The committee present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's deed of trust, the Companies Act 2006 and “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)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2016)
We are regulated by Ofsted, governed by the Early Years Framework and are members of the Preschool Learning Alliance. The Preschool was inspected by Ofsted after the year end in February 2025 and we were very pleased to be awarded 'Good' under the grading criteria.
The preschool's purpose is to provide education in compliance with the Statutory Framework for Early Years Foundation Stage for children aged 24 to 60 months. Our aim is to constantly monitor our service and ensure we strive to provide the best possible early years education we can.
We are positioned between the Yaxley and Mellis villages, set inside the grounds of Mellis Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary school. The preschool maintains close links with the Primary school. This ensures an excellent and seamless transition to the Primary education system. Parental feedback and initial teaching assessments praises the ease at which our children have settled in to school life.
Our long term objective is promoting inclusion and working in partnership with each child's parents or carers. Families of all attending children are strongly encouraged to participate in aspects of the preschool through parent interactions days, fundraising and school trips.
Significant activities
Yaxley & Mellis Pre-School has expanded on fundraising, commence with stay and plays for parents, have day trips and invest in staff supervisions and more training. We were able to provide our staff members with well being sessions run by one of our Directors.
There was one new employee and three leavers in the year.
The relationship with the school grew stronger with more school transitions sessions able to happen, with both preschool children attending the school and teachers visiting the setting.
Public benefit
In all decision making the trustees have had due regard to the guidance published by the Charity Commission in relation to public benefit.
The preschool continued to fundraise in the year and been successful in receiving a grant and donation for an outside sensory den for the benefit of the children.
The preschool was principally funded by the Government. A before and after school club has generated additional income to ensure that the setting is able to operate sustainably. In 2023 income from fees and the clubs exceeded the government funding received. Government funding was higher than fees received in 2024.
It is the policy of the that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and four month’s expenditure. The committee considers that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.
The preschool has no investments.
The committee have assessed the major risks to which the is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
Governing document
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.
The committee, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
Mrs C Bunn was secretary and committee member from 10 May 2023 to 4 November 2024.
Recruitment and appointment of new trustees
The committee are all volunteers who give up their time to take on roles. The minimum members to maintain the preschool as per Ofsted guidelines is 5. At close of 2024 we have 7 committee members made up of 5 Directors and 2 other committee members.
Induction and training of new trustees
The committee have no formal training or induction and roles are taken and learnt as the year progresses. We adhere to the Preschools 'suitable person' policy. We have in place the minimum of Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and Ofsted nominated person as well as one volunteer in order to continue as a preschool.
Decision making
All aspects of the preschool are discussed with the committee and decisions are all voted on to ensure the best outcome for the preschool. We hold regular Directors only meetings to discuss all aspects of the preschool, including strategy, staff wages, staffing levels and policies. The pre school manager also has a series of 1:1 meetings with staff to ensure good information dissemination and support team working strategies.
The committee's report was approved by the Board of Committee.
The committee, who are also the directors of Yaxley And Mellis Pre-school for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Committee's Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the committee to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the committee are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the will continue in operation.
The committee are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
I report to the committee on my examination of the financial statements of Yaxley And Mellis Pre-school (the ) for the year ended 31 December 2024.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the ’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
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 that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the as required by section 386 of the Companies Act 2006.
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the financial statements give a true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements 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 financial statements 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 financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Yaxley And Mellis Pre-school is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Mellis Cevcp School, Yaxley Road, Mellis, Eye, Suffolk, IP23 8DY.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's deed of trust, the Companies Act 2006 and “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)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2016). The is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the . Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the committee have a reasonable expectation that the pre-school has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the committee continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the committee in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost relating 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 are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.
At each reporting end date, the reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
The has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the 's balance sheet when the becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the ’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Pre-school
Expenditure
Restricted fund
Wages
Clubs & activities
During the year remuneration of £8,092 was paid to Trustees.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2023 - none).