Charity number: 1128Z88 Company number- 6403351 Steady Steps Pre-school Trustees, annual report and flnanclal statements For the year ended 31°, August 2025 Compass Accountants Venture House The Tannerles East Street Tltchfleld Hampshlre P0144AR STEADY STEPS PRE-SCHOOL Contents Page Legal and administrative informatio Trtjstees, annual report Statemerit of Tru5tees' responsibilities Independent Examiner's Report Statement of financial activities Balance sheet Notes to the f6nancial statements 9-16 STEADY STEPS PRE-SCHOOL charlty number 1128288 Company number 6403351 Principal address Copse Lane G05port Hampshire P013 ODH Trustees Teresa Arnold Ireslgned 9 Janltary 20261 Michelle Aston Clarice Boilev Andrew 8rown (resigned 20 November 20251 Lauren Carpenter Michelle Gates lappointed 5 September 20251 Julie Pickthall Company secretary Clarice Bailev Management Early Years Practitioner Julie Pickthall Accountanls Compass Accountants Limited Venture House The Tanneries East street Titchfield Hampshire P014 4AR Independent examlner Kerry Lawrance FCA Bankers Lloyds Bank PLC 20- 24 High Street Gosport Hampshire P012 IDE Page I STEADY STEPS PRE-SCHOOL Report of the trustees {intludlng the dlrectors, report) for the year ended 31" August 2025 The trustee5, who are also directors of the charity, present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2024. The Trustees have had due regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on Public Benefit. Alms and OFJjectlves Steady Steps Pre-s¢hool provides quality care and education to children aEed from 9 months to rising 5. Our aim is to enhance the learning and development of children under the statutory school age bv: Providing a warm gafe environment Providing appropriate play based educatlonal aclivities and care facilitiÈs based on the child's individual needs, interests and abilities Respecting diversity and promote equality Df opportunity to children to ensure each child can reach their full potential while in our care Working closely with parents and cirers Working closely wlth other agencies involved in the welfare of the child and or family Ensltre the practice manager remain5 UP to date with current practice and legislation Ensuing all staff have relevant qualifications and experlence to carry out their dutles to a hiEh standard and can evidence on-going continual professional development Adhering to the aims and objectives of the pYe-schoo5 Learnir)g Alliance Powers To pursuance of the objectives the pre-school shall have the followlng powèrg.. - To provide accommodation and èquipment To raise money to pay for the pre-school activitiÈs To make such payments as shall be necessary Flnancial position This yèar, our financial position demonstrates that the Charity remains fully operational and financially viable, de5Plte the 5i8nifit3nt increase in runninB Costs. The charity reported a surplus for the year of £15.12712024.. £7.8951. Last Vè3r's fee increase was accepted by fee payers without any conflict. The new invoicing system 15 working well and provides a full breakdown of costs, including the number of funded hours used per week, which we are now required to disclose. The Increase in Early Years Entitlement IEYEI funding remains below the level that the Government should be allocating for our 34-year-olds. However. the funding rate for children under two has been set at a more reallstlc level. Looking ahead, the increase in Employers, National Insurance contributions and staff wages is expected to have a significant impact on the Charity moving forward. Reserves pollcy To set aside funds for special purposes or as reserves against future expenditure. In accordance wlth the Pre-schools Articles of Association the settin2 is permitted to engage in lawful activity that shall further the Charitable objectives. Money not immediately required to meet objectives may be kept as reserves for the purpose of furthering the charitable objectives e.g. future sustainability and development. We aim to utilise income from restricled funds a5 500n as reasonably possible after receipt. Page 2 STEADY STEP5 PRE-SCHOOL Report of the trustees (including the dlrectors. report) for the year ended 31" August 2025 Family dynamics As an inclusive setting we continue to provide ¢are and education to a diverse range of families within our local community and surrounding areas. Fdmily dynamics this year include.. Vulnerable famllies Young parents Service familie5 Children with SEND Looked After children Ethic Minority Mental He3lth related illnesses At Steady Steps we aim lo ensure every child iegardles% of the family circumstance can reach their full potential durinE their time with us. To achleve thig, we value the importance of working in partnership with the rJarent/carers by offerin8 throughout the year.. Open door policy Informal and formal meetings Service family coffee mornlngs Family events Ifund raising fetes, children's performances, community walks) stay and play sessions Celebrate family members dav Working Wlth other agencies for support and guidanc In the Nur5eiy roc)m we had children attend who were In receipt of 2-year funding, and in the pre-school vulnerable children who were in re￿Ipt of Early Years Pupil Premivm. The enrolment of children aged from 9 months has been a success and one that has been welcomed by the familles In our community. Achievements and performance Mrs Brown completed hei full degree and is antlClP3ted to achieve a pass with Distinction in October 2025. Charlotte Moxham is on track to complete hÈr level 3 in Early Years Childcare and Education in October 2025. lenna Hooper completed her SENCO training and will be appointèd the allocated SENCO in the Nursery rooin from September 2025. Mrs Duffield, Mrs Simmons and Mrs Westwood completed a Baby Yoga course, enabling us to offer children'5 voga sessions to all our chlldren. Fundraising has been very successful, the year ended wlth the children and families coming together to take part in a sponsored obstacle course and summer fair, this event was enjoyed by everyone who attended. Mrs Arnold continues to support our settings fundraising, coordinating sponsors and writing letters to local companies requesting donations to include in our raffle. At the end of term, we organised a staff and famlly BBQ this was well received by all attendees and w3s a lovely way to celebrate the end of a very bLJSy school year. Development With the increased number of babies from 9 months, we had to havÈ work done in the nursery and quite room to create a space conducive to meeting the baby's needs. The removal of a partition wall enabled us to create the Dolphin room, a dedicated space for our non-mobile children. This took up the space used for small quiet activitie5 Wlth our children with SEND needs and our space used for lunch time. We replaced this spate with a beautiful garden room, 51tuated in the pre-school garden giving ourSENDCO and ELSA a purpose- Page 3 STEADY STEPS PRE-SCHOOL Report of the trustees Ilncluding the dlrettors. report) for the year ended 31" August 2025 built building to carry out their work with children. This space is also kjsed for our £hildren'5 Yo&a, a free extracurricular activity delivered by our qualified staff. We created addition31 space in the pre-school room for children to have their lunch by replacing the carpet area with non-slip vinyl plank flooring. Both these projects were within our financial capabilities. Structuiej governance and management This year wc have 5truEEled more than ever to recrult parent volunteers, we believe this to be due to parents returning to work and not having time to volunteer. We are therefor going to consider movine to a CIO next year. This will be discussed at our AGM SprinB term 2026. Our setting continues to be governed by it5 Metnorandum and Articles of Association, is a Limited Company by Guarantee as defined by the Companies Act 2006. In Bccordance with the Articles the Charity is managed by the Commlttee, the Trustees (Charities Act20061 15 made up of Affiliated and non-afliliated member5. The Trusteeg are appoinled based on their willingnes5 to meet the roles and responsibilities of a Trustee, complete a full induction and have an enhanced DBS certificate (this process is part of tlie induction requirèments). The committee meet termly, and decisions are made by a majority deci51on. We continue to employ a manaRÈr who is also a directorlTrustee in accordance with th6$ Memorandum and Articles of association. RefeTences and Administration details.. Please refer the Financlal Accounts for year endin8 August 2025 'The charity. its Members. Board of Trustees, Staff and Professional Advisors, The Trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission guidance on publlc benefit. Page 4 STEADY STEPS PRE.SCHOOL Statement of trustees. responslbllStles for the year ended 31" August 2025 The Board of Trustees (who are also Directors of Steady Steps Pre-school for the purposes of company lawl are responsible for preparing the Trustees, Annual Report and the flnanelal statements in accordance with applicablè law and Llnited Kingdom Accouiiting Standards (United Kingdom Genprally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law reqvires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. which give a true and fair view of the state af affairs of the charitable company 2nd of the incoming resources and 3ppli¢ation of resources, including the income and expenditure, ot the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial Statements, the Trustees are required to.. select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently,. obscrvc the methods and principles in the Charitie5 SORP FRS 102120191,. make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent,. state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements,. prepare thè fin3ncial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inapproprlate to presume that the charitable company will Continue in operation. The Trustees are responsible for keeping adèquate accounting recoi'ds that are 5ufficlent to show and explain the chaTltable company's transactions and discloso with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial positlon of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statement5 c(Jmply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safe8iJarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevehtion and detection of fraud and other iiregvlarlties. Julie Pickt On behalf of the Board of Trustees Date: 1¥10412L Page S STEADY STEPS PRE-SCHOOL Independent Emaminer's Report to the Trustees of Steady Steps PrÈ4chool I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31" August 2025 which are set out on pages 7 to 16. Responsibilities and basls of report As the charity's trustees you ère responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111'the Act'l. I report in respect of my examination of the chailty's accounts carried out under sèction 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission urider section 14515llbl of the Act. Independent examlner's statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attentlon in connèction with the examination giving me cause to believe that In any malerial respect.. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by sÈction 130 of the Act,. or the accounts do not accord wlth those records,. or the accounts do not comply witli the applicable requirements conce¥nlng 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 consldered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have COMÈ across no other matters in ¢onnection with the èxamination to which attentk)n should be drawn in this report In order to enable a proper understandine of the accounts to be reached. Compass Accountants Llmited Venture House, The Tanneries East Street, Titchfield, Hants. P014 4AR Kerry Lawrance FCA Date: IVN AILIL 2oZts Page 6 STEADYSTEPS PRE.SCHOOL STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING THE INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTI FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025 Unrèstrlcted Restrlcted Funds Fund8 2025 Total Unrèstrlcted Restrlcted Funds 2024 Total Nottrs Income Charitabl8 acllvmles Olher trading aGtI￿lIeS Inve51menls 380,158 2,707 8,594 368,752 2.707 3fj4.287 4.337 11.246 325,533 4,337 186 Total In￿m0 382.865 8,594 391,459 318.810 11,246 330 056 Expendlture Charliable acllvNi8S 367.738 8,594 376.332 306,81? 15,349 322,161 Tolal expÈndlture 367.738 8.594 376.332 306,812 15,349 322.181 Nèt lrtcomelèxpèndlture 15.127 15,127 11,998 14,1031 7,895 Transfers between luDd5 Net movemBnt In f￿ndts f5,127 15,127 13,998 14,1031 7.895 Reconclllatlon of funds.. To185 funds broughl forward 1S7,406 157,406 145,408 4,103 149,S11 Total funds ¢arried foThvard 172.533 172,533 757,406 1S7,406 I Iran5&tlon$ arè derived from conlinuing aclivilies. I reGognised g8lns and10s&8S 8r6 ¢ncluded in the Statement ol Flnancial Atilvllles Thè not68 on pagos 9 to 16 forrn an integral part of these flnancial stalemBnts Pag8 7 STEADY STEPS PRE-SCHOOL BALANCE SHEET- COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER 6403351 AS AT31 AUGUST 2025 2025 2024 Notes Flxed Assets Tangible Assels 80,464 82,226 Current Assets Slock Debtors C8sh at bank and ￿ h8nd 142 3,172 96,188 99,502 142 4,302 79,504 83,948 Credltors: amounts falllllg due wlthin one year 7,433 8,768 Net Current Assets 92,069 75,180 Nel Assets 2 172,533 £ 157,406 Funds Unreslricted Funds ReStr￿ted Funds 172,533 157,406 £ 172.533 £ 157,408 The flnan¢l81 $latÉm8nts are pr8pared in 8ccordante wllh Ihe 8P8cial provislons of Pad 15 af the Companies Act 2006 relaling to small companies. The Ilnancial slalemenls were approve