## **Trustees' Annual Report for the period**
Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year **From** 1 4 2023 **To** 31 3 2024
## Section A Reference and administration details
**Charity name**
Ladybirds Pre School, Newbury
**Other names charity is known by**
**Registered charity number (if any)** 1161426 **Charity's principal address** Roebuts Close Newbury **Postcode RG14 7AP** ~~ee~~ **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity Dates acted if not for whole Name of person (or body) entitled Trustee name Office (if any) year to appoint trustee (if any)** 1 Gerard O’Neill Ladybirds Pre School (CIO) 2 Joanne Bateman Ladybirds Pre School (CIO) 3 Katy Atkins Ladybirds Pre School (CIO) 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 ~~===~~ **Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees) Name Dates acted if not for whole year**
## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
**TAR**
March **2012**
1
## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**
|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|
|---|---|---|
|**Type of adviser**
**Name**
**Address**|||
||||
||||
||||
||||
|**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**|||
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## **Section B Structure, governance and management**
## **Description of the charity’s trusts**
Type of governing document
Constitution
- (eg. trust deed, constitution)
Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted
(eg. trust, association, company)
Elected by CIO members Trustee selection methods
- (eg. appointed by, elected by)
## **Additional governance issues (Optional information)**
You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant, about:
- policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees.
- the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works.
- relationship with any related parties.
- trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
## **Section C Objectives and activities**
**Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document**
The object of the CIO is to enhance the development and education of children under statutory school age, by providing quality care and education, whilst encouraging parents to be involved in their child’s learning.
**TAR**
March **2012**
2
High quality pre-school education delivered to children aged 2-4 years old. Supervision, training and mentoring of staff to ensure a high-quality provision. Constant review to ensure the Early Years Curriculum is being delivered to current guidance from OFSTED. Consultation with parents and families to ensure provision is meeting requirements of our community. Reporting and provision of information to reception year classes upon school entry.
Trustees have had regard to the guidance issues by the Charity Commission on public benefit with regard to the advancement of **Summary of the main** education, and this is taken into account at all committee and trustee **activities undertaken for the** meetings as the primary objective of Ladybirds. **public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)**
## **Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)**
Ladybirds Pre-School have been fortunate to receive grants and funding from ‘The Good Exchange’ funding portal to invest in new resources and activities.
The charity runs as a not-for profit organisation, so all fundraising and income is invested directly back into improving the provision and facilities for children and their families.
You **may choose** to include further statements, where relevant, about:
Parents and staff volunteer much of their time to invest in fundraising activities, meeting and training to ensure we meet the objectives whilst remaining financially robust.
- policy on grant making;
- policy programme related investment;
Trustees and committee members volunteer their time and skill to ensure the charity runs successfully to maximise the public benefit.
- contribution made by volunteers.
**TAR**
March **2012**
3
Section D Achievements and performance
**Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year**
We continue to be very proud of our achievements this year as Ladybirds continues to improve and develop the provision of Early Years Education in the ever changing requirements set out by the government and OFSTED alongside the very challenging financial environment. We continue to offer existing employees and all new staff appropriate training with the introduction of a robust supervision, mentoring and training programme along with a professional development programme. We continue to invest in new resources with our successful fundraising events which have enlivened the learning and increased engagement of the children in their play. Overall we are confident that we have made significant improvements over the year and, with the support of the trustees, committee, parents and staff, have a clear vision for the future of Ladybirds
**TAR**
March **2012**
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## **Section E Financial review**
**Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves**
The standing policy is that the Charity must trade in surplus or at worst break even. The Charity cannot operate at a loss without the express permission and agreement of the Trustees. Extensive measures have been put in place to ensure all trading is at a surplus with constant monthly and quarterly reviews.
All reserves are used for the benefit of the Charity for the purchase of equipment, funding additional training etc.
**Details of any funds materially in deficit**
## **Further financial review details (Optional information)**
You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant about:
- the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
- how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
- investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
Income to the Charity comes from two sources: Early year’s local authority funding and parent subscriptions for hours in excess of the 30 hours allowance. So income is very susceptible to changes by the local authority in funding levels or any changes to policies such as parents changing from private sessions to funded sessions with a reduction in hourly rates. However, the local authority does pay on time and as expected. The Trustees do maintain a constant watch on any changes that would have an impact on the Charity.
Trading conditions continued to be challenging in the period 2023-2024 with constant cost rises including minimum wage changes. Implementation of minimum wage changes every year do place a significant burden on the setting, especially when accompanied by income reductions resulting from changes to funded provisions and away from private sessions.
Main expenditure is to cover wages for staff. Staff loyalty is generally good with some long-term staff which is good for continuity. The trustees are keen to maintain these staff so support good training policies, a structured salary and benefits policy with performance-based pay reviews as well as pension provisions. The local authority payments are related to the qualifications of the staff with higher qualifications attracting higher levels of funding so the training policies are very key to maintaining and attracting local authority funding levels.
Staff, working with the trustees, carefully managed the preschool finances and have managed to control expenditure accordingly, producing a surplus for 2023-2024 of £21,706, giving rise to a healthy bank balance of £19,380. This is a significant turn around on the financial performance in earlier years.
Improvements, started during 2022-2023 continue in the period 20232024 with Trustees and staff aiming for a continuous improvement in pre school finances and a return to a healthy surplus.
**TAR**
March **2012**
5
## **Section F Other optional information**
## **Section G Declaration**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
**Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees**
**Signature(s) Full name(s)** Gerard O’Neill **Position (eg Secretary, Chair,** Trustee **etc) Date** 9/12/24
**TAR**
March **2012**
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LADYBIRDS PRE-SCHOOL NEWBURY (1161426)
## RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024
|RECEIPTS||PAYMENTS||
|---|---|---|---|
|(Unrestricted)||||
|Pre School Fees|18780.09|Salaries|87990.63|
|Early Years Grant - West Berks DC|118128.90|Gas & Electric|6431.82|
|Other Grants / Donations|973.82|Council Tax & Water Rates|1274.94|
|Fundraising|2570.70|Visiting Teachers|0.00|
|Matched Fundraising|0.00|DBS Checks|0.00|
|||Pre School Supplies|11075.30|
|||Telephone, Postage & Stationery|1015.83|
|||Insurance|1260.88|
|||Cleaning & Gardening|2860.51|
|||Staf Training|2108.35|
|||Professional Fees|1235.00|
|||Building Repairs|1159.42|
|||Advertising|174.30|
|||Fundraising Expenses|20.00|
|||Equipment|0.00|
|||Miscellaneous Expenditure|570.90|
|||Misc Operating Resources|1300.32|
|||Bank Charges|269.58|
|TOTAL|140453.51|TOTAL|118747.78|
|NET INCREASE IN CASH IN THE YEAR|21705.73|||
## LADYBIRDS PRE-SCHOOL NEWBURY (1161426)
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AS AT 31ST MARCH 2024
## Assets retained for the charity's own use
The freehold land being Newbury Centre Playgroup
BANK AND CASH at 31st March 2023 Unrestricted
|Float|25.00||
|---|---|---|
|Bank|-2364.87||
|High Interest Account|10.13||
|Designated Funds|4.09||
|||-2325.65|
|BANK AND CASH at 31st March 2024||
|---|---|
|Unrestricted||
|Bank and Cash as at 1st April 2023|-2325.65|
|Add: Net Increase in the year|21705.73|
|Bank and Cash as at 31st March 2024|19380.08|
|Bank and Cash consists of:||
|Float|25.00|
|Bank|19340.86|
|High Interest Account|10.13|
|Designated Funds|4.09|
||19380.08|
Approved by the Trustees on
Trustee Print Name
## NOTES
No guarantees have been given as at the date of the statement of assets and liabilities
No debt is outstanding as at 31st March 2024 which is secured by an express charge on any assets of the CIO
## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts**
## **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report**
**Report to the trustees/ members of**
Charity Name Ladybirds Preschool Newbury
31[st] March 2024
1161426
**On accounts for the year ended Charity no (if any) Set out on pages**
1 – 2
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 /03 / 2023.
As the charity trustees of the Trust, 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 Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed 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 (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
- the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
* _Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply._
**Signed: Date:**
23/10/2024 Judith Self
**Name:**
**Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):**
**October 2018**
1
**IER**
**Address:**
Norfolk House, 75 Bartholomew Street, Newbury
Berkshire
RG14 5DU
**Section B Disclosure**
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
**Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** .
**October 2018**
2
**IER**