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
**----- Start of picture text -----**
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
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
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
**----- End of picture text -----**
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