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← Dauxwood Pre-School Group

2023-12-31-accounts

DAUXWOOD PRE-SCHOOL GROUP CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION (Registered Charity 1158619)

Trustees’ Report and Accounts For the year ended 31[st] December 2023

Natts Lane, Billingshurst, West Sussex, RH14 9EY

www.dauxwood.co.uk Tel: 01403 785212

Independent examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Dauxwood PreSchool Group CIO

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year to 31 December 2023, which are set out on pages 8 to 10.

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 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

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 on 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.

Independent examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

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Signed:

Anthony K Webb FCCA Anthony K Webb Limited

Date: 2 October 2024

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Trustees’ Report For the year ended 31st December 2023

Trustees:

 Louise Plows October 2023  Emma Breden-Smith October 2023  Loreen Brown May  Lucy Williams 2023)  Natalie Higham 2023)  Holly Gawrel 2023) / July 2023)  Tiffany Brazier  Linda Breden 2023) / to September  Victoria Alder  Bethany Guile / Co Thomas Skilleter October 2023)

Treasurer (from October 2021 until 2023)

Secretary (from March 2022 until Feb

Trustee (from June 2021 until July

Trustee (from May 2022 until Feb Secretary (from Feb 2023 until

Parent Helper (from October 2022 to October 2023) Trustee (from April 2023 to May Treasurer (from May 2023 2023)

Trustee (until July 2023) Trustee (March 2023 to October 2023) Chair (from October 2023) Trustee (from October 2022 until 2023) / Co-Chair (from October

Parent Helper (from March 2023) Trustee (from October 2023) Trustee (from October 2023) Treasurer (from October 2023)

Staff:

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 Donna Reddin Cleaner

The committee is responsible for appointing the Chair.

Structure, Governance and Management

Dauxwood is a Pre-School and is a body in membership of the Pre-School Learning

Alliance. Dauxwood Pre-School Group is governed by a constitution, which follows the model of the Pre-School Learning Alliance. Early years education is provided for the community of Billingshurst and surrounding areas and admission is open to all children. Although spaces are limited to 24 children per session, there is flexibility within that limitation. There is a Child Protection policy in place. Disclosure and Barring Security checks are carried out upon appointment of the trustees and committee members with Ofsted EY2 completion and submission.

Staff DBS checks are the responsibility of the Pre-School Manager.

Objectives and Activities

The objectives of Dauxwood Pre-School Group are to deliver the Revised Early Years Foundation Stage (2021) to children between the ages of 2.5 years and 5 years by providing a safe, secure, caring and stimulating learning environment.

The school works in partnership with the parents to support a child’s learning and development. It also offers a service that promotes equality and values diversity and where every child is valued as an individual.

In planning, activities follow a child’s individual interests in parallel with their next steps, whilst developing self-esteem, problem-solving, empathy and independence skills.

The Trustees appreciate the efforts of all the staff involved at the setting.

Achievements

Premises

Our mission was to revamp the garden and complete some of the external works that needed to be carried out. We raised enough money to extend our external all weather mulch area and provide a larger space for the children to play on in winter. This was completed in Summer 2023.

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Additionally, we have erected a “retractable” fence across the garden to separate these two areas in winter. This was completed in September 2023.

We successfully applied to the parish council for a CIL payment and applied to the Billingshurst Lions as well for the fencing. We secured the total amount for the mulch area from the parish council (£6,035) and secured a further amount of £200 from the Billingshurst Lions for the fencing.

Our annual gardening day was very productive, the compost heap between the two fences and next to the big shed were sorted out with a family of mice re-homed into the woods in the process.

The mud kitchen was sorted and topped up with soil, the sand pit was cleaned out and fresh sand put in, planters cleaned and re-potted with new compost as well as weeds, brambles and plants being tidied up. The gutters have been cleaned out twice in 2023 by VA and then by DR / TS. The canopy has also been cleaned.

Further improvement works include the climbing frame which has been treated with a preservative paint. We've also had some broken slats replaced and repaired on the outside fence, and Russ, Shona’s husband has kindly re-painted the fencing around the preschool at a fantastic rate which has made the preschool look very smart.

Staff

There were no staff changes throughout 2023.

In terms of staff training Katie is completing NVQ Level 4.

Financial review

Receipts for 2023 totalled £127,384. The main source of regular funds is the provision of the Flexible Free Entitlement paid by the Local Authority to fund 15 hours childcare starting from the term after they are three years old.

Payments for 2023 totalled £112,720 and the majority of this arose from salaries and staff costs (£86,151).

Cash was held at the bank at 31st December 2023 as follows:

Current account:

£64,306

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Capital reserve: £43,904 Operational reserve: £20,391 Fundraising account: £6,935 Total: £135,536

Fundraising

The committee was able to fundraise without the restriction of Covid in 2023. They held:

All events raised a total of £2,597.

Fundraising continued with the sale of tea towels and commissions from photographs raising another £771.

The school also received community grants and donations totalling £6,235 from the Lions and Billingshurst Parish Council for the mulch playing surface and a new fence separating the garden area from the hardstanding play areas.

The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ Report above and the Accounts set out on pages 8 to 10.

Signed on behalf of the Trustees

Sarah Maple Treasurer Date: 2 October 2024

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Dauxwood Pre-School Group Statement of Assets and Liabilities As at 31st December 2023

Assets 2023 2022
£ £
Cash Funds
Current Account 64,306 52,961
Operational Reserve 20,391 20,148
Capital Reserve 43,904 43,380
Fundraising Reserve 6,935 4,383
Cash Account
Total 135,536 120,872
Other monetary
assets
Debtors
Assets retained for the charities own use
Pre-School Building 84,000 91,000
Liabilities
None

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Dauxwood Pre-School Group Receipts and Payments Account For the year ended 31st December 2023

2023 2022
£ £
Receipts
Funding &Fees 116,881 104,849
FundraisingActivities 3,405 2,335
Community Grants /
Donations		 6,235 -
Bank Interest 826 138
SundryIncome 37 852
Total 127,384 108,174
Payments
Salaries & StafCosts 86,151 75,488
Staf Training 150 1,249
PropertyMaintenance 8,805 1,695
Cleaning 1,459 1,325
Garden Maintenance 1,432 1,048
Equipment 1,106 1,468
FundraisingExpenses 1,683 1,962
Insurance 2,382 2,272
Heating &Lighting 1,131 1,081
Rent&Rates 2,001 1,838
Telephone &Internet 814 695
Consumables & Admin
Expenses		 1,685 1,377
Milk&Refreshments 101 46
Professional Fees 2,619 2,401
Refund of Fees - 180
Social Enrichment 1,201 1,325
SundryExpenditure - -
**Total ** 112,720 95,550
Surplus / (Defcit) for the
**year **		 14,664 12,624
Cash fundslastyearend 120,872 108,248
Surplus / (Defcit)for the year 14,664 12,624
Cash fund this year end 135,536 120,872

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Dauxwood Pre-School Group Accounting Policies and Notes For the year ended 31st December 2023

The receipts and payments account has been drawn up as a summary of the receipts and payments made during the year by the charity. Amounts are included as received by the charity or as cheques are drawn.

The Receipts and Payments Account and Statement of Assets and Liabilities have been prepared following the guidance for smaller charities issued by the Charity Commission.

Fixed assets recognised in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities represent the Pre-

School building completed in October 2010 at a cost of £175,000, which is depreciated using the straight-line formula over 25 years.

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