2023-08-31-accounts

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

ANNUAL REPORT AND CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Company registration number: 4492250 Charity registration number: 1093419

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BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Contents

2 Notice of the Annual General Meeting 3 Trustees, officers and advisors 4-18 Trustees’ report 19-22 Auditors’ report 23 - 24 Consolidated statement of financial activities 25 Balance sheets 26 Consolidated statement of cash flows 27-47 Notes to the financial statements

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BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTICE OF MEETING

Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of Birkenhead School will be held at the Meeting Room Birkenhead School on Monday 27th March 2023, at 6 p.m. for the following purposes:

1. To receive and adopt the report of the directors and the financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2023;

2. To elect directors, one third of whom retire in accordance with the Articles of Association and being eligible, may offer themselves for re-election;

3. 3: To transact any other business appropriate to be dealt with at an Annual General Meeting.

By order of the Board

M.J. Turner Secretary

Date:

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BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

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GOVERNORS	Mr A.J. Cross LLB (Hons) (Chairman)	Mr A.J. Cross LLB (Hons) (Chairman)
	Mr M.R. Cashin MA
	Mr A.D. Coates MA, JP	(resigned 24 July 2023)
	Mrs L.A.C. Dodd BA (Hons) Chartered FCSI (resigned 23 July 2023)
	Mr M.S.Fumiss
	Mrs J.L. Greensmith CBE, DL
	Mrs S J Higginson (appointed 18 September 2023)
	Dr J.K. Moore OBE, FRCA, MBA (resigned 31 December 2022)
	Mr D.I.Pottinger
	Mr E.N. Rice FRICS
	Mr W.D.C. Rushworth BA
	Dr N J Thorp (appointed 18 September 2023)
HEADMASTER	P.R. Vicars MA
SECRETARY/BURSAR	M.J. Turner MA
REGISTERED OFFICE	The Lodge
	58 Beresford Road
	Oxton
	Wirral
	CH43 2JD
BANKERS	National Westminster Bank Plc
	6 Grange Road West
	Charing Cross
	Birkenhead
	CH41 4DF
AUDITORS	Xeinadin Audit Limited
	2 Hilliards Court
	Chester Business Park
	CH4 9QP
SOLICITORS	Jolliffe & Co LLP
	6 St John Street
	Chester
	CH1 1DA
	Bermans LLP
	Lancaster House
	Tithebarn Street
	Mercury Court
	Liverpool
	L2 2QP
INVESTMENT MANAGERS	Rathbone Investment Management
	Port of Liverpool Building
	Pier Head
	Liverpool
	L3 1NW
		,

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

The ‘School’ comprises Birkenhead School, a company limited by guarantee (company no. 4492250) and a registered charity (charity no. 1093419); a wholly-owned trading subsidiary, Novitas Services Limited (company no. 4501547), which transferred its activities to Birkenhead School at the end of August 2009 and is now dormant; and Birkenhead School Foundation Trust (charity no. 1068650) . The Birkenhead School Foundation Trust (Foundation Trust) produces its own independent audited accounts.

Novitas Services Ltd is a wholly-owned dormant subsidiary of Birkenhead School and its directors are all Governors of the School.

The Foundation Trust is a separate charity, effectively under the control of the School. Its trustees are appointed by the School and include Govemors, senior officers of the School and other appointees.

Governance and management

The School’s Governors, who are the directors and trustees of the charity, are listed on Page 3. They are also the members of the company and are potentially liable for £1 each in the event of the winding up of the company. The Board of Governors normally meets once each term and it has a Finance and General Purpose’s sub-committee and an Education sub-committee. In this report Governors are also referred to as Trustees.

The Board delegates the day to day running of the School to the Headmaster, who is the Chief Executive of the business, and the senior officers of the School who, together, comprise, ‘the Executive’. In addition to the Headmaster, members include the Bursar, Head of Prep, and three Deputy Heads.

Paul Vicars joined the School as Headmaster on 18t September 2016, having previously served at Shrewsbury School.

Arrangement for setting pay and remuneration of key management personnel

A subset of the governors form the Remuneration Committee, who annually review the salaries and bonuses for roles appointed by the Governors (Headmaster, Bursar, Head of Prep) and advise on remuneration for the other executive roles.

Governor selection and training

The Board of Governors is conscious of the need to keep within its number a wide range of skills and experience. New Governors join the Board by invitation and care is taken to maintain the range of skills and experience. New Governors are offered training on appointment and training for all Governors is arranged from time to time.

Risk assessment

The major risks to which the School is exposed (as identified by the Govemors) have been reviewed and systems established to avoid and to mitigate these risks.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The School’s stated objects are:

‘To further the education (academic, social, moral and physical) of pupils attending Birkenhead School (including Birkenhead Preparatory School) in accordance with Christian principles’.

(The above is extracted from the Memorandum of Association of Birkenhead School).

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BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

The School’s published aims are to:

• e provide an open and happy community in which endeavour and achievement flourish; e offer a well-proven route to academic success, seeking to enable students to realise their potential and prepare them for later life;

• e create a caring and structured environment in which students grow in self-confidence and enjoy many opportunities for teamwork and personal development;

• e set high standards for itself and for its students, not just academic but also personal standards of integrity, self-discipline, compassion and respect for others.

In the furtherance of these aims, the School’s Governors, as the charity trustees, have complied with their duty in s4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's published general and relevant sub-section guidance concerning the operation of the Public Benefit requirement under that Act.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Birkenhead School looks to makea difference to the lives of students by inspiring a lifelong love of learning and supporting students to excel academically, emotionally and socially within the educational setting. The School’s independence allows it to be responsive to change and innovate to ensure that a first-class education is provided for all students, with academic results regularly placing the School as one of the leading independent schools within the North West and UK.

Of course, the curriculum offered at Birkenhead School looks to educate beyond the statutory requirements and this extends from the Early Years’ Foundation Stage in the Nursery to A Levels in the Sixth Form. A wide range of co-curricular opportunities are available, including programmes such as ‘Enrich and Explore’, ‘Future Skills’, ‘Beyond the Curriculum’ and the ‘Nicholls Lecture Series’. These offer educational opportunities for students distinct from those offered to their peers elsewhere.

During the year ended 31st August 2023, the School educated approx. 320 (2022: 340) pupils aged 5-11 in Prep and approx. 510 (2022: 500) students in Seniors, including approx. 83 Sixth Form students. Following the move to co-education across all years in 2008, girls continue to thrive in the School, constituting approx. 45% of the students across the School (of school age). Around 130 (2022: 130) children were cared for within the Early Years provision. Holiday activity weeks were provided by third parties who undertook a mixture of Birkenhead School Activity Weeks and Kings Camps weeks. Kings Camps are part of the Kings Active Foundation, a UK registered charity.

School fees from September 2022 were as follows: Nursery (full-time, including catering) - £4,452 per term; PrePrep (full-time) - £3,560 per term; Reception - £3,025 per term; Prep (Years 1-6) - £3,450 per term; Seniors (Years 7-8) - £4,225 per term; Seniors (Year 9 to Year 11) - £4,575 per term.

Highlights of the Summer 2023 A Level and GCSE results include:

A Levels:

• 21% of all grades were awarded A*

• • 52% of all grades were awarded A-A = 75% of all grades were awarded A-B = 50% of all grades in Chemistry were A*

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BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

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TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT
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YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023
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GCSEs:

= 13% of all grades were awarded grade 9 = 48% of all grades were awarded grades 9-7

The majority of students progress on to university, including some of the most competitive courses at Oxbridge and other Russell Group universities. Increasingly, some students are seeking degree apprenticeships, both with local and national employers, with recent positions gained in organisations including Dyson, Airbus, the BBC, Amazon, Redrow and Microsoft.

PREP (including EARLY YEARS)

The Prep enjoyed another excellent year of academic, sporting and cultural experiences and celebrated these with a number of celebratory events at the end of the Summer Term. The School’s largest ever Year 6 Musical will live long in the memory; there were seventy children involved in ‘Wind in the Willows’, and the exploits of Toad and his chums were performed brilliantly to full audiences on three separate evenings at the end of June.

In the classroom, the pupils were highly engaged with the independent curriculum, which has been refreshed and updated in recent years to ensure an inspiring educational journey through Prep. Pupils’ curiosity and ambition were nurtured and developed not only in the classroom, but through the numerous co-curricular opportunities available to them. There were over fifty clubs across the age range and the vast majority of children stayed on after school at least once a week to participate in after school clubs. The Science Clubs were particularly popular and twenty-two children completed Crest Awards during the year. The new Philosophy Club, run by two Sixth Formers proved very popular. Chess went from strength to strength and, as well as providing club and tournament opportunities, the children enjoyed playing in the Wessex Wing at break times.

Every pupil from Years 3 to 6 experienced a residential trip and also had the opportunity to play for a School team. Several fixtures during the year involved whole year groups representing the School — gone are the days where it would only be the chosen few heading off after lunch to play sport against another school. As well as offering representative opportunities to the many, several of the School’s ‘A’ teams excelled in sporting competitions over the year. The Under 11 ‘A’ Football Team won the AJIS ‘World Cup’ in a superb tournament held at the Etihad Stadium in December. AJIS is an association of 29 Independent Junior Schools across the North West. The Under 11 Boys won the AJIS Cross Country Competition at Rossall School and the Under 11 ‘A’ Netball Team won the Merseyside Schools Games tournament, competing against schools from all across the Wirral and Liverpool.

The School's sports staff coach across both Seniors and Prep, developing the Prep sport provision and helping provide students with high levels of enthusiasm and skills as they progress into Seniors. New sports are being developed within the prep such as lacrosse and hockey to support the Seniors' programme and tennis has continued to thrive, helped by the LTA programme. Music and Drama played a big part in Prep life throughout the year and all performances were a joy to attend. Little School performed their Christmas Show and their Summer Concert and the Little School Choir performed in the Whole School Summer Concert. Each Junior Prep year group presented a Christmas Celebration in Chapel, and there were performances during the year from choirs, from Prep Orchestra and from instrumental soloists too. In addition, every Year 3, 4 and 5 class presented a Form Assembly to their parents and the rest of Juniors. Prep Orchestra grew in both number and skill, with seventy pupils on stage at the Christmas and Summer Concerts, performing impressive repertoires to packed audiences in Bushell Hall. There were also termly Music Serenades — informal concerts for pupils from Years 1 to 7 to perform for their parents in Prep Hall; these were superb concerts and thoroughly enjoyed by participants and audiences alike.

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BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Many Senior students came ‘back to Prep’ during the year, involving themselves in the academic mentoring scheme, hearing readers, assisting with productions and concerts, supporting with Prep Orchestra or with other clubs and sports; all of this activity reinforced the wonderful ‘One School’ ethos - something that is very special about Birkenhead School. During the Lent Term, some of the Sixth Formers helped coach sports skills to Reception pupils. Reception loved this, and a particular favourite for them was playing ‘duck-duck-goose’ in the Sports Hall! But Sixth Formers were not the only ones developing their leadership skills. The Year 2 Play Leaders helped their peers to enjoy new games on the playground and to be inclusive, friendly and responsible; they were exemplary in their roles. During the year, the first ever Little School Student Council was appointed and the brand new Civic Award Scheme for children in Years 1 and 2 was launched; they all received awards from the Mayor of Wirral at a special ceremony in Prep Hall in May. Little School also enjoyed a fantastic author visit; the self-proclaimed “Chocolate Monster’, Donna David, visited in March to talk about her new book, ‘Planes, Planes, Planes!’ and she had the children enthralled with her warm and engaging manner.

For Reception to Year 4, a very special Outdoor Classroom Day took place on 18t May. Among the many activities undertaken, children planted vegetables in the School’s allotment, listened to stories in the Willow Dome, made grass caterpillars, took part in a traffic survey and created dragon collages in Forest School. Outdoor Learning in Prep goes from strength to strength, and for 2023-24 a brand-new Nature Explorers programme is being launched.

From January, children in Years 1 and 2 joined older siblings and fellow Birkonians in one of the School’s four established Houses: Beresford, Bidston, Kingsmead and Shrewsbury. The extension of the House system into Little School generated much excitement and served to broaden the strength of community and House spirit across the School. Within the Junior Prep years, additional competitions and activities were added such that, over the course of the year, 26 different competitions took place! The Girls House Football and Mixed Tag Rugby competitions were keenly contested new events and were hugely popular, bringing children together from different year groups to represent their House, engendering a feeling of belonging and kinship. A significant feature within the Junior Prep rewards policy is the accrual of House points. House points are awarded for good work, kindness and for good manners, for example. Each week, House points are collated with individual winners celebrated and the winning House announced in assembly. New for 2023 was the introduction of our House Championship, the culmination of all the various competitions throughout the year. These included, for example, Chess, Boccia and Sports Day. This year’s winners were Beresford with a small winning margin of 8 points over Bidston and they got to enjoy an afternoon of inflatable fun and activities. The House system is thriving bringing further positive impacts on community, competition and teamwork throughout the year.

Early Years

Our Early Years Foundation Stage welcomed their new Head of Early Years, Mrs Katie Tyrie, in September. Mrs Tyrie has inspired staff and children with various new initiatives, such as ‘Pre-Prep Explorers’ (special theme weeks during the School holidays). She brought her own particular flair for Art to the very first theme week, which she named ‘Every Child an Artist’, creating a wonderful exhibition of the children’s work aftera fun-filled week of mixing, splodging, printing and painting! Other themes included ‘Healthy Eating’, ‘Space and the Planets’, a special science week entitled ‘Awe and Wonder and even a ‘Prep-fest’ week where children were encouraged to express themselves through music, dance and costume designing. Over the course of the year, parents were invited to a range of information evenings and social events to learn more about the School’s approach to Early Years education; these were popular events which helped to further build the sense of community and strengthen links between staff and parents.

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BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

The brand-new Outdoor Learning Area in Pre-Prep, which opened in September 2022, provided a fantastic platform from which to develop the children’s imaginative and creative skills outdoors, and to encourage their physical development too. The children also enjoyed regular visits to our Forest School throughout the year (whatever the weather!), developing skills for life and enhancing their physical and mental well-being. Groups of Nursery children and their Key Workers were often spotted around School on walks, making the most of the campus and enjoying meeting staff and children on their travels.

In Nursery, children continued to thrive in a wonderful environment that encourages them to learn through all their senses. The staff have a wealth of fun and games at their disposal to ensure every day is filled with learning opportunities. A song, a rhyme, a squash, a squeeze, a giggle and a wiggle all added to the variety of ways our youngest children enjoyed the year! In a recent Ofsted survey it was revealed that Early Years practitioners may engage in up to one thousand interactions in just one day. All actions big and small seek to support children’s learning and development. As children move through the rooms in Nursery, from Babies into Toddlers and then up to Rising 3’s, their curiosity is ignited and their independence nurtured day in, day out, by our highly skilled staff.

Our children engaged in a wide range of experiences to make connections and to start forming the foundations of learning that will last them a lifetime. Nursery Staff carefully planned activities and adventures for them, for example celebrating the Coronation in style, or escorting a teddy bear to a picnic on a different part of the campus. Many special moments were recorded and shared with parents. The first taste of some unfamiliar food, a bug safari in Forest School, a dance move to rival “Strictly” or a wellie walk to the children’s favourite big puddle! The children benefited throughout the year from the staff’s high ambitions for them and their passion for nurturing their talents and skills.

At the culmination of an amazing year in Prep, it was a great pleasure for pupils, parents and staff to gather for the many Summer Term events, not only to celebrate the children’s numerous achievements, but to enjoy gathering as a community again.

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BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

SENIORS

Science

The Science department supports a number of clubs throughout the year which contribute to the exceptional learning and exam results enjoyed by the students. Weekly clubs include Junior Science (Friday lunchtimes), Astronomy (November to February) and separate Advanced Tutorial Groups (ATGs) for Sixth Form medics/dentists and engineers respectively. ‘Beyond the Curriculum’ (BTC) Senior Science also offered students the opportunity to pursue their own interests through scientific enquiry.

The student Science Leaders support Junior Science club on a Thursday and play a key role during Open events and with Cubs/Brownie Science evenings. Peer Mentor and Intervention groups are run throughout the year, as is a Dissection Club, held at different points of the year for separate year groups.

During the year, students participated in a number of external Science competitions. These included:

• e Biology Olympiads for both Lower and Upper Sixth

• e Two teams at the Biology Olympiad at Edge Hill University

• e RSC Top of the Bench Chemistry competition (involving students in Years 9-11)

• e Physics Olympiad for Lower and Upper Sixth

• e The Physics Olympiad Experimental Project: a group of Year 10 , 11 and Upper Sixth students

The Science Department contributed fully to the School’s STEM Careers Evening and the ‘Be Inspired’ programme during the Summer Term, running science activities on three of the four mornings. Forty-eight students went on the first, and very successful, European STEM trip to Belgium in October 2022. The staff team included DT and Computing to bring STEM representation together for the students. Approximately thirty students have signed up for the next Space Exploration inspired trip to Texas, including the opportunity to view an Eclipse, in April 2024.

English

The English Department offered a diverse array of activities to nurture the students' literary and creative talents. The many highlights included a visit by talented actor, director, producer, and filmmaker, Celyn Jones, who conducted engaging workshops with Year 9 students, focusing on the art of filmmaking and its connections to their study of 'Small Island.' These sessions provided students with a unique opportunity to explore the world of storytelling through film.

In ‘Form Time Philosophy’, students in Years 9, 10, and 12 had the chance to explore various critical schools and thinkers, including Plato, Kant, Hegel, Marx, and Nietzsche.

The annual Ghost Story event, now in its fourth year, has seen the publication of two volumes of ghost stories featuring introductions and unpublished works by the renowned author, Ramsey Campbell. This event has been a platform for students from Years 7 to 13 to display their writing talents.

The department's dedication to nurturing creative writing talents was further highlighted when two students emerged as finalists in the prestigious Athenaeum writing competition for students aged 16-19 across Merseyside. In March, the School hosted the Merseyside and Greater Manchester heat of the National Reading Champions Quiz, with twenty-five teams participating from fourteen local schools.

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BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

The students had the opportunity to witness captivating theatrical performances during the year, including a powerful adaptation of Malorie Blackman's 'Noughts and Crosses' and the National Theatre's production of 'The Ocean at the End of the Lane,' based on Neil Gaiman's fantasy novel. These experiences enrich the students’ understanding of literature and storytelling.

The debating and public speaking teams excelled in the English Speaking Union's Churchill and Mace competitions, showcasing their persuasive skills and confidence. Additionally, the students achieved success at the regional level in the Rotary 'Youth Speaks' competition, addressing topics ranging from recycling to the future of handwriting in our digital world.

Looking ahead, the English Department remains committed to inspiring and educating students in the joys of literature, critical thinking, and creative expression.

Languages

Ten students from Years 10, 11 and the Lower Sixth achieved medals in the UK Linguistic Olympiad in February 2023 and these included five who were awarded Gold. The younger children from Years 3 to 6 were able to extend their knowledge of French culture and language during the weekly French Club sessions

Art Art continues to thrive within the school and deliver strong ‘value added’ scores for GCSE and A Level. Clubs, workshops and extensive after-school support mean students reach their full potential through studying a subject that provides them with the creative skills, critical thinking and independence necessary for success in life.

Exam groups have access to the department and staff 3 times a week in after-school academic clubs. A weekly lunchtime Creative club for KS3 students allows for fun projects outside of lessons, while after-school sessions in the Summer Term gave Year 9 students the chance to experiment with new techniques including batik.

A Level students attended the ‘London Galleries’ trip in September, the first post-Covid Art trip back to the capital. This included a visit to ‘Feminine Power; the Divine to the Demonic’ at the British Museum, followed by a curator talk and tour at the National Gallery.

November's ‘Festival of Arts’ organised with the Music Department, showcased the creative talents of our students and staff. The three-week festival included numerous lunchtime art workshops including clay decorations, anime and a Sixth Form-led Yayoi Kusama inspired ‘dot’ installation in the dedicated Sixth Form art room. This newly developed facility, adjacent to the department, allows A Level students the space and quiet for practical work outside of timetabled lessons. The festival also included an extensive Bushell Hall based Art Exhibition combined with an Evening of Art and Music, and a practical workshop with Cheshire Falconry who filled Bushell Hall with birds of prey, large and small. Year 10 and 11 students were provided with a unique opportunity to sketch and photograph amazing wildlife first-hand.

In June, Art ran a Saturday moming Art Workshop for local primary school students as part of the ‘Be Inspired’ programme. In late June, Art joined forces with the Classics department for a Year 12 visit to ‘Return of the Gods’ at the World Museum to enhance theirA Level studies.

The Arts Awards evening during Birkonian Week allowed for presentation of the inaugural ‘Amazing Artist’ award. Based around the School's values, this recognises participation and contribution to art and is awarded to one student each in Years 7,8 and 9. The evening was complemented by a week-long display of student work in both the Sixth Form Centre and marquee.

During the year, the department painted large scale sets for Matilda and Chicago and created Mr Toad’s car for prep!

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BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

The #birkenheadschoolart Instagram regularly celebrates work by Seniors students alongside departmental and school achievements and events and has 1,124 followers.

Co-Curricular Activities

The School places great value on providing an extensive range of co-curricular opportunities to the students. Investment in coaching and provision is considerable, to which this year has been added further ‘paid -for’ cocurricular, for example a greater range of music ensembles and strength and conditioning sessions.

Sport

The School prides itself on high levels of participation and achievement with a significant number of students attending lunch and after-school practices in addition to the curricular provision of PE & Games.

The School continued to offer competitive and recreational opportunities across the whole School and in a range of sports including athletics, cricket, football, golf, hockey, lacrosse, netball, tennis, rounders, orienteering, crosscountry and rugby. In addition to this core provision, recreational clubs offered a breadth of opportunity across sports such as badminton, table tennis and gymnastics, and activities including yoga, climbing and dance.

The School's investment in high-level coaches and staff development continues to enhance standards across the age ranges and across a variety of sports. In Seniors, competitive teams are fielded in local, regional and national leagues and tournaments. In a typical year, this would include six boys’ hockey teams, eight rugby teams, seven girls’ hockey teams, five lacrosse teams, eight netball teams and six cricket teams competing weekly during the relevant season. A total of 571 sporting fixtures were played across all ages.

Several students are currently part of sporting talent pathways: in rugby union, Sale Sharks, and Cheshire RFU; in Lacrosse the England Performance Pathway and Cheshire County; in netball Manchester Thunder, Loughborough Lightening, Leeds Rhinos and Severn Stars Netball, Cheshire and Merseyside County, and Wales U19; in cricket, the Cheshire and Lancashire programs and the Bunbury Festival; in hockey, the JAC academy pathways and at an elite level the England Talent Pathway; in lacrosse Cheshire and Merseyside and in the England Academy. The Fitness Suite has seen a a significant increase in usage by students and staff, benefitting from the investment made over the course of the year. The climbing wall, with new holds and routes installed, is enjoyed by the whole School. The School continues to share its sporting facilities with several clubs and schools in the area, including on a hire basis, at reduced rates where applicable, whilst also offering festival visit opportunities to local Primary and Prep Schools, combined with coaching, in cricket, rugby, hockey and netball.

The Fitness Suite has seen a a significant increase in usage by students and staff, benefitting from the investment made over the course of the year. The climbing wall, with new holds and routes installed, is enjoyed by the whole School.

The sports department also enjoyed being heavily involved with the ‘Be Inspired’ programme, offering a range of sporting activities. Colleagues and senior students supported enthusiastic youngsters from the local community in enjoying the range of sports offered.

The end of the School year was celebrated during the Sports Awards Evening for the Seniors and the traditional Sports Days for both the Prep and Seniors. These celebrate the breadth of Birkonian sporting endeavour and skill and were well attended by students, parents and staff. The School hosted the Senior Cricket festival with Greshams, USC London and George Watsons all playing three days of competitive cricket.

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BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

The Hockey and Netball tour to South Africa in 2023 was a great success with 45 students and 5 staff enjoying an action packed 14 days of sport, culture and spectacular sights. 3 rugby teams participated in the Rosslyn Park 7s and the U14 and U15 netball squads enjoyed domestic netball tours. In the build-up to the South Africa tour, the School hosted a very well attended Sports Personality Dinner with Sam Quek as guest speaker. In 2024, cricket squads will tour Sri Lanka. In 2025, rugby squads will tour Canada.

Sporting highlights in 2022-23 included:

• e The U13 netball team winning the U13 Independent Schools National Plate

• e The U13 lacrosse team reaching the quarter-finals of the National Championships

• e The U16 rugby team winning the Cheshire Shield

• e The U12 rugby team going undefeated during the season

• e The 1S‘ XV beating Stonyhurst with the last kick of the game in front of a sizeable crowd under floodlights at Birkenhead Park RUFC in February

• e The golf team coming 3° in the ISGA Championships e The orienteering team coming 3" in the small schools category at the British Championships

Drama

The appointment of a specialist teacher has furthered the popularity of drama with a strong take-up of the curricular subject and high levels of participation, approx. 40-50 students in cast and crew, in outstanding cocurricular productions.

A Year 7-9 production of Matilda took to the stage in December, followed by a Year 9 to Upper Sixth Production of Chicago in April. Becoming a regular feature of the calendar is the Matinee Lunch performance attended by an increasing number of Old Birkonians each year.

Music

The co-curricular Music provision has continued to grow in strength and numbers as the post-Covid rebuild continued throughout the year. Weekly services of Choral Evensong, sung by the Chapel Choir, took place in the School Chapel together with a welcome return of the ‘live' Harvest and Christmas Eucharists. Selected services were also made available on the Music YouTube channel, including the choral highlight of the year: the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, which took place twice with large and appreciative congregations.

Children and students from Year 1 to Upper Sixth now benefit from the wide range of instrumental and vocal opportunities on offer, and another welcome return was the Christmas Concert in Bushell Hall. Solo opportunities for young musicians of all ages and experiences took place frequently, with the more informal 'Serenade' series for our less advanced performers together with two Chamber Music Concerts for the more proficient. Students continued to sit their ABRSM and Trinity practical and theory examinations, some of these being in person whilst others preferring to continue with online submissions. A number of the School's more experienced musicians represent the School as members of the National Youth Choir, National Children's Orchestra, Junior Royal Northern College of Music, Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Company (choirs and orchestras), Wirral Symphonic Wind Band, Out of the Blue big band, Heswall Concert Band, and Early Music Youth Orchestra.

Previously the Festival of Music, the expanded Festival of Arts was a big success with over a fortnight of events in November featuring musicians of all ages and representation from the music, art and drama departments. Highlights were the 'Come and Sing' Remembrance Sunday service in Chapel, Jazz Night, Art Exhibition, and inspiring workshops led by visiting professionals.

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BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

The whole of Year 10 continued to undertake the Bronze award with the expedition taking place in the Clwyddian Hills. The Gold and Silver groups both performed well, using open (Canadian) canoes for the expedition section, in some particularly adverse conditions.

There has been very good uptake of the Gold and Silver programme for the coming year, with 32 signed up for Silver and 13 for Gold.

Co-Curricular Clubs

The provision of abroad range of lunchtime and after School co-curricular clubs continues to be a feature of the School. In addition to the considerable sporting and musical provision, these clubs range from public speaking and debating to yoga, table tennis and astronomy. Some lunch time clubs are offered by members of the Sixth Form. These have added great diversity to the provision, and leadership from the students, and include a Film Society and a Sports Analysis club.

Futures Provision

The School’s provision of ‘Futures’ advice is extensive. A dedicated Futures Team of staff provide bespoke support and guidance to both students and parents in preparing students for university, Gap years, apprenticeships and the world of work. This includes ‘off-timetable’ events for members of the Sixth Form such as the Futures Moming on 14th March 2023, and the Futures Conference on the 15'" June 2023. Roles within the Futures Team include specialisms in UCAS, Oxbridge applications, Futures Skills (including the various aptitude tests for high tariff courses), apprenticeships & internships and overseas university applications.

Face to face advice is supported by a regular Futures Newsletter that includes a range of advice on degree courses, the latest apprenticeship opportunities and reading/online course suggestions. The newsletter is available on Firefly and sent to parents.

Futures advice starts in Prep developing an awareness of different areas within the work of work and continues into Seniors including the use of Morrisby tests in Year 10 which are followed by individual interviews with a member of the Futures Team. The Futures team are supported through the use of Unifrog software, an integrated platform which assists staff, students, parents and guardians in researching and preparing for application to university courses and apprenticeships.

A feature of the Futures provision is the strong support of the Old Birkonian Society, and alumni are to the fore in supporting current students and/or recent leavers through specific careers advice, work experience, mock interviews and apprenticeship programmes.

13

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

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YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023
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Inspiring Talks Series

During 2022/23 the Inspiring Talks Series continued to welcome high-profile speakers to the School for both public and School events. The series encompasses: author talks for both students and the wider community held in conjunction with an independent bookshop; the Boumphrey Lecture Series for Prep pupils in Years 5 and 6; the No Limits Series; the annual Sports Personality Dinner; and a weekly Nicholls Lecture Series for Sixth Form students during the Michaelmas and Lent Terms.

The annual Sports Personality Dinner, held in May, saw Olympian and TV Presenter, Sam Quek MBE, talk at the black-tie dinner which was held to raise funds for the School’s netball and hockey tour to South Africa alongside local South African charities, Door of Hope, an orphanage in Johannesburg that cares for abandoned babies, and Langa Sports Club, that offers sporting opportunities to the most impoverished residents of Cape Town.

In conjunction with a local independent bookseller, the School hosted events open to the public and welcomed historian, TV presenter and author, Lucy Worsley to the School, along with best-selling author Jojo Moyes, and crime writers Val McDermid, Mark Billingham, Chris Brookmyre, Stuart Neville and Luca Vest. Past speakers have included well-known authors and TV presenters including Rick Stein, Sir Tony Robinson, Clare Balding, JoJo Moyes and Konnie Huq amongst others.

Birkonian Week

A busy year was appropriately marked by a range of celebratory and award-giving events in Birkonian Week. This included Creative and Performing Arts Awards, Sports Awards, 1st Team Awards and BBQ, Chapel Choir Dinner, Sports Days, Speech Day and Annual Prizegiving. The JP Hargreaves Diploma and the Colours and Honours Awards system are now well-embedded. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND CHARITABLE GIVING In its third year, the School’s ‘Be Inspired’ programme saw thirty-six local Year 5 children, from nine different primary schools, attend four consecutive Saturdays at Birkenhead School where they enjoyed a range of academic, sporting, drama, design and ‘softer skills’ enrichment sessions. These sessions were run by School staff, volunteer parents and members of the Sixth Form helping each group. The course culminated in a prizegiving and lunch event for the children, their parents, and their teachers on the final Saturday.

In November, the School welcomed 160 local Cubs and Brownies to take part in a range of experiments at the School’s Big Bang Science Events. The extremely popular science evenings were once again over-subscribed. Young Science Leaders from Years 7 to Upper Sixth, ran the activities for the attendees. The evenings are supported by The Royal Society of Chemistry.

The School looks for opportunities to support the learning and development of children and students across the Wirral wherever possible. During 2022-23, these have also included:

• e Hosting Year 11 students from Ridgeway High School for Science workshops e Hosting Year 5 students from St Bridgets Primary School for a Design & Technology Workshop e During the Festival of Arts held in November, the Music department ran a GCSE workshop with Dr Kris Worsley, and invited music students from local schools

• e The Futures team hosted a STEM Conference, offering advice and guidance on careers in the STEM sector, for students across the Wirral

14

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

The School’s Community Club have led the way for student involvement in local charities, working with Hubbub UK to support more sustainable clothing initiatives with a second-hand clothes project and driving the School’s collection of Christmas jumpers which were then distributed to members of The Hive, Wirral Youth Zone. The School is also a member of The Hive 100 Club, a collection of businesses, organisations and individuals that support the outstanding work of this charity.

During the year, own clothes’ days raised funds for charities including the Langa Township Sports Development (in South Africa) and #helloyellow. The School’s harvest collection was delivered to the local charity Neo Community.

The Christmas period brought considerable charitable activity, including making and distributing Christmas hampers to Neo Community, and retiring collections at the end of the Nine Lessons and Carol Services donated to Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge Hospitals, and Change a Child’s Life (in Nepal).

In March, for Red Nose Day, every member of Year 9 contributed to ‘rowing the Mersey’ on rowing machines to raise funds for Save the Children. Over £1,000 was raised. In total, across the year, donations to charities were in excess of £12,500.

The Parents’ Association

Fundraising and friendship were the focus for the Parents' Association during 2022-23. Highlights included the annual Fireworks Display and a welcome return of the annual Christmas Bazaar. Other events included successful Pre-Loved Uniform Sales and a Writers Day with local author, Dave McCluskey, for both Prep and Senior students.

Funds raised by the Parents' Association have been used to support a wide range of activities across the School. During 2022-23 money raised went towards: table tennis tables for use by Prep and Senior students, football goals and kit for Junior Prep, Junior hurdles, Prep netball dresses, Lego for Junior Prep for use in cocurricular activities, Senior orienteering kits, music stands for Senior Orchestra, Chapel Choir cassocks and surpluses, books for the new Philosophy Club in Seniors, music equipment for use by Prep pupils, Fun Club/wet break resources in Prep, new Forest School resources and equipment, a Sensory path in the Outdoor Learning area in Prep, funding towards the Sixth Form Leavers Ball, support for the South Africa Sports tour, and Christmas Tree decorations for the School community.

All students enjoyed an ice-cream, courtesy of the Parents’ Association at the School sports days and both staff and students received a commemorative badge to mark King Charles III’s Coronation in May 2023.

15

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

FINANCIAL AND RESOURCE REVIEW

Fee Support

Trustees do not want the cost of education at Birkenhead School to prevent any eligible child attending the School. Gross fees were discounted by £1,070k (2022: £1,064k), through bursaries, scholarships and other discounts (9.4% of gross fees. 2022: 9.8%). In particular, bursary support under the auspices of the Foundation Trust represented around 5.4% (2022: 5.8%) of gross fee income and benefitted 71 pupils (2022: 80). A smaller number of pupils - 39 (2022:35) - received transformational bursaries of between 75% and 100%. Some fee support is provided for from returns on investments and some directly from generous benefactors.

During the course of the academic year, the School continued its education of four Ukrainian students (two in Year 3; two in Year 10) and support of their families who had fled Ukraine following the invasion by Russia, and who were initially being hosted by current School families. These students were provided with full bursaries, alongside assistance with the provision of uniform and other School equipment.

Access Scholarships continued to provide assistance to enable able pupils with a proven academic record to enter at Year 7 or the Sixth Form from other educational backgrounds. Some specific support towards the latter is provided by two charitable trusts under the management of the Old Birkonian Society Council.

In addition the School has awarded financial scholarships to 51 Seniors students (2022: 47) for academic or musical excellence. This support totalled £81k (2021: £94k) and represented 0.7% of gross fees in Seniors. Some receiving scholarships also qualified for means-tested bursary support and are included in those figures as well. Some further scholarships are now honorary — continuing the emphasis of providing financially for those most at need while recognising excellence.

The progress of pupils receiving scholarships is reviewed at least every couple of years to ensure that pupils continue to progress in line with their abilities, stretching their potential yet further. One musical scholarship was withdrawn during the year as a result of this review.

Facilities

The Schools’ sports facilities are made available to the public for use wherever feasible and are discounted for charity or educational use. As highlighted above, many are used for inter-school events through the year.

The School follows a programme of planned maintenance and development to ensure that its estate remains fit for purpose and efficient. During the year to 31st August, 2023, the Sports Hall floor was relaid completely, floodlights were renewed at our first class artificial pitch, a nature area completely refurbished, the 6'" Form area furnished and reconfigured, The Little School toilets refurbished considerable outdoors furniture and storage created for the Pre-Prep, and a refreshed staff room for the Nursery staff. This is all alongside considerable further redecoration across the site and installation of new drainage to protect the Prep playground area.

The School was able to welcome a completely new type of facility hire over the Summer of 2023 when Golden Path Productions set most of their new ITVX Series “G’Wed” on the site with locations on site not only portraying a fictional school, but also a courtroom, hospital and doctor's room. The Costume, Make-up and Art Teams wer also based on site and numbers of our students were able to take part as extras.

The complete refurbishment of the School’s main library and meeting room was also completed at the start of the academic / financial year.

16

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The School's financial position remains strong. A cash surplus from operations of just over 2.5% of net fee income was achieved, giving trustees the confidence to moderate fee increases, manage pension liabilities and continue with a programme of investment in school facilities. The capital investment programme is currently funded without external borrowing.

Net operating income was £511k (2022: £523k). This combined with investment losses of £172k (2022: £731k), an actuarial gain on a defined benefit pension scheme of £550k (2022: £369k). In 2021-22 there was also a net gain on property revaluation of £986k. As a result, total funds across the School Group were £20,761k as at 31st August 2023 (2022: £19,872k). The net cash provided by operating activities was £288k (2022: £1,988k), the variance largely being due to the property revaluation, an exercise the trustees are required to undertake every few years.

Reserves policy

Investment income from the reserves is used to provide fee assistance to pupils and thereby to widen access to the School. More fee assistance is provided than can be funded by the income of the Foundation Trust, and it is therefore the policy of the Foundation Trustees to seek to increase the capital held by the Trust. It is the policy of the School to transfer surpluses not required within the School to the Foundation Trust. The Foundation Trust is also in a position to consider loans and/or grants to support significant investment in the School.

The asset allocation policy of the Foundation Trust ensures that there are sufficient liquid funds to cover at least three months’ operating expenses.

Funding sources

Around 93% of the School's operating income was derived from fees and associated charges. Other notable contributions were: commercial activities, 0.7%; investment income 2.3%; and donations 2.3%.

Investment policy

As noted, the School’s reserves are largely held in the Foundation Trust. Trustees have an investment policy which aims to secure a balance of income and capital growth in the medium to long-term. Professional investment managers are employed with their appointment reviewed on a regular basis.

GOING CONCERN

After making appropriate enquires, the board of trustees has a reasonable expectation that the School has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, it continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. Further details regarding the adoption of the going concern basis can be found in the Statement of Accounting Policies.

PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS

The School will seek to maintain and increase the availability of scholarships and bursaries and to encourage parents of academically able children to apply to the School. The surplus income and ongoing reserve are important not least as the investment income generated in the Foundation Trust is used to provide substantial bursary support. Other income will continue to be used to enhance the School’s provision through improvements to the Estate and the School’s equipment. Specifically, strategic projects to dispose of the unused Noctorum Field and invest in an extended sports hall and bursary provision (alongside investment in community sports / affordable housing) have been developed.

Sound management is pursued to ensure that the School continues to deliver good value during a period of substantial inflationary pressures and with the prospect of the imposition of VAT on School fees (and other possible corporate taxation) and the potential loss of business rates relief. This includes valuing School staff and

,

17

YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

Sound management is pursued to ensure that the School continues to deliver good value during a period of substantial inflationary pressures and with the prospect of the imposition of VAT on School fees (and other possible corporate taxation) and the potential loss of business rates relief. This includes valuing School staff and their roles, all with a view to stewarding the School’s resources effectively for both current and future School pupils and their families.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES

The Trustees (who are also the directors of Birkenhead School for the purpose of company law) are responsible for preparing the Report of the Trustees 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 the group and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure of the charitable group 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 Charity SORP

• • make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company and group will continue in operation. The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and group and which 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 group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

STATEMENT OF DISCLOSURE TO AUDITOR

So far as Trustees are aware there is no relevant audit information of which the charity’s auditors are unaware.

The Trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditors are aware of that information.

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Approved _b d on 11" December 2023
al “pece
A.J. Cross
Chairman
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and signed on its behalf by

Company registration number: 4492250

18

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Birkenhead School (the ‘charitable company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘group’) for the year ended 31 August 2023 which comprise the consolidate statement of financial activities including an income and expenditure account, consolidated balance sheet, charity balance sheet, consolidated cash flow statement and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is United Kingdom Accounting Standards, comprising FRS102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland”, and applicable law (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s and charitable company’s affairs as at 31 August 2022 and of the group’s incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended; . - have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; - have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006; and - have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP 2015

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the academy in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC's Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustees' report use of the going concer basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is ap propriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

19

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

• In our opinion, based on the work underneath in the course of the audit:

• the information given in the Trustees' report report, which includes the directors' report and the strategic report prepared for the purposes of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the strategic report and the directors’ report included within the Trustees' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the directors’ report included within the Trustees’ report.

• We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you, if in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• • certain disclosures of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees Responsibilities set out on page two, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concer, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concem basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed as auditor under the Companies Act 2006 and report in accordance with the Acts and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.

20

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including

fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:

• ° the engagement partner ensured that the engagement team collectively had the appropriate competence, capabilities and skills to identify or recognise non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations;

• ° we identified the laws and regulations applicable to the group through discussions with trustees and other management, and from our knowledge and experience of charity sector;

• ° we focused on specific laws and regulations which we considered may have a direct material effect on the financial statements or the operations of the group, including the Companies Act 2006, Charities Act 2011, data protection, anti-bribery, employment, food hygiene, OFSTED and health and safety legislation;

• ° we assessed the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations identified above through making enquiries of management team and inspecting legal correspondence; and identified laws and regulations were communicated within the audit team regularly and the team remained alert to instances of non-compliance throughout the audit.

We assessed the susceptibility of the group's financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:

• ° making enquiries of management team as to where they considered there was susceptibility to fraud, their knowledge of actual, suspected and alleged fraud; and

• ° considering the internal controls in place to mitigate risks of fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations.

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

• ° performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships; : tested journal entries to identify unusual transactions;

• ° assessed whether judgements and assumptions made in determining the accounting estimates were indicative of potential bias; and

• . investigated the rationale behind significant or unusual transactions.

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

° agreeing financial statement disclosures to underlying supporting documentation; ° enquiring of management as to actual and potential litigation and claims; and . reviewing correspondence with HMRC and relevant regulators.

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the directors and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council's website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

21

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charity's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditors' report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. — a Helen Furlong FCCA (Senior Statutory Auditor) 2 Hilliards Court for and on behalf of Chester Business Park Xeinadin Audit Limited Chester Chartered Accountants CH4 9QP Statutory Auditors

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CA OS: 202%,
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22

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING AN INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

		Unrestricted	Restricted	Endowment	Endowment	Total	Total
		funds	funds	funds		2023	2022
	Note	£	£	£		£	£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations and Legacies	2	239,610	46,756	-		286,366	127,834
Charitable activities
Fees receivable	3	10,287,197	-	-	10,287,197		9,788,952
Catering income		709,588	-	-		709,588	660,731
Activity courses		7,558	-	-		7,558	91,212
School trips		374,919	-	-		374,919	234,670
Other income		286,116	-	-		286,116	272,688
Other trading activities	4	77,290	15,539	-		92,829	79,365
Investment income	5	286,400	3,791	894		291,085	205,050
Other income		148,352	-	-		148,352	93,996
Total		12,417,030	66,086	894	12,484,010		11,554,498
EXPENDITURE ON
Raising funds	6	298,513	-	-		298,513	148,501
Charitable activities
Grants awards and prizes		4,429	-	894		5,323	4,428
Teaching costs		8,403, 886	64,771	-	8,468,657		7,956,368
Catering and welfare		927,607	-	-		927,607	915,424
Premises		1,889,492	-	-	1,889,492		1,708,773
Activity courses		8,439	-	-		8,439	67,100
School trips		374,919	-	-		374,919	230,866
Total	7	11,907,285	64,771	894	11,972,950		11,031,460
Net income before gain (losses)		509,745	1,315	-		511,060	523,038
Net gains/(losses) on investments		(171,746)	-	(615)	(172,361)		(730,981)
Netincomecarriedforward		337,999	1,315	(615)		338,699	(207,943)

23

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (continued) (INCORPORATING AN INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

----- Start of picture text -----
|||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Unrestricted|Restricted|Endowment|Total|Total| |funds|funds|funds|2023|2022| |Note|£|£|£|£|£| |Net|income|brought forward|337,999|1,315|(615)|338,699|(207,943)| |Transfer|between|funds|-|:|-|-|:| |337,999|1,315|(615)|338,699|(207,943)| |Other|recognised|gains|(losses)| |Gains|on|revaluation|of| |fixed|assets|-|-|-|-|-|986,424| |Actuarial|gains|on|defined| |benefit|pension|scheme|18|550,000|-|-|550,000|369,000| |Net movement|in|funds|887,999|1,315|(615)|888,699|1,147,481| |RECONCILIATION|OF|FUNDS| |Total|funds|brought forward|19,702,650|137,691|31,584|19,871,925|18,724,444| |TOTAL FUNDS|CARRIED FORWARD|20,590,649|139,006|30,969|20,760,624|19,871,925|

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CONTINUING OPERATIONS

All income and expenditure has arisen from continuing activities.

TOTAL RECOGNISED GAINS AND LOSSES

The Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) includes all gains and losses in the year and therefore a statement of total recognised gains and losses has not been prepared.

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24
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BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL BALANCE SHEET AT 31 AUGUST 2023

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL
BALANCE SHEET AT 31SHEET AT 31AT 3131 AUGUST 20232023		2023 2022
		Group Company Group Company
	Note	£ £ £ £
FIXED ASSETS Tangiblefixedassets Investments	42 13.	12,792,822 12,599,762 12,854,111 12,657,111 7,094,310 30,968 5,808,533 31,584 OE
		19,887,132 12,630,730 18,662,644 12,688,695
		ee
CURRENTASSETS Debtors Cash atbankand in hand	14	949,550 1,322,398 447,051 950,968 2,378,987 2,168,164 3,648,838 3,450,099
		3,328,537 3,490,562 4,095,889 4,401,067
CREDITORS: amounts falling due withinoneyear	15	(3,321,045) (3,302,967) (3,213,608) (3,202,415) ne
Netcurrentassets (liabilities)		7,492 187,595 882,281 1,198,652 a
NETASSETS EXCLUDING PENSION LIABILITY		19,894,624 12,818,325 19,544,925 13,887,347
Defined benefitpensionschemeasset (liability)	18	866,000 866,000 327,000 327,000 i
NET ASSETS INCLUDING PENSION (LIABILITIES)ASSETS		20,760,624 13,684,325 19,871,925 14,214,347 i
FUNDS
Unrestricted: general pension reserve	18	19,724,649 12,787,358 19,375,650 13,854,113 866,000 866,000 327,000 327,000 ee
	146	20,590,649 13,653,358 19,702,650 14,181,113
Restricted Endowment	16 16	139,006 - 137,691 1,650 30,969 30,969 31,584 31,584 a
TOTAL FUNDS		20,760,624 13,684,325 19,871,925 14,214,347 a

The financial statements on pages 23 to 48 were approved by the Board on 11 December 2023 and signed on its behalf by:

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A.J. Cross MR. Cashin
9 !
Director Director
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Company registration No: 4492250

25

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

	Note	2023 £	2022 £
Cash flows from operating activities:
Cash generated from operations	1	285,878	1,988,037
Investing activities:
Dividends interest and rents from investments		291,085	205,050
Proceeds from saleof fixed asset investments		1,170,522	645,918
Proceeds from sale offixed assets		-	20,000
Purchase of tangible fixed assets		(385,648)	(853,937)
Purchase of fixed asset investments		(2,427,205)	(816,968)
Net cash generated from investing
activities		(1,351,246)	(799,937)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents		(1,065,368)	188,100
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning
ofthe reporting period		3,741,587	3,553,487
Cash and cash equivalents at the end ofthe
reportingperiod		2,676,219	3,741,587

26

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

1. RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

		2023 £	2022 £
	Net income for the reporting period (as per
	the statement offinancial activities)	338,699	778,481
	Adjustments for:
	Depreciation charges	446,937	408,621
	(Gains) on disposal of assets	-	(20,000)
	Losses (Gains) on investment	175,389	734,009
	Gains on property revaluation	-	(986,424)
	Pension fund non cash adjustment	11,000	47,000
	Dividends interest and rents from investments (Increase) decrease in debtors	(291,085) (502,499)	(205,050) (163, 154)
	(Decrease) increase in creditors	107,437	394,554
	Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	285,878	1,988,037
2.	ANALYSYSOFCHANGESINNETDEBT

The group had no debt during the year

27

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

1. ACCOUNTING

POLICIES

1.1 BASIS OF ACCOUNTING

The financial statements of the charitable group, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) ‘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) (effective 1 January 2015)’, Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with the exception of investments which are included at market value.

1.2 GROUP ACCOUNTS

These financial statements consolidate the results of the charity, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novitas Services Limited and The Birkenhead School Foundation Trust (which is under common control) on a line by line basis. A separate statement of financial activities for the charity itself is not presented because the charity has taken advantage of the exemptions afforded by paragraph 397 of the SORP and of the Companies Act 2006.

1.3 INCOMING RESOURCES

All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.

1.4 FEES AND SIMILAR INCOME

Fees receivable and charges for services and use of premises are accounted for in the period in which the service is provided. Fees receivable are stated inclusive of contributions from assistance funds and before deduction of allowances and other remissions allowed by the school.

1.5 VOLUNTARY INCOME

Donations are recognised in the statement of financial activities as incoming resources when receivable except in so far as they are incapable of financial measurement.

1.6 RESOURCES EXPENDED

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs relating to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings, they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with use of the resources. Support costs are those costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charity.

• 1.7 GRANTS PAYABLE

The School awards Scholarships and Bursaries to some pupils, which have the effect of reducing the fees payable by the parents of those pupils. Scholarships are awarded for academic merit and Bursaries are awarded in response to parental hardship. Awards are made using money from several sources, including that provided by The Birkenhead School Foundation Trust, the Old Birkonian Society and the School’s own funds.

28

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)

1.8 TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Tangible fixed assets costing more than £1,000 are capitalised and included at cost including any incidental expenses of acquisition. Depreciation is provided at annual rates in order to write off the cost of each asset over its estimated useful life as follows:

Land Nil Buildings Straight line basis over 10 to 50 years Furniture and equipment Straight line basis over 2 to 10 years Motor vehicles Straight line basis over 5 years

1.9 OPERATING LEASES

Payments under operating leases are charged to the SOFA as incurred.

1.10 INVESTMENTS

Quoted investments are included in the financial statements at their market value at the balance sheet date. The investment properties are included at valuation.

Gains and losses arising on the disposal and revaluation of investments are calculated by reference to their book value and credited or charged to the SOFA.

Dividends and interest thereon are included in the SOFA on a receivable basis.

The Trust's investment property was professionally revalued during the 2012-13 financial year.

1.11 PENSION SCHEMES

Retirement benefits to employees of the School are provided by the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), the Merseyside Pension Fund (MPF) and a further workplace pension scheme (The People’s Pension (TPP) with B&CE Insurance Limited). The TPS and MPF are defined benefit schemes which are externally managed and contracted out of the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme. Contributions to the schemes are charged to the income and expenditure account so as to spread the cost of pensions over employees’ working lives with the School in such a way that the pension cost is a substantially level percentage of current and future pensionable payroll. The MPF contributions are determined by independent, qualified actuaries on the basis of triennial valuations using the projected unit method. The TPS contributions are set as a matter of national government pay policy following regular reviews. The pension scheme assets are measured at fair value and liabilities are measured on an actuarial basis using the projected unit method and discounted at a rate equivalent to the current rate of return on a high quality corporate bond of equivalent currency and term to the scheme liabilities. The resulting defined benefit asset or liability is presented separately after other net assets on the face of the balance sheet.

The TPP was entered as a workplace scheme as a replacement to the Prudential stakeholder pension on 15 April, 2014 in order to reduce employees’ pension management costs and to facilitate compliance with the auto-enrolment regulations. Both are defined contribution schemes for employees. The annual contributions payable are charged to the statement of financial activities. Differences between contributions payable in the year and contributions actually paid are shown as either accruals or prepayments in the balance sheet.

29

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)

1.12 FUND ACCOUNTING

Unrestricted funds, which have not been designated for other purposes, are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in the furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.

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.

Endowment funds are retained on trust for the benefit of the charity as a capital fund.

Donations received forthe general purposes of the School are credited to unrestricted funds. Donations subject to specific wishes of the donors are carried to relevant restricted funds or to endowment funds, where the amount is required to be held as permanent capital.

• 1.13 GOVERNANCE COSTS

These comprise costs for the running of the charity itself as an organisation.

• 1.14 FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised costs using the effective interest method.

VOLUNTARY INCOME

VOLUNTARY INCOME
	Unrestricted funds	Restricted funds	Total 2023	Total 2022
	£	£	£	£
Donations
General donations	225,610	46,756	272,366	127,834
Legacies	14,000	-	14,000	-
	239,610	46,756	286,366	127,834

Included in donations of £127,834 for 2022 is an amount of £69,811 which is restricted.

3:

SCHOOL FEES	2023	2022
	£	£
The school’s fee income comprised:
Gross fees	11,357,471	10,852,922
Less bursaries, scholarships and discounts	(1,070,274)	(1,063,970)
	10,287,197	9,788,952

30

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

4. OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES

OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES
	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total	Total
	funds	funds	2023	2022
	£	£	£	£
School shop commission	12,582	-	12,582	13,300
Hire of facilities	64,708	-	64,708	40,570
Fundraising events	-	15,539	15,539	25,495
	77,290	15,539	92,829	79,365

Included in fundraising evets of £9,766 for 2022 is an amount of £7,929 which is restricted.

5.	INVESTMENT INCOME	Unrestricted	Restricted	Endowment
		funds	funds	funds	2023	2022
		£	£	£	£	£
	Dividends	173,722	3,791	-	177,513	129,615
	Bank interest	43,786	-	-	43,786	21,640
	Common Investments Fund shares	-	-	894	894	888
	Rental income (including recharges)	68,892	-	-	68,892	52,907
		286,400	3,791	894	291,085	205,050
	For the year ended 31 August 2022
		£	£	£		£
	Dividends	127,412	2,203	-		129,615
	Bank interest	21,640	-	-		21,640
	Common Investments Fund shares		-	888		888
	Rental income (including recharges)	52,907	-	-		52,907
		201,959	2,203	866		205,050
6.	EXPENDITURE ON RAISING FUNDS				2023	2022
					£	£
	Publicity and marketing				80,209	89,116
	Staff costs				136,798	-
	Pundratsing Investment management costs				41,717 39,789	21,791 37,594
					298,513	148,501

1. EXPENDITURE ON RAISING FUNDS

31

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued

7. EXPENDITURE ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

	Staff		Other	Support	Total	Total
	costs	Depreciation	costs	costs	2023	2022
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Charitable expenditure
Grants awards and prizes	-	-	5,323	-	5,323	4,428
Teaching costs	6,899,975	247,157	737,414	584,111	8,468,657	7,956,368
Welfare	45,269	10,134	806,204	66,000	927,607	915,424
Premises	620,456	189,646	945,305	134,085	1,889,492	1,708,773
Activity courses	-	-	8,439	-	8,439	67,100
School trips	-	-	374,919	-	374,919	230,866
Total	7,565, 700	446,937	2,877,604	784,196	11,674,437	10,882,959
For the year ended 31 August 2022
Grants awards and prizes	-	-	4,428	-		4,428
Teaching costs	6,501,171	251,263	562,287	641,647		7,956,368
Welfare	52,205	6,194	783,271	73,754		915,424
Premises	570,864	140,436	855,741	141,732		1,708,773
Activity courses	-	-	60,662	6,438		67,100
School trips	-	-	230,255	-		230,866-
Total	6,431,473	397,893	2,497,255	863,571		10,882,959

1. ALLOCATION OF SUPPORT COSTS

The Charity apportions its support costs as shown in the table below. Support costs are allocated ona basis consistent with the use of the resources.

	Teaching	Welfare	Premises	Activity courses	Activity courses	Total 2023	Total 2022
	£	£	£	£		£	£
Staff costs	360,780	40,765	82,818		-	484,363	571,243
Depreciation	-	3,940	-	-		3,940	7,128
Office costs	142,934	12,212	32,812		-	187,958	195,938
Recruitment, hospitality
and presentations	19,200	2,169	4,407		-	25,776	14,130
Subscriptions and affiliations	13,153	1,486	3,019		-	17,658	11,294
Bank charges	4,128	466	948		-	5,542	6,236
Governance costs	43,916	4,962	10,081		-	58,959	57,602
	584,111	66,000	134,085		-	784,196	863,571

32

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

1. ALLOCATION OF SUPPORT COSTS (continued)

For the year ended 31 August2022	For the year ended 31 August2022			Activity	Total
	Teaching	Welfare	Premises	courses	2022
	£	£	£	£	£
Staff costs	458,814	52,374	99,515	5,319	571,243
Depreciation	3,028	-	3,600	-	7,128
Office costs	142,706	16,290	30,952	1,653	195,938
Recruitment, hospitality
and presentations	5,251	599	1,139	61	14,130
Subscriptions and affiliations	6,519	744	1,414	76	11,294
Bank charges	5,432	620	1,178	63	6,236
Governance costs	47,096	5,376	10,215	546	57,602
	668,845	76,003	148,013	7,718	863,571

9.	STAFF COSTS	2023	2022
		£	£
	Wages and salaries	6,503,218	6,084,884
	Social security costs	648,287	608,759
	Pension contribution	1,018,658	987,095
	Apprenticeship levy	16,698	14,745
		8,186,861	7,695,483

The directors have received no remuneration during the year or the previous year. The average number of full time equivalent employees in the period, excluding directors, was:

	2023	2022
	No.	No.
Teaching	79	TT
Teaching support	14	12
Technical support	4	7
Estates support	21	22
Administration and marketing	15	15
Early years	30	31
Welfare	1	1
	167	165

33

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

9. STAFF COSTS (continued)

STAFF COSTS (continued)
The number of higher paid employees was:	2023 No.	2022 No.
£60,001 - £70,000	1	2
£70,001 - £80,000	2	1
£80,001 - £90,000	1	1
£90,001 - £100,000	-	1
£100,001 - £110,000	2	-
£130,000 - £140,000	1	1
	6	6

The key management personnel of the charity comprise the Headmaster, the Head of Prep, Bursar and three Deputy Heads (2 Seniors, 1 Prep) and their employee benefits total £716,749 (2022 : £694,900).

34

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

1. COMP ARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

		Unrestricted	Restricted	Endowment	Endowment	Total
		funds	funds	funds		2022
	Note	£	£	£		£
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM
Donations and Legacies	2	58,023	69,811	-		127,834
Fees receivable	3	9,788,952	-	-		9,788,952
Catering income		660,731	-	-		660,731
Sports courses		91,212	-	-		91,212
School trips		234,670	-	-		234,670
Other income		272,688	-	-		272,688
Other trading activities	4	53,870	25,495	-		79,365
Investment income	5	201,959	2,203	888		205,050
Other income		93,996	-	-		93,996
Total		11,456,101	97,509	888	11,554,498
EXPENDITURE ON
Raising funds	6	148,501	-	-		148,501
Charitable activities
Grants awards and prizes		4,428	-	-		4,428
Teaching costs		7,936,458	19,910	-		7,956,368
Catering and welfare		915,424	-	-		915,424
Premises		1,708,773	-	-		1,708,773
Sports courses		67,100	-	-		67,100
School trips		230,866	-	-		230,866
Total	7	11,011,550	19,910	-	11,031,460
Net income before gains/(losses)		444,551	77,599	888		523,038
Net gains on investments		(728,572)	-	(2,409)		(730,981)
Netincome		(284,021)	77,599	(1,521)		(207,943)

35

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

1. COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (continued)

----- Start of picture text -----
||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Unrestricted|Restricted|Endowment|Total| |funds|funds|funds|2022| |£|£|£| |Net|income|brought|forward|(284,021)|77,599|(1,521)|(207,943)| |Transfer|between|funds|33,325|(35,840)|2,515|-| |(250,696)|41,759|994|(207,943)| |Gains|on|revaluation|of| |fixed|assets|986,424|-|-|986,424| |Actuarial|gains|on|defined| |benefit|pension|scheme|369,000|-|-|369,000| |Net movement|in|funds|1,104,|728|41,759|994|1,147,481| |RECONCILIATION|OF|FUNDS| |Total|funds|brought|forward|18,597,922|95,932|30,590|18,724,444| |TOTAL|FUNDS|CARRIED|FORWARD|19,702,650|137,691|31,584|19,871,925| |11.|NET|INCOME(EXPENDITURE)|2023|2022| |£|£| |Resources|expended|include| |Operating|lease|payments|5,487|5,665| |Auditors|remuneration:|for|audit|services|11,000|10,000| |for|accountancy|services|3,970|3,200| |Directors’|liability|insurance|9,323|8,134| |Depreciation|of owned|fixed|assets|446,937|408,621|

----- End of picture text -----

36

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

12. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

				Furniture
	Land and _	Assets	under	and	Motor
	Buildings	Construction		equipment	vehicles		Total
	£	£		£	£		£
Group
At 1 September 2022	11,256,844	818,156		3,041,244	211,265		15,327,509
Additions Transfers	- 833,875	136,191 (954,347)		214,578 120,472	34,879 -	-	385,648
Disposals	-		-	-	-		-
At 31 August 2023	12,090,719		-	3,376,294	246,144		15,713,157
Depreciation
At 1 September 2022	-		-	2,310,089	163,309		2,473,398
Charge forperiod	166,705		-	253,352	26,880		446,937
Disposals	-		-	-	-		-
At 31 August 2023	166,705		-	2,563,441	190,189		2,920,335
Net book value
At 31 August 2023	11,924,014		-	812,853	55,955		12,792,822
At 31 August 2022	11,256,844	818,156		731,155	69,743		11,422,373
Company
At 1 September 2022	11,059,844	818,156		3,003,977	211,265		15,093,242
Additions Transfers	- 833,875	136,191 (954,347)		214,578 120,472	34,879 -		385,648 -
Disposals	-		-	-	-		-
At 31 August 2023	11,893,719		-	3,339,027	246,144		15,478,890
Depreciation
At 1 September 2022	-		-	2,272,822	163,309		2,436,131
Charge forperiod	162,765		-	253,352	26,880		442,997
Disposals	-		=	-	-		-
At 31 August 2023	162,765		-	2,526,174	190,189		2,879,128
Net book value
At 31 August 2023	11,730,954		-	812,853	55,955		12,599,762
At31August2022	11,059,844	818,156		731,155	47,956		12,657,111

At 31 August 2022 land and buildings included £12,075,000 at valuations made in August 2022, which were professionally valued by CBRE ona fair value basis, in accordance with guidelines issued by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Land and buildings includes land amounting to £3,886,940 which is not depreciated. This asset is used for direct charitable purposes.

37

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

13.	FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS	2023	2022
		£	£
	Group
	Market value at 1 September 2022	5,808, 533	6,360,375
	Additions at cost	2,427,205	816,968
	Disposals at opening market value	(1,172,276)	(324,599)
	Revaluation changes	(173,635)	(755,332)
	(Decrease) in deposits	204,483	11,121
	Market value at 31 August 2023	7,094,310	5,808,533
	Historical cost at 31 August 2023	6,670,813	5,200,488
	The investments comprise:	2023	2022
		£	£
	UK Government stocks	442,250	226,782
	UK equities and funds	2,448,176	1,845,999
	Overseas equities and funds	3366,902	3,107,298
	Common Investment Funds	30,968	31,583
	Cash awaiting investment	297,232	92,749
	Investment property in Nantwich	462,842	455,154
	Solar panels	45,940	48,968
		7,094,310	5,808,533
	Company	2023 £	2022 £
	Market value at 1 September 2022	31,585	33,105
	Revaluation changes	(615)	(1,520)
	Market value at 31 August 2023	30,968	31,585
	Historical cost at 31 August 2023	12,365	12,366
	The investments comprise:	2023	2022
		£	£
	Common Investment Fund shares	30,966	31,583
	Investment in subsidiary company - see note 20(a)	2	2
		30,968	31,585

Shares in the Common Investment Fund have been valued by reference to prices quoted by the Fund Managers.

The investment property was revalued by Smith & Sons (property consultants) on 12!" December 2012 in accordance with guidelines issued by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors at £330,000.

38

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022 (continued)

14.	DEBTORS		2023		2022
		Group	Company	Group		Company
		£	£	£		£
	Fees receivable	234,288	234,288	140,665		140,665
	Other debtors	484,488	470,488	86,733		84,708
	Prepayments and accrued income	219,296	219,296	207,278		207,278
	Amounts duefrom subsidiary undertakings	-	398,326	-		518,317
	Tax recoverable	11,478	-	12,375		-
		949,550	1,322,398	447,051		950,968

15.	CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE		2023		2022
	WITHIN ONE YEAR	Group	Company	Group		Company
		£	£	£		£
	Fee payments in advance	1,827,625	1,827,625	1,825,501		1,825,501
	Trade creditors	437,627	437,627	445,260		445,260
	Other taxation and social security	164,015	164,015	166,779		166,779
	Other creditors	789,149	789,149	692,600		692,600
	Accruals and deferred income	102,629	84,551	83,468		72,275
		3,321,045	3,302,967	3,213,608		3,202,415

16. ANALYSIS OF MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

	Balance at			Gains	Balance at
	1 September			Losses and	31 August
	2022	Income	Expenditure	transfers	2023
	£	£	£	£	£
Unrestricted funds
General funds	19,375,650	12,417,030	11,896,285	(171,746)	19,724,649
Pension deficit	327,000	-	11,000	550,000	866,000
	19,702,650	12,417,030	11,907,285	378,254	20,590,649
Restricted funds
Bursary funding	129,097	50,547	48,113	-	131,531
Restricted fundraising	8,594	15,539	16,658	-	7,475
Permanent endowment
Prize and Scholarship Funds	31,584	894	894	(615)	30,969
Totalfunds	19,871,925	12,484,010	11,972,950	377,639	20,760,624

Funds are transferred from restricted funds to unrestricted funds within the Group (School and Trust) when they are applied for the intended purposes (e.g. bursary funding, prizes or other grants).

39

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

16. ANALYSIS OF MOVEMENT IN FUNDS (Continued) Comparatives for the previous year

	Balance at			Gains	Balance at
	1 September			Losses and	31 August
	2021	Income	Expenditure	transfers	2022
	£	£	£	£	£
Unrestricted funds
General funds	18,592,922	11,456,101	(10,964,550)	291,177	19,375,650
Pension surplus (deficit)	5,000	-	(47,000)	369,000	327,000
	18,597,922	11,456,101	(11,011,550)	660,177	19,702,650
Restricted funds
Bursary funding	92,923	72,014	-	(35,840)	129,097
Restricted fundraising	3,009	25,495	(19,910)	-	8,594
Permanent endowment
Prize and Scholarship Funds	30,590	888	-	106	31,584
Totalfunds	18,724,444	11,554,498	(11,031,460)	624,443	19,871,925

1. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS

Group	Unrestricted	Restricted	Endowment
	funds	funds	funds	Total
	£	£	£	£
Tangible fixed assets	12,792,822	-	-	12,792,822
Investments	6,931,811	131,531	30,968	7,094,310
Cash and bank	2,371,512	7,475	-	2,378,987
Net current assets (liabilities)	(2,371,495)	-	-	(2,371,495)
Defined benefit pension asset	866,000	-	-	866,000
	20,590,650	139,006	30,968	20,760,624
Company	Unrestricted	Restricted	Endowment
	funds	funds	funds	Total
	£	£	£	£
Tangible fixed assets Investments	12,599,762 -	- -	- 30,968	12,599,762 30,968
Cashandbank	2,168,164	-	-	2,168,164
Net current assets (liabilities)	(1,980,569)	-	-	(1,980,569)
Defined benefit pension asset	866,000	-	-	866,000
	13,653,357	-	30,968	13,684,325

40

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

1. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS Comparatives for the previous year

Group	Unrestricted	Restricted	Endowment
	funds	funds	funds	Total
	£	£	£	£
Tangible fixed assets Investments	12,854,111 5,647,852	- 129,097	- 31,584	12,854,111 5,808,533
Cash and bank	3,640, 244	8,594	-	3,648,838
Net current assets (liabilities)	(2,766,557)	-	-	(2,766,557)
Defined benefit pension asset	327,000	-	-	327,000
	19,702,650	137,691	31,584	19,871,925
Company	Unrestricted	Restricted	Endowment
	funds	funds	funds	Total
	£	£	£	£
Tangible fixed assets	12,657,111	-	-	12,657,111
Investments		-	31,584	31,584
Cash and bank	3,450,099	-	-	3,450,099
Net current assets (liabilities)	(2,253,097)	1,650	-	(2,251,447)
Defined benefit pension asset	327,000	-	-	327,000
	14,181,113	1,650	31,584	14,214,347

1. PENSION COMMITMENTS

The School does not operate a pension for its employees but all employees have the opportunity to be part of either defined benefit schemes provided by approved bodies in the UK or the defined contribution workplace pension scheme — The People’s Pension (operated by B&CE Insurance Limited).

(a) Merseyside Pension Fund (MPF)

Birkenhead School is an admitted body of the Merseyside Pension Fund, the local government pension scheme. Members contribute varying rates between 5.8% and 6.8% of pensionable salary and the School contributes at set rates agreed between the scheme’s trustees and actuaries.

----- Start of picture text -----
This scheme is being accounted for under FRS102, as the projected unit actuarial cost method. Total
employer contributions amounted to £26,022 (2022: £27,910).
Membership numbers at 31 August 2023 2023 2022
Active 3 4
Deferred 2 2
Pensioners 19 19
Widow 6 5
----- End of picture text -----

41

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

18. PENSION COMMITMENTS (continued)

The actuarial assumptions underlying the assets and liabilities as at 31 August 2023 were:-	The actuarial assumptions underlying the assets and liabilities as at 31 August 2023 were:-
Assumptions	2023	2022
Rate of CPI inflation	2.8%	3.0%
Rate of salary increases	4.3%	4.5%
Rate of pension increases	2.9%	3.1%
Discount rate	5.6%	4.3%
TheassetsintheFundandexpectedrateofreturnwere:

	2023	2022
	£000’s	£000’s
Equities	1,666	1,358
Government bonds	483	797
Other bonds	150	297
Property Cash/liquidity	385 99	301 191
Other	879	727
Total market value of assets	3,662	3,671
Actuarial value of (liabilities)	(2,796)	(3,334)
Fundsurplus	866	337

42

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

1. PENSION COMMITMENTS (continued)

The amounts recognised in statement of financial activities are as follows:-

The amounts recognised in statement of financial activities are as follows:--
31	August	31 August
	2023	2022
	£000’s	£000’s
Current service cost	28	47
Net interest cost	(16)	(1)
Administration expenses	(1)	1
Total included in employee expenses	11	47
Changes in the present value of the defined benefit obligations are as follows:
Opening defined benefit obligation	3,334	4,115
Current/past service cost	28	47
Interest on pension liabilities	139	68
Members contributions	8	9
Actuarial (gains)losses on liabilities	(558)	(753)
Benefits/transfers paid	(155)	(152)
Benefit obligations at end of year	2,796	3,334
Changes in the fair value of plan assets are as follows:-
	2023	2022
	£000’s	£000’s
Opening fair value of plan assets	3,671	4,120
Interest on pension plan assets	155	69
Remeasurements	(18)	(384)
Employer contributions	2	10
Members contributions	8	9
Benefits/transfers paid	(155)	(152)
Administration expenses	(1)	(1)
Fair value of plan assets at 31 August 2023	3,662	3,671
Statement ofrecognised gains and losses
Actuarialgains/(losses)recognisedintheSTRGL	539	369

43

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

1. PENSION COMMITMENTS (continued)

(b) Teachers’ Pension Scheme

The School participates in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (England and Wales), (TPS) for its teaching staff. This is a multi-employer defined benefits pension scheme and it is not possible or appropriate to identify the assets and liabilities of the Scheme which are attributable to the School. Accordingly, the School accounts for its contributions as if the TPS were a defined contribution scheme. The charge for the year to 31 August 2023 was £915,043 (2022 £856,298).

The latest actuarial valuation of the Scheme by the Government Actuary was issued on 5 March 2019 relating to the period to 31 March 2016

• The key elements of the valuation and subsequent consultation are: - employer contribution rates set at 23.68% of pensionable pay including a 0.08% employer administration charge.

• total scheme liabilities (pensions currently in payment and the estimated cost of future benefits) for service to the effective date £218,100 million, and notional assets (estimated future contributions together with the notional investments held at the valuation date) of £196,100 million giving a notional past service deficit of £22,000 million

• . the SCAPE rate, set by HMT, is used to determine the notional investment return. The current SCAPE rate is 2.4% above the rate of CPI. The assumed real rate of return is 2.4% in excess of prices and 2% in excess of earnings. The rate of real earnings growth is assumed to be 2.2%. The assumed nominal rate of return including earnings growth is 4.45%.

(c) Stakeholder pension scheme

The School started to operate a defined contributions pension scheme for employees in 2002 when The Merseyside Pension Fund was closed to new employees. Initially this provision was via the Prudential stakeholder pension scheme. On 15! April 2014, contributions were transferred to The People’s Pension, operated by B & CE Insurance Limited. This has a lower management fee and is compliant with autoenrolment pension regulations. The employers’ contribution rate has remained at a maximum of 5% with an exception for the Bursar at 12.5%.

The pension charge for the year to 31 August 2023 was £89,850 (2022: £78,081)

44

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

19. OTHER FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS

• (i) At 31 August 2023 the charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows

	2023 £	2022 £
Within one year	4,954	5,665
Between two and five years	18,576	-
	23,530	5,665

• (ii) The School has a (reviewable) commitment to partly fund the fees of a certain number of students who have been granted bursaries and scholarships during their school careers.

The Birkenhead School Foundation Trust has agreed to provide assistance to the School in respect of these fees both in this financial period and in future years.

20. CAPITAL COMMITMENTS

At 31 August 2023 the School had capital commitments amounting to ENil (2022 £207k)

21: SUBSIDIARY AND RELATED ENTITIES

(a) Novitas Services Limited

The Charity owns the whole of the issued share capital of Novitas Services Limited, a company registered in England and Wales. At 1 September 2009 the subsidiary ceased trading and its activities were absorbed by Birkenhead School.

A summary of the results of the subsidiary is shown on the following page, these expenses have been consolidated ona line by line basis in the SOFA.

45

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023

(continued

21. SUBSIDIARY AND RELATED ENTITIES (continued)

(a)	Novitas Services Limited	2023	2022
		£	£
	Turnover	a	4
	Cost of sales	2	=
	Gross profit	-	+
	Other income	“=	a
	Administrative expenses	(3,940)	(4,100)
	Surplus of revaluation	-	18,875
	Profit/(Loss)	(3,940)	14,775
	The aggregate of the assets, liabilities and funds was:	2023	2022
		£	£
	Assets	193,060	197,000
	Liabilities	(351,867)	(351,867)
		(158,807)	(154,867)
	Share capital	2	2
	Profit and loss account	(158,809)	(154,869)
		(158,507)	(154,867)

(b) Birkenhead School Foundation Trust — connected charity

The Birkenhead School Foundation Trust is a connected, but separately registered charitable trust (registration no. 1068650) established in 1998 with the object of applying its trust fund and income to assist the School further its charitable objects. It is under common control of the School.

A summary of the results for the Trust is shown below:

	2023 £	2022 £
Incoming resources	1,901,021	447,018
Resources expended	(306,615)	(279,264)
Losses (gains) on investments	(171,746)	(728,572)
Netmovementinfunds	1,422,660	(560,818)

46

BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023 (continued)

21. SUBSIDIARY AND RELATED ENTITIES (continued)

21.	SUBSIDIARY AND RELATED ENTITIES (continued)
(b)	Birkenhead School Foundation Trust — connected charity
	The aggregate of the assets, liabilities and funds was:	2023	2022
		£	£
	Assets Liabilities	7,299,646 (64,540)	5,990,089 (177,643)
		7,234, 106	5,812,446
	Unrestricted funds	7,096, 100	5,676,405
	Restricted funds	139,006	136,041
		7,235,106	5,812,446

(c) Birkenhead School

The deficit dealt with in the Statement of Financial Activities of the parent company was £530,021 (2022: Surplus £1,693,524).

22. CONTINGENT LIABILITY

On 5™ July 2018, Birkenhead School entered into a contract with Compass Contract Services (UK) Limited as the provider of catering and related services. The contract is for 10 years and may be terminated by either party on the first, third, fifth, or seventh anniversary of the Services Commencement date, being 15 August 2018. As part of the contract Compass Contract Services (UK) Limited provided capital investment into the catering facilities to the value of £350,000.

If the agreement is terminated by either party earlier than 31 July 2028 for whatever reason, Birkenhead School must pay the following, together with the value of any VAT chargeable thereon:

|fYer
Liability
£|||1 [ 2
201,429|164,286|[|
||3
127,143|[| 4
90,000|[| 5 |
| ae
60,000|6 |
30,000| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|

47