REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1176959
Report of the Trustees and
Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 July 2023
for
Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Contents of the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 July 2023
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Report of the Trustees | 1 to 5 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 6 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 7 |
| Balance Sheet | 8 to 9 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 10 to 16 |
| Detailed Statement of Financial Activities | 17 to 18 |
Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 July 2023
The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 July 2023. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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 (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).
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Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 July 2023
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Objectives and aims
The trustees have carefully considered the Charity Commission's guidance on Public Benefit when establishing the aims and objectives.
The charity provides a nurturing "home from home" learning environment for all children who attend Branston Little Pickles Pre School. We continuously develop our teaching environment and implement a variety of methodologies to achieve this. Central to our preschool's ethos is the curiosity approach, which inspires our curriculum and play activities.
Additionally, we offer wrap around care for children attending Branston C of E Infant Academy and Branston Junior Academy, providing before and after school services across both sites. Our aim is to create an inclusive environment where every child feels a sense of belonging during their time with us.
The trustees continue to prioritise staff well-being and professional development. We invest in our staff, leading to several team members acquiring qualifications relevant to their interests and beneficial for both children and our organisation. The Preschool manager has also been working closely with the Infant Academy headteacher to collaborate on conducting 'in house training' around mathematics and literacy.
Our team continues to grow and has a strong bond which enables us to provide an amazing service to all children in our care.
ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE
The past year has been a busy one, marked by many notable achievements! These have been made possible thanks to the dedication of our staff and trustees. Our staff pursued various qualifications including Level 5 in Early Years lead practitioner training and level 2 in Early Years qualification amongst others. Big Pickles staff have completed training in Paediatric First Aid, Food Hygiene and continued to work along the LSCP six year safeguarding pathway, demonstrating our commitment to maintaining high standards of care.
To enhance our facilities and address the challenges of outdated working and relaxation spaces, we repurposed the pod which had previously been used as the office into a story time cottage and sensory area for the children. The cabin which had previously housed resources now serves as an office and staff room, providing ample room for breaks and paperwork.
We also spent time upgrading our outdoor play areas, with improvements such as wooden benches, a massive bug hotel, and a herb sensory garden which became home to some fairies. All external woodwork has been treated with donated paint from Pennells Garden Centre. The under-canopy area was cleared, resources streamlined and now serves as a free flow space alongside the pod. These have all helped to enrich the children's outdoor experiences at our setting.
We were also lucky enough to receive help from the Co-Op volunteers who came in over the summer holidays to give a fresh coat of paint to the classroom. This set up us for a great start to our September return.
Big Pickles Before and After School Club continued to grow. Spaces soon filled up at both sites and places were very much in demand. With thanks to the head teachers at both sites, we were able to use additional space which allowed us to expand our services. This has meant we were able to offer most families the spaces they required; however, we do still have a small waiting list.
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Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 July 2023
We continue to work in a unified approach across both sites. Resources continued to be invested in, ensuring these were age appropriate for each site. This has been very much led by the children and their interests. At the juniors site geology, fossils and dinosaurs inspired us to invest in some geodes and rock breaking hammers, goggles, and gloves. We also have sets of genuine fossils and gemstones along with a set of books on these subjects. Arts and crafts continue to be popular at both sites, with endless amounts of coloured air-drying clay being purchased. We have a member of staff at each site who is dedicated to planning. This ensures children are engaged and have focused activities to take part in as well as being able to take part in free flow activities indoors and outdoors.
A new snack menu was created, again the same across the two sites. The School Food Standards agency came in to help adjust our menu so that we ensured that the children were receiving healthy snacks throughout the school day.
Our business plan continues to guide us, and we regularly consult and review our aims and objectives. The business plan has given us a sense of purpose and sets out our aims which are directly aligned to our Team's daily objectives and ongoing performance. As we continue to recruit new trustees, we hope to reach our full potential as an organisation and continue to provide an essential service for our community.
The past twelve months have presented us with various challenges, yet we have persevered with resilience and dedication, thanks to our exceptional team of staff and trustees. Despite the challenges, we remained committed to providing the best possible service.
Our committee continued to make prudent decisions to maintain the financial stability of the charity. We have begun to recover the funds depleted by the pandemic and are pleased with the financial reserves we have in place. We exercise caution in our spending and prioritise initiatives aimed at strengthening and promoting our services.
The committee would like to extend our appreciation to all the staff for their unwavering dedication to the children, families, and carers whose support has been invaluable throughout the year.
Significant activities Charitable activities
Getting back to regular fundraising has been one of our main aims. We held a number of small fundraisers across the year at the preschool stay and play events and Junior Academy Christmas fair. The chairperson organised a large fundraising event which took place on Thursday 22nd June. Staff members, trustees and children worked as a team to walk 122km in one day (the distance from Branston to Skegness and back!). This occurred on one of the hottest days in June, but everyone pulled together with plenty of refreshments and in total raised approximately £1,500.
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Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 July 2023
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES Financial review
Reserves policy
We operate within a budget agreed by our managers and trustees, meticulously monitoring our expenses, particularly considering rising costs in the food and energy sectors. Major expenditures outside the budget undergo careful consideration by the committee to ensure sound financial management. We have maintained a positive financial position and have rebuilt our reserves.
The trustees have reviewed the reserves amount and have set a reserves policy of £35,000. This figure was reviewed and increased following information gathering from a number of sources. The reserves are held for maintaining health and safety standards, covering staff redundancy costs, 6 months' rent, and all bills for 6 months, and anything else to consider in the event of unforeseen circumstances.
Regular financial discussions take place during our monthly committee meetings which enables us to exercise prudence and safeguard the financial health of the charity. With fundraising efforts underway and a dedicated trustee overseeing these initiatives, we are confident in our ability to uphold a stable financial position moving forward.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing document
The charity is controlled by its governing document and constitutes a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).
Recruitment and appointment of new trustees
The trustees have served as stated on page 1. Trustees are selected for their willingness to help the charity and for the skills and knowledge they have of particular benefit to the charity.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Registered Company number
01176959 (England and Wales)
Registered Charity number
1176959
Registered office
C/o Branston C of E Infant School Beech Road Branston LINCOLN Lincolnshire LN4 1PR
Trustees
Mrs A Parsons Ms Z Dean (resigned 31.3.23) D M Negus Mrs H Murphy Mrs E Mann (appointed 15.3.23) Mrs S Reeves (appointed 15.3.23) Mr D Skuse (appointed 26.9.22) Mr J P Stacey
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Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 July 2023
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS Independent Examiner
Nicholsons Chartered Accountants Newland House The Point Weaver Road LINCOLN Lincolnshire LN6 3QN
Bankers
CAF Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill Avenue WEST MALLING ME19 4JQ Approved by order of the board of trustees on 10 May 2024 and signed on its behalf by:
Mrs H Murphy - Trustee
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Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Branston Little Pickles Pre School ('the Company')
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 July 2023.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or
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the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).
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.
Joanne Brown
Nicholsons Chartered Accountants Newland House The Point Weaver Road LINCOLN Lincolnshire LN6 3QN
15 May 2024
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Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 July 2023
| 2023 Unrestricted fund Notes £ INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM Donations and legacies 957 Charitable activities Playgroup 198,522 Other trading activities 2 1,829 Investment income 3 41 Other income (341) Total 201,008 EXPENDITURE ON Charitable activities Playgroup 190,413 NET INCOME 10,595 RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS Total funds brought forward 32,695 TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD 43,290 |
2022 Total funds £ 305 175,285 928 2 (124) 176,396 170,277 6,119 26,576 32,695 |
|---|---|
The notes form part of these financial statements
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Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Balance Sheet
31 July 2023
| 2023 Unrestricted fund Notes £ FIXED ASSETS Tangible assets 8 9,009 CURRENT ASSETS Debtors 9 4,558 Cash at bank and in hand 31,730 36,288 CREDITORS Amounts falling due within one year 10 (2,007) NET CURRENT ASSETS 34,281 TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 43,290 NET ASSETS 43,290 FUNDS 11 Unrestricted funds 43,290 TOTAL FUNDS 43,290 |
2022 Total funds £ 10,859 4,666 19,629 24,295 (2,459) 21,836 32,695 32,695 32,695 32,695 |
|---|---|
The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 July 2023.
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 July 2023 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for
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(a) ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and
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(b) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.
The notes form part of these financial statements
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Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Balance Sheet - continued
31 July 2023
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 10 May 2024 and were signed on its behalf by:
Mrs H Murphy - Trustee
The notes form part of these financial statements
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Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 July 2023
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of preparing the financial statements
The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) '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 (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
Income
All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Government grants
Government grants which have been accounted for under the performance model are recognised when it is reasonable to expect that the grants will be received and that all related conditions will be met.
Expenditure
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Tangible fixed assets
Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.
Fixtures and fittings - 15% on reducing balance Computer equipment - 33% on cost
Taxation
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Hire purchase and leasing commitments
Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight line basis over the period of the lease.
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Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the year ended 31 July 2023
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES - continued
Financial instruments
Only basic financial instruments as defined in FRS 102 are held. Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised in the accounts only when the entity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument and their measurement basis is as follows:
Financial assets - trade and other debtors are basic financial instruments and are debt instruments measured at amortised cost. Prepayments are not financial instruments.
Cash at bank is classified as a basic financial instrument and is measured at transaction price.
Financial liabilities - trade creditors, accruals and other creditors are basic financial instruments, and are measured at amortised cost. Where a financial liability constitutes a financing transaction it is initially and subsequently measured at the present value of future payments, discounted at a market rate of interest.
Value Added Tax
Value Added Tax is not recoverable by the charity and as such is included in the relevant costs in the Statement of financial Activities.
2. OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES
| Fundraising events 3. INVESTMENT INCOME Deposit account interest 4. NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) |
2023 £ 1,829 2023 £ 41 |
2022 £ 928 2022 £ 2 |
|---|---|---|
Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):
| Depreciation - owned assets | 2023 2022 £ £ 1,850 2,218 |
|---|---|
| Other operating leases | 9,292 9,984 |
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Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the year ended 31 July 2023
5. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS
There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 July 2023 nor for the year ended 31 July 2022.
Trustees' expenses
There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 July 2023 nor for the year ended 31 July 2022.
6. STAFF COSTS
| Wages and salaries Other pension costs The average monthly number of employees during the year was as Full time Part time No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000. |
2023 £ 145,221 2,108 147,329 follows: 2023 1 15 16 |
2022 £ 118,550 4,438 122,988 2022 1 14 15 |
|---|---|---|
7. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
| INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM | Unrestricte fund £ |
|---|---|
| Donations and legacies | 305 |
| Charitable activities | |
| Playgroup | 175,285 |
| Other trading activities | 928 |
| Investment income | 2 |
| Other income | (124) |
| Total | 176,396 |
| EXPENDITURE ON | |
| Charitable activities | |
| Playgroup | 170,277 |
| NET INCOME | 6,119 |
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Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the year ended 31 July 2023
| 7. | COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF | FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued | FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued | FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES - continued |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricte | ||||
| fund | ||||
| £ | ||||
| RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS | ||||
| Total funds brought forward | 26,576 | |||
| TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED | ||||
| FORWARD | 32,695 | |||
| 8. | TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS | |||
| COST | Fixtures and fittings £ |
Computer equipment £ |
Totals £ |
|
| At 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2023 | 13,564 | 1,696 | 15,260 | |
| DEPRECIATION | ||||
| At 1 August 2022 | 3,059 | 1,342 | 4,401 | |
| Charge for year | 1,576 | 274 | 1,850 | |
| At 31 July 2023 | 4,635 | 1,616 | 6,251 | |
| NET BOOK VALUE | ||||
| At 31 July 2023 | 8,929 | 80 | 9,009 | |
| At 31 July 2022 | 10,505 | 354 | 10,859 | |
| 9. | DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR | |||
| Trade debtors | 2023 £ 3,605 |
2022 £ 3,740 |
||
| Prepayments and accrued income | 953 | 926 | ||
| 4,558 | 4,666 | |||
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Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the year ended 31 July 2023
| 10. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR Social security and other taxes Accrued expenses 11. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS At 1.8.22 £ Unrestricted funds General fund 32,695 TOTAL FUNDS 32,695 Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows: Incoming resources £ Unrestricted funds General fund 201,008 TOTAL FUNDS 201,008 Comparatives for movement in funds At 1.8.21 £ Unrestricted funds General fund 26,576 TOTAL FUNDS 26,576 |
2023 £ 507 1,500 2,007 Net movement in funds £ 10,595 10,595 Resources expended £ (190,413) (190,413) Net movement in funds £ 6,119 6,119 |
2022 £ 959 1,500 2,459 At 31.7.23 £ 43,290 43,290 Movement in funds £ 10,595 10,595 At 31.7.22 £ 32,695 32,695 |
|---|---|---|
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Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the year ended 31 July 2023
11. MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued
Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
| Unrestricted funds General fund TOTAL FUNDS |
Incoming resources £ 176,396 176,396 |
Resources expended £ (170,277) (170,277) |
Movement in funds £ 6,119 6,119 |
|---|---|---|---|
A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:
| At 1.8.21 £ Unrestricted funds General fund 26,576 TOTAL FUNDS 26,576 A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined included in the above are as follows: Incoming resources £ Unrestricted funds General fund 377,404 TOTAL FUNDS 377,404 |
Net movement At in funds 31.7.23 £ £ 16,714 43,290 16,714 43,290 net movement in fund Resources Movement expended in funds £ £ (360,690) 16,714 (360,690) 16,714 |
|---|---|
A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
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Branston Little Pickles Pre School
Notes to the Financial Statements - continued for the year ended 31 July 2023
12. RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES
There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 July 2023.
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