SAFFRON WALDEN NURSERY SCHOOL

Registered charity 308228 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

Nursery School in Saffron Walden, Essex

Objects

THE PURPOSE OF THE SCHOOL IS TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN BY PROVIDING A SUITABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR 2-5 YEAR OLDS WHERE EACH CHILD FINDS OPPORTUNITY THROUGH PLAY AND COMPANIONSHIP OF THEIR OWN AGE, TO DEVELOP ALL OF THEIR POWERS TO THE FULL UNDER THE SUPERVISION AND GUIDANCE OF TRAINED AND QUALIFIED STAFF. THE SCHOOL SHALL BE NON-DENOMINATIONAL.

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: Education/training · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£380k

Latest spending

£377k

Registered

1973

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity recorded a surplus of £3,299 for the year ended 31 August 2025, reversing a deficit from the previous year. However, the trustees report that free reserves were in deficit by £2,615, which is below the stated policy target of approximately £30,000. The financial statements were prepared on a basis other than going concern due to pending plans to transfer assets and liabilities to a new Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £-3k; policy: three months salaries and running costs, which would equate to about £30,000 per annum)

“The Charity's free reserves were £2,615 in deficit, which is below the minimum target range” — page 5

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Going concern: noted by the trustees or auditor

“I draw attention to note 1.2 in the financial statements which indicates that the financial statements have been prepared on a basis other than that of a going concern.” — page 9

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Saffron Walden Nursery School (matched by registered charity number).

Trustees · trustee networks

Elizabeth Wilsonchair
Rachel Payne

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

Operates in: Essex

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/08/2025	£380k	£377k
31/08/2024	£303k	£340k
31/08/2023	£272k	£254k
31/08/2022	£255k	£223k
31/08/2021	£182k	£223k

Common questions

Is SAFFRON WALDEN NURSERY SCHOOL financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity recorded a surplus of £3,299 for the year ended 31 August 2025, reversing a deficit from the previous year. However, the trustees report that free reserves were in deficit by £2,615, which is below the stated policy target of approximately £30,000. The financial statements were prepared on a basis other than going concern due to pending plans to transfer assets and liabilities to a new Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Community Fund	18/01/2006	£5k	Outdoor Play

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
FRANCIS BANCROFT'S TRUST	1	£650k
DRAPERS CHARITABLE FUND	1	£220k
ESSEX COMMUNITY FOUNDATION	1	£25k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with SAFFRON WALDEN MUSEUM SOCIETY LIMITED.

SAFFRON WALDEN MUSEUM SOCIETY LIMITED income £136k
ST MARY'S CHURCH NURSERY GREAT DUNMOW income £108k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF SAFFRON WALDEN income £280k
FELIXSTOWE NURSERY SCHOOL LIMITED income £208k
SAFFRON WALDEN COMMUNITY CINEMA LIMITED income £298k
BANCROFT'S SCHOOL income £26.3m

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
SAFFRON WALDEN NURSERY SCHOOL	£380k	—	below	—	noted
SAFFRON WALDEN MUSEUM SOCIETY LIMITED FY2025	£136k	—	above	—	no doubt
ST MARY'S CHURCH NURSERY GREAT DUNMOW FY2025	£108k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF SAFFRON WALDEN FY2025	£280k	—	above	—	no doubt
FELIXSTOWE NURSERY SCHOOL LIMITED FY2025	£208k	—	unclear	—	no doubt
SAFFRON WALDEN COMMUNITY CINEMA LIMITED FY2024	£298k	—	unclear	—	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.