.75 31,163.61 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 122,109.00 145,157.63 131,847.56 102,109.00 125,157.63 111,847.56 125,157.63 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 St Marys Nursery, Dunmow ounts for the year ending 31st August 2025 |
| 49,778.08 53,558.77 52,148.34 59,839.09 9.81 23.25 23.21 0.00 30,174.06 30,178.58 30,386.45 30,720.75 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 |
|||
| 92,666.59 | 99,961.95 103,760.60 102,558.00 **110,559.84 ** |
Total cash assets | |
| 72,666.59 20,000.00 |
79,961.95 83,760.60 82,558.00 90,559.84 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 20,000.00 |
Funds and reserves General Reserve Employment liabilityreserve |
|
| 92,666.59 | 99,961.95 103,760.60 102,558.00 **110,559.84 ** |
Total funds and reserves | 122,109.00 145,157.63 131,847.56 131,847.56 |
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IHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES St IAarfs Church Nuts•ry Grty Dunmow 1120 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For thg p•rfod from 01ll1¥2024 311W2025 To Section A Receipts and payments Unre8tri¢tgd fund¥ R•strict funds Endowmgnt funds Totsl fundg Last y•ar A1 Recel ts Fw from Paren15 1Q811 95,144 742 t,875 11,B50 74.563 638 1,329 Joo 305 144 742 Interest Grants FUfKJraln Fh8cd1anLL4 142 Sub total (Gross income for ARJ I.414 89,28S A2 Atst and 1n¥trn•nt •alM, le8 tsblel. Sub total 108.414 1Q8A14 89,285 A3Pa m•nts Prem15e$- Rent Repair¥ staffi In#ufanct ond PSL Ofsled Equipment Admin Cour¥e Fees Childffjn$ gv Web311e EE Iniémet 108 70.879 108 70,67# 853 4,411 66,b38 B61 60 10,739 107 S819 920 S,819 920 1134 432 $93 67.126 2,134 432 593 17,126 432 837 11,283 Sub total A4 A•set and Investment rChal, 80è table Sub total 87.126 87.126 81.283 Net of rn¢•ipts/(payments) AS Transfer8 b8tw•trt funds A6 cash funds la#t yèar •nd Cash funds thls year end 21. X,288 8.002 110,580 131.848 110,560 131.848 102.558 110.560 CCXX Rl0Unts ISSI
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unmtricted funds Restflctsd fvnds to the•rut£ Endowmgrrt funds to ngwrgst£ at¢gori n•arest£ B1 Cash fund8 urrent PLrr¥Jrrt 31,164 Total cash funds 131.848 xrArfs?1 UnrgBtrl¢t¢d fund• Rtricted fund$ to NreSt e Endowment funds to noargxt £ Detsll8 lo ¥trhkh ¢tIoonI1> Curr•ntvolug lonal Fund towhlch Currnnt v•lu• on•1 D•tall8 ioptlon•l} B4 A$8•t8 r•tslnod for th• charfty's own u8• Fundto whkh NJn•ui)tdy• Wn du• Oetall• BS Liablllti Sbjned by one or hvo trustees on tsehaff of all the trust6e$ Date of roval SKJn*ure Pn"nt Name CCXX R2 accounts ISSI 091C612026
end ni ExamiD¢r' s Re Great Dun rt to tlke Trustees of St M 'sNllr8 I report on the accounts of St Mary'g Nurw. Lknow (Regiered Charity No. l]20280) forthe year ¢nd¢d 31 st August 2025 which are set out on the following page. The charilv's trustecs are r¢sponsile forthe preparation of the accounts. The clwitys trUee$ constder that an audtt is not required for this year under se£tiOD 144(2) of th¢ Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and iD(kpethnt examination is needed. li is my T¢SFKwibilty to: • examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 . follow the pro¢edures 18id drn in the 8¢neraJ DIreCtnS given by the Cbarity Commission nd¢r section 145(5Xb) of the 2011 Act ' stste whether particu18r matters have come to my an¢ntioii is find iti&s My examination ¢aThied out in a¢cordance with the general Direelions given b). the Charity Commission. An examination Includ¢$ 8r¢view ofthe ac¢ounting r¢¢ords kept bl the ¢harity and a comp2nson of the accounts p5¢nIcd with thoJe recor. Italso include5 considerAiion of any unusual iterns or disclosures in the accounts and s¢¢king explanations from you tru5te¢s concernin8 any such matters. Th¢ procedur¢s undertAken do not proi'ide all the eviden¢¢ that would bc required in an audit And cons4uently no opinion 14 8iven as to whdher the accounts present a ue and fair view, and the reFK)rt is limited lo tho¥ rnatters s¢t out in the nut siatemenl. In ¢onnectson with my ex8min81ioty no m¥tter I come to my attention.. (l) which gives me reOnabl¢ ¢se to believe that in any material r¢speet the tyqulremtS.' to keep aUntIng records tn arwrdAnc¢ with Kction 130 ofthe 2011 Act 8¢MI scctiort 44(1 Xa) of thc 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 21)06 AccounL$ Regulations aNI • to prepJYt Accounts which sceord with the accounting rrdS and cnmply with the acGoutrtin8 r¢quir¢mcrtts of th¢ 2011 Aa and K¢tion 44(1 Xb) ofii)e 2005 Act and Re8ulatio 9 of the 2(M)6 Re8ulatiOll5 have not b¢en met or (2) whictrL, in my opinion, attenti(m should b¢ drawn in order to enable a proper understanding ofthe accounts to b¢ r¢a¢l)&l. Michael C Best 19, Lower Millfield. Dunmow CM6 IEN November 12. 2025