**Company Registration Number: 02677741 Charity Number: 1015053** **THE ENGLISH COLLEGE FOUNDATION (A Company Limited by Guarantee)** **Unaudited Financial Statements for the year ended 31 August 2025** **THE ENGLISH COLLEGE FOUNDATION** ## **Index** ## **for the year ended 31 August 2025** |Legal and Administrative Information|1| |---|---| |Trustees' Annual Report|2 - 5| |Independent Examiner's Report|6| |Statement of Financial Activities|7| |Balance Sheet|8| |Notes to the Financial Statements|9 - 12| **THE ENGLISH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Legal and Administrative Information** ## **for the year ended 31 August 2025** |**Trustees**|Elizabeth Cooke|Chair of trustees| |---|---|---| ||Bohdan Svach|Treasurer| ||Ann Lewis CMG|Deputy chair| ||Dr Martyn Bond|Deputy chair| ||Denis Keefe|| ||Janet Gunn CMG|| ||Barbora Simkova|| ||Sophie Vacikar Bessisso|Appointed 15 October 2024| ||Eva Dvorak|Retired 31 December 2024| |**Secretary**|Barbora Simkova|| |**Company registration no:**|02677741|| |**Charity registration no:**|1015053|| |**Registered office and**|35 Burbage Road|| |**Principal office**|London|| ||SE24 9HB|| |**Independent examiner**|K J Maggs, F.C.A.|| ||Hoekman way|| ||Spalding|| ||PE11 3HE|| |**Bankers**|Barclays Bank Plc|| ||London Corporate Banking|| ||180 Oxford street|| ||London|| ||BX3 2BB|| - 1 - ## **THE ENGLISH COLLEGE FOUNDATION** ## **Trustees' Annual Report** ## **for the year ended 31 August 2025** The trustees, who are also directors for the purposes of the Companies Act, have pleasure in presenting their report and the financial statements of the charitable company for the year ended 31 August 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the charity. ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** ## _**Constitution**_ The English College Foundation is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission of England and Wales. It is a charitable company, limited by guarantee with no share capital and is governed by it Memorandum and Articles of Association, which were revised on 23 February 2012. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to £1. In accordance with the governing document, there shall not be less than six or more than eleven trustees (Council of Management), who are also directors for the purposes of the Companies Act at any one time. The directors, are normally elected by the members of the charitable company in a general meeting. The Board may appoint any member of the company as a director either as an additional director or to fill a casual vacancy. Any member so appointed must retire at the next annual general meeting but is eligible for re-election. The Board meets three times a year and there will be an Annual General Meeting in every calendar year. Elizabeth Cooke continued as Chairman of the Foundation, with Ann Lewis and Martyn Bond as Deputies. Bohdan Svach acted as Treasurer throughout the year and the other 5 trustees were in position throughout the year. As a result there were 9 members throughout the year and the total amount guaranteed equates to £9. ## _**Risk management**_ The directors have considered the major risks that may affect the organisation and have taken steps as far as possible to mitigate those risks. ## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES** ## _**Charitable objects**_ The charity's objects are to advance education in particular by the establishment of a school or schools in Prague using English as the predominant language of instruction. In order to achieve this object, The English College Foundation's objectives for 2024-25 were: - to provide support and advice to The English College in Prague as needed; - to raise funds to assist the College; - to increase awareness of and support for the College in the UK; and - to help form a network of ECP alumni studying or working in the UK, to assist then and foster their longterm commitment to the College. ## _**Activities and achievements**_ In the year under review the Foundation continued its moral and financial support for the English College. It responded to requests for assistance from the Headmaster, sought or offered advice when needed, and worked hard to strengthen the alumni network. Following his accession to the throne, King Charles, who as Prince of Wales was a Founder-Patron of the Foundation and by extension of the English College, decided to continue as a Patron. We believe this may reflect his strong relationship with our other Founder-Patron, President Vaclav Havel. - 2 - ## **THE ENGLISH COLLEGE FOUNDATION** ## **Trustees' Annual Report (continued)** ## **for the year ended 31 August 2025** ## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (continued)** ## _**Activities and achievements (continued)**_ Elizabeth Cooke continued as Chairman of the Foundation, with Ann Lewis and Martyn Bond as Deputies. Sophie Vacikar Bessisso (2014 graduate) was elected as a Director of the Foundation in October 2024, following the resignation of Eva Dvorakova. The Directors expressed gratitude to Eva Dvorakova for her long service and great help especially with the creation of the Foundation's website. The Foundation hosted the usual drinks party for newly-arrived ECP graduates in October. It was again held at the Savoy Tap pub in London. We invited alumni of all vintages, and it was a great pleasure to meet some who have lived in the UK for many years as well as those newly arrived in London. In December, the Headmaster was invited to be a speaker at the Annual Dinner of the British Czech and Slovak Association and the Czech British Chamber of Commerce. All ECF directors were present and were able to spread the word about the College among the diners. The Foundation’s AGM in February was again held at St Bride’s Foundation. Three Directors, Elizabeth Cooke, Bohdan Svach, and Barbara Simkova, were re-elected and the Annual Report and Accounts were duly approved. The Headmaster gave an update on the progress of the building work and the complications of operating on two sites. Sophie Vacikar Bessiso, speaking on behalf of the alumni, said she felt that the English College prepared her well for her future life and career by encouraging critical thinking and encouraging students to pursue other interests and extracurricular activities. She remembered the College as a great place for forming long-lasting friendships - and indeed met her future husband there. The formal business was followed by a drinks party. The usual summer garden party at the Czech Ambassador’s residence was delayed and took place on a rainy evening in September. This was the last such party to be hosted by Madame Chatardova. The Foundation is profoundly grateful to her for her support throughout her tenure in London and that of her colleagues in the embassy. We wish her well in her new post. The event raised £2000 in donations to the scholarship fund. The work experience programme which the Foundation organised for a dozen years could not be arranged because of changes in visa arrangements. The Directors did however begin working on a programme of mentoring for potential UK students, to be launched the following year. The first recipient of the recently-established ECF scholarship, Maxine Janecek, continued her studies for a second year and will graduate in 2026. In Prague, Dr Nigel Brown, the longest-serving Headmaster in the school’s history, has had a successful ninth year in the post. Following another exceptionally successful marketing effort, and despite the uncertain financial climate, student recruitment was again strong, with the school roll rising to a record 406 without loss of quality and with a substantial waiting list. The College’s IB results were much improved on the previous year (average score 35.6 against 34.3) and the second best in the school’s history. Two students got the maximum possible 45 points, with 25 scoring 37 points or more – the minimum requirement for entrance to top universities. Fewer students opted to study in the UK, although they still account for 17%, because of the rise of Englishspeaking courses in European universities. 26% went to Dutch universities. In the UK, Cambridge, UCL and LSE remain popular destinations. There is also a continuing trend for students who do their first degree in the Czech Republic and go on to do their Master’s in the UK. The number of students staying in the Czech Republic went up from 21% to 22% with Czech universities targeting home students. However, some are staying for only one or two years before transferring to universities abroad. The project to rebuild and extend the building in Prague 9 that the College has occupied since its opening in 1994 made rapid progress, with reconstruction of the interior of the old building almost complete. The split-site arrangement with a new primary school built by the Prague 9 authorities continued and worked fairly satisfactorily. The current annex premises will be retained until the whole project is completed. The old building is expected to reopen in the autumn of 2025, with work on the extension to be completed by September 2026. - 3 - ## **THE ENGLISH COLLEGE FOUNDATION** ## **Trustees' Annual Report (continued)** ## **for the year ended 31 August 2025** ## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (continued)** ## _**Activities and achievements (continued)**_ Denis Keefe had a busy fifth year in office as Chairman of Governors of the English College, especially with the building project. After a difficult three years for the College, things finally got back to something like normal in 2024-25, when activities, trips and events resumed with renewed enthusiasm. There will be challenges to face over the next two years but the Directors of the Foundation do not doubt that the College will face them with their usual resilience and creativity. The Foundation’s role in providing a gateway to an international future for young Czechs depends on the expansion of its network of support. Conditions for fundraising are difficult, particularly in a period of economic stringency. We are all the more grateful to those who contribute to our work, and welcome others who wish to join us in supporting the continuing and future success of the English College in Prague. ## **HOW THE CHARITY DELIVERED PUBLIC BENEFIT** The Foundation raises funds to support The English college in Prague as needed, including to raise funds to assist the college fund bursaries and to increase awareness of and support for the College in the UK and to help form a network of ECP alumni studying and working in the UK to assist them and foster their long-term commitment to the College. ## **FUNDRAISING** The Foundation's principal sources of income are donations from individuals, trusts and corporates, and the profits from holding various events. Events are considered particularly attractive activities because in addition to generating surpluses in their own right, they raise awareness of the Foundation's activities. The sources of donations are Alumni and connections thereof. The trustees ensure that the voluntary standard for fund-raising in respect of activities on behalf of the charity are applied. The charity is not aware of any complaints about its fundraising and it does not target any vulnerable persons for funding. ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** The Board has planned activity levels and is pleased to report that these financial statements reflect success of those plans. Incoming resources from donations and grants, increased from those raised in the prior period at £41,564 for the year ended 31 August 2025 (2024: £28,209). The Board believes that the financial position at 31 August 2025 and the performance to date is satisfactory. Net assets at 31 August 2025, were £89,230 (2024: £64,071), which means that the charity has sufficient liquidity to continue to manage its operations efficiently. As with all charities, fundraising in the current economic climate remains a challenge. During this period of transition, the Board has been prudent in the expenditure incurred. ## **RESERVES POLICY** The trustees consider that reserves of £1,000 are sufficient for ongoing annual costs of running the charity. The Board reviews annually the reserves policy and the level of free reserves, which are shown in the financial statements as "unrestricted funds". The unrestricted funds, being the net assets, are freely available for the Foundation's general purposes and were £88,230 at 31 August 2025 (2024: £63,071). The Foundation does not hold any restricted funds (2024: none). Any excess will be kept in low-risk mostly cash assets until such time that funds are needed to be passed to the College or scholarship recipients after the accounts have been approved. At times these funds may be built to assist with larger developments at the College. Any deficit will be recovered by holding fundraising events for that very purpose. - 4 - **THE ENGLISH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Trustees' Annual Report (continued)** ## **for the year ended 31 August 2025** ## **TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES** The trustees (who are also the directors of The English College Foundation for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees Annual 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 trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees 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; - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER** A resolution to re-appoint Mr K J Maggs as independent examiner for the ensuing year will be proposed at the annual general meeting. ## **SMALL COMPANY PROVISIONS** This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006. Signed by order of the Trustees ## **Elizabeth Cooke** Date: **26 February 2026** Chair of trustees - 5 - **Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of the THE ENGLISH COLLEGE FOUNDATION** I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2025, which are set out on pages 7 to 12. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’). Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your company’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act. ## **Independent examiner's statement** 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: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or 4. the accounts 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 accounts 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 accounts to be reached. **K.J. Maggs** B.A., F.C.A. Chartered Accountant Spalding Date: **16 May 2026** - 6 - ## **THE ENGLISH COLLEGE FOUNDATION** ## **Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure account)** ## **for the year ended 31 August 2025** **----- Start of picture text -----**
2025 2024
Note £ £
Income from:
Donations and grants 2 41,564 28,209
Investments:
Bank interest received 953 605
Total income 42,517 28,814
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 1,220 97
Charitable activities 3 16,138 7,986
Total expenditure 17,358 8,083
Net income / (expenditure) 25,159 20,731
Transfers between funds - -
Net movement in funds 25,159 20,731
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward at 1 September 64,071 43,340
Total funds carried forward at 31 August 89,230 64,071
**----- End of picture text -----**
All of the activities of the charity are classed as continuing activities and relate to unrestricted funds. The statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. The notes on pages 9 to 12 form part of these financial statements. - 7 - ## **THE ENGLISH COLLEGE FOUNDATION** ## **Balance Sheet** ## **At 31 August 2025** **----- Start of picture text -----**
2025 2024
Note £ £ £ £
Current assets
Debtors 5 8,699 6,170
Cash at bank and in hand 81,541 58,701
90,240 64,871
Creditors: Amounts falling due
6 (1,010) (800)
within one year
Net current assets 89,230 64,071
Total assets less current liabilities 89,230 64,071
Funds
Unrestricted 7 89,230 64,071
**----- End of picture text -----**
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime for the year ended 31 August 2025, the charitable company was entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 (the Act) relating to small companies. Trustees responsibilites: - (i) The members have not required the charity to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with Section 476 - (ii) the directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts. These financial statements were approved and authorised by the Trustees on the **26 February 2026** and are signed on their behalf by: ## **Elizabeth Cooke** Chair of trustees Company Number: 02677741 The notes on pages 9 to 12 form part of these financial statements. - 8 - **THE ENGLISH COLLEGE FOUNDATION Notes to the Financial Statements** **for the year ended 31 August 2025** ## **1. Accounting policies** ## **General information and basis of accounting** The English College Foundation is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales. In the event of the charitable company being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity. The address of the registered office of the charity is given in the charity information on page 1 of these financial statements. The nature of the charity's operations and principal activities are detailed in the trustees report on pages 2 to 5. The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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 issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice. The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity and rounded to the nearest £. The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated. ## **Funds** Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements. Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements. ## **Income recognition** All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally entitled to the income after any performance conditions have been met, the amount can be measured reliably and it is probable that the income will be received. For donations to be recognised the charity will have been notified of the amounts and the settlement date in writing. If there are conditions attached to the donation and this requires a level of performance before entitlement can be obtained then income is deferred until those conditions are fully met or the fulfilment of those conditions is within the control of the charity and it is probable that they will be fulfilled. Donated facilities and donated professional services are recognised in income at their fair value when their economic benefit is probable, it can be measured reliably and the charity has control over the item. Fair value is determined on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity. No amount is included in the financial statements for volunteer time in line with the SORP (FRS 102). Income from trading activities includes income earned from fundraising events and trading activities to raise funds for the charity. Income is received in exchange for supplying goods and services in order to raise funds and is recognised when entitlement has occurred. Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the company; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank. - 9 - **THE ENGLISH COLLEGE FOUNDATION** **Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)** **for the year ended 31 August 2025** ## **1. Accounting policies (continued)** ## **Expenditure recognition** All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Expenditure is recognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties, it is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Irrecoverable VAT is charged as an expense against the activity for which expenditure arose. Charitable activity expenditure is detailed in note 3 to the financial statements. These expenses are subcategorised between charitable activities, support costs and governance costs. Support costs are those that assist the work of the charity but do not directly represent charitable activities and include office costs, computer costs, and bank charges. They are incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charity. Costs of raising funds are those costs relating to generating voluntary income and are allocated, where applicable to the specific period in which are funds raised. If expenditure does not relate to a specific event then those costs are reflected in the period to which they relate. Governance costs are costs of charitable activities but those which relate to the governance and stewardship of the charity rather than directly to the activities themselves. Support costs and Governance costs are allocated to applicable restricted funds based on the level of income that each project earns for the charity. The charitable company was responsible for the pre-opening costs of the College, which had been set up in Prague in the financial year ended 31 January 1994. During 1995, the College was registered as a charity in its own right (in the Czech Republic) with its own Board of Administration responsible for its operation. Financial assistance afforded to the College is recognised in the charity's Statement of Financial of Activities as grants on the date that the grant is awarded and communicated, and support costs on an accruals basis. ## **Foreign currencies** Transactions in foreign currencies are translated at rates prevailing at the date of the transaction. Balances denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the rate of exchange prevailing at the year end. ## **Debtors and creditors receivable / payable within one year** Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure. ## **Taxation** The charity is an exempt charity within the meaning of schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011 and is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. ## **Going concern** The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the trustees believe that no material uncertainties exist. The trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure is sufficient with the level of reserves for the charity to be able to continue as a going concern. - 10 - **THE ENGLISH COLLEGE FOUNDATION** **Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)** **for the year ended 31 August 2025** ## **1. Accounting policies (continued)** ## **Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty** The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These estimates and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods. ## **2. Income from donations and grants** |**Funds**
**£**
**£**
Donations
33,517
-
Gift aid
8,047
-
Total donations and grants
41,564
-
**Charitable activities expenditure**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
**_Charitable activities_**
Donations to the English School in Prague
14,662
**_Support costs_**
Insurance
464
Office costs
212
676
-
**_Governance costs_**
Independent examination fee
800
Charitable activities expenditure
16,138
-
**Funds**
Grants payable:|**2025**
**£**
33,517
8,047
41,564
**2025**
**£**
14,662
464
212
676
800
16,138|2024
£
22,681
5,528
28,209
2024
£
6,411
441
94
535
1,040
7,986| |---|---|---| ## **3. Charitable activities expenditure** ## **4. Staff costs and employee benefits** No employee received total employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) of more than £60,000 in either the current or prior year. No amounts are payable to the directors / trustees in respect of remuneration, benefits in kind or reimbursement of expenses. On a day to day basis, the administration of the charity is undertaken on a voluntary basis by the Directors / Trustees. - 11 - **THE ENGLISH COLLEGE FOUNDATION** **Notes to the Financial Statements (continued)** **for the year ended 31 August 2025** ## **5. Debtors** |Gift Aid claims
Prepayments
Accrued income
**reditors: Amounts falling due within one year**
Accruals and deferred income|**2025**
**£**
7,980
158
561
8,699
**2025**
**£**
800|2024
£
5,528
107
535
6,170
2024
£
800| |---|---|---| ## **6. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year** ## **7. Control relationship** The charity is controlled by the trustees jointly and no individual can or does exert control over the others. ## **8. Related party transactions** During the year, donations from the trustees amounted to £30,106 (2024: £21,925). No conditions or restrictions were attached to the donations. No amounts were outstanding at the year end (2024: nil). - 12 -