Chairs report 2024 – Ovingham and district under 5’s
2024 has been a busy year for everyone and I am pleased to report on the progress the charity has made over the last year. Notably, we have secured a new lease on the land we operate on. The duration is for an initial period of 10 years, with an agreed trigger for an extension to 25 years, based on certain criteria relating to the redevelopment of the building. The trustees believe this provides opportunity to obtain funding for redevelopment and importantly, will maintain our status as an independent charity, accountable to parents and our community. This financial year we have invested a small amount over and above general maintenance, allowing us to increase the size of the space we offer and hence offer additional places. Subject to attracting more children, this should allow us to restore our reserves and continue to deliver greater investment in staffing and resources.
We received our OFSTED inspection in December 2023. The outcome was that we were rated as “Good”. This is the 3[rd] time in a row we have received a “Good” rating and is testament to both the quality of staff and the good governance we have. I want to congratulate the staff on this achievement. I would also like to repeat a couple of remarks made by the inspector, in particular that “children form strong bonds with staff, who are caring and kind” and that “children are happy, settled and secure [and] there are strong systems in place for assessing children's learning”. I could not be prouder of the team.
Our financial position remains weak, but like last year, I am pleased to report that we declared a small surplus. The trustees are confident that we will remain a going concern, subject to attracting sufficient children to our setting.
This year we have strengthened the governance team to better prepare us to deliver our ambition to redevelop our building. This year, we welcomed Clara Sheild as our new fundraising officer. Clara, who lives in Ovingham, is a successful social entrepreneur with considerable expertise of managing and funding social enterprises. We are extremely pleased that she has agreed to join the committee. In addition, our sectary and courier, Charlie Downing, was elected as a trustee for the first time, for a period of 3 years. I am delighted that Charlie has agreed to take on this role and look forward to working more closely with her as we start the process of redeveloping our site. Finally, our finance officer, Ronnie Hall, was re-elected as a trustee for a period of 3 years.
The governance of the charity is overseen by a committee of volunteers, comprising of 4 trustees, 2 of whom are parents, 4 nursery staff and 2 parent governors as laid out below. The committee met on 9 occasions in 2023.
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Michael Price | Chair & Trustee |
| Mark Dawson | Vice Chair & Parent Trustee |
| Ronnie Hall | Finance Officer & Trustee |
| Elaine Punton | Nursery Manager |
| Wendy Taylor | Deputy Nursery Manager |
| Sarah Milligan | Nursery Practitioner |
| Rebecca Loughhead | Nursery Practitioner |
| Clara Shield | *Fundraising Officer |
| Charlie Downing | Secretary & Parent Trustee |
*I want to thank the outgoing Fundraising Officer, Sarah Weaver, for the work she put into the role.
Finally, I want to take this opportunity to remind all stakeholders that we are a charity and hence, rely on the support of parents and our community. These are difficult times for all early year’s providers, with inflation considerably outpacing government funding which is the core of our income. Hence, I would encourage all parents to consider what they can do to help us in the forthcoming year – please get in touch with Elaine or I, if you would like to join the committee, or can help in some other way. I am particularly keen to hear from anyone with connections to trades people who could help us with our plans for redeveloping the nursery.
Dr Michael Price, Chair – Ovingham and district under 5’s.
Email: mike.price@ovinghamunder5s.org
Ovingham & District Under 5s
Ovingham & District Under 5s
Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 July 2024
Charity Registration Number 1176119
1
Ovingham & District Under 5s
Cashflow Summary from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024
| Business Receipts | £90824 |
|---|---|
| Business Payments | £90355 |
| Cash Generated by the Business | £0 |
| Bank and cash balance at 1 August 2023 | £12793 |
| Bank and cash balance at 31 July 2024 | £13262 |
| Increase in bank and cash balances for the period | £469 |
2
Ovingham & District Under 5s
Income and Expenditure Year Ending 31 July 2024
Income Grant Income £81856 Fee Income £8913 Sponsorship £55 £90824
3
Expenditure
| Staff Costs Wages/Salaries £69832 HMRC £6717 NEST Pension Contributions £4481 Total Staff Costs Non-Staff Costs Tapestry Online Learning Journal £150 OFSTED Registration £50 Telephone/Broadband £607 Portable Appliance Testing £233 Petty Cash £310 PHS £84 Resource Materials £2317 Food Hygiene Course £50 Pavilion Hire £10 Council Tax £153 Ramp Installation £1290 Shed £530 Shed Installation £460 School Lunches £3059 Oracle Advert £22 Total Non-Staff Costs TOTAL OPERATING COSTS Surplus |
£81030 £9325 £90355 £469 |
|---|---|
4
Ovingham & District Under 5s
Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31 July 2024
| Monetary Assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank Current Account | £13262 | £12793 | £9050 | £4688 |
| Bank Deposit Account | £0 | £0 | £0 | £11031 |
| Cash | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| TOTAL | £13262 | £12793 | £9050 | £15719 |
5
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
| Report to the trustees/ members of On accounts for the year ended Set out on pages |
Ovingham & District Under 5s | Ovingham & District Under 5s | Ovingham & District Under 5s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 July 2024 | Charity no (if any) |
1176119 | |
| 2-5 of attached Financial Statements |
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/07/2023. Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report 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 all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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the accounts did 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.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed: Ray Marley Date: 15/05/2025
Name: Ray Marley Relevant professional n/a qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 79 Kenton Lane, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 3BS
Oct 2018
IER
1
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material 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 .
n/a
Oct 2018
IER
2