SPARROW SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
Charity No: 1082286
## **SPARROW SCHOOLS FOUNDATION**
## **ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **CONTENTS**
|Trustees and advisers|1|
|---|---|
|Trustees' report|2-5|
|Independent examiner's report|6|
|Income & Expenditure|7|
|Balance sheet|8|
|Notes to the accounts|9-11|
**SPARROW SCHOOLS FOUNDATION**
## **ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS**
## **TRUSTEES**
Chris Chandler (President) Lisa Burnapp (Chairman) Philip Brooke Heather Holden-Brown George Marsh James Moseley Julie Richards Maria Valentine (died in office 16 January 2025) Amanda Brauer Henry Chaw Harry Hughes-Davies Henry Dunn (appointed 1 January 2025)
## **SECRETARY**
Philip Brooke
## **TREASURER**
James Moseley
## **CHARITY NUMBER**
1082286
## **PRINCIPAL OFFICE**
42 Alleyn Park London SE21 7AA
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER**
Frederick Morton ACA 20 Main Road Etton Peterborough PE6 7DA
**BANKERS**
HSBC plc CAF Bank
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**SPARROW SCHOOLS FOUNDATION**
## **ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **TRUSTEES REPORT**
The Trustees present their annual report and the accounts for the year ended 31st December 2025.
## **Structure, governance and management**
The Foundation was established by a Trust Deed dated 29 August 2000. It received charitable status on 5th September 2000 and is registered in England. The Trustees who served during the year were:
Christopher Chandler (President) Lisa Burnapp (Chairman) Philip Brooke Heather Holden- Brown George Marsh James Moseley Julie Richards Maria Valentine (died in office 16 January 2025 Amanda Brauer Henry Chaw Harry Hughes-Davies Henry Dunn (appointed 1 January 2025)
The Treasurer is James Moseley and the Secretary is Philip Brooke. Once a year, in January, a special meeting is held for the reappointment of Trustees and Chairman, which is decided by majority vote. Other Trustees may be appointed as required during the course of the year.
The Trustees have examined the major risks which the Foundation faces and confirm that systems have been established so that the necessary steps can be taken to lessen any such risks.
## **Public Benefit**
The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on Public Benefit when reviewing the charity's aim and objectives and in planning future activities. In particular, the Governors consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives they have set.
## **Objectives and activities**
The Objectives of the Foundation are to advance the education of young people in England and South Africa, in particular but not exclusively by:
- (a) Supporting the charitable work of the Sparrow Educational Trust, a non-profit organisation established in South Africa, and of any organisation in South Africa with the same or similar aims as the charity; and
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## **SPARROW SCHOOLS FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **TRUSTEES REPORT (continued)**
- (b) Promoting and assisting in the organisation of exchanges between the staff and pupils of schools run by the Sparrow Educational Trust (or by organisations in South Africa with the same or similar aims as the charity) and the staff and pupils of English schools and vice versa.
## **Financial review**
In the year ended 31 December 2025 the Foundation’s gross income was £121,379 (2024: £104,805).
As in previous years, this income was generated mainly by a combination of:
- Two annual fundraising events held by the Trustees, notably a Golf Day in May and a Christmas Carol Concert in December.
- A scheme of regular monthly giving by friends of Sparrow. This scheme is designed to support an entire class rather than individual Sparrow pupils. A planned review of this scheme in 2022 to better meet the needs of learners in South Africa post the COVID-19 pandemic, resulted in the development of a stratified bursary scheme, which was introduced and embedded during 2023.
- Donations from a growing circle of supporters including individuals, schools, corporate bodies and grantmaking trusts.
The Trustees again wish to record their grateful and sincere appreciation of all those individuals and bodies who have donated so generously throughout the year. The total amount of restricted funds received in the year was £7,197 compared with £6,553 in the previous year.
Overall, the cost of fundraising activities was £37,358 (2024: £34,791) during the year. In 2025 the Trustees made payments totalling £45,000 to Sparrow Schools (2024: £55,000).
After the £45,000 payments to Sparrow Schools in 2025 the net movement in funds for the year ended 31st December 2025 was a net surplus of £39,021 compared to a surplus of £15,015 in 2024.
## **Reserve policy**
The Trustees consider it prudent to ensure that in the event of a significant, unforeseen drop in income, they should have sufficient funds available to enable them to continue for one year with their direct fundraising activity along present lines, allowing them the opportunity to consider ways of restoring income levels. On this basis it is the policy of the charity that general funds should be retained at £30,000, a level approximately equivalent to the costs on one year’s direct fundraising activity. At 31 December 2025 total unrestricted reserves amounted to £129,838 (2024: £91,461).
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## **SPARROW SCHOOLS FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **TRUSTEES REPORT (continued)**
## **Activities**
In the past year, the Foundation has continued to meet its primary aims and objectives: to provide sustainable financial support to enhance the quality of teaching at Sparrow Schools SA, encourage staff retention through training and development and fund facilities that provide a creative learning environment for students. In 2025, we again hosted our two major fundraising events, the annual ‘Golf Day’ and ‘Celebration of Christmas’, the latter celebrating its 20[th] year and attended by Jackie Gallagher, Founder and immediate past General Manager of Sparrow Schools SA. Following an ‘Awayday’ meeting of the Trustees in April 2025 where we identified priorities for Sparrow UK, we have considered how best to engage with Melanie Malema, incoming General Manager of Sparrow SA and her Senior Management Team (SMT) to focus our activities to best support the schools. This remains primarily through providing financial support but also includes more focus on marketing and communications to raise the profile of the work of Sparrow and extend our donor base, as well as sharing knowledge and expertise for the benefit of staff and learners in Sparrow SA.
In 2025, we continued to strengthen our engagement with UK schools through dedicated Trustees and benefited from generous donations from these new and renewed connections. We remain indebted to our loyal network of supporters, who continue to give substantial donations to ‘Sparrow’ throughout the year - at our major fundraising events, through collective fundraising efforts or from individual endeavour. Consequently, our financial position remains strong and we have been able to maximise our contributions sent to Sparrow SA in the past year.
We continue to increase the diversity and skill-mix of the Board of Trustees to meet our priorities. In January, we welcomed Henry Dunn as an incoming Trustee to focus on marketing and communications activities. However, we were very sad to lose Maria Valentine as a friend and loyal, long-serving Trustee, following her death in early January. Historically, Maria had been instrumental in developing the volunteer network, which enabled young people from the UK to visit Sparrow SA and to observe and support the work there, returning as enthusiastic ambassadors for the Charity.
Trustee meetings are held quarterly for on-line business meetings with an annual AGM in January and the aspiration to meet face-to-face at least once each year. In October 2025, we convened our first joint UK TrusteesSparrow SMT meeting, which we will now schedule twice a year. This enables us to listen to what is most important to Sparrow SA and to align our activities accordingly. On-line Trustee meetings have supported the expansion and diversity of the Board, improved attendance and facilitated decision-making and innovation. Each Trustee leads or co-leads on an area of responsibility within our agreed portfolio. In January 2026, we intend to add an additional Trustee to our Board to continue to increase our focus on schools engagement. We remain indebted to Past Trustees and sub-committee members who continue to contribute to our fund-raising events and programme of work. In the past year, we have seen more donations through the on-line portal as it becomes embedded and facilitates our connection and communications with our donor base.
As always, in preparing this report, I am grateful to all Trustees for their individual contributions to Sparrow UK. Particular thanks to Philip Brooke, Secretary to the Board, for his meticulous minute-taking and record-keeping, to James Moseley, Treasurer, for the preparation and presentation of the accounts and to Frederick Morton, examiner of our accounts, who performs this function pro-bono on an annual basis.
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## **SPARROW SCHOOLS FOUNDATION**
## **ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **TRUSTEES REPORT (continued)**
## **Trustees' responsibilities**
Charity law requires the Trustees to prepare accounts for each financial year that give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity, and of its financial activities for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
- a) select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- b) make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- c) state whether the policies adopted are in accordance with the Charities SORP 2005, the Regulations made under Section 151-155 of the Charities Act and with applicable Accounting Standards, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
- d) prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to assume that the Charity will continue to operate.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity, and to enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Charities Act 2011. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud or other irregularities.
This report was approved by the Trustees on 20 April 2026 and signed on behalf of the Trustees by:
Lisa Burnapp James Moseley Trustee Trustee
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## **SPARROW SCHOOLS FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF SPARROW SCHOOLS FOUNDATION**
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Sparrow Schools Foundation (the Trust) for the year ended 31 December 2025 as set out on pages 7 to 11.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the Charity Trustees you are responsible for the preparation of accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011(“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trustees accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent Examiner's Statements**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material 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 Trust 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 applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
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.
**Name:** Frederick Stephen Morton
## **Relevant professional qualification:** ICAEW Membership No. 7506727
**Address:** 20 Main Road, Etton, Peterborough, PE6 7DA
**Date:** 6 June 2026
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## **SPARROW SCHOOLS FOUNDATION**
## **ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **INCOME & EXPENDITURE**
|**Note**
**INCOMING RESOURCES**
**Incoming resources from**
**generated funds**
Voluntary income
**2 (a)**
Activities for generating funds
**2 (b)**
Investment income
- bank interest received
**TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES**
**RESOURCES EXPENDED**
**Costs of generating funds**
Cost of fundraising activities**3 (a)**
**Charitable activities 3 (b)**
**NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
Funds brought forward at 1 January 2025
**Funds carried forward at 31 December 2025**|**Unrestricted Restricted**
**Total**
**Total**
**Funds**
**£**
**Funds**
**£**
**2025**
**£**
**2024**
**£**
44,305
7,197
51,502
31,206
68,868
-
68,868
72,512
1,009
-
1,009
1,087
**114,182**
**7,197**
**121,379 104,805**
37,358
-
37,358
34,790
38,447
6,553
45,000 55,000
38,377
644
39,021 15,015
91,461
6,553
98,014
82,999
**129,838**
**7,197**
**137,035**
**98,014**|
|---|---|
The notes on pages 9 to 11 form part of these accounts.
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## **SPARROW SCHOOLS FOUNDATION**
## **ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
|**CURRENT ASSETS**
**Note**
Income tax recoverable on donations
Other debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
**CREDITORS:**
**Amounts falling due within one year**
Creditors
**NET ASSETS**
**FUNDS**
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
4
**TOTAL FUNDS**|**2025**
**£**
**2024**
**£**
75
56
1,000
400
144,269
97,558|
|---|---|
||145,344
98,014|
||8,309
0|
||**137,035**
**98,014**|
||129,838 91,461
7,197 6,553|
||**137,035**
**98,014**|
Approved by the Trustees 20 April 2026 and signed on their behalf by
## L Burnapp
Trustee
J Moseley Trustee
The notes on pages 9 to 11 form part of these accounts.
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## **SPARROW SCHOOLS FOUNDATION**
## **ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
a) Basis of preparation of accounts
The accounts are prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP 2005), Accounting and Reporting by Charities and applicable Accounting Standards and the Charities Act 2011.
## b) Incoming resources
1. Voluntary income is received by way of sponsorship and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities in the year in which they are receivable.
2. Income resulting from the charitable activities is recognised in full in the Statement of Financial Activities in the year in which it is receivable.
3. Investment income is recognised on a receivable basis.
- c) Resources expended
Expenditure is recognised when a liability is incurred.
1. Costs of generating funds are those costs incurred in attracting voluntary income.
2. Costs of fundraising activities are those costs incurred in organising fundraising. Charitable activities include donations to the Sparrow Educational Trust.
## d) Taxation
The Charity is a registered charity and not subject to taxation.
## e) Funds
Unrestricted funds are sponsorship and other incoming resources receivable or generated for the objects of the charity without further specified purpose and are available as general funds.
Restricted funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets these criteria is charged to the fund.
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## **SPARROW SCHOOLS FOUNDATION**
## **ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
## **2. ANALYSIS OF INCOMING RESOURCES**
|**2(a) Voluntary income**
**2(b)**
**Activities for generating funds**
Carol Concert
Golf Day
**3.**
**ANALYSIS OF TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED**
**3 (a) COST OF FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES**
Carol Concert
Golf Day
Insurance
Miscellaneous
Just Giving Charges
Bank Charges
**Restricted fund income**
Bursary Scheme
**Unrestricted Fund income**
General donations||**2025**
**£**
**2024**
**£**
58,871
60,189
9,997
12,323
68,868
72,512
**2025**
**£**
**2024**
**£**
29,367
29,241
3,696
3,673
512
496
3,447
1,014
216
216
120
150
37,358
34,790
**2025**
**£**
**2024**
**£**
7,197
6,553
44,305
24,653|
|---|---|---|
||||
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## **SPARROW SCHOOLS FOUNDATION**
## **ANNUAL REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025**
In the year ended 31 December 2024 no Trustee was reimbursed for travelling, accommodation and entertainment expenses (2023: £nil). The Trustees did agree on a £500 contribution to one Trustee to visit The Sparrow Combined Schools in South Africa on trustee business. The charity has no employees, it relies solely on the efforts of unpaid volunteers.
## **3(b) CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**
During 2025 £45,000 in total was paid out to Sparrow Schools in South Africa (2024: £55,000).
## **4. RESTRICTED FUNDS**
||**1**|**Jan 2025**|**Incoming**|**Resources**|**31 Dec 2025**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||**Resources**|**Expended**||
|||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|Bursary Scheme||6,553|7,197|6,553|7,197|
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