## **ACORN PRE-SCHOOL**
**CHARITY COMMISSION REGISTERED NO. 1173988**
## **FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**for the year ended 31 August 2024**
**ACORN PRE-SCHOOL**
## **Annual Report**
## **for the year ended 31 August 2024**
## **INDEX**
|1|- 4|Trustees' Annual Report|
|---|---|---|
||5|Independent Examiners Report|
||6|Statement of Financial Activities|
||7|Assets and Liabilities Statement|
|8|- 12|Notes to the accounts|
**ACORN PRE-SCHOOL**
**Trustees' Annual Report**
**for the year ended 31 August 2024**
The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and the financial statements of the charitable company for the year ended 31 August 2024.
The Acorn Pre-School was originally constituted by deed of gift and was a registered charity, No. 518623 on 30 March 1987. The charity is converted and registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in England and Wales on 27 July 2017, registered number 1173988. The funds were transferred across on 1 February 2021.
The registered address is Acorn Preschool, The Portacabin, Whaplode Primary School, Mill Lane, Whaplode, Spalding, Lincs, PE12 6TS
This is also the principal address for the operation of the preschool.
The charity's trustees and committee members during the year to 31 August 2024 were:
Mrs. Lisa Hollis Chairperson Mrs. Anne Cook Mrs. Lucy Driver Mrs. Tsitsi Samantha Iredia Mrs Helen Rosalind Robson Appointed 22 April 2024 Mrs Holly Wright Appointed 22 April 2024 Mrs. Stacey Stafford Resigned 30 May 2024
## **Non Committee Members**
Mr. M. Hollis Treasurer
Bank: HSBC Bank Plc, 53-54 Market Place, Boston, PR21 6LS.
Independent Examiner: Ken Maggs, Chartered Accountant, Hoekman Way, Spalding, Lincs, PE11 3HE.
## **Aims and objectives**
To enhance the development and education of children primarily under statutory school age by encouraging parents to understand and provide for the needs of their children through community groups and by offering appropriate facilities and training courses, encouraging the study of needs of the children and instigating and adhering to and furthering the aim of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.
The trustees will normally be volunteers from parents of children attending the pre-school and therefore their tenure will be relatively short-term. Nominations are agreed at the Annual General Meeting and will be those persons willing to offer the skills and experience required by the charity.
The pre-school may further the aims by providing accommodation, equipment and engage staff, raise money, make payments as necessary, fix and collect fees, control the admission of children to the groups, take up membership of the Pre-school Learning Alliance and take such other action as may benefit the pre-school.
## **Public benefit**
The trustees consider that the objectives and activities of the charity are in accordance with the Charity Commissions' general guidance on public benefit because the children leaving the pre-school are considered to be well placed for the furtherance of their education.
The trustees regard all children and their families as members of our setting who have full participatory rights. These include a right to be:
- valued and respected;
- kept informed;
- consulted;
- involved;
- included at all levels.
Page 1
**ACORN PRE-SCHOOL**
**Trustees' Annual Report (continued)**
**for the year ended 31 August 2024**
## **Review of the year**
During the year ended 31 August 2024, the charity provided the pre-school facility to children in the area. As at 31 August 2024, the current account amounted to £19,105, the savings accounts amounted to £24,570 and the petty cash £71.
We have continued to ensure that all the children and their families are in a safe and stimulating environment. Each of the children is given generous care and attention, because of our ratio of qualified staff to children, as well as volunteer helpers which are also trustees.
The children have the opportunity to join in with other children and adults to live, play, work and learn together and thus helps to develop the local community for the long term. They are all helped to take forward her/his learning and development by being helped to build on what she/he already knows and can do. In order to achieve these and their ambitions, each child has a personal key person who makes sure each child makes satisfying progress.
The staff and volunteers cover all the seven areas in the early years foundation stage, which are personal, social and emotional development, Physical development, mathematic development, communication and language, literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and expressive arts and design.
Over the years and in the current period, we have continued to work on the children's confidence and build their independence to leave familiar adult, and enter a new environment when they are settling into preschool. The children are encouraged to build relationships among adults and peers alike.
The children are given the independence to wash hands, use cups, use the toilet / potty. We aim to ensure that they learn the ability of putting own coats and shoes on and taking them off again. These skills and learning and following daily routines are all important factors in growing up.
We start the children's educational skills by helping them to learn colour naming and recognition and counting in rota to 5 and then 10, setting them up for their coming years of education and providing them with the best start possible.
The staff and volunteers assist the children with sitting and listening to stories for short periods of time encouraging them to join in with singing and rhyming. These systems help them with their learning to share and taking turns.
All the above continuous activities result in showing that the children are building confidence to ask for help and choose their own activities. They are developing confidence to find comfort in familiar adults and the confidence to explore new activities and opportunities developing senses and emotions.
Some of the activities we have undertaken are as follows:
- Role play doctors and babies - imaginative play, playing cooperative.
- Hand painting spiders - discussing textures and counting spider legs.
- Help the veg escape from the evil pea (Vegetables are taped down in tray for children to release) - Refining motor skills and vegetable identification.
- Recognising their own names and beginning to trace over their cards - Name recognition and phonics.
- Christmas theme treasure hunt, (tinsels and baubles hiding items chosen from around the room) working on developing speech and communication development.
- Pass the Parcel working on taking turns.
- Scissor control and safety understanding.
- Letter to Santa - expressing ideas and thoughts.
- Make playdough - looking at measuring and exploring mixing.
- Making marks in sand - developing fine motor skills and hand dominance.
Page 2
**ACORN PRE-SCHOOL**
**Trustees' Annual Report (continued)**
**for the year ended 31 August 2024**
## **Review of the year (continued)**
Although the following are events for enjoyment that have occurred during the year, they have also provided valuable learning for the children:
- Guess who the baby in the photo is' - sense of self and pride, beginning to notice the differences within each other.
- Halloween themed tough tray with jelly and eyeball - discuss textures and building vocabulary.
- Painting real pumpkins - looking at and discussing the world around us. Also included exploring the inside of the pumpkin - discussing textures.
- Baking breadstick sparklers - learning how to combine different ingredients to create a yummy treat while discussing fire safety.
- Sound Lotto - working on attention and listening skills.
- Dark den and light sensory play - self reflection, self regulation time and developing emotions.
- Hoop playing outside - fine and gross motor skills.
- Large construction digger in the mud kitchen - imaginative play and turn taking.
- College rocket pictures - fine motor skills and awareness of rockets. Children learn to take pride in their own work.
- Throwing and catching ball skills - fine and gross motor skills.
- Conker playdough - developing hand control and muscle formation.
- Creating Xmas pictures using shapes - shape recognition and naming.
- Making Xmas cards - Sense of people who are important to us.
- Christmas lights on the Xmas tree (Threading coloured cotton buds onto a box) - colour recognition and naming.
- Make reindeer food using natural ingredients - developing vocabulary and communication skills.
The trustees are very grateful for the assistance of the staff and parents at these events which makes the whole outing more exciting for the children. They have, jointly provided the high quality care and education for children below statutory school age which cannot be done by the trustees alone.
## **Future developments**
The trustees are aware that funding is currently tight with government cuts and tax increases. There is little they can do about the economic climate but they can try to raise funds internally and continue to provide the children of the area with this much needed support and learning.
The trustees with to be above to build funds in order to undertake building repairs to the portacabin and to also ensure that they are able to continue in the long term. This does not only require funds but will need more volunteers and some taking on the longer term supporting roles as trustees.
## **Reserves policy**
The charity has a small reserves policy in place due to the nature of the charity. The trustees will be made aware of the changes in Government policy well before such an eventuality would ever occur. Therefore, if Government funding was ever to be removed then the charity would be forced to cease. In such circumstance, the trustees consider that it would only be necessary to hold reserves to cover redundancy. The Government would be required to provide a replacement for the benefits offered by the charity.
Funding is received at the start of each term and the summer break so government funding dictates the continuance of the charity. Any excess funds that the charity is able to raise can then be put back into expenditure for the good of the children attending.
Page 3
**ACORN PRE-SCHOOL**
## **Trustees' Annual Report (continued)**
## **for the year ended 31 August 2024**
## **Reserves policy (continued)**
The level of reserves expected to be required is approximately, £5,000 to cover the term costs if funding was not to be available. The trustees are expecting the level of funding required to cover repairs and maintenance in ongoing years to the portacabin and equipment is likely to be significant.
The current excess funds at 31 August 2024, amounting to approximately £34,000 is likely to be short of this requirement but any suplus is always available for spending on the children inproving the activities they are able to undertake and safely.
The trustees would love to be able to expand the facilities and provision to enable a wider coverage, at the date of the last Ofsted report in May 2022, they had 20 places available but 31 children on the roll. This means that not everyone can be provided the necessary and valuable start to life and education.
## **Going concern**
The pre-school has many plans for the future as indicated above and expects to be here now and for future generations to continue with the good work within the local community.
## **Statement of Trustee's Responsibilities**
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles of the Charities SOP 2019 (FRS 102);
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Signed by order of the Trustees:
**Mrs. Lisa Hollis - Chairperson**
Date: **20 January 2025**
Page 4
**ACORN PRE-SCHOOL**
**Independent Examiners Report**
I report to the charity on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2024, which are set out on pages 6 to 2.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
As the charity's trustees 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 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 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 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records, or
3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
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.
**K.J. Maggs B.A., F.C.A.** Chartered Accountant Spalding
Date: **21 Janaury 2025**
Page 5
## **ACORN PRE-SCHOOL**
## **Statement of Financial Activities**
## **for the year ended 31 August 2024**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
2024 2023
Notes Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
£ £ £ £
Income from:
Investments 244 - 244 33
Charitable activities 2 106,415 2,315 108,730 98,996
Total income 106,659 2,315 108,974 99,029
Expenditure on:
Fundraising costs - - - 35
Costs of charitable activities 3 94,391 67 94,458 97,947
Grants paid out - 2,260 2,260 1,700
Total expenses 94,391 2,327 96,718 99,682
Net income / (expenditure) before transfers 12,268 (12) 12,256 (653)
Transfers 8 55 (55) - -
Net income / (expenditure) after transfers 12,323 (67) 12,256 (653)
Fund balances brought forward 41,158 211 41,369 42,022
Fund balances carried forward 53,481 144 53,625 40,716
**----- End of picture text -----**
All income and expenditure in both the current and prior year are regarding unrestricted funds.
The notes on pages 8 - 12 form a part of these accounts
Page 6
## **ACORN PRE-SCHOOL**
## **Assets and Liabilities Statement**
## **at 31 August 2024**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Notes 2024 2023
£ £ £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets 6 9,360 10,238
Current assets
Debtors:
Charitable activities' debtors - 67
Prepayments 1,758 934
1,758 1,001
Cash at bank and in hand:
Current account 19,105 27,184
Reserve account 24,570 3,457
Petty cash 71 210
43,746 30,851
Current assets 45,504 31,852
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year:
Charitable activities' creditors 75 54
Accruals 1,164 667
(1,239) (721)
Net current assets 44,265 31,131
Total assets less current liabilities 53,625 41,369
Income funds
Unrestricted funds 53,481 41,158
Restricted funds 8 144 211
53,625 Error 41,369
**----- End of picture text -----**
We approve these accounts and confirm that we have made available all relevant records and information for their preparation.
These accounts were approved by the trustees on **20 January 2025.**
## **Mrs. Anne Cook**
**Mrs. Lisa Hollis - Chairperson**
The notes on pages 8 - 12 form a part of these accounts
Page 7
**ACORN PRE-SCHOOL**
**Notes to the accounts**
**for the year ended 31 August 2024**
## **1. Accounting policies**
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.
The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis and are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity.
The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated.
## **Funds**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund.
Expenditure which complies with these criteria is identified to the fund.
## **Income recognition**
All income is recognised in the statement of financial activities when the conditions for receipt have been met and there is reasonable assurance of receipt. Where a claim for repayment of income tax has or will be made, such income is grossed for the tax recoverable.
Grants are recognised in the statement of financial activities when the conditions for receipt have been met.
Investment income is accounted for in the period in which the charity is entitled to receipt.
Donations and all receipts from charitable activities are reported gross and are accounted for on a receivable basis.
## **Expenditure recognition**
Expenditure is included in the statement of financial activities on an accruals basis and has been allocated as detailed below:
Charitable activities include the costs of the activities defined by the charity's aims for the benefit of the persons sited in the charity objects. Costs of charitable activities includes the direct costs of the activities and depreciation on related assets. Where such assets relate to more than one functional cost category, they have been allocated on either an estimate time or floor space basis, as appropriate.
Within charitable activities, governance costs include the costs which relate to the general running of the charity as opposed to the direct management function inherent in generating funds, service delivery and programme or project work.
## **Tangible fixed assets**
Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment losses. Cost includes costs directly attributable to making the asset capable of operating as intended.
Depreciation is calculated to write down the cost, less estimated residual value, of all tangible fixed assets over their expected useful lives. The rates generally applicable are:
Games, toys and equipment 10% reducing balance
Page 8
**ACORN PRE-SCHOOL**
**Notes to the accounts (continued) for the year ended 31 August 2024**
## **1. Accounting policies (continued)**
## **Debtors and creditors receivable / payable within one year**
Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure.
## **Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty**
The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These estimates and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.
## **2. Incoming resources from charitable activities**
|**Unrestricted **
**£**
Fees
105,094
Household Support Grant
-
Trips and outings
296
Fundraising
1,025
106,415
Local Government funding included above
98,480|**Restricted**
**£**
-
2,315
-
-
2,315
2,315
**2024**|**Total**
**£**
105,094
2,315
296
1,025
108,730
100,795|2023
Total
£
97,105
1,700
191
-
98,996
84,841|
|---|---|---|---|
## **3. Costs of charitable activities**
|**Unrestricted **
**£**
Wages and salaries
83,009
Outings
200
Computer costs
632
Milk purchases
-
Training and course fees
90
Repairs and maintenance
253
Cleaning materials and waste disposal
865
Telephone and internet
546
Rent paid and hall hire
200
Rates
327
Licences
207
PLA insurance
676
Building insurance
252
Electricity
2,019
Refreshments and fund raising
176
Purchases of equipment, books and similar items
2,941
Postage and stationery
50
Subscriptions
96
Depreciation
1,022
Independent examiners fees
735
Legal and professional
35
Bank charges
60
94,391|**Restricted**
**£**
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
51
-
-
16
-
-
-
67
**2024**|**Total**
**£**
83,009
200
632
-
90
253
865
546
200
327
207
676
252
2,019
176
2,992
50
96
1,038
735
35
60
94,458|2023
Total
£
83,756
370
73
29
45
1,186
954
564
400
201
586
745
252
1,594
225
4,781
92
132
1,141
726
35
60
97,947|
|---|---|---|---|
Page 9
**ACORN PRE-SCHOOL**
**Notes to the accounts (continued) for the year ended 31 August 2024**
## **4. Employee emoluments**
There are no employees who received emoluments exceeding £60,000.
|Average number of employees during the year|**2024**
**No.**
8|2023
No.
8|
|---|---|---|
## **5. Payments to trustees**
No trustee has been paid in respect of their position as a trustee. All trustee work has been on a voluntary basis only.
Due to the nature of the charity's activities several trustees are also employees. However, no element of their remuneration is linked to their role as trustees.
## **6. Fixed assets**
|Portacabin
Extension
Fridge
Fence and gate
Outdoor equipment
Computer
Police car, dumper truck and
tractor
Filing cabinet
Henry Hoover
Skills compact discs
Camera
Computers and laptops
Chairs
Play shelter
Paint "n" Store tray units
Sophia armchairs
Book and toy storage units
Tables and chairs
Playhouse
Oil heaters
Room dividers
High wooden fence
Outside sink
Water dispenser
Post box
LED lighting
New rectangular table
Six new radiators
New laminate floor
Outdoor sorting boxes and
table
Drying rack
Two tablets|**Cost**
**£**
1,227
2,819
81
576
3,284
499
353
30
99
94
90
2,693
169
1,126
515
326
187
630
200
100
346
3,560
390
166
20
987
352
2,990
675
512
156
160
25,412|**Depr'n**
**£**
1,133
2,601
76
531
3,030
460
307
26
87
82
77
2,126
145
945
412
261
150
459
82
34
119
1,224
134
45
7
268
96
810
182
97
30
16
16,052
**2024**|**NBV**
**£**
94
218
5
45
254
39
46
4
12
12
13
567
24
181
103
65
37
171
118
66
227
2,336
256
121
13
719
256
2,180
493
415
126
144
9,360|Cost
£
1,227
2,819
81
576
3,284
499
353
30
99
94
90
2,693
169
1,126
515
326
187
630
200
100
346
3,560
390
166
20
987
352
2,990
675
512
156
-
25,252|Depr'n
£
1,122
2,577
75
526
3,002
456
302
26
86
81
76
2,063
142
925
401
254
146
440
69
27
94
964
106
32
5
188
67
568
127
51
16
-
15,014
2023|NBV
**£**
105
242
6
50
282
43
51
4
13
13
14
630
27
201
114
72
41
190
131
73
252
2,596
284
134
15
799
285
2,422
548
461
140
-
10,238|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All the assets above are used by the charity in the furtherance of its objectives. Page 10
**ACORN PRE-SCHOOL**
**Notes to the accounts (continued) for the year ended 31 August 2024**
## **7. Related parties and control**
The trustees consider that there are no related parties to the charity requiring disclosure.
The charity is controlled by the Board of Trustees and no individuals can or do exert control.
## **8 Restricted funds**
|**£**
Interactive Play for Children
211
Household Support Grant
-
211
**£**
Interactive Play for Children
211
Household Support Grant
-
211
The funds are represented by:
**Tangible**
**fixed**
**assets**
**£**
Interactive Play for Children
144
Household Support Grant
-
144
**2023**
**Tangible**
**fixed**
**assets**
**£**
Interactive Play for Children
-
**Balance at**
**1 Sep 23**
**Balance at**
**1 Sep 22**|**£**
-
2,315
2,315
**£**
-
1,700
1,700
**£**
-
75
75
**£**
211
**Cash at**
**bank and**
**in hand**
**Incoming**
**funds**
**Incoming**
**funds**
**Cash at**
**bank and**
**in hand**|**£**
(67)
(2,260)
(2,327)
**£**
-
(1,700)
(1,700)
**Other**
**assets**
**£**
-
-
-
**Other**
**assets**
**£**
-
**Outgoing**
**funds**
**Outgoing**
**funds**|**£**
-
(55)
(55)
**£**
-
-
-
**£**
-
(75)
(75)
**£**
-
**Transfers**
**Transfers**
**Liabilities**
**Liabilities**|**£**
144
-
144
**£**
211
-
211
**£**
144
-
144
**£**
211
**Balance at**
**31 Aug 23**
**Balance at**
**31 Aug 24**
**Total**
**Total**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
**Interactive Play for Children** fund relates to the balance of a grant received from Lincolnshire County Council in order to provide interactive play and learning for the young children within a safe and controlled environment.
**Household Support Grant** fund relates to funds provided to schools and early years providers for children eligible for free school meals and early years pupil premium and to support to care leavers in supported living accommodation received from South Holland District Council. A small surplus is eligible for use against the costs of administration by the school.
Page 11
**ACORN PRE-SCHOOL**
**Notes to the accounts(continued) for the year ended 31 August 2024**
## **9 Comparative period**
## **Statement of Financial Activities**
|**Unrestricted **
**£**
**Income from:**
Charitable activities
97,296
**Total income**
**97,329**
**Expenditure on:**
Fundraising costs
35
Costs of charitable activities
97,947
Grants paid out
-
**Total expenses**
**97,982**
**(653)**
**Net expenditure**|**Restricted**
**£**
1,700
**1,700**
-
-
1,700
**1,700**
**-**|**Total**
**£**
98,996
**99,029**
(35)
(97,947)
(1,700)
**99,682**
**(653)**|
|---|---|---|
Page 12