Ellenborough Park Preschool Bookkeepers Report
1 September 2023 to 31 August 2024
This report has been compiled for the AGM of Ellenborough Park Preschool.
Following a troubling year with the number of children attending the preschool the income we were expecting was less that we had budgeted for.
Last year the accounts for 2022/23 showed that the Preschool has made a small loss of £711. This financial year 2023/24 there is a large loss of £8,968 which is largely due to the increase in the cost of purchases and wages due to inflation as well as less children attending the setting.
We have also had to spend out quite a considerable amount of money on the upkeep of the building and there have been a lot of communication between the Preschool Manager and the Church about the state of the property.
The Preschool Manager handed in her notice in May 2024 and one of the staff was indicating possible retirement. This caused the trustees to review not only the staffing but the building and provision. Despite the conversations and subsequent visual surveys the property needs a vast amount of work to bring it back up to the standard to ensure the children’s safety. One section of floor is riddled with dry rot and is dangerous so the staff have had to move furniture so the area can be used. This has made the available floor space for the children smaller. The older part of the building is riddled with damp and the staff are using the rainbow parachute to cover it up on the ceiling however the smell is overpowering when you enter the building.
A meeting of the trustees was held on 20 June 2024 where all of the building and staffing issues were discussed in full. At subsequent meetings and correspondence with the Diocese and the trustees based on all the facts the Trustees made the very difficult decision to close the preschool at the end of the Summer term. This is a sign of Preschools and Childcare in the area at the moment as funding is not sufficient to cover the increased cost of wages and provisions.
Letters were sent to the parents and they were notified of the closure for 31 August 2024. Redundancy payments were made to the staff entitled to them on 31 August 2024 when the preschool closed. We utilized the contingency fund in the savings account to cover all the payments to staff. In the next financial year we will finish closing off the preschool and paying any outstanding bills and contracts such as phone etc. All the fittings and equipment were donated to other preschools and children’s charities in the area as per the constitution and we hope that they will get plenty of new life at their new homes.
Prepared by Linda Neale Bookkeeper - AAT Qualified 31 October 2024
Registered Charity Number: 1184535
Ellenborough Park Preschool
Profit and Loss 1 September 2023 - 31 August 2024
| Income | 2023/24 | |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool Fees | £ | 6,347 |
| Preschool Education Funding | £ | 95,453 |
| Donations | £ | 371 |
| Transfer from Savings | £ | 18,698 |
| Total Income | £ | 120,869 |
| Expense | ||
| Purchases (Food & Materials) | £ | 9,571 |
| Gross Wages (Inc Pension) | £ | 93,668 |
| Bookkeeping & Admin | £ | 8,097 |
| Office Costs | £ | 5,134 |
| Professional Fees (Ofsted & DBS) | £ | 1,005 |
| Training Costs | £ | - |
| Insurance | £ | 876 |
| Rent for Corpus Christie Hall | £ | 9,600 |
| Phone & Internet | £ | 1,886 |
| Total Expenses | £ | 129,837 |
| Loss for Year | -£ | 8,968 |
Registered Charity Number: 1184535
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Noah’s Ark Pre-School
I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31[st] August 2024 which are set out on the following pages.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year (under section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the 1993 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts (under section 43(3)(a) of the 1993 Act);
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To follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity
Commissioners (under section 43(7)(b) of the 1993 Act);
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of the independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An Examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent examiners statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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(1) Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the 1993 Act: and
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to prepare accounts with accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 1993 Act.
Have not been met, or
- (2) To which in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Name: Wayne Perkins
Qualification: Association of Accounting Technicians
Address: 21 Worston Lane, Burnham-on-Sea, TA8 1LY