Trustees' Annual Report for the period
Period start date Period end date 1st Sep 2023 31[st] Aug 2024
From
To
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name Wendens Ambo Pre School (CIO)
Other names charity is known by
Registered charity number (if any) 1161571
Charity's principal address
Village Hall Royston Rd, Wendens Ambo Saffron Walden Postcode
CB11 4JX
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Perkins | Chair | |||
| Charlotte Story (Maloney) |
Treasurer | |||
| Katherine Castor | 1-09-23 to 16-10-23 | |||
| Rachel Johnson | Secretary | 1-09-23 to 16-10-23 | ||
| Lucy Corbett | 17-10-23 to present | |||
| Fiona Murray | 16-11-23 to 09-04-24 | |||
| Steve Wilmott | 26-09-23 to present |
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Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Type of governing document
Model CIO Constitution for Childcare Providers
(eg. trust deed, constitution)
How the charity is constituted
Voluntary Management Committee
- (eg. trust, association, company)
Trustee selection methods
Elected by members at committee meeting and captured through committee minutes
(eg. appointed by, elected by)
Section C Objectives and activities
The aims of the Pre-School are to enhance the development and education of children primarily under statutory school age by:
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
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(1) promoting their care and safety;
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(2) promoting their education and promoting parental involvement;
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(3) promoting their health and wellbeing;
(4) providing services to support them and their families and carers;
(5) providing services to individuals holding membership of the CIO; and (6) furthering the aims of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.
As our charity’s aim is to provide early years education for pre-school children we are guided by OFSTED’s principles outlined in the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage). Pre-schoolers learn best when they are engaged in meaningful activities and experiences; our Pre-School setting is arranged with play and learning stations as well as space for sharing and circle time, teacher led activities and quiet/reading time. The children are immersed in purposeful learning experiences and numerous opportunities are provided to help meet Summary of the main the children’s physical, emotional, social and intellectual needs. Playtime and activities undertaken for the sharing are essential as these enable children to learn from each other and the public benefit in relation to world around them. these objects (include within We always consider that each child develops at a different rate and strive to this section the statutory provide a setting that allows all children to feel successful in our safe, secure declaration that trustees have and supportive learning environment. had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public We provide this opportunity for children in the local area aged between 2 and 5 benefit) years old.
The trustees of the Pre-School are satisfied that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the commission’s public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant.
Section D Achievements and performance
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Section D Achievements and performance
Summary of the main The Pre-School has been fully subscribed in the current year in relation to achievements of the charity staffing ratios and we aim to keep this level of engagement into 2024/25. We during the year have parents returning to our setting, and whilst we are entering into a more competitive time with more corporate preschools, our unique setting, engaging teaching methods and competitive price point (mainly due to our opening hours being more accessible for funded places), we feel like we are in a strong position moving into the 2024/25 academic year. Our main focus will be on keeping child numbers up to maximise our new fee structure and consumables charge whilst keeping ratios low. We were awarded a “Good” rating at our OFSTED inspection in the Autumn term and we have developed our reading corner, improved our outside space and invested in more external sport, cooking and community (Police etc.) workshops with our children, which we hope to increase and develop in the future. We have seen necessary improvements to our learning spaces, as well as our access to the wild garden and an improved shed/outdoor play facilities with thanks to local relationships, the parent community and several successful grant applications.
Section E Financial review
| Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves Details of any funds materially in deficit |
The aim of the Pre-School’s reserves policy is to maintain sufficient reserves to provide for redundancy and creditors in the unlikely event that the Pre-School has to close. Our previous target reserve (taking into account a healthy contingency) for this last financial year was £12,000. The trustees recognise with the growth in wages and staff costs that this will be insufficient for the next financial year and therefore aim to build our reserves to three and six months running costs (currently £22,500). As at the end of this financial year we have reserves of £29,292.11, after a £9,396.46 surplus. With designated funds of £8,189.28, this leaves us £1,397.17 below our reserves target, which we hope to achieve by the end of our 2024/25 financial year. Once we have sufficient reserves, any available funds over and above our target reserves will be discussed at committee meetings and reinvested where appropriate either through staff training, experiences for our children or improving equipment and resources. With this in mind, the trustees consider the pre-school to continue in a healthy position for the 2024/25 financial year. |
|---|---|
| Whilst we ended the year in a surplus, the trustees are aware that £10,036.60 of our income was in restricted grants (of which £8,189.28 will be spent out in the 2024/25 financial year). We are also aware of the implications that the NI increase and wage increases in April 2025 will have on the preschool and the trustees are working to ensure that this financial year changes are made to ensure these increasing costs are matched by fundraising, fee increases and budget savings where possible. |
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
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Jan 2025
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s)
| s trustees | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date |
Mark Perkins | Charlotte Story |
| Chair, Wendens Ambo Pre-School (CIO)Management Committee |
Treasurer | |
| 13thMarch 2024 | ||
| 13thMarch 2024 |
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Jan 2025
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Wendens Ambo Pre-School Accounts 2023-2024
| Total - Both accounts | |
|---|---|
| Receipts & Payments | |
| Receipts | £ |
| Donations/Commission | 2199.65 |
| Grants | 10036.6 |
| Fundraising | 364.12 |
| Funding | 51732.09 |
| Deposits | 0 |
| Fees | 32131.24 |
| Uniform | 0 |
| Other | 501.59 |
| Interest | 0 |
| Snack | 52.5 |
| Parent Contribution to Trips | 461 |
| Transfer in | 2443.67 |
| Total Receipts | 99922.46 |
| Expenditure | |
| Permanent Wages | 60908.69 |
| Casual Wages | 2048.55 |
| Pension | 3341.49 |
| Stationery & Resources | 1402.69 |
| Toys & Equipment | 226.5 |
| Entertainment & Gifts | 372.58 |
| Photo Printing | 7.15 |
| Health and Safety | 203.07 |
| Snack | 611.17 |
| Books | 0 |
| Fundraising Expenses | 0 |
| Advertising | 43.2 |
| Rent | 4237.5 |
| PAYE & NI | 5405.48 |
| Staffing Cost | 229.99 |
| Uniforms | 110 |
| Training | 1166.88 |
| Mileage | 25.34 |
| Administration Fees & Subscriptio | 4453.8 |
| Trips (Cost to pre school) | 550 |
| Grant Spending | 1847.32 |
| Insurance | 964.6 |
| Milk | 0 |
| Parent Contribution to Trips | 0 |
| Transfer Out | 2370 |
| Total Expenditure | 90526 |
Surplus / (Deficit) for period
9396.46
.
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| CHARITY COMMISSION| Independent examiner's FOR ENGLAND AND WALES report on the accounts.
’ Section A
Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ |Wendens Ambo Pre-School (CIO) members of On accounts for the year | 31 August 2024 Charity no ended (if any)
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| report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (‘the Trust”) for the year ended 31/08/2024
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Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act’).
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| 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, | have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. y . Independent | have completed my examination.. | confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement 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: e accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or e the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
| 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:|
SRW (iy | Date: | 14/03/2025
Relevant professional Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales qualification(s) or body (if any):
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IER
1
October 2018