CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Trustees, Annual Reportfor the period From end date 0110912023 Period stsrt date To 3110812024 Period Charity name: Stepping Stones nursery and pre-school (Claverdon) CIO Charity registration number: 1173990 Objectlves and Activities Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its goveming document To enhance the development and education of children understatutory schocl age by encouraging parents to understand and provide for the needs of their children through community groups and by offering appropriate play, education and care facilities, ensuring that they offer opportunities for all children whatevertheirrace, culture, religion. means or ability; by encouraging the study of the needs of such children and theirfamilies and promoting public interest in and recognition of such needs in the local area: and by adhering to and furthering the aims and objectives of the Pre-school Leaming Alliance. Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identffied in the accounts. The Charity opens five days per week to children under 5 years of age, reaching a maximum of 30 children. We continue to write a monthly update and advertise in the parish magazine as well as maintain a social media presence. paying regard to child privacy. We attend various activities at the local church to which we are invited to attend. Statement confinning whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit The Trustees have due regard to the guidance published by The Charity Commission on public benefit Policy on grant making
We welcome all applications, and ty to offer at least one free place where we reasonably can. This is based on financial need and agreed betsveen the manager and treasurer. We were given a donation of money severdl years ago to be allocated to chlldren within the local community who would otherwise not be able to attend. Contrlbutlon made by volunteèrs We rely and appreciate the support from Individuals who give time and resou rces free of charge to su pport the pre-school: All committee members are voluntsers who give thelr11me freely. Running fundrdising events and the satting's website. Fundraislng actlvities have resumes following COVID measures belng relaxed. The hugely popular dnema dub has recommenced. Achlevements and Perlormanc• Summary ofthe maln achlevements ofthe charlty. Identlfylng the dlfference the charlty's work has made to the clrcumstsnces of Its beneflGlarl68 and any wlder beneffts to soclety as a whole. Play is organised and planned in accordancewith guidellnes setout by Ofsled to ensure all areas of the appropriate curriculum are CoVed. all activitles are available to all children and activities a planned with varying levels of abillty in Mind. Infomiation about the children'sabilities and achievements at the pre- school Is recorded and shared with theirparents and carers. The pre•school commun icates details about each term's topics and activities via a newsletter to all parents. We have contlnue to provide support to families through one on one staffing and preparing Educational Health and Car8 plans for those Children who require our suppo The setting received an Inspection visitfrom OFSTED In July 2022. The result was outstsnding. which is testsmentto Ihe hard work of the rnanagerand all stsff. Financial Revlew Revlew of the charlty's financlal posftlon at the end of the perfod
We flnlshed the yearat 31108r2024 with a cash balance of £46,335, an increase of circa fifteen thousand pounds. Grant income has risen considerably following the changes made by the govemment to expand the eligibility of the 15 hours childcare offering to include two year olds. Other factors have remained consistenL however, minimum wage rose again and the wage bill accordingly. We continue to monitorthe local environment and plan ahead for any likely changes to impactthe finances. Statement explalnlng the pollcy for holdlng reserves stating why they are held We ty to maintsln a level of 6 months cashflow at the end of Ihe financial year. This indudas any expected costs likely to be paid: ren( stsff wages, redundancy payrnents and an allowance for reduced income potsntial. We monitor and recalculate the required redundancy payments In the eventof the pennanent dosure of the pre•school. There is no long tem) rent requiremenL The financial outlook is discussed between the manager and treasureron a regular basis. The cashbook and bank balance are monitored monthly paying regard to timing of invoice and grant payments. Addftlonal Inforniatlon (optlonal) You may choose to include further ststements where relevant about The charlty's prlnclpal sources of funds (Includlng any fundralslng) The main sources are alrnost an even split between govemment grantfor eligible 2 and 3 year olds and private fee Income. Any further grants for SEN are listsd separately. A descrlptlon of the prlnclpal rlsks faclng the charlty
The risks indude: Inability to retain or altract staff with th e appropriate levels of qualifications. As tenants we face the risk of no longer having a building to run the playgroup from. Changes to govemment policy on free childixre entillements and restrictbons on charges we can apply oulwith the govemment funded hourly rate. Competition from other local nurseries. An eventwhich forces our closure or seriously impacts our reputstion. We have no long-tenn financial commibnents. The main commitrnent relates to staff payments and any staff members entided to redundancy payments. We monitorthe amounts required bi-annually. The cash balance of the pr84chool are monitored monthly. Strudure, Governance and Management Descrlptlon of charlty's trusts: Type ofgoverning document The Pre-school Leaming Alliance Model pre-school constitution was adopted on 11912019 when the pre-school became a CIO. How is the charity constitutsd? The charity is a CIO. Trusts8 selection methods Includlng detalls of any constltutlonal provislons e.g. eleclion to post or name of any peyson or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees. Trustees are appointed or rewappointed annually at the AGM in MaylJune of each year. Additlonal Inforn)ation (opllonal) You may choose to include further ststements where relevant abouL'
Reference and Admlnlstrative detslls Charity name Stepping Stones nursery and pre-school {Claverdon> cio Other name the charity uses Reglstered charity number 1173990 Charfty's principal address Church Centre. Church Rd, Claverdon, WaiCk CV35 8PB Names of the charlty truste?5 who manage the charlty Trustse name Office (rf any) Datss actsd If notfor whole year Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee Ifan Francesca Lever TREASURER Chair Katy Jones Julia Stephanie Wagstsffe Funds held as custodlan trustees on behaff of others Description of the assets NIA held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity's objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity's
own assets Addltlonal Infomiatlon (optlonal) Names and addresses of advlsers (Optlonal Inforniatlon) Type of Narne Address advlser Namo of chlof Oxecutlve or names of sonlor 8tsff membern (Opttonal Infomiatlon) Exemptlon8 from dlsclosure Reason for non4isdosure of ke ersonn81 detai18 NIA Other o tlonal Infonnallon Doclaratlons The trustees declare that they have approved the tru8tees' report above.
Slgned on behalf of the charity's trustses Slgnature(s) Full name{s) Position (eg Secretary9 Chalr, etc) Katy Jones Chair Francesca Lever Treasurer Dats
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Charity Name No (if any)
Stepping Stones nursery and pre-school Claverdon 1173990
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
Period start date Period end date
For the period from 01/09/2023 To 31/08/2024
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricte Restricted Endowmen
Total funds Last year
d funds funds t funds
to the to the nearest to the nearest to the nearest to the nearest
nearest £ £ £ £ £
A1 Receipts
Warwickshire
Council Grant 72,451 - - 72,451 44,967
2/3/4 year old
Additional
Grant 4,280 - - 4,280 3,768
Fees 59,770 - - 59,770 53,921
Fundraising 2,691 - - 2,691 1,045
Miscellaneous [ 907 ] - - 907 4,673
interest on
331 - - 331 66
savings
- - -
- - - - -
Sub
total (Gro 140,430 - - 140,430 108,440
ss income
for AR)
A2 Asset
and
investment
sales, (see
table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total
140,430
receipts 140,430 - - 108,440
A3 Payments
SALARIES 95,757 - - 95,757 87,074
RENT &
PREMISES 8,118 - - 8,118 8,262
OFFICE
COSTS/ADMI
N 5,536 - - 5,536 4,767
TAX & N.I 7,876 - - 7,876 2,233
EDUCATIONA
L ACTIVITY 5,210 - - 5,210 3,677
TRAINING 1,562 - - 1,562 129
MISCELLANE
US 1,473 - - 1,473 1,514
FUNDRAISIN
G - - - 1,269
- - - -
Sub total [ 125,533 ] - - 125,533 108,926
A4 Asset
and
investment
purchases,
(see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
payments 125,533 - - 125,533 108,926
payments) 14,897 - - 14,897 - 486
A5 Transfer - - - - -
A6 Cash fun 31,439 - - 31,439 -
s year end 46,335 - - 46,335 - 486
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
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Unrestricte Restricted Endowmen
Categories Details d funds funds t funds
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B1 Cash Current Account 22,273 - -
funds Savings account 24,062 - -
- - -
(agree balances with receipts and payments Total cash funds 46,335 - -
account(s)) OK OK OK
Unrestricte Restricted Endowmen
d funds funds t funds
Details to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B2 Other - - -
monetary assets - - - - - - - - -
- - -
- - -
Fund to
Cost Current value
which asset
Details belongs (optional) (optional)
B3 - -
Investme - -
nt assets - - - -
- -
Fund to
Cost Current value
which asset
Details belongs (optional) (optional)
B4 Assets - -
retained - -
for the - - - -
charity’s - -
own use - -
- -
- -
- -
Fund to Amount due When due
which liability (optional) (optional)
relates
Details
B5 -
Liabilities -
-
-
-
Signed by
one or two Date of
trustees on Signature Print Name
behalf of all approval
the trustees
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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Stepping Stones Nursery and pre-school Claverdon On accounts for the year ended 31s1 August 2024 Charity no lif any) 1173990 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above tharity Phe Trusf) for the year ended Responslblllties 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 Phe Act.). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Ad. I have cornpleted 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 accordan with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examinerfs statement I have no concems 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. ' Fyease delete the words in the brackets rf they do not apply. 24. June 2025 Signed: Date: Name: Keith Baldwin - KWB Accounting Limited Relevant professional qualification(s> or body (if any): Address. 13 NewfEld CreSnt Halesowen B63 3SS IER October 2018
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 brlef detalls of any itsms that the examiner wishes to dlsclose. IER October 2018