Docusign Envelope ID: 8416121B-684F-4D3F-93E9-3862DB21D4F7
(registered charity no 295756)
Annual report and accounts
Year ended 31 July 2025
Docusign Envelope ID: 8416121B-684F-4D3F-93E9-3862DB21D4F7
Chestnuts Pre-school General information For the year end 31 July 2025
Page 1
| Registered charity number | 295756 |
|---|---|
| Address | 32 Chestnut Avenue |
| Wokingham | |
| Berkshire | |
| RG41 3RS | |
| Trustees | Helen Eastwood (Chair) |
| Andrew Longman (Treasurer) | |
| Samantha Butler | |
| Rachel Green | |
| Zoe Ayers | |
| Muralidaran Sridhar | |
| Suzanne Johnson | |
| Rosa Reboredo | |
| Elsa Tallant | |
| Jennifer Holt | |
| Independent Examiner | Calculus Consultancy Services Limited |
| Chartered Certified Accountants | |
| 5 Beech Court | |
| Hurst | |
| Berkshire | |
| RG10 0RQ |
Docusign Envelope ID: 8416121B-684F-4D3F-93E9-3862DB21D4F7
Chestnuts Pre-school Trustees' report For the year end 31 July 2025
Page 2
The Trustees are pleased to present their annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 July 2025.
Activities
The Charity operates a pre-school care and education setting in Wokingham, Berkshire. It is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance (PLA).
Constitution
The Charity was founded in 1984 and is governed by a constitution closely aligned with the model constitution provided by the PLA. The most recently updated constitution was adopted by the members at an Annual General Meeting held on 13[th] October 2014.
Objectives
The key aim of the pre-school is to enhance the development and education of children primarily under statutory school age through the provision of high-quality Early Years care and education.
Additional important objectives include:
-
encouraging parents to take responsibility for and to become involved in the activities of the group and ensuring that we offer opportunities for all children, regardless of race culture, religion or means.
-
encouraging the study of the needs of children and their families and promoting public interest in and recognition of such needs in the local areas.
-
encouraging parents to understand and provide for the needs of their children through community groups; and
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instigating and adhering to and furthering the aim of the Pre-school Learning Alliance (PLA).
Review of the year
The Pre-school management and staff are highly committed to providing the highest standard of Pre-school care and education, whilst endeavouring to operate the Pre-school in a financially sustainable way. The Trustees are satisfied with the overall performance of the Pre-school during the year given the challenges still faced with by the cost-of-living crisis.
Financial review
During the year ended 31 July 2025, the Charity made a gain of £18,206 (2024: gain of £27,958). The charity’s reserves are £82,972 (2024: £64,766) as at 31 July 2025.
Since July 2024 the Committee and Chestnuts staff have continued working extremely hard to review every expenditure to reduce any unnecessary costs including reducing staff hours (whilst still maintaining the appropriate staff to children ratios) and ensuring that our funding and fundraising amounts received cover our out-goings making us more substantially viable. The head count has also been maintained at a good level to ensure the most from funded and non-funded sessions. The lunch club and consumables fee are continuing to help cover any additional costs spent. These steps have continued to help secure Chestnuts in the long term financially, and we will start to slowly build up further reserves. The Trustees consider this level of reserves to be adequate to ensure the short-term financial stability of the Charity with enough funds ring-fenced for redundancies should this be necessary. The building structure remains stable and is adequately insured.
Docusign Envelope ID: 8416121B-684F-4D3F-93E9-3862DB21D4F7
Chestnuts Pre-school Trustees' report (continued) For the year end 31 July 2025
Page 3
Members
The members are the parents (or other appointed guardian) of the children attending the preschool setting, from time to time.
Trustees
The Trustees of the Charity are the managing committee of the pre-school. Under the terms of the constitution, there must be no fewer than five Trustees and no more than twelve Trustees at any time and at least 60% of the Trustees must be members of the pre-school as defined above.
Trustees are elected by the members at each AGM and serve until the next AGM (where they may stand for re-election) unless they resign before that time. If necessary (for example if a number of Trustees resign part way through a year), the existing Trustees can co-opt up to three persons to stand as Trustees until the next AGM.
The Trustees serving the Pre-school as at the date of approval of this report are those named on page 1. Helen Eastwood was re-appointed by the Members of the Committee/Trustees at the AGM on 30[th] June 2025: Andrew Longman was appointed as the treasurer.
Approval of report
30-Jan-2026 | 15:03:31 GMT
This report was approved on and signed on behalf of the Trustees by:
Helen Eastwood Chair
Docusign Envelope ID: 8416121B-684F-4D3F-93E9-3862DB21D4F7
Chestnuts Pre-school Independent examiner's report to the Trustees of Chestnuts Pre-School For the year end 31 July 2025
Page 4
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT
Respective responsibilities of the trustees and independent 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 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Charities Act”) and that an independent examination is needed. I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
• to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of Independent Examiner’s Report
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. 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 the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent Examiners’ Statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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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 130 of the Charities Act; and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act
have not been met; or
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Calculus Consultancy Services Limited Chartered Certified Accountants 5 Beech Court Hurst Berkshire RG10 0RQ
Date: 28-Jan-2026 | 13:28:19 GMT
Docusign Envelope ID: 8416121B-684F-4D3F-93E9-3862DB21D4F7
Chestnuts Pre-school Principal accounting policies For the year end 31 July 2025
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Basis of preparation
The accounts are prepared on a historic cost, going concern basis in accordance with accounting standards and Statements of Recommended Practice (SORP 2019). The principal accounting policies are unchanged from the previous year and are stated below.
Income and expenditure
Income and expenditure are accounted for in the year to which they relate, using the accruals basis.
Fixed assets and depreciation
Fixed assets are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is charged so as to write off the cost of an asset over its estimated useful life. The methods and rates applicable are as follows:
Leasehold buildings - 5% per annum straight line Equipment - 25% reducing balance
Docusign Envelope ID: 8416121B-684F-4D3F-93E9-3862DB21D4F7
Page 6
Chestnuts Pre-school Income and expenditure account For the year ended 31 July 2025
| Operating income Grant funding Fees and charges Other income Fundraising Donations Interest Indirect grant income Merchandise and other income Direct costs Staff costs Teaching equipment and consumables Milk and refreshments Overhead costs Rent, rates and insurance Electricity and water Repairs and maintenance Equipment, stationery and consumables Telephone Cleaning and refuse Depreciation Other Net surplus/(loss) |
2025 £ 141,820 57,768 199,588 2,171 2,247 558 - 4,976 163,772 2,648 1,503 (167,923) 5,631 3,769 1,838 2,583 572 792 318 2,932 (18,435) 18,206 |
2024 £ 149,041 57,953 206,994 2,326 3,527 23 - 1085,984 156,543 2,073 1,480 (160,096) 4,526 5,117 2,216 3,021 733 1,558 3,271 4,490 (24,924) 27,958 |
2024 £ 149,041 57,953 206,994 2,326 3,527 23 - 1085,984 156,543 2,073 1,480 (160,096) 4,526 5,117 2,216 3,021 733 1,558 3,271 4,490 (24,924) 27,958 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,171 2,247 558 - |
2,326 3,527 23 - 108 |
||
| 163,772 2,648 1,503 |
156,543 2,073 1,480 |
||
| 5,631 3,769 1,838 2,583 572 792 318 2,932 |
4,526 5,117 2,216 3,021 733 1,558 3,271 4,490 |
||
| 27,958 |
Docusign Envelope ID: 8416121B-684F-4D3F-93E9-3862DB21D4F7
Chestnuts Pre-school Balance sheet As at 31 July 2025
Page 7
| 2025 £ Fixed assets (note 1) Buildings 0 Equipment 955 955 Current assets Bank and cash balances 123,990 Accounts receivable and Prepayments 3,932 127,922 Current liabilities Creditors 1,246 Accruals, deferred income and deposits 44,659 45,905 Net current assets 82,017 Net assets 82,972 Represented by Accumulated funds brought forward 64,766 Surplus/(deficit) for the year 18,206 Total funds (note 2) 82,972 |
2024 £ 0 1,274 1,274 110,779 4,436 115,215 400 51,344 51,903 63,492 64,766 36,808 27,985 64,766 |
2024 £ 0 1,274 1,274 110,779 4,436 115,215 400 51,344 51,903 63,492 64,766 36,808 27,985 64,766 |
|---|---|---|
| 64,766 | ||
| 36,808 27,985 |
||
| 64,766 |
30-Jan-2026 | 15:03:31 GMT The annual accounts were approved by the Trustees on and are signed
on their behalf by:
Helen Eastwood (Chairperson) Andrew Longman (Treasurer)
Docusign Envelope ID: 8416121B-684F-4D3F-93E9-3862DB21D4F7
Page 8
Chestnuts Pre-school Notes to the accounts As at year ended 31 July 2025
Note 1 - Fixed assets
| Note 1 - Fixed assets | |
|---|---|
| Cost At 1 August 2024 Additions At 31 July 2025 Depreciation At 1 August 2024 Charge for the year At 31 July 2025 Net book value At 31 July 2024 At 31 July 2025 |
Buildings Equipment Total £ £ £ 58,797 17,523 76,320 - - - |
| 58,797 17,523 76,320 |
|
| 58,797 16,249 75,046 0 319 319 |
|
| 58,797 16,568 75,365 |
|
| - 1,274 1,274 |
|
| - 955 955 |
| Note 2 – Funds (unrestricted) At 1 August 2024 Net surplus / (deficit) for the year At 31 July 2025 |
£ 64,766 18,206 |
|---|---|
| 82,972 |