## The Childrens Art School
Charity number 1161225
## Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 March 2025
## The Childrens Art School
Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025
|**Contents**|**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' report|2 to 5|
|Examiner's report|6|
|Receipts and payments account|7|
|Statement of assets and liabilities|8|
|Notes to the accounts|9 to 10|
**Prepared by West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
1
## The Childrens Art School
## Trustees' report for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors**
The trustees during the financial year and up to and including the date the report was approved were: **Name Position Dates**
Jael Williams Sally Brown Maire Tracey Shamyla Younas Shafina Akhtar
Appointed October 2024 Resigned August 2024
## **Charity number**
## 1161225
Registered in England and Wales
## **Registered and principal address**
## **Bankers**
22 Back Lane The Co-operative bank Holmfirth P O Box 250 Huddersfield Skelmersdale HD9 1HG WN8 6WT
## **Independent examiner**
Alan Dodd FCCA
## **West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
## **Structure, governance and management**
The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) foundation formed on 9 April 2015.
## **Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees**
The trustees of the charity are appointed at a meeting of the trustees.
2
## The Childrens Art School
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Objectives and activities**
## **The charity's objects**
To promote the education of children and young people in the United Kingdom, particularly in West Yorkshire, by: providing visual and other arts classes and workshops advising and training teachers and arts facilitators; and raising awareness of the value of teaching creativity and innovation and its impact on the development and well-being of children and young people.
## **The charity's main activities**
During the financial year 2024–25, The Children’s Art School continued to deliver its charitable objectives by providing high-quality, accessible creative opportunities for children and young people aged 2–18. The charity’s activities are designed to promote creativity, confidence, wellbeing and social connection, particularly for children and families who face barriers to accessing arts and cultural provision due to cost, geography or socioeconomic disadvantage.
## **Public benefit statement**
In planning and delivering its activities, the Trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. The paid for classes and Saturday Art School in Holmfirth continue to provide a sustainable core whilst all other programmes free at the point of access with a particular focus on town-centre and community-based provision that supports inclusion and family participation.
## **Achievements and performance**
## _MakerWorld Huddersfield_
MakerWorld Huddersfield continued to be the charity’s flagship programme, delivering regular weekly term-time sessions and extensive holiday provision for children, young people and families. Activity included Saturday drop-in sessions, pre-school Little Makers sessions and additional workshops during school holidays. Delivery was supported by ongoing Reaching Communities funding from The National Lottery enabling consistent and accessible provision throughout the year. A donation for additional music offers in 2023 meant we could trial musical experiences alongside making at our Little makers sessions and also offer **MakerNoise** djembe drumming and singing at our Saturday and holiday family drop-in sessions.
In 2024–25, the charity expanded its Huddersfield presence by taking on an additional unit in the Piazza Centre, formerly the Toyland store. This was identified as a strategic opportunity to respond to local need by expanding the charity’s offer to older children and young people, a group under-represented in town-centre cultural provision.
Through a partnership with Skate It Yourself, the space was developed as a temporary skatepark and creative hub, piloting **MakerSkate** sessions. These combined skateboarding with creative workshops including T-shirt printing, ramp artwork and music sessions. The project enabled the charity to engage a new demographic of young people aged 11+, promoting physical activity, creative expression and positive use of public space.
The additional unit also supported the charity’s aim to increase the visibility of children and young people’s creativity. Building on the success of earlier large-scale exhibition projects, the space enabled the development of MakerWorld Gallery, providing a dedicated area for showcasing work created through the charity’s programmes.
## _MakerWorld Gallery and Intergenerational Engagement_
The creation of the gallery space allowed The Children’s Art School to broaden its engagement beyond children and families. When delivering a project for Kirklees Libraries between January and March 2024, linked to the development of their Maker Spaces, the charity was able to offer adult creative sessions alongside family workshops, as well as publicly exhibit work created by MakerWorld families and the wider community.
3
## The Childrens Art School
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
This approach supported public benefit by encouraging intergenerational participation, increasing access to creative learning for adults, and celebrating community creativity within a town-centre setting.
## _MakerWorld Dewsbury_
Following the success of the _Little Makers_ pilot in Dewsbury in 2023, the charity worked closely with Kirklees Council during 2024–25 to develop a pathway towards longer-term MakerWorld provision in the town.
When meanwhile space became available at Princess of Wales Precinct, in June 2024 the charity secured funding from the Town Improvement Programme, Holiday Activities and Food (HAF), Dewsbury Arcade and WYCA PACE to deliver activity throughout summer, parts of the autumn term, and January–February 2025. This enabled regular free creative provision for children and families during school holidays and peak demand periods.
During this delivery period, the charity successfully applied to National Lottery Awards for All, securing one year of funding commencing on 1 April 2025. This marked a significant step in transitioning MakerWorld Dewsbury from a pilot project to a more sustainable programme, extending the charity’s public benefit reach within Kirklees.
## _Schools, Festivals and Commissioned Work_
Alongside its place-based programmes, The Children’s Art School continued to deliver paid-for clubs, commissions and festival activity, supporting the charity’s financial sustainability while extending its reach.
## This included:
- Regular art clubs at Holmfirth Tech and Salendine Nook High School
- Workshops for Huddersfield Literature Festival, Holmfirth Arts Festival, Batley Festival and the University of Huddersfield
These activities enabled children and young people to participate in high-quality creative experiences, while strengthening partnerships with cultural, educational and civic organisations.
## _Outreach and Community Engagement_
The charity delivered a programme of outreach activity designed to reach communities with limited access to arts provision. Over the summer period, outreach sessions were delivered in partnership with Chol Theatre across multiple Kirklees locations, targeting areas of high deprivation.
Additional outreach activity was delivered for Kirklees Council’s Yorkshire Day celebrations and at Beaumont Park Playday and Strawberry Fields School. These sessions supported public benefit by providing free, openaccess creative activities in outdoor and community settings, encouraging participation from families who may not otherwise engage with arts organisations.
## _Activity Summary_
Across the 2024–25 financial year, The Children’s Art School delivered the following activity:
- 6 commissions
- 97 commissioned workshops
- 195 workshops at Holmfirth Tech
- 104 sessions at MakerWorld Huddersfield
- 55 sessions at MakerWorld Dewsbury
- 8 MakerSkate sessions
With 9,170 visits from children and young people and 1,500+ hours of direct contact time.
Activity was delivered by 16 professional artists, supported by young helpers, performers and specialist skate coaches. The charity also contributed to skills development for young people and educators through training and supported participation opportunities.
4
## The Childrens Art School
## Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
## _Summary_
The 2024–25 year represented a period of consolidation and strategic growth for The Children’s Art School. The charity expanded its physical footprint, diversified its programme offer, and strengthened pathways towards long-term sustainability while continuing to prioritise free and inclusive access to creative opportunities
## **Financial review**
The net payments for the year were £8993, including net payments of £24334 on unrestricted funds and net receipts of £15,341 on restricted funds after transfers.
## **Reserves policy**
The charity's free reserves, at the year end were £36,415.
The policy allocates money from unrestricted fund balances, which are not invested in fixed assets, for potential situations such as
## 1. Continuity
to be used to bridge any possible delays in receiving promised grants or managing payment in arrears contracts. This has been defined as a minimum of a three months budgeted trading activity.
## 2. Restructuring
to cover essential trading/activities whilst sourcing income to a maximum of 3 months budgeted trading activity.
## 3. Dissolution
provides for the costs of dissolution should the company be unable to continue. It is only to be used in the event of the Trustees' deciding the company should cease to exist. It will be used to pay notice
periods, redundancies and the expenses of running (The Children’s Art School) until closure of the organisation.
Fund Balance
- 3 months minimal running costs £2000
- 3 months residual salaries (1 staff) - £10,000 Minimum Required £10,000 Maximum: £25,000
The free reserves are currently above this limit but will be used for organisational development and to further the aims of the charity.
Approved by the board of trustees on 29/1/2026
Maire Tracey (Trustee)
5
## The Childrens Art School
## Independent examiner's report to the trustees of The Childrens Art School
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 31 March 2025, which are set out on pages 7 to 10.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the CIO 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 CIO's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. 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 material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Charities Act; 2 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.
Alan Dodd FCCA
30/1/2026
## **West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO**
Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW
6
## The Childrens Art School
## Receipts and payments account
## for the year ended 31 March 2025
|Notes
2025
Unrestricted
funds
£
**Receipts**
Grants and donations
(2)
-
Sales and fees
57,055
**Total receipts**
57,055
**Payments**
Salaries and NIC
20,989
Freelance teachers and artistes
28,229
Rent, rates, service charges and utilities
25,385
Materials and resources
2,329
Equipment
46
Marketing
1,177
Travel expenses
133
Training
-
Bookkeeping
-
Subscriptions
-
Insurance
1,536
Miscellaneous
159
Volunteer expenses
-
Accountancy and Independent examination
990
Organisational development
28
Consultancy and professional
9
Phone and internet
152
Printing
227
**Total payments**
81,389
**Net receipts / (payments)**
(24,334)
**Fund balances brought forward**
60,749
**Fund balances carried forward**
(3)
36,415|2025
Restricted
funds
£
125,511
2,100
127,611
55,100
10,565
11,603
3,327
2,771
13,091
267
2,790
1,526
278
1,913
1,014
289
-
150
3,970
542
3,074
112,270
15,341
31,987
47,328|2025
Total
funds
£
125,511
59,155
184,666
76,089
38,794
36,988
5,656
2,817
14,268
400
2,790
1,526
278
3,449
1,173
289
990
178
3,979
694
3,301
193,659
(8,993)
92,736
83,743|2024
Total
funds
£
130,955
67,223
198,178
45,017
61,296
8,724
13,838
3,503
6,131
220
-
750
340
1,215
1,433
-
792
1,528
-
444
-
145,231
52,947
39,789
92,736|
|---|---|---|---|
7
## The Childrens Art School
## Statement of assets and liabilities
|as at 31 March 2025
2025
Unrestricted
£
**Cash funds**
Cash at bank
36,415
**Total cash funds**
36,415
**Debtors and prepayments**
Prepayments
**Liabilities**
Accruals
Taxation and social security|2025
Restricted
£
47,328
47,328|2025
Total
£
83,743
83,743
2025
£
1,843
1,843
2025
£
1,494
665
2,159|2024
Total
£
92,736
92,736|
|---|---|---|---|
The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on 29/1/2026
Maire Tracey (Trustee)
8
## The Childrens Art School
## Notes to the accounts
for the year ended 31 March 2025
## **1 Accounting policies**
## **Basis of accounting**
The trustees have taken advantage of section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and have prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.
There has been no change to the accounting policies since last year.
No changes have been made to the accounts for previous years.
## **Taxation**
As a charity the organisation benefits from rates relief and is generally exempt from income tax and capital gains tax but not from VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it relates.
## **Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.
9
## The Childrens Art School
## Notes to the accounts continued
## for the year ended 31 March 2025
|**2 Grants and donations**
2025
Unrestricted
funds
£
Arts Council England
-
Kirklees Council
-
National Lottery Community Fund
-
One Community
-
Local Giving
-
Other donations
-
-
**3 Restricted funds**
Balance b/f
Incoming
£
£
Little Makers Dewsbury
2,141
11,959
Maker World
29,846
95,752
Nat. Lottery Community Fund
-
19,900
31,987
127,611|2025
Restricted
funds
£
2,959
9,000
112,496
-
-
1,056
125,511
Outgoing
£
14,100
98,170
-
112,270|2025
Total
funds
£
2,959
9,000
112,496
-
-
1,056
125,511
Transfers
£
-
-
-
-|2024
Total
funds
£
27,100
3,500
47,593
1,000
500
51,262
130,955
Balance c/f
£
-
27,428
19,900
47,328|
|---|---|---|---|
## **Purpose of restriction**
**Fund name Purpose of restriction** Little Makers Dewsbury To deliver a Maker World offer in Dewsbury. Maker World To fund a Maker World offer for children and families. Nat. Lottery Community Fund To develop a children's art gallery offer.
## **4 Related party transactions**
## **Trustee expenses**
No trustee received any expenses during this year or the previous year.
## **Trustee remuneration and benefits**
No trustee received any remuneration or benefit during this or the previous year.
10