DRAFT
The Polish Language and Cultural Centre in Nottingham (Registered charity, number 1139846) Financial statements for the period from 6 April 2023 to 31 August 2024
| Page | Contents |
|---|---|
| 2 - 4 | Trustees’ annual report |
| 5 | Independent examiner’s report |
| 6 | Receipts & payments account |
| 7 | Statement of assets & liabilities |
| 8 | Notes to the accounts |
DRAFT
The Polish Language and Cultural Centre in Nottingham Trustees’ annual report for the period from 6 April 2023 to 31 August 2024
Full name The Polish Language and Cultural Centre in Nottingham
Other names by which the charity is known
Polska Szkola Przedmiotów Ojczystych im. św. Kazimierza
Organisation type Charitable incorporated organisation
Registered charity number 1139846
Principal address 12 Treegarth Square, Nottingham, NG5 5QZ
Trustees
Karolina Kossendowska, Chairperson Jolanta Nanda, Treasurer Pawel Gminski Aldona Wesolowska Magdalena Szeremeta, from 22/06/24 Lukasz Wieczorek, until 03/09/24 Malgorzata Michalak, until 02/11/23
Independent examiner
John O’Brien, employee of Community Accounting Plus, Units 1 & 2 North West, 41 Talbot Street, Nottingham, NG1 5GL
Governance and management
The charity is operated under the rules of its constitution adopted 22 November 2008.
Prospective trustees can be nominated by the other trustees or charity's members and they are elected at the Annual General Meeting.
They are a trustee by virtue of a post which they occupy, such as a head teacher of a school or his/her nominee and the Polish Roman Catholic Chaplain; such trustees are known as ‘ex officio’ trustees.
Objectives and activities
The objects of the school shall be to provide education in the Polish language, literature, culture and traditions for children and young people and provide a range of opportunities for greater integration within the English community.
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit
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Renting appropriate premises for children to learn in safe and comfortable conditions;
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Employing qualified teaching staff to teach children and young people of different ages;
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Ensuring high standards of teaching to enable the young people to take their GCSE and A Level examinations;
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Working with local universities and other education organisations;
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Organising subsidised educational trips;
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The Polish Language and Cultural Centre in Nottingham
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Taking part in national poetry competitions;
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Encouraging parental involvement in their children’s education;
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Employing appropriate administrative staff;
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Raising the local profile of the school and helping Polish children and parents to integrate with the English community;
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Raising funds;
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Working with Nottingham City Council to ensure high quality of teaching and maximise the safety of the students;
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Co-operating with other Polish government and cultural organisations in the UK and in Poland;
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Basic and advanced First Aid training for the employees and volunteers.
Children are taught their background and roots which then they can relay to their colleagues at English schools to help integrate and get to know each other’s culture. At the same time keep their own identity.
Performed activities allow the teachers to maintain their personal development. Activities enable us to keep the language alive through reading, writing and communicating.
Children are taught in a safe environment, kept out of the streets for 3-4 hours for 36 Saturdays a year. Reading and writing in their native language allows them to keep the tradition and bond with their peers.
Students are constantly improving their GCSE and A-Level results through a range of activities in the classroom and through new strategies and methodologies in teaching.
Public benefit statement
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit, 'Charities and Public Benefit'.
Summary of the main achievements during the period
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We have kept employing highly skilled teachers to deliver our vision;
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We have applied for various grants to keep school finances in a good shape;
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We have organised after school clubs for over a hundred pupils;
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We have taken part in a Polish Remembrance Day in Newark;
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Our teachers took part in competitions and participated in training to improve their skills;
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We have worked closely with other Polish organisations in the UK and in Poland;
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We have kept high safeguarding policy standards by submitting DBS checks for our staff;
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We have organised a Santa Grotto for all the pupils in the school and a Christmas market open to parents and friends of our school;
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We have organised a Carnival Ball which brought children and parents from outside the school community;
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We have organised Polish Heritage Days to promote and celebrate Polish Culture, Heritage of past generations, and Polish contribution to the cultural, economic and social life of Nottingham City.
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The Polish Language and Cultural Centre in Nottingham
Financial Review
The financial position of the school at the end of the reporting period was satisfying, although this year we have faced a significant increase in the minimum wage and lower than in previous years support from the funders. Funds raised in the reporting period tightly ensured business continuity and we have managed to increase teachers salaries in line with the national increase of the minimum wage. Price for the premises lease has also increased significantly and this overall contributed to the closure of our accounts in the reporting period with a profit.
The charity’s policy on reserves
Our status remarks about £35,000 reserves that should be kept in the account at the end of the financial year to maintain the school's financial stability. We have exceeded that amount with a sum of £99,241.
Financial risks
With the Cost of Living constantly increasing it will be hard for Polish families to choose between what’s important and where to spend money first. We still haven’t regained the number of pupils attending the school from before the pandemic. It is unlikely that we will ever do so. Decrease in funds available from the local and national governments means those who are volunteering for this organisation have to work harder to secure the funds from other sources.
Our governing body - Committee is actively looking for alternative sources of income in terms of grants.
We are revising our fees year on year to ensure financial stability of our charity.
Funds held for 3rd parties
Funds were raised at an event for another charity, WOSP, during the period and we banked the cash and transferred it directly to their account.
Opening Balance £0 Money in £10,668 Money out £10,668 Closing Balance at year end £0
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
Signed ______ Date _ Karolina Kossendowska, Trustee
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Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of The Polish Language and Cultural Centre in Nottingham for the period from 6 April 2023 to 31 August 2024
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Polish Language and Cultural Centre in Nottingham (the charity) for the period ended 31 August 2024.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the trustees of the charity 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 charity’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 examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records.
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 _______ John O’Brien MSc, FCCA, FCIE Employee of Community Accounting Plus
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The Polish Language and Cultural Centre in Nottingham Receipts & payments account for the period from 6 April 2023 to 31 August 2024
| To 05 April | To 31 August | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2024 | ||
| (17 months) | |||
| £ | Note | £ | |
| Receipts | |||
| 23590 | Grants & donations | 2 | 33787 |
| 85806 | School fees | 129459 | |
| 9900 | Parental contributions | 20258 | |
| 2948 | Sales - Sklepik | 12077 | |
| 4802 | Activities & events | 3383 | |
| 97 | Sundry receipts | - | |
| 127143 | Total receipts | 198964 | |
| Payments | |||
| 63114 | Wages, NI & pension | 99105 | |
| 11462 | Activities & trips | 14173 | |
| 403 | Advertising & promotion | 2515 | |
| - | Bank charges | 673 | |
| 8130 | Donations made | - | |
| 2634 | Equipment, repairs & renewals | 8922 | |
| 516 | Freelance staff | 80 | |
| 4682 | Gifts & prizes | 3731 | |
| 738 | Independent examination | 738 | |
| 271 | Insurance | 370 | |
| 1759 | Photocopying | 1644 | |
| 3528 | Professional fees | 4011 | |
| 26 | Publications & subscriptions | 1676 | |
| 25671 | Rent | 36967 | |
| 2060 | Shop supplies | 2713 | |
| 478 | Telephone, postage & website | 410 | |
| 7047 | Text books & stationery | 9810 | |
| 201 | Training | 189 | |
| 69 | Travel expenses | 7463 | |
| 46 | Web hosting & multi media | - | |
| 132835 | Total payments | 195190 | |
| (5692) | Net receipts/(payments) | 3774 | |
| 101159 | Cash funds at start of this period | 95467 | |
| 95467 | Cash funds at end of this period | 99241 |
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The Polish Language and Cultural Centre in Nottingham Statement of assets and liabilities for the period from 6 April 2023 to 31 August 2024
| 5 April | 31 August | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2024 | |
| £ | Cash assets | £ |
| 95467 | Bank accounts | 99241 |
| 95467 | 99241 | |
| Other monetary assets | ||
| 117 | Prepayment - insurance | 9 |
| 117 | 9 | |
| Assets retained for the charity’s own use | ||
| General equipment including furniture. | ||
| Liabilities | ||
| (738) | Creditors - Independent examination | (816) |
| (738) | (816) |
These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the charity by:
Signed _____ Dated _____ Jolanta Nanda, Trustee
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The Polish Language and Cultural Centre in Nottingham Notes to the accounts for the period from 6 April 2023 to 31 August 2024
1. Receipts & payments accounts
Receipts and payments accounts contain a summary of money received and money spent during the period and a list of assets and liabilities at the end of the period. Usually, cash received and cash spent will include transactions through bank accounts and cash in hand.
2. Grants & donations
£ Wspolnota Polska 30908 Fundacja Wolnosc 2443 Sundry donations 436 33787
3. Trustees’ remuneration
Trustees received no expenses, remuneration or benefits in this period.
4. Related party transactions
- There were no related party transactions during the period.
5. Glossary of terms
Creditors: These are amounts owed by the charity, but not paid during the accounting period.
Prepayments: These are services that the charity has paid for in advance, but not used during the accounting period.
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