ACORN CHILDCARE (UK)

Registered charity 1090086 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

Childcare Provision

Objects

TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND CARING ENVIRONMENT AND TO ENHANCE THE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION OF CHILDREN BY: (A) OFFERING A BALANCED AND STIMULATING CURRICULUM BASED ON APPROPRIATE PLAY FACILITIES ENSURING INDIVIDUAL NEEDS ARE MET AND THAT SUCH GROUPS OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL CHILDREN REGARDLESS OF GENDER, RACE, CULTURE OR RELIGION; (B) ENCOURAGING OTHER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES THROUGH WHICH PARENTS MAY HELP CHILDREN; (C) FURTHERING THE AIM OF THE PRE-SCHOOL LEARNING ALLIANCE.

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · website · Get email alerts

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity generated a surplus of £61,176 for the year ended 31 March 2025, resulting in unrestricted reserves of £126,774. The trustees maintain a reserves policy target of one month's unrestricted fund expenditure, noting that current reserves significantly exceed this buffer. The charity remains dependent on a combination of parental fees and government funding to sustain its operations.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

In its annual return the charity told the Commission it is also regulated by: Ofsted (Office For Standards In Education). This is the charity’s own declaration; it is not a rating and has not been verified by the Commission or by this site.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

• Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
• Complaints handling
• Complaints policy and procedures
• Conflicting interests
• Financial reserves policy and procedures
• Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
• Internal risk management policy and procedures
• Investment
• Paying staff
• Risk management
• Safeguarding policy and procedures
• Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
• Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
• Social media policy and procedures
• Volunteer management

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)

Reported reserves equal ~1.6 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (100% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

• HILARY CAROLINE SCOTTchair
• DAWN QUENNELL
• Laura Walding

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Northamptonshire

Income and spending

Common questions