## ANNUAL REPORT 

Busy Bees Preschool (at Southwick Methodist Church) 

CIO 1198933 

1 September 2024 – 31 August 2025 

## Objectives and Activities 

Busy Bees Preschool (at Southwick Methodist Church) objective is to advance preschool education for young children (aged 2-4) who live in the local area, by providing an Ofsted registered EYFS setting, operating at Southwick Methodist Church, West Sussex.  This service is provided in accordance with Christian principles and is inclusive of children and families of any faith, or without a faith. 

The preschool is registered by Ofsted and with the Department of Education, for ‘free entitlement’ funding for eligible two, three and four-year-old children, and with the Early Childhood Service of West Sussex County Council. 

The preschool aims to provide a safe, secure, happy and stimulating environment for pre-school children, where they will be helped and encouraged to develop and learn through a variety, and appropriate range, of play and learning activities, by caring, professional, trained adults with the involvement of all families within our community who are interested in and support our aims. 

Meetings of the trustee committee take place three times a year. This provides the opportunity for management and financial reporting and forecasting, the setting of objectives and planning. The constitution prescribes for church, staff and parent representation on the committee. The trustees give careful consideration to the public benefit guidance provided by the Charity Commission. 

## Achievements and Performance 

The autumn term 2024 started with almost full numbers in the mornings, less in the afternoon. As the year progressed the pre-school achieved almost full capacity from April until July with some bookings for places starting in September 2025 and beyond. 

We received our final instalment of the Co-op Community Fund support in October 2024 and were able to obtain some help with funding through the local Lions Club at Christmas. 

Stay and play sessions were arranged during the year which provided excellent opportunities for children and parents to experience activities together with practitioners. parents, children All involved benefited positively from these sessions, building up stronger relationships throughout the organisation. 

There have been several staff and trustee changes during this year with everyone working closely together to build upon the strong positive ethos and achievements of the preschool. 

Our staff team have continued to work exceptionally hard to support all the children including those with delayed speech and language, developmental delays and SEN concerns. Staff have worked alongside supporting agencies and advisors to ensure the best possible progress for all the children involved. 

Busy Bees Preschool (at Southwick Methodist Church), 1198933 



## Financial Review 


Please see the accompanying accounts and reserves policy below. The annual accounts have been independently examined and show a £23,330 excess of income over expenditure by the end of the accounting period covered in this report, this following a surplus of £18,922 the previous year. The trustees believe that Busy Bees is a going concern based on the present finances. Busy Bees does not own or hold any freehold property, using the premises of Southwick Methodist Church under a standard form of agreement. 

## Reserves Policy 

Reserves are unrestricted funds which are available to spend on the charity’s purpose. Reserves provide a buffer against uneven and unpredictable income and/or expenditure. There are inherent financial risks within the early years sector and Busy Bees activities which have been considered by the treasurer and trustees. These include: 

- Government policy - legislation regarding employment (e.g., NIC, hourly living wage rate, wider tax policies, etc.) and the early years sector (e.g., the setting of funding, staff training requirements, etc.) are significant cost factors outside of the direct control of the charity itself. 

- Annual place fulfilment - whilst consistently high for Busy Bees in recent years, place take-up is ultimately not guaranteed. Approximately 50%-70% of children will leave Busy Bees each July to begin primary school, therefore creating an implicit cyclical annual income risk. Additional external factors such as (amongst others) the birth rate and prevailing social and economic conditions will also influence fulfilment in a way that is uncontrollable by the charity. 

The reserves policy of Busy Bees continues to be an amount equivalent to at least three months gross payroll costs (i.e., net wages, any statutory payments due, pension payments, etc.). Current estimations place this value at £31,500. Reserves to earn interest are placed with the Epworth Fund managed at the Methodist Church House offices in London - this is provided for charitable organisations that are not part of the Methodist Church but affiliated to the church. At 31 August 2025 these reserves totalled £40,959 and this is prudent to hold given the reserves policy in place. 

## Structure, Governance and Management 

The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). The governing document is a ‘Foundation’ constitution whose only voting members are the charity trustees. The constitution was last amended on 12 May 2022 when Busy Bees Preschool (at Southwick Methodist Church) registered with the Charity Commission. 

Busy Bees Preschool (at Southwick Methodist Church), 1198933 



Reference and Administrative Details 


Charity Name: Busy Bees Pre School (at Southwick Methodist Church) Registered Charity Number: 1198933 

Address: 

Southwick Methodist Church 

Manor Hall Road Southwick West Sussex BN42 4NA 

Names of Managing Trustees: 

Una O’Donovan (Chair) 

Jenna Cooper (Setting Manager) 

Amy Cooke (Treasurer) 

Heather McKay and Chris Tucknott (Nominated Trustees) 

Katie Walker and Sarah McDonnell (Parent Representative Trustees) 

Busy Bees Preschool (at Southwick Methodist Church), 1198933 



AnMwI •¢wuntsslatem*rtfor i Serknmb•r 2024 to 31 Augusl 2025
2023
17.270.Iy)
2.125D)
31.629.17
86.861.22
1.291.40
2024
8.915.12
1.520.
34.402.80
121.037.36
1.930.67
I.(￿1.51
2.319.98
Prfvfate fees
Tax freechIk*a￿ lee5
WSCC fvndln8- 2 year o
WSCC lundin8- 3 and 4 year old
Co op Localcommunity Fur
Otherlncomtldonations
Intertst. Ep*x+nh Cash Pkn Fund for Ch•fAles
2.227.11
142,20J.g0
171.117.44
89.731.93
6,112.57
4,3￿.37
166.0)
665.13
13.2C(I.C•)
695.0)
4S3.45
S.242.49
sa￿
PAYE
NEST penslon stheme¢onlributions
siaff unifo
Oihw siaff expenses
Southv4KI Methodist Churth prtm15es
Pr￿41¢ f¢es- piovlslon lor doubiful debt
InyJraTrce
qulpment, resournand materl•ls
Garden
50.0) Ofmed
825.0)
Tralnin
376.58
Photocopykn¢
1,072.Yl
Compuiknfj oflkeexpense5
301.56
Mobue phone
oihertxpenses
102.832A5
12.Y6A6
S.675.81
333.74
l.X)7.%
16.6COAM)
5.307.66
S18.97
166.
349.74
351.63
32L38
123.282.38
147.796.92
18,921.52
EM(•55 of IKom• EMp•ndliur•
23.330.52
B•hnr•Sh••t •t Jlst Au rt ZOIS
3.035.$2
79.638.92
695.CQ
1695.Tr)1
82,674.44
CurrentAttouni
Epworth Cash Pkts Fund forCh•flUu
P￿ate ftes debtordue
Le55 Prt4•t¢fees prnv151on fordoubthJldebt
50.797.51
40.958.9)
1.254.(Q
11,254.CQl
9L756.41
LL4bllbtles
WSCC temi fwKlk4rttelrtd kn•tht•r
121,571.961
61,102.48
122.63&161
69.118.25
8•lances at 151 September2024
Cuffent Atcount
Epworth C•sh Pl¥$ forchafld
P￿ate feesdebtorrfue
Less Pr￿lef¢eS Pl￿￿10n fordO￿thI1 debt
4,619.77
40.411.81
3,035.S2
79.638.92
695.C4)
1695.LYII
82,674A4
45AIIL58
118.165.371
26A6&21
Vtscc iulumn temi fundtrqrectè4ed kn •O¥•h
136.886.711
45.787.rJ
18.921.52
45.787.73
23.330.S2
69.118.25
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