The Brilliant Club
Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 July 2022
Registered Limited Company: 07986971 Registered Charity: 1147771 (England and Wales), SC048774 (Scotland) Registered Office: 17th Floor, Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, SW1P 4QP
Contents
| Report of the Trustees ..................................................................................................................... |
10 |
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| Statement of Financial Activities .................................................................................................... |
46 |
| Balance Sheet .................................................................................................................................. |
48 |
| Cash Flow Statement ..................................................................................................................... |
49 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements ................................................................................................. |
50 |
| Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees and Members of The Brilliant Club ................... |
76 |
| Reference and Administrative Details .......................................................................................... |
84 |
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Welcome from our Chair of Trustees
Welcome from our Chair of Trustees
Welcome from our Chair of Trustees
Welcome to The Brilliant Club’s Trustees’ Report and Financial Statement for 2021/22.
It has been a big year for The Brilliant Club. We have mobilised 803 researchers to support 22,073 students in 1,067 schools across the UK, working alongside our 42 university partners. We’ve also worked with over 100 parents through our new Parent Power programme, 31 student ambassadors from our alumni community and launched two new programmes.
This year also marks the first year of delivering our Join the Club strategy, and, as I reflect on each of the numbers above, I am thankful for the incredible community that has supported the charity this year. My thanks go to every teacher, tutor, parent, university partner, funder and member of staff who has supported us to work with so many students and bring our strategy to life.
Our strategy is all about participation; and it has been a highlight for me as Chair of Trustees to see so many people participating in our programmes and communities this year.
We have delivered our Scholars Programme to 14,266 students across the UK; supporting them to build the knowledge, skills and confidence to access the most competitive universities. With 1 in 3 of the most advantaged 18-year-olds entering the most competitive universities compared to only 1 in 33 of the most disadvantaged , we know how important it is to support students from less advantaged backgrounds to access the life-changing opportunities that higher education can bring. For the sixth year running, an independent evaluation by UCAS has shown that The Scholars Programme makes a statistically significant difference to students progressing to competitive universities. We’ve also heard first hand from our ambassadors about the difference The Scholars Programme has made for them, with one ambassador, Mohamed, explaining: “The Brilliant Club were really crucial helping me understand what the university experience would be like and helping me build the confidence that I was academically capable”.
We also know that attainment remains the most significant barrier to young people from less advantaged background accessing the most competitive universities. There are persistent gaps in attainment between students from advantaged and less advantaged backgrounds – according to the Offce for Students, only 6% of students eligible for free school meals attained 11 or more higher grade GCSEs (grade C or above or grades 4-9), compared with 18% of those who are not eligible for free school meals.
In 2020/21, we launched our Brilliant Tutoring Programme in response to the disruption to learning and attainment caused by the pandemic. This year, we delivered the programme to 4,250 students, and we are using our learning from the programme to launch a new attainment-raising programme, called Make your Mark. The programme will be focused on English and Maths curriculum content and explicitly teaches students study strategies, which have been shown to improve academic achievement. This will form a core part of our work for the remainder of our strategy.
London Academy of Excellence Tottenham and six founding university partners, we created our Join the Dots programme. A Join the Dots coach supports students through the first six months of their undergraduate degree by building their academic skills, networks and sense of belonging to support their transition to university. Over 120 students and 35 schools signed up to participate in the pilot, which will be evaluated in 2023.
Regional disparities remain an ongoing challenge for educational equality. Half of pupils eligible for free school meals in Inner London progressed to higher education in 2021, compared to fewer than a fifth in the South East and South West of England (Department for Education, 2022). This year, we launched Parent Power, which brings together communities of parents and carers in a local area to identify and tackle education barriers. We had originally aimed to set up 3 Parent Power chapters in 2021/22. We are delighted that interest has been exceptionally high, and we launched a total of 8 Parent Power chapters this year. Parents are trained in community organising and use these skills to lead campaigns in response to the specific barriers in their local area. So far, we have parents in Knowsley campaigning to bring back A-level provision, parents in the Fenlands asking for improved public transport and parents in Cardiff seeking increased education around student finance. Each Parent Power is different and brings the opportunity to understand the educational barriers in an area and work with parents and carers to tackle these barriers head on.
Whilst I am proud of everything the charity has achieved in the past year, we know that the pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities and we, like many in the sector, must continue to work hard and collaborate to support students who are at risk of missing out because of factors completely beyond their control.
Over the course of our five-year strategy, we are aiming to work with 100,000 students on our Scholars Programme and 11,000 students on our student success programme .
These are ambitious goals and ones that can only be achieved with the ongoing support and commitment of our brilliant community. To those already working with us, thank you. To those interested in working with us, we would love to hear from you.
Dr Josephine Valentine OBE Chair of the Board of Trustees The Brilliant Club
Disadvantage doesn’t disappear when a student walks through the doors of their new university, and this year we expanded our mission to include student success. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are more at risk of dropping out of their course (Offce for Students) and are three times more likely to miss out on a 1st or 2:1 degree at university (HESA). We were approached by two school leaders who wanted to support students to make the all-important transition from school to university. In partnership with Reach Foundation,
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061 Our year in numbers
Our Year in Numbers
The Scholars Programme was first piloted in one school in London in 2011 with 19 students. As part of Join the Club, our five-year strategy for 2021-26, we will work with 100,000 students through our access programmes and 11,000 undergraduates through our success programmes. This year, we worked with 22,073 students across our different programmes and projects.
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321 154
in rural and in social
coastal mobility cold
areas spots
1,067
Number of
schools
141 3,416
4,250
14,266 on Uni Pathways, on one of our
on The Brilliant delivered by
on The Scholars Tutoring Researchers in Access and
Programme Programme Schools Success
teachers Projects
Total number of
students we’ve
worked with
22,073
8
42 803
Parent
Power 86% University PhD
Partners researchers
chapters
(In Fenland, Cardiff, of students on
Knowsley, East London, The Scholars
East Oxford and Banbury, Programme met
Mansfield, Peterborough, one or more of our
Oldham) targeting criteria
31 13
Ambassadors Experience
Experts
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Parent Power Chapter
Partner Schools
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AcfrY•y Report of the Trustees
Objectives and Activities
Objectives and Activities
Objectives and Activities
The Mission
We mobilise the PhD community to support students who are less advantaged to access the most competitive universities and succeed when they get there.
The Strategy:
Our 2021-26 strategy, Join the Club, is focused on two goals:
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Access Success
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We will work with 100,000 pupils over the next five years through our flagship Scholars Programme. For the first time, we will also support students on their university journey. We will work with 11,000 undergraduates to transition and succeed at university.
The Need
Graduates from the most competitive universities are more likely to access professional careers, have higher rates of life satisfaction and on average they will earn £10,000 more per year than their peers.
Sadly, access to these life changing opportunities is not equal:
The Education Policy Institute estimated in 2020 that at its current rate, the attainment gap between advantaged and less advantaged students will never close.
Disadvantaged university students are almost twice as likely to drop out of their undergraduate course in the first year and three times more likely to miss out on a 1st or a 2:1 degree. (Offce for Students)
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DISADVANTAGED
STUDENTS ARE
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MORE LIKELY TO MISS OUT ON A 1ST OR 2:1 GRADE AT UNIVERSITY 3x
In England, 1 in 3 of the most advantaged 18-year-olds enter the most competitive universities compared to only 1 in 33 of the most disadvantaged (UCAS Multiple Equality Measure).
In Scotland in 2021, 17% of young people from the most deprived areas in Scotland progressed to university compared to 48% of pupils from the least deprived areas (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation).
In Wales in 2021, 22% of young people from low participation areas progressed to university compared to 55% of pupils – from high participation areas (POLAR4 Participation of Local Areas).
In Northern Ireland in 2021, 24% of young people from low participation areas progressed to university compared to 58% of pupils from high participation areas (POLAR4 – Participation of Local Areas).
Targeting
We target our programmes at students who are least likely to access the most competitive universities, simply because of their background.
We work with teachers in our partner schools to ensure that the majority of students enrolled on our programmes, meet at leas ~~t~~ one of three target measures:
Educational measure of deprivation 1 (free school meals or equivalent)
No parental history of higher education in the UK
2
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3 Deprivation according to postcode
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We also ask teachers to consider other factors when selecting students for the programme. For example, there may be children who do not meet one of the criteria above but have experienced significant disruption to their learning, are care experienced learners, are young carers or have other factors that may affect their learning.
We tailor our targeting criteria to the different educational contexts we work in. We use different sets of indicators for eligibility for free school meals and deprivation according to postcode in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, to ensure we’re targeting our programmes effectively across the UK.
I loved seeing pupils engage with my topic and develop their understanding throughout the tutorials. I really enjoyed watching pupils progress and felt immensely proud reading their final assignments and seeing them discuss such complex topics with ease.
Scholars Programme tutor, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2021/22
Students from less advantaged backgrounds are 11 times more likely to miss out on accessing university. (UCAS Multiple Equality Measure).
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Objectives and Activities
Objectives and Activities
Our Programmes
The Scholars Programme
One of the barriers to young people from less advantaged backgrounds progressing to competitive university is self-efficacy – their belief that they can succeed in university learning. Less advantaged students may not have the knowledge or networks to know what university learning is like or how to access it. The Scholars Programme gives students aged 8-18 the opportunity to learn beyond the curriculum, so that they can build the knowledge, skills and confidence to apply to the most competitive universities.
Students take part in seven university-style tutorials delivered by a trained PhD tutor, over the course of one academic term. Students write a final assignment of 1,000-2,500 words, depending on their age group. A selection of these is published in our academic journal, The Scholar.
We also arrange university visits for students, to give them the opportunity to find out more about university learning and meet current undergraduates. During the Covid-19 pandemic, it was not possible to run these visits in person, and so the students engaged in online programme launch and graduation events. We were pleased to return to inperson visits this year, as well as continuing to offer online options.
In 2021/22, we delivered The Scholars Programme to 14,266 students. In 2022/23, we aim to offer the programme to 17,420 students.
Brilliant Tutoring Programme
The Brilliant Tutoring Programme boosts students’ confidence, knowledge, and skills in core subjects. Students engage in 15 hours of tutoring, delivered in small groups by a trained post graduate tutor. Our courses are designed in collaboration with curriculum experts and are aimed at raising the academic attainment of students whose learning has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Brilliant Club launched The Brilliant Tutoring Programme in 2020/21, as part of the government’s National Tutoring Programme, which was designed to support students whose learning was disrupted by Covid-19 school closures.
In 2021/22, we delivered The Brilliant Tutoring Programme to 4,250 students. In 2022/23, we aim to offer the programme to 3,500 students. We are using our learning from The Brilliant Tutoring Programme to inform the design and delivery of our new attainment raising programme, Make your Mark, which we will be piloting in the 22/23 academic year.
Studying with my tutor helped me to gain confidence not only just in biology but in all my schoolwork. I have learnt how to explain my ideas clearly and reach a judgement whilst also listening to those in my tutor group and everyone’s views in perspective. I really enjoyed learning in a small group as it created a fun environment and meant we could engage in group discussions about areas that interested us.
Brilliant Tutoring Programme Student, Key Stage 4, 2021/22
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Objectives and Activities
Objectives and Activities
Join the Dots
The first term of a student’s university journey is crucial. Students need to build a sense of belonging at their university, particularly those from less advantaged backgrounds who are almost twice as likely to drop out of their undergraduate course in the first year than their more advantaged peers.
In partnership with two schools and six founding university partners, we have developed a university transition programme, called Join the Dots, to support students from Results Day and through their first six months of university by connecting them with a coach who will support them through this transition. The programme is themed around the principles of three Cs:
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Connections : Connecting schools, colleges, universities and students to share knowledge and set goals for a successful transition to university.
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Communities : Building communities of students to identify, discuss and address shared challenges and foster a sense of belonging at university; and
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• Coaching : A PhD Coach supports students through academic coaching (1-1 and peer group) and provides a link for students between their school and their university’s support systems.
We will be piloting the programme for the first time in the 2022/23 academic year.
Parent Power
Parent Power creates networks of parent communities across the UK, each one facilitated by The Brilliant Club and an anchor institution. Parent Power is targeted at parents and carers who are unfamiliar with the university admissions system, including those who have not been to university themselves.
Parents receive community organising training and attend advice and guidance sessions on accessing higher education, so they are empowered to make change in their children’s future and ensure they have a fair chance at success in education and beyond. The model gathers interest from parents and carers, follows up with one-toone meetings with them, and then facilitates group meetings every six weeks led by a local Community Organiser trained in community organising by Citizens UK.
Parent Power was launched by King’s College London and Citizens UK in 2017. The Brilliant Club is now expanding Parent Power across the UK with support from Citizens UK and anchor institutions who share the charity’s commitment to listening to parents. Parent Power chapters are running in Fenland, Cardiff, East Oxford and Banbury, Oldham, Knowsley, Mansfield, East London and Peterborough.
None of our family have been to university. So basically university’s never really entered my head because it doesn’t ‘exist’ in my world. So being invited to be a part of Parent Power Fenland has opened up this subject area and now I feel I have a ‘partner’ in which to confidently explore this with support. I am not very pro-active and usually need to be lead so this has been an invaluable experience for us more than most, I would say, in coming from such an isolated position. I feel there is a path for us to follow now and we have been included in this ‘conversation’ now.”
Parent Leader from Fenland Parent Power, 2021/22
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Objectives and Activities
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Objectives and Activities
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Researchers in Schools
Researchers in Schools (RIS) is a unique route into classroom teaching tailored specifically to PhD graduates. The programme is delivered in partnership with the Department for Education and Initial Teacher Education (ITE) providers in England.
The programme is designed to support PhD graduates to become excellent classroom teachers and research leaders committed to closing the gap in attainment and university access.
We carefully considered where we fit within the education sector, in light of the significant changes to education funding priorities and the direction of our new five-year strategy. For these reasons, the 2021 Researchers in Schools (RIS) cohort was the final cohort recruited by the charity. We will support the 2021 RIS participants throughout their twoyear programme, which will run until the end of the 2022/23 academic year.
We are proud of the contribution we have made to support Researchers in Schools participants into classrooms since 2014. We believe we have made a positive impact to teacher recruitment, and that RIS participants have made a significant impact on the students they teach.
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Impact
Impact
Impact
We are committed to the robust evaluation of our programmes and maximising student outcomes. The long-term impact of our programmes is to increase the number of students from less advantaged backgrounds progressing to the most competitive universities and succeeding when they get there.
The Scholars Programme
This year, for the sixth year in a row, we have worked with the Universities and Admissions Service (UCAS) to independently evaluate the impact of The Scholars Programme on progression to higher education. We have shown that students who complete The Scholars Programme are statistically significantly more likely to apply to university and progress to a competitive university than students from similar backgrounds who do not take part in the programme.
This finding holds true for Scholars Programme students who are eligible for Pupil Premium, who had no parental history of Higher Education, and who lived in areas with higher levels of deprivation. This type of evidence is considered one of the most robust evaluation methods for understanding causal impact.
Year 12 students who complete The Scholars Programme are statistically significantly more likely to apple and progress to a competitive University than students from similar backgrounds.
Scholars Programme: Academic Achievement
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100 based on 8800 pupils with baseline and end of programme assignments
90
80
70 64
63 62
60 52 53 51
50
40
30
20
10
0
Written Subject Critical
Communication Knowledge Thinking
Baseline Final
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We use mark schemes to measure academic achievement on baseline and final assignments. These mark schemes were co-developed with an independent assessment researcher. In 2021/22, students have, on average, made between 11 and 12 marks progress in written communication, subject knowledge and critical thinking, which is equivalent to moving up one grade boundary.
Building on the evidence from a randomised controlled trial conducted by the University of Cambridge in 2020/21, which showed that students who take part in The Scholars Programme report significantly higher levels of academic self-efficacy for university-style learning, compared to students who do not take part in the programme, we have further refined how we measure university self-efficacy. We see that students make 5% progress on university selfefficacy from the beginning to the end of The Scholars Programme.
For every placement, we provide schools with an impact report on their students’ progress compared to national averages. This enables schools to understand the impact that the programme is having on the students in their schools and is often cited by schools as a valuable tool in understanding how students are engaging in learning beyond the curriculum.
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Applied to a Progressed to a
competitive competitive
University University
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In addition to evaluating our long-term access outcome, we also monitor the impact of our programmes on intermediate outcomes that are associated with academic achievement and progression to university. These outcomes include written communication, subject knowledge, critical thinking and university self-efficacy.
I thought that this was a great opportunity for me to extend my knowledge. The Scholars Programme helped me change my mindset positively and made me more confident as a person. Thank you.
Scholars Programme graduate, 2021/22, Key Stage 3, Barnet
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Impact
Impact
The Brilliant Tutoring Programme
On The Brilliant Tutoring Programme, students take part in a series of 15 tutorials and complete formative assessments, called Knowledge Checks, throughout the programme. To measure students’ journeys from start to finish, they complete a Knowledge Check at the beginning and the end of each module. Tutors use the results of these Knowledge Checks to inform their planning and delivery of future tutorials so they can focus on the areas where students need the most support. Knowledge Check 1 is the start of module assessment and Knowledge Check 2 is the end of module assessment. The progress made between the Knowledge Checks is shown below:
Researchers in Schools
Researchers in Schools participants deliver a programme called Uni Pathways in their schools, which is modelled on The Scholars Programme. For students who have completed both their baseline and final assignments on the Uni Pathways programme, we see a substantial increase in their written communication, subject knowledge and critical thinking.
88% of students who completed Uni Pathways agreed with the statement, ‘I know a lot about the differences between learning at school and learning at university’, which is an increase of 29% compared to before the programme.
Brilliant Tutoring Programme: Academic Achievement
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based on 1247 pupils with one or more Knowledge Check 1
100 and Knowledge Check 2
90
80
70 63 63
61
60 54
50
48
50
40
30
20
10
0
Module 1 Module 2 Module 3
Knowledge Check 1 Knowledge Check 2
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In addition to the progress made on the Knowledge Checks, 86% of students agreed that ‘my tutor has taught me new learning strategies that I can use to prepare for exams’. Alongside the quantitative data, we also have written testimonials from the students about the impact of the programme.
Uni Pathways: Academic Outcomes
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based on 43 pupils with both baseline and end of programme assignments
100
90
80
73
70 65
62 60
60 55
48 50 48
50
40
30
20
10
0
Written Subject Critical Problem
Communication Knowledge Thinking Set
Baseline Final
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We are developing our evaluation methods for our newer programmes, Parent Power and Join the Dots. Impact data for these new programmes will be available in 22/23, once we scale Parent Power and pilot Join the Dots.
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23 Report and Financial Statements 2022
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Capabilities
Capabilities
Capabilities
To deliver our programmes at the scale and impact we do, we must continually develop and strengthen our organisational capabilities.
Research and Impact
Our Research and Impact team is responsible for evaluating the charity’s programmes. This work is crucial to understanding how our programmes support students to access university and to succeed when they get there. Alongside this, we support universities and third sector organisations to evaluate their own access and success initiatives through our evaluation consultancy services.
The evaluation of our programmes includes both large-scale quantitative and in-depth qualitative analysis, producing over 1,000 impact reports a year for our school and university partners. We also commission external evaluations, such as quasiexperiments and randomised controlled trials, to independently examine the causal impact of the programmes on student outcomes.
This year, a key priority for the team has been to set up evaluations for the new programmes that have been developed as part of the Join the Club strategy. This involves evaluating our work with local communities through Parent Power, as well establishing evaluation protocols for Join the Dots and our new attainment-raising programme, Make your Mark.
There have also been significant external changes in the policy landscape over the past twelve months. The Office for Students, the regulatory body for higher education in England, has called upon universities to focus on evaluation and develop and share high-quality evidence. We offer a range of evaluation consultancy services to support institutions and third sector organisations to do this.
We are delivering a sector-wide research project that examines the intermediate outcomes and measures for student access and success. This project has been commissioned by the affiliated What Works Centre, Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO), and we are conducting this project in collaboration with researchers at the University of Cambridge. It is expected that the findings from this research project will shape how universities and third sector organisations measure outcomes in access and success going forward.
We are delighted to be working with researchers at The Brilliant Club and the University of Cambridge to help us deliver on our commitment to produce high quality evaluation guidance for use across the sector. One of our key aims at TASO is to upskill and provide resources for evaluators, to improve their ability to effectively measure widening participation and student access activities being undertaken at their institution. Developing a questionnaire that can be used to measure outcomes relevant to these activities is crucial to understanding what works in reducing inequality in HE. Bringing together the experience and expertise from both of these partners will bring this important piece of work to life and we are excited to see how the project develops.
Rain Sherlock, Evaluation Manager and project lead at TASO
External Affairs
Our External Affairs team leads the charity’s fundraising, marketing and public affairs, as well as bringing together our Friends of The Brilliant Club network.
Our funders play an important role in enabling the charity to keep programme contributions accessible for the schools we work with. As schools deal with rising costs, we are thankful to the funders who have supported us this year and enabled us to keep programme contributions at an affordable level for schools. Fundraising income also enables the charity to invest in new areas of work, such as our new student transition programme, Join the Dots, which we have used fundraised income to develop and pilot.
Our fundraising partners have supported the charity to work with 22,073 students this year, and we have ambitious plans to grow our reach in the year ahead. To support this growth and the development of new programmes, we need to raise £940,000 in 2022-23, increasing our target to over £1m annually from 2023-24 onwards. We would be pleased to speak with anyone interested in supporting students from less advantaged background to access and succeed at the most competitive universities.
We have also been working more closely with students and programme alumni, so that we can better represent their voices in our policy work. We have engaged students in consultations on the Augar Review of higher education funding and worked with the charity’s Experience Experts Panel, made up of students who participated in our programmes, to inform the design of our Join the Dots programme. We have increased the number and variety of voices we have featured in our marketing communications, including students, parents, tutors and staff, so that more experiences from across our community can be heard. If you took part in one of our programmes, we would love to hear from you.
One of the charity’s greatest assets is the strong community of friends who support us. We bring together our Friends of The Brilliant Club network three times a year to share what we’re working on, explore opportunities to work together and connect people with each other. This year, our events have focused on university transitions, the power of parents and carers, and The Brilliant Club community. If you would like to be part of our Friends of The Brilliant Club network, you can sign up here.
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Capabilities
Capabilities
Operations
Our Operations processes and culture are a key component of delivering our five-year strategy. To support the delivery of the first year of our strategy, we consulted with staff across the organisation and restructured our Programmes teams to allow for greater efficiency and increased specialism within teams. We engaged in a cross-organisational review of this to understand the benefits and challenges of the change and continue to review and seek feedback on this.
We have also invested time in understanding employee needs and preferences when it comes to our ways of working. As a UK-wide and inclusive charity, we want to make it easy for people to apply and work for us, from a range of backgrounds, needs and regions. We collected feedback from across the organisation, through a combination of workshops, surveys and structured interviews and have chosen a hybrid model of working for the charity. We will bring our entire staff base together in person three times per year, and we ask staff to spend at least three days a month in their local office connecting with colleagues.
Staff feedback remains a key priority for the organisation, and this year we implemented a new staff feedback tool, Culture Amp, which enables us to respond to staff feedback in real-time. We are also trialling new HR systems to improve efficiency and staff experience, which we will be further testing this academic year. We have continued to increase our training provision for all staff and line managers.
This year, we further automated our Finance systems, including the launch of a new tutor expense system designed to improve the user experience and increase efficiency.
We have also instigated a new Data Management project to evaluate how we can improve our automatic deletion processes and make our data work less manual.
In the year ahead, our focus will be on organisational benchmarking, new recruitment processes, and implementing new ways of working with increased remote working.
Technology
Our technology team manages the charity’s IT infrastructure, supporting staff and tutors to deliver our programmes nationally. Additionally, we have a development team that are responsible for our internal Customer Relationship Management system and external school-facing platform. These teams work together to make sure that we can support students across the UK to take part in our programmes in person, or digitally, depending on the needs of their schools.
Our IT infrastructure remains strong despite increases in cyber security threats, and we continue to roll out improvements to help manage our information security and mitigate risks.
We were delighted to receive funding in 2021 to develop a new platform for our schools and tutors. The development of our new mobile-first platform is a key turning point in providing a much-improved digital experience. The platform has been built with inclusivity in mind as we aim to better support students with device and connectivity issues.
The new platform was launched to a small group of schools in May 2022 and was well received. A full roll out across all schools Is planned for 2022/23.
Year 1 of our digital transformation strategy saw us focus on embedding a culture of user centricity across the charity. Research tools such as user feedback mechanisms, user journey mapping, and persona development, are increasingly being used to aid the design of our programmes. We also included tutors in the co-design of our new platform and to test a new tutor expenses system. Additionally, we enrolled a large cohort of staff on a 3-day agile and human centred design training programme to embed new ways of working across the charity.
In the coming year, we aim to focus on automation, as we look to improve the interoperability of our systems and empower colleagues to automate their work through automation software.
Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity and Inclusion is a key strategic priority in the new strategy that spans every team and every area of our work. Targets relating to diversity and inclusion are part of each team’s organisational targets for the year.
We have increased our staff time focused on diversity and inclusion and have now appointed two members of staff to work as Diversity and Inclusion leads part-time. They are supported by our Executive and Senior Leadership teams as well as several networks of active participants in our Diversity and Inclusion working groups. We continue to have a regular Diversity and Inclusion book club, which is chaired on rotation by our affinity groups.
We have four active employee affinity groups:
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REACH Network (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage Network)
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Spectrum Network, (LGBTQIA+ employees and allies)
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Working Parents and Carers Network
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• TAP (TBCers against the Patriarchy)
We have completed a review of all our policies in consultation with our working groups to ensure they reflect diversity and inclusion best practice. We have brought in external expertise to deliver Diversity and Inclusion training to staff. We are also hoping to launch a new affinity group for disabled staff and allies in 2022/23.
We have continued our work with The Black Curriculum to decolonise our predesigned courses for students on The Scholars Programme and to provide training for PhD tutors so that they can ensure the courses that they design are inclusive in their design and delivery.
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Join the Club Strategy
Governance
Join the Club Strategy – Year Two
Our Join the Club strategy is focused on two goals: access and success. By 2026, we want to support over 100,000 students to access the most competitive universities via our Scholars Programme and work with over 11,000 undergraduates to enhance their achievement through our university partnerships.
This report shows the progress we have made towards these goals in the first year of our strategy. So far, we have supported 14,266 students through The Scholars Programme and laid the foundations to grow the programme to 17,420 students in the 22/23 year. We have also codesigned our new student success programme, Join the Dots, which will be launching in 22/23 and then scaled throughout the strategy to support over 11,000 undergraduates by 2026.
As we enter the second year of our Join the Club strategy, we will pilot our new attainmentraising programme, Make your Mark, and continue to engage parent and carers by expanding Parent Power across the UK. We will also continue to develop and improve our evaluation and capabilities work, so that we can deliver our strategy and evaluate the impact we are making.
If you are interested in partnering with us on any element of our strategy, we would love to hear from you. You can contact us at hello@thebrilliantclub.org
Governance
Constitution
The Brilliant Club is a Registered Charity in England and Wales (No. 1147771) and Scotland (No. SC048774) and a Company Limited by Guarantee (No. 07986971).
Public Benefit Statement
The Directors of The Brilliant Club have considered the requirements of the Charity Commission with regards to public benefit. The sections of this report titled “Objectives and Activities” and “Achievements and Performance” set out The Brilliant Club’s objectives, report on the activity and successes in the year to 31 July 2022 and outline the plans for the 2022/23 financial year.
The Trustees have considered this matter and concluded that:
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The aims of the organisation continue to be charitable.
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The aims and the work done give identifiable benefits to the charitable sector and both directly and indirectly to individuals in need.
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The benefits are for the public; are not unreasonably restricted in any way and certainly not by ability to pay.
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There is no detriment or harm arising from the aims or activities.
The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives and planning future activities.
Board of Trustees
The charity is governed by a Board of Trustees that consists of nine professionals from a wide range of backgrounds including schools, university admissions and law and accountancy firms. Trustees are responsible for decision-making on long-term strategic direction and governance, meeting formally four times a year. The Trustees receive quarterly updates on day-to-day activities, including risk and financial performance, which informs their decisionmaking. There are two sub-committees: the Finance Committee and the People Committee.
The Finance Committee lead on the financial governance of the charity. It consists of two Trustees, each of whom bring relevant professional experience to the role. The Committee meets on a biannual basis in November and May and oversees budgeting, reporting, audit processes and risk. The Committee reports on detailed financial strategy, management accounts, cashflow, reserves and risk at each Board of Trustees meeting.
The People Committee, which meets three times a year, includes the Chair of Trustees, the Vice-Chair of Trustees and one other Trustee, with liaison with the Finance Committee. The Committee approves salary bands, senior staff salaries and benefit changes. The Committee also conducts performance reviews and professional development meetings with the CEO and sets the CEO salary.
New Trustees are appointed through a combination of targeted and open recruitment. They receive an induction with the Chair of Trustees, the CEO and the COO. The charity arranges training in line with new charity protocols and the Charity Governance Code, as needed.
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The Brilliant Club
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Risk Management
Governance
Management
Day-to-day running of the charity is managed by a four-person Executive Leadership Team, led by the CEO and the full list of key management personnel can be found on page 85. The charity has three Executives who report to the CEO; the Chief Programmes Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, and the Chief Strategy and Impact Officer.
Pay and Remuneration of Key Management
The salary of the CEO is set by the People Committee following an annual performance review. This review is also used to set targets and development objectives for the year ahead. The Board of Trustees approves organisational salary band changes and benefits, and any salary increase for employees who earn over £60,000. The Brilliant Club aims to be competitive in terms of salary, regularly completing a salary benchmarking exercise to ensure we attract excellent candidates.
Risk Management
The Board of Trustees implements an ongoing risk management strategy, covering a broad spectrum of risk including financial, reputational, operational, safeguarding and legal risk. The Finance Committee reports on the risk register at each Board of Trustees meeting. The Finance Committee meets biannually, and meetings are attended by the Trustees on the committee, the CEO, COO and Finance Director. The risk management strategy also includes an ongoing actions log, for which the COO is accountable, as well as an annual assessment of risk by the Board of Trustees. The annual review was completed by the Trustees in July 2022 with individual meetings with all Heads of Departments within the charity. Risks are rated according to impact and likelihood and the risk register is actively used to monitor, evaluate and resolve potential risks to the organisation.
The charity’s risks are outlined under the following four headings:
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Long term Financial Sustainability;
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IT, Data Protection and Business Continuity;
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Short-term Financial Risks and Fraud;
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Safeguarding.
Below we have provided a breakdown of the four risk categories and the mitigations that the
charity has put in place.
We identified six significant risks to the charity during the July 2022 annual review of risks. Four of the risks identified relate to the Short-Term Financial Risks and Fraud category and two relate to the IT, Data Protection and Business Continuity category. Mitigation steps have been undertaken and contingencies will be put in place if needed.
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Risk Management
Risk Management
1
Long term Financial Sustainability
All risks in this category are currently at an acceptable level. The mitigation steps for this risk category include:
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CEO, COO and CPCO hold monthly review meetings to oversee sales;
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• The charity has diversified its income streams and continues to seek new sources of revenue;
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The charity maintains sufficient reserves as per the reserves policy;
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The Finance Committee review sustainability and income levels at each subcommittee meeting;
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Developed programmatic options and a financial model for the new five-year strategy.
3
Short-term Financial Risks and Fraud
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Four risks have been identified as being significant in this category. The mitigation steps for this risk category include:
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The COO and Finance Director review income streams monthly;
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The COO and Finance Director review the cash flow forecast monthly;
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The Executive Leadership Team review the management accounts monthly;
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• The Board of Trustees review management accounts quarterly, with the Finance Committee completing a further review biannually;
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The charity maintains sufficient reserves as per the reserves policy;
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• The charity has a qualified accountant on the Board of Trustees and Finance Committee and employs two full time accountants;
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The charity has robust anti-fraud policies, training and systems in place.
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IT, Data Protection and Business Continuity
The risks in this category are significant. With an increase in cyberthreats within the sector, the charity runs the risk of data loss or security breaches. Business continuity could also be impacted by high staff turnover and recruitment timelines. The charity has identified two significant risks in this category. The mitigation steps for this risk category include:
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ISO 27001 accreditation and CyberEssentials certification;
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The charity has a business continuity plan, which outlines contingency steps needed should any risk occur;
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The charity has an internal IT Support team to help with data security;
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Two factor authentication on key accounts and systems;
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The charity platforms are penetration tested annually;
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The charity uses device management software that tracks the charity’s digital assets;
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Conducting key staff planning and external salary and benefits benchmarking review.
4
Safeguarding
All safeguarding risks are currently at an acceptable level, but the charity continues to monitor this risk closely so that it can work with schools and universities to fulfil its mission. The mitigation steps for this risk category include:
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The charity has a designated Trustee with responsibility for Safeguarding and internal Safeguarding Leads;
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The charity has robust policies and training for all staff and PhD tutors and has updated its Safeguarding Policy to take into account any additional risks;
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The charity has designed digital delivery of its key programmes with safeguarding built in;
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The charity completes an annual safeguarding review with a specialist safeguarding team at a law firm;
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Safeguarding is a standing item on the Board of Trustees agenda.
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Fundraising Statement
Financial Review
Fundraising Statement
The Brilliant Club is registered with the Fundraising Regulator and adheres to the Code of Fundraising Practice to deliver fundraising activity that is transparent and meets regulatory requirements.
Fundraising is led by the External Affairs Director, who reports on fundraising progress quarterly to the Board of Trustees. The charity’s Executive Leadership team attend regular Fundraising Governance meetings with the fundraising team. The External Affairs Director leads a team of fundraisers, including our Head of Philanthropy and Senior Fundraising Officer, both of whom are members of the Institute of Fundraising. Fundraising activity is supported by the External Affairs team and wider organisation. We offer training, guidance and briefings to staff to ensure compliance with the Code of Fundraising Practice.
The processes for prospect research, making enquiries and applications and accepting donations, are managed and undertaken by the charity’s fundraising team, in line with the charity’s Donations Policy, which is available on our website.
We do not employ any third parties to fundraise directly on the charity’s behalf. Fundraising approaches to individuals are made in line with GDPR and our Privacy Policy. Any approaches are made by employees or Trustees of the charity. In the year we had one commercial participator, donating a small percentage of new membership fees to The Brilliant Club as a one-off arrangement.
Safeguards are in place to ensure that all potential funders, including vulnerable people, are protected from unreasonable intrusion on their privacy, unreasonably persistent approaches or pressure to give. We do not canvas face to face, nor do we send out mass fundraising appeals via post.
The charity’s fundraising strategy is largely focused on trusts, foundations, corporates, and major gifts from individuals. We work with one Foundation which seeks donations from corporate and individual donors on our behalf.
We are registered with Just Giving, and with a text to donate service via Donr to enable us to receive donations from individuals. We promote opportunities to support on our website, through social media and in our community newsletter, which people opt in to receiving.
On our website, we invite those interested in supporting the charity to get in touch with our fundraising team and discuss their fundraising plans with us, whether they are fundraising via places we have secured in challenge events, or self-organising fundraising activity. We have a Volunteer Fundraiser Agreement available on the website which is designed to be a helpful guide for anyone who expresses an interest in voluntarily fundraising in aid of The Brilliant Club and describes what they can expect from the charity and our expectations of them.
Financial Review
The Brilliant Club had a strong financial year and posted a surplus of £1,046,000, which has enabled the charity to add to its reserves and designate funds to invest in new strategic areas of work in line with the new five-year strategy, Join the Club. The surplus will also support the charity to remain financially stable in the year ahead, where many of our key stakeholders, including schools and universities, are likely to be facing budget challenges linked to increased inflation and rising costs. This surplus was due to additional revenue from bespoke projects designed for our university partners, higher than anticipated interest in our new Parent Power programme, increased fundraising income and significant cost savings from virtual delivery of our programmes and remote working.
Our five-year strategy is focused on scaling up existing programmes and piloting new areas of work. In our first year of the strategy, we have launched two new programmes, Parent Power and Join the Dots, and we will be launching a third new programme, Make your Mark, in the 2022/23 academic year. In their pilot stages, designated funds will be used to develop these programmes, as we build our evidence base and reach economies of scale to run them sustainably. We have designated £900,000 of the 2021/22 surplus to support these new areas of growth.
As well as supporting our growth, our surplus supports us to mitigate the financial impact of the planned winding down of our Researchers in Schools programme, which will come to an end in 2022/23. We are carefully monitoring ongoing financial risks, including inflation and uncertainty around government-funded programmes, such as the National Tutoring Programme, to ensure the charity’s ongoing financial stability. We expect pressure on school and university budgets to increase in the coming years. The Scholars Programme and some of our new programmes will continue to require external funding support, to keep costs manageable for schools and universities. As such, we will continue to have a funding need to maintain our programmes.
We plan to draw down on our reserves over the coming years to ensure we can maintain and grow our other programmes, providing a high level of service on our university access and success programmes. Our designated funds will support us to pilot new areas of work, whilst the strength of our reserves provides the charity with security as we enter the planned winding down of the Researchers in Schools programme, enables us to mitigate risks associated with high inflation, and ensures we maintain the higher reserves requirement linked to our growth.
This combination of growth and stability is important as we enter the second year of our strategy and work to support more disadvantaged students than ever before to access and succeed at the most competitive universities.
We have not received any complaints about the charity’s fundraising activity. If we were to receive a complaint, this would be managed in line with our Complaints Procedure, which is available on our website. Our fundraising team are committed to continually reviewing our approach to fundraising and to staying up-to-date with the latest regulations and best practice.
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Financial Review
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Financial Review
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Income
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2022
Total Income
£7.5m
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2022 Total Income in £000's
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2021
Total Income
£8.3m
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2021 Total Income in £000's
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Donations and legacies £1,016k/13.57% Donations and legacies £432k/5.21%
Gift in Kind £147k/1.96% Gift in Kind £263k/3.17%
Charitable Activities £6,314k/84.3% Charitable Activities £7,599k/91.61%
Trading Activities £12k/0.17% Trading Activities £1k/0.01%
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Total income for the year was £7,489,732 (2021 - £8,294,679).
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Revenue without gift in kind was £7,342,610 (2021 - £8,031,750). The decrease in revenue is a result of the decrease in the Department for Education contract value for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 RIS cohorts and the decrease in the contract value with Randstad for the Brilliant Tutoring Programme.
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Of the total revenue, £5,530,910 (2021 – £4,695,485) was unrestricted revenue and £1,958,821 (2021 - £3,599,194) was restricted revenue.
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Financial Review
Financial Review
Total Expenditure in £000's
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Income Split by %
100.00%
80.00%
60.00%
40.00%
20.00%
0.00%
2022 2021
External sources - (2022 - 16.65% / 2021 - 9.05%)
Gift in Kind - (2022 - 1.96% / 2021 - 3.17% )
EEF funding - (2022 - 8.69% / 2021 - 20.90%)
DfE funding - (2022 - 12.6% / 2021 - 18.66%)
Unrestricted charitable activities - (2022 - 60.1% / 2021 - 48.22%)
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Revenue from Unrestricted Charitable Activities in £000's
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2,935 2,887
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000 692 523 597 407
500 153 183 124
0
0
Revenue from Revenue from Revenue from Student Success Communities
The Scholars Researchers in The Brilliant & Special Programme
Programme schools Tutoring Projects
Programme
2022 2021
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As part of its commitment to financial sustainability, The Brilliant Club has a number of income streams.
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Unrestricted charitable activities generated 60.1% (2021 – 48.22%) of the charity’s income, with The Scholars Programme continuing to account for the majority of unrestricted charitable activities, through sales to schools and university revenue.
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Department for Education funding for the Researchers in Schools Programme accounted for 12.6% (2021 – 18.66%) of total income and was the largest single source of revenue in 2021/22. The decrease in overall revenue is a result of decrease in the Department for Education contract value for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 cohorts.
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The funding for the National Tutoring Programme for The Brilliant Tutoring Programme, accounted for 8.69% (2021 – 20.9%) of revenue. This was the second largest single source of revenue in 2021/22. The overall decrease in revenue is a result of working with a smaller cohort of students.
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Revenue from external sources such as grants and donations accounted for 16.65% of income (2021 – 9.05%), which is in line with the charity’s financial targets.
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Gift in Kind support accounted for 1.96% (2021 – 3.17%).
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8,000 7,169
6,444
6,000
4,546
3,585 3,584
4,000
1,898
2,000
0
Unrestricted Restricted Total
(2022 - 71%/2021 - 50%) (2022 - 29%/2021 - 50%)
2022 2021
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Expenditure for the year was £6,443,738 (2021 - £7,168,671).
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Expenditure before gift in kind decreased in 2022 to £6,296,616 from £6,905,742 in 2021. This decrease was due to the decrease in the Department for Education contract value for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 cohorts and the smaller cohort of Brilliant Tutoring Programme students.
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• Unrestricted charitable activities accounted for £4,391,133 (2021 - £3,427,727) of total expenditure. The increase is linked to increased number of students that the charity worked with under The Scholars Programme and Student Success.
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The cost of raising funds accounted for £154,976 (2021 - £156,854).
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Restricted charitable activities accounted for £1,897,628 (2021 - £3,584,090) of total expenditure and the decrease in cost is linked to the decrease in the Department for Education contract value for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 cohorts and the smaller cohort of Brilliant Tutoring Programme pupils.
Cost Breakdown in £000's
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3500 3,208
2,915
3000
2,379
2500
2000 1,598
1,447
1500 1,007
1000 487
500 155 157 0 140 0 0 119
0
Fundraising The Scholars Researchers Brilliant Tutoring Student Communities… Other…
costs Programme in Schools Programme Success…
2022 2021
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Expenditure on fundraising costs accounted for 2.4% (2021 – 2.19%) of total costs and charitable activities accounted for 97.6% (2021 – 97.81%) of total costs.
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Expenditure on The Scholars Programme accounted for £3,207,592 (2021 - £2,915,399) which is 51% (2021 – 41.58%) of costs linked to charitable activities. The increase in cost is a result of working with a larger number of students in 2021/22.
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Expenditure on The Brilliant Tutoring Programme accounted for £1,447,459 (2021 – 2,378,816) which is 23.02% (2021 – 33.93%) of charitable activity cost. The decrease is linked to the smaller cohort of students worked with in 2021/22.
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Expenditure on Researchers in Schools accounted for £1,006,554 (2021 - £1,598,386) which is 16% (2021 – 22.8%) of charitable activities. The decrease in cost is a result of decrease in the Department for Education contract value for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 cohorts.
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Communities Programme costs accounted for 2.24% (2021 - £nil) of the costs linked to charitable activities.
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Student Success programme costs accounted for 7.74% (2021 - £nil)
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Financial Review
Objectives and Activities
Reserves Policy
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Reserves Breakdown in £000’s
Free reserves - (2022 - £1,552 / 2021 - £1,450) Fixed Asset reserves - (2022 - £17 / 2021 - £35) Restricted reserves - (2022 - £103 / 2021 - £42) Designated reserves - (2022 - £1,450 / 2021 - £550)
The Brilliant Club’s reserves policy is to maintain a sufficient level of reserves to enable operating activities to continue, taking account of potential risks and contingencies that may arise from time to time.
The Board of Trustees has set the charity’s reserves requirement as at least three but not more than four months of certain core costs. This corresponds to one school term, which is the basis of the charity’s invoicing cycle. According to this policy, the charity needs to ensure general reserves of approximately £1,261,000 - £1,682,000 at the end of the 2021/22 financial year.
The balance sheet shows total funds of £3,122,640 at 31st July 2022 (2021: £2,076,646), which includes:
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Free reserves of £1,552,458 (2021 - £1,449,816) which are in line with the charity’s reserves policy.
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Designated funds of £1,450,000 (2021 - £550,000).
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Restricted funds of £103,412 (2021 - £42,219).
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Fixed asset reserves of £16,771 (2021 - £34,611)
We anticipate posting a planned deficit in our 2022/23 financial year and utilising a portion of the designated reserves. This will maintain our reserves within our reserves policy and as such, we will have sufficient reserves to continue as a going concern.
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Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities
Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities
Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities
The Trustees (who are also directors of The Brilliant Club for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the income and expenditure of the charitable company for that period.
In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
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Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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Observe the methods and principles in 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);
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Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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State whether applicable United Kingdom Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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• Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.
Auditors
Buzzacott LLP were appointed as the auditors for the fifth year and a resolution for their reappointment will be submitted to the Finance Committee.
This report has been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice, ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities’, and in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small entities.
Dr Josephine Valentine OBE Chair of the Board of Trustees
Date: 20 December 2022
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Each of the Trustees confirms that:
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So far as the Trustee is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware; and
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the Trustee has taken all the steps that they ought to have taken as a Trustee in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charitable company’s auditor is aware of that information.
This confirmation is given and should be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of s418 of the Companies Act 2006.
The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
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Statement of Financial Activities, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement
Statement of Financial Activities
Statement of Financial Activities
Statement of Financial Activities
(Including the Income and Expenditure Account) For the Year Ended 31 July 2022
Statement of Financial Activities
(Including the Income and Expenditure Account) For the Year Ended 31 July 2021
| Notes | Unrestricted | Restricted | Total funds | Notes | Unrestricted | Restricted | Total funds | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | 2022 | funds | funds | 2021 | ||||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | ||||
| Income and endowment from | Income and endowment from | ||||||||
| Donations and legacies | 2A | 870,045 | 145,980 | 1,016,025 | Donations and legacies | 2A | 432,067 | - | 432,067 |
| Gift in Kind | 2B | 147,121 | - | 147,121 | Gift in Kind | 2B | 262,929 | - | 262,929 |
| Charitable activities | 3 | 4,501,099 | 1,812,841 | 6,313,940 | Charitable activities | 3 | 3,999,401 | 3,599,194 | 7,598,595 |
| Trading activities | 4 | 12,646 | - | 12,646 | Trading activities | 4 | 1,088 | - | 1,088 |
| Total income | 5,530,911 | 1,958,821 | 7,489,732 | Total income | 4,695,485 | 3,599,194 | 8,294,679 | ||
| Expenditure on | Expenditure on | ||||||||
| Raising funds | 5 | 154,976 | - | 154,976 | Raising funds | 5 | 156,854 | - | 156,854 |
| Charitable activities | 5 | 4,391,134 | 1,897,628 | 6,288,762 | Charitable activities | 5 | 3,427,727 | 3,584,090 | 7,011,817 |
| Total expenditure | 4,546,110 | 1,897,628 | 6,443,738 | Total expenditure | 3,584,581 | 3,584,090 | 7,168,671 | ||
| Net income | 984,801 | 61,193 | 1,045,994 | Net Income | 1,110,904 | 15,104 | 1,126,008 | ||
| Net movement in funds | 984,801 | 61,193 | 1,045,994 | Net movement in funds | 1,110,904 | 15,104 | 1,126,008 | ||
| Fund balances brought forward 1 August 2021 | 2,034,427 | 42,219 | 2,076,646 | Fund balances brought forward 1 August 2020 | 923,523 | 27,115 | 950,638 | ||
| Fund balances carried forward 31 July 2022 | 15/16 | 3,019,228 | 103,412 | 3,122,640 | Fund balances carried forward 31 July 2021 | 15/16 | 2,034,427 | 42,219 | 2,076,646 |
All income and expenditure is derived from continuing activities.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised during the year.
The notes on pages 50 to 75 form part of the financial statements.
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Balance Sheet
Cash Flow Statement
Balance Sheet
For the Year Ended 31 July 2022 (Company Number: 07986971)
| Notes | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | ||
| Fixed assets | |||
| Tangible fixed assets | 11 | 16,771 | 34,611 |
| Total fixed assets | 16,771 | 34,611 | |
| Current assets | |||
| Debtors | 12 | 811,440 | 1,034,631 |
| Cash at bank and in hand Total current assets |
2,741,462 3,552,902 |
1,470,846 2,505,477 |
|
| Liabilities | |||
| Creditors: amounts falling due within one year | 13 | (447,033) | (463,442) |
| Net current assets | 3,105,869 | 2,042,035 | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | 3,122,640 | 2,076,646 | |
| Total net assets | 3,122,640 | 2,076,646 | |
| Represented by | |||
| Designated funds | 16 | 1,450,000 | 550,000 |
| General funds | 16 | 1,569,228 | 1,484,427 |
| Total unrestricted funds | 3,019,228 | 2,034,427 | |
| Total restricted funds | 15 | 103,412 | 42,219 |
| Total | 3,122,640 | 2,076,646 |
Cash Flow Statement
For the Year Ended 31 July 2022
| Notes | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | ||
| Cash flow from operating activities | |||
| Cash generated from operations | 20 | 1,272,073 | 14,332 |
| Net cash flow from operating activities | 1,272,073 | 14,332 | |
| Cash flow from investing activities | |||
| Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets | 11 | (1,457) | (29,781) |
| Net cash flow from investing activities | (1,457) | (29,781) | |
| Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | 1,270,616 | (15,449) | |
| Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period | 1,470,846 | 1,486,295 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period | 2,741,462 | 1,470,846 |
The notes on pages 50 to 75 form part of the financial statements.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small entities.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on and signed on their behalf on 20[th] December 2022 by:
Dr Josephine Valentine OBE - Chair of the Board of Trustees The notes on pages 50 to 75 form part of these financial statements.
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Notes to the Financial statements
Notes to the Financial Statements
Notes to the Financial Statements
1. Accounting Policies
a) General information and basis of preparation
The Brilliant Club is a company limited by guarantee in the United Kingdom. The address of the registered office is given in the charity information on page 84 of these financial statements. The nature of the charity’s operations and principal activities are set out on pages 12 to 19.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Practice.
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity.
b) Going concern
The Trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern assumption is appropriate in preparing these financial statements. The Trustees have made this assessment in respect to a period of at least one year from the date of approval of these financial statements.
The Trustees have considered several factors in concluding that the adoption of the going concern basis in the preparation of these financial statements is appropriate.
These have included:
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the level of reserves held;
-
the expected level of income and expenditure for the 2022/23 financial year;
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cash management to mitigate potential risks of late payment by suppliers and funders and that restricted grants are being appropriately managed; and
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the impact of inflation on the charity.
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53 Report and Financial Statements 2022
Notes to the Financial Statements
Notes to the Financial Statements
c) Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty
Accounting estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under circumstances. The following judgements (apart from those involving estimates) have been made in the process of applying the above accounting policies that have had the most significant effect on amounts recognised in the financial statements:
The key areas where judgments and estimations have been applied in the financial statements are as follows:
-
Estimating the useful economic lives of tangible fixed assets for the purpose of determining the annual depreciation charge. The annual depreciation charge for tangible assets is sensitive to changes in the estimated useful economic lives and residual values of the assets. The useful economic lives and residual values are re-assessed annually. They are amended when necessary to reflect current estimates, based on technological advancement, future investments, economic utilisation and physical condition of the assets. See note 11 for the carrying amount of the plant and equipment and note 1.J for the useful economic lives for each class of assets.
-
Estimating the value to the charity of gifts in kind provided by third parties; and
-
Estimating the value of income to be recognised in respect of ongoing projects.
d) Legal status
The Brilliant Club is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each member in the event of a winding up is limited to £1.
e) Funds accounting
Restricted funds – these are funds which can only be used for specific restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Designated funds – these are funds which have been set aside by the Board of Trustees to be used for specific projects as outlined in the notes to the financial statements.
Unrestricted general funds – these are funds which can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the Trustees.
f) Income
All income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when the charity is legally entitled to the income after any performance conditions have been met, the amount can be measured reliably, and it is probable that the income will be received. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:
-
Donation income including core grants, sponsorship and donations is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable. Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.
-
Gift in kind - Where goods or services are provided to the charity as a donation that would normally be purchased from suppliers, this contribution is included in the financial statements as both income and expenditure at its estimated fair value based on the value of the contribution to the charity.
-
Income from charitable activities includes income from performance fees received under contract. Grant income included in this category provides funding to support performance activities, touring or education projects and is recognised where there is entitlement, certainty of receipt and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.
-
All trading income is represented by rental and investment income and is included in the accounts for the period it relates to.
g) Expenditure
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Expenditure is recognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties, it is probable that the settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. The irrecoverable element of VAT is included with the item of expense to which it relates. It is categorised under the following headings:
-
Costs of raising funds are those costs incurred in attracting donation income.
-
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
h) Support costs allocation
Support costs are those that assist the work of the charity but do not directly represent charitable activities and include office costs, governance costs, administrative and payroll costs. They are incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charity and include project management carried out at Headquarters. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly; others are apportioned on an appropriate basis, for example, time spent, per capita or floor area.
i) Taxation
The charitable company is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part II Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.
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Notes to the Financial Statements
j) Tangible fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost or valuation of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives as follows:
Computer equipment – 33% on cost
k) Debtors
Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid. Accrued income is measured at the amount due to be received.
l) Cash and cash equivalents
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term, highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
m) Creditors
Creditors are recognised when there is a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Other creditors and accruals are recognised at their settlement amount due.
n) 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.
o) Leases
Rentals payable and receivable under operating leases are charged to the SoFA on a straight-line basis over the period of the lease.
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57
Notes to the Financial Statements
Notes to the Financial Statements
2A. Income from Donations and Legacies
2A. Income from Donations and Legacies (continued)
2021-22
2020-21
| Grants Funding towards IT Developments Epic Foundation (Switzerland) AKO Foundation Astra Foundation Garfield Weston Foundation The Mohn Westlake Foundation Personio Foundation Epic Foundation France Epic Foundation UK Limited Inflexion Foundation Donations Kleinwort Hambros Handpicked Society BCS Consulting Other Restricted funds £ 145,980 - - - - - - - - - - - - - Unrestricted funds £ - 114,622 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 83,284 70,272 42,943 25,000 9,000 6,750 1,850 116,324 145,980 114,622 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 83,284 70,272 42,943 25,000 9,000 6,750 1,850 116,324 Total funds 2022 £ Total core grants and donations receivable 145,980 1,016,025 870,045 |
Grants Epic Foundation UK Limited Garfield Weston Foundation The Mohn Westlake Foundation Epic Foundation Inc Pavers Foundation Epic Foundation France HMRC Restricted funds £ -- - - - - - - Unrestricted funds £ 116,648 100,000 100,000 81,587 5,000 2,116 2,045 116,648 100,000 100,000 81,587 5,000 2,116 2,045 Total funds 2021 £ |
|---|---|
| Donations Kleinwort Hambros Handpicked Society Other - - - 2,250 1,091 21,330 2,250 1,091 21,330 2B. Income from Gift in Kind Total core grants and donations receivable - 432,067 432,067 |
| Unrestricted | Total funds | Unrestricted | Total funds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds 2022 | 2022 | funds 2021 | 2021 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Gift in Kind income | 147,121 | 147,121 | 262,929 | 262,929 |
| Total | 147,121 | 147,121 | 262,929 | 262,929 |
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59 Report and Financial Statements 2022
Notes to the Financial Statements
Notes to the Financial Statements
3. Income from Charitable Activities
2021-22
| General | Restricted | Total funds | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | 2022 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | |||
| Revenue | from | The Scholars Programme | 2,935,001 | - | 2,935,001 |
| Revenue | from | The Brilliant Tutoring Programme | 692,351 | 650,686 | 1,343,037 |
| Revenue | from | Researchers in Schools | 153,400 | 943,853 | 1,097,253 |
| Revenue | from | Student Success Programme | 70,288 | - | 70,288 |
| Revenue | from | Communities Programme | 123,544 | - | 123,544 |
| Revenue | from | Other Projects | 526,515 | - | 526,515 |
| Revenue | from | Fundraising | - | 218,302 | 218,302 |
| Total | 4,501,099 | 1,812,841 | 6,313,940 | ||
| 2020-21 | |||||
| General | Restricted | Total funds | |||
| funds | funds | 2021 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | |||
| Revenue | from | The Scholars Programme | 2,886,893 | - | 2,886,893 |
| Revenue | from | The Brilliant Tutoring Programme | 522,773 | 1,733,815 | 2,256,588 |
| Revenue Revenue |
from from |
Researchers in Schools Other Projects |
183,000 406,735 |
1,547,401 - |
1,730,401 406,735 |
| Revenue | from | Fundraising | - | 317,978 | 317,978 |
| Total | 3,999,401 | 3,599,194 | 7,598,595 |
4. Income from Trading Activities
| Unrestricted | Total funds | Unrestricted | Total funds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds 2022 | 2022 | funds 2021 | 2021 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Rental & investment income | 12,646 | 12,646 | 1,088 | 1,088 |
| Total | 12,646 | 12,646 | 1,088 | 1,088 |
5. Expenditure
2021-22
| Staff costs | Direct costs | Support costs | Total costs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (note 9) | (note 6) | 2022 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Raising funds | ||||
| Fundraising costs | 137,030 | - | 17,946 | 154,976 |
| The Scholars Programme | 2,553,770 | 327,185 | 326,637 | 3,207,592 |
| The Brilliant Tutoring Programme | 1,250,528 | 78,734 | 118,197 | 1,447,459 |
| Student Success & Special Projects | 413,914 | 15,422 | 57,181 | 486,517 |
| Communities Programme | 116,848 | 10,510 | 13,282 | 140,640 |
| Researchers in Schools | 671,102 | 152,372 | 183,080 | 1,006,554 |
| Total charitable activities | 5,006,162 | 584,223 | 698,377 | 6,288,762 |
| Total expenditure | 5,143,192 | 584,223 | 716,323 | 6,443,738 |
2020-21
| Staff costs | Direct costs | Support costs | Total costs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (note 9) | (note 6) | 2021 | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Raising funds | ||||
| Fundraising costs | 123,327 | - | 33,527 | 156,854 |
| Charitable activities: | ||||
| The Scholars Programme | 2,423,869 | 231,389 | 260,141 | 2,915,399 |
| The Brilliant Tutoring Programme | 1,710,628 | 373,351 | 294,837 | 2,378,816 |
| Researchers in Schools | 1,115,026 | 233,618 | 249,742 | 1,598,386 |
| Other Programme costs | - | - | 119,216 | 119,216 |
| Total charitable activities | 5,249,523 | 838,358 | 923,936 | 7,011,817 |
| Total expenditure | 5,372,850 | 838,358 | 957,463 | 7,168,671 |
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Notes to the Financial Statements
Notes to the Financial Statements
6. Support Costs
2021-22
----- Start of picture text -----
|||||
|---|---|---|---|
|Fundraising|Charitable|Total cost|
|costs|activities|2022|
|£|£|£|
|-|
|Governance (note 7)|34,658|34,658|
|Depreciation|490|17,858|18,348|
|Loss on disposal of fixed assets|-|949|949|
|Office costs|8,385|305,267|313,652|
|Other staff costs|2,216|89,973|92,189|
|Computer costs|1,917|69,777|71,694|
|Travel|-|10,184|10,184|
|Gift in Kind|800|146,321|147,121|
|Other|4,138|23,390|27,527|
|Total governance and support costs|17,946|698,377|716,323|
----- End of picture text -----
7. Governance Costs
----- Start of picture text -----
||||
|---|---|---|
|2022|2021|
|£|£|
|Auditor’s remuneration – for audit|13,440|12,600|
|Consultancy fees|3,545|33,665|
|Other professional fees|17,673|22,029|
|Total|34,658|68,294|
----- End of picture text -----
8. Trustees’ Remuneration and Benefits
None of the Trustees received any remuneration or other financial benefits during the year (2021: Nil).
During 2022, none of the Trustees (2021: Nil) were reimbursed (2021: Nil) for travel and accommodation costs in relation to charity meetings.
2020-21
----- Start of picture text -----
|||||
|---|---|---|---|
|Fundraising|Charitable|Total cost|
|costs|activities|2021|
|£|£|£|
|-|
|Governance (note 7)|68,294|68,294|
|Depreciation|815|14,721|15,536|
|Loss on disposal of fixed assets|-|209|209|
|Office costs|19,829|358,024|377,853|
|Other staff costs|2,964|92,792|95,756|
|Computer costs|6,242|112,701|118,943|
|Travel|-|741|741|
|Gift in Kind|-|262,929|262,929|
|Other|3,677|13,525|17,202|
|Total governance and support costs|33,527|923,936|957,463|
----- End of picture text -----
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Notes to the Financial Statements
Notes to the Financial Statements
9. Staff Costs and Key Management Personnel
| 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Numbers during the year were: | No. | No. |
| Average number of staff employed by the company | 101 | 102 |
| Average number of tutors employed by the company | 221 | 484 |
| Employee costs during the year were: | £ | £ |
| Salaries and wages | 4,553,530 | 4,795,381 |
| Employer’s NI | 385,598 | 375,475 |
| Employer’s pension | 204,064 | 201,994 |
| Total | 5,143,192 | 5,372,850 |
Tutors are part-time doctoral or postdoctoral researchers that deliver the programmes and are paid based on the living wage rate.
The following number of employees received employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) during the year between:
| 2022 No |
2021 No |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| £60,000 | - £69,999 | 3 | 2 |
| £70,000 | - £79,999 | - | 1 |
| £80,000 | - £89,999 | 1 | - |
| £90,000 | - £99,999 | 1 | 1 |
In 2021/22 the key management personnel of the charity comprised of the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Programmes and Communities Officer, the Chief Impact and Strategy Officer, the Finance Director, the Director of Access Programmes, the External Affairs Director and the Technology & Product Director (as listed on page 85 of the financial statements). The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £700,052 (2021 - £786,505).
10. Net Income for the Year
| 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| This is stated after charging | ||
| Auditor’s remuneration | ||
| For audit | 13,440 | 12,600 |
| Rental payments under operating leases | 204,346 | 275,763 |
| Depreciation | 18,348 | 15,536 |
| Loss on disposal of fixed assets | 949 | 209 |
11. Tangible Fixed Assets
| Office equipment | ||
|---|---|---|
| £ | ||
| Cost | ||
| As at 1 August 2021 | 70,840 | |
| Additions | 1,457 | |
| Disposals | (5,866) | |
| As at 31 July 2022 | 66,431 | |
| Depreciation | ||
| As at 1 August 2021 | 36,229 | |
| Charge for year | 18,348 | |
| Disposals | (4,917) | |
| As at 31 July 2022 | 49,660 | |
| Net book values at 31 July 2022 | 16,771 | |
| At 31 July 2021 | 34,611 |
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Notes to the Financial Statements
Notes to the Financial Statements
12. Debtors
| 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Trade debtors | 207,666 | 800,906 |
| Prepayments | 66,800 | 82,816 |
| Other debtors Accrued income Total |
4,273 532,701 811,440 |
6,991 143,918 1,034,631 |
13. Creditors
Creditors: Amounts Falling Due Within One Year
| 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Trade creditors | 97,580 | 121,554 |
| Accrued expenses | 99,384 | 75,832 |
| Deferred income (note 14) | 224,802 | 212,451 |
| Other payables | 25,267 | 53,605 |
| Total | 447,033 | 463,442 |
14. Deferred Income
| 2022 £ |
2021 £ |
|
|---|---|---|
| Balance at 1 August | 212,451 | 915,578 |
| Amount released to incoming resources | (195,951) | (883,078) |
| Amount deferred in year | 208,302 | 179,951 |
| Balance as at 31 July | 224,802 | 212,451 |
15. Restricted Funds
2021-22
| Balance | Income | Expenditure | Balance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 August 2021 | 31 July 2022 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Department for Education contract | - | 943,853 | (943,853) | - |
| Randstad | - | 650,685 | (650,685) | - |
| Funding towards IT Developments | - | 145,980 | (102,568) | 43,412 |
| AKO Foundation | - | 50,000 | (50,000) | - |
| The Portal Trust | - | 30,000 | - | 30,000 |
| Franklin Walding & Dr Rosie Gilbert | - | 25,000 | (25,000) | - |
| Allen & Overy (Belfast) | - | 20,000 | (10,000) | 10,000 |
| The Taylor Family Foundation | - | 20,000 | (20,000) | - |
| Kusuma Trust | - | 18,000 | (18,000) | - |
| Allen & Overy (London) | - | 10,000 | - | 10,000 |
| The Thomas Howell’s Education Fund for North Wales | - | 10,000 | (10,000) | - |
| The Waterloo Foundation | - | 10,000 | (10,000) | - |
| Westminster Foundation | - | 10,000 | - | 10,000 |
| The Siôn Mullane Foundation | - | 4,000 | (4,000) | - |
| The Hugh Fraser Foundation | - | 3,000 | (3,000) | - |
| GMSP Foundation | - | 1,728 | (1,728) | - |
| Funding towards The Scholars Programme in Bristol | - | 5,501 | (5,501) | - |
| University of Oxford, Christ Church College | - | 1,073 | (1,073) | - |
| Man Group Plc Charitable Trust | 37,500 | - | (37,500) | - |
| Social Business Trust | 4,719 | - | (4,719) | - |
| Total | 42,219 | 1,958,820 | (1,897,627) | 103,412 |
The deferred income includes revenue that was invoiced in the 2021/22 financial year but pertains to partnerships for the 2022/23 financial year.
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Notes to the Financial Statements
Notes to the Financial Statements
15. Restricted Funds (continued)
2020-21
| Balance | Balance | Income | Expenditure | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 August 2020 | 31 July 2021 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Education Endowment Fund contract Department for Education contract |
- - |
1,733,815 1,547,401 |
(1,733,815) (1,547,401) |
- - |
| Nesta | - | 91,600 | (91,600) | - |
| Man Group plc Charitable Trust | - | 50,000 | (12,500) | 37,500 |
| The Dulverton Trust | - | 30,000 | (30,000) | - |
| AKO Foundation | 10,000 | 25,000 | (35,000) | - |
| Kusuma Trust | - | 21,000 | (21,000) | - |
| The Taylor Family Foundation | - | 20,000 | (20,000) | - |
| Social Business Trust | 7,115 | 18,828 | (21,224) | 4,719 |
| The Portal Trust | - | 18,550 | (18,550) | - |
| The Aldgate and Allhallows Foundation | - | 15,000 | (15,000) | - |
| The Waterloo Foundation | - | 15,000 | (15,000) | - |
| Allen & Overy (Belfast) | 10,000 | - | (10,000) | - |
| The Hugh Fraser Foundation | - | 8,000 | (8,000) | - |
| Bristol Masonic Benevolent Institution Lodge of Harmony 7127 |
2,000 2,000 |
(2,000) (2,000) |
- - |
|
| Funding towards The Scholars Programme in Bristol | - | 1,000 | (1,000) | - |
| Total | 27,115 | 3,599,194 | (3,584,090) | 42,219 |
15. Restricted Funds (continued)
Department for Education contract: This is the contract from the Department for Education, as part of which the charity delivers the Maths and Physics Chairs Programme. The funding is broken down into two main areas: general programme costs and salary uplift. The former includes operating costs and overheads for the programme; the latter includes a series of payments that are made to The Brilliant Club and then transferred to participants via their schools.
Randstad: This is the National Tutoring Programme contract with Randstad. This funding was to support the delivery of The Brilliant Tutoring Programme.
Funding Towards IT Developments: Funding supported the development of the charity’s Virtual Learning Environment. The funder wishes to remain anonymous.
AKO Foundation: AKO Foundation supported The Scholars Programme in East Anglia.
The Portal Trust: The Portal Trust supported delivery of The Scholars Programme in Inner London.
Frank Walding & Dr Rosie Gilbert: their gift supported our Student Success programmes.
Allen & Overy (Belfast): Allen & Overy (Belfast) supported The Scholars Programme in Northern Ireland.
The Taylor Family Foundation: The Taylor Family Foundation supported The Scholars Programme in London.
Kusuma Trust: Kusuma Trust supported The Scholars Programme in London.
Allen & Overy (London): Allen & Overy (London) supported The Scholars Programme in Hackney and Tower Hamlets.
The Thomas Howell’s Education Fund for North Wales: The Thomas Howell’s Education Fund for North Wales supported The Scholars Programme in North Wales.
The Waterloo Foundation: The Waterloo Foundation supported The Scholars Programme in Wales.
Westminster Foundation: Westminster Foundation supported The Scholars Programme in Westminster and around Chester.
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Notes to the Financial Statements
Notes to the Financial Statements
15. Restricted Funds (continued)
The Siôn Mullane Foundation: The Siôn Mullane Foundation supported The Scholars Programme in Cardiff, Newport and Powys.
Bristol Masonic Benevolent Institution: The Bristol Masonic Benevolent Institution supported The Scholars Programme in Bristol.
The Hugh Fraser Foundation: The Hugh Fraser Foundation supported The Scholars Programme in Scotland.
GMSP Foundation: The GMSP Foundation supported The Scholars Programme.
Funding towards The Scholars Programme in Bristol: This funding supported The Scholars Programme in Bristol. The funders wish to remain anonymous.
University of Oxford, Christ Church College: This funding supported the delivery of The Scholars Programme.
Man Group Plc Charitable Trust: The Man Charitable Trust supported the charity’s activities through funding towards the charity’s Research and Impact work.
Social Business Trust: Social Business Trust (SBT) supported The Brilliant Club as one of their chosen portfolio charities. They have provided funding to support our access and success projects, and secured pro-bono support from partners in their portfolio, including professional support from Bain & Company on strategy and operations.
Education Endowment Fund: This is the National Tutoring Programme contract with the Education Endowment Fund. This funding was to support the delivery of The Brilliant Tutoring Programme.
Nesta: Nesta’s Digital Development Grant for the National Tutoring Programme Tuition Partners supported the charity to develop and scale our digital tutoring provision as part of The Brilliant Tutoring Programme.
The Dulverton Trust: The Dulverton Trust supported The Scholars Programme in the South West of England.
The Aldgate and Allhallows Foundation: The Aldgate and Allhallows Foundation supported The Scholars Programme in primary schools in Tower Hamlets in London.
16. Unrestricted Funds
2021-22
| Balance | Income | Expenditure | Transfers | Balance | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 August 2021 £ |
£ | £ | £ | 31 July 2022 £ |
|||
| General funds | 1,484,427 | 4,630,911 | (4,546,110) | - | 1,569,228 | ||
| Designated funds | - | - | |||||
| Strategic Fund Total designated funds |
550,000 550,000 |
900,000 900,000 |
- | - - |
1,450,000 1,450,000 |
||
| Total unrestricted funds | 2,034,427 | 5,530,911 | (4,546,110) | - | 3,019,228 | ||
| The designated funds represent money set aside to meet the charity’s working capital | |||||||
| requirements as it implements | its new strategy for 2021-2026. The designated funds will be used to: | ||||||
| • • • |
Support the pilot stages of new work in Communities and Student Success programmes an Scale up our flagship access intervention, The Scholars Programme and; Increase our tutor stipend to ensure we are paying Living Wage in line with increased cost |
||||||
| living pressure. | |||||||
| 2020-21 | |||||||
| Balance 1 August 2020 |
Income | Expenditure | Transfers | Balance 31 July 2021 |
|||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| General funds | 923,523 | 4,145,485 | (3,584,581) | - | 1,484,427 | ||
| Designated funds | -- | ||||||
| Strategic Fund Total designated funds |
- - |
550,000 550,000 |
- - |
550,000 550,000 |
|||
| Total unrestricted funds | 923,523 | 4,695,485 | (3,584,581) | - | 2,034,427 |
The designated funds represent money set aside to meet the charity’s working capital requirements as it implements its new strategy for 2021-2026. The designated funds will be used to:
-
Support the pilot stages of new work in Communities and Student Success programmes and;
-
Increase our tutor stipend to ensure we are paying Living Wage in line with increased cost of living pressure.
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Notes to the Financial Statements
Notes to the Financial Statements
17. Allocation of Net Assets Between Funds
2021-22
The funds of the charity are represented by the following net assets:
| Unrestricted funds | Designated funds | Restricted funds | Total funds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Tangible fixed assets | 16,771 | - | - | 16,771 |
| Current assets | 1,999,490 | 1,450,000 | 103,412 | 3,552,902 |
| Current liabilities | (447,033) | - | - | (447,033) |
| 20-21 Total |
1,569,228 | 1,450,000 | 103,412 | 3,122,640 |
| Unrestricted funds | Designated funds | Restricted funds | Total funds | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Tangible fixed assets | 34,611 | - | - | 34,611 |
| Current assets | 1,913,258 | 550,000 | 42,219 | 2,505,477 |
| Current liabilities | (463,442) | - | - | (463,442) |
| Total | 1,484,427 | 550,000 | 42,219 | 2,076,646 |
2020-21
18. Leases
a) Operating Lease
The charity had total commitments under operating leases as follows:
| 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| Property | Property | |
| £ | £ | |
| Within one year | 174,538 | 192,991 |
| Between one and five years | 162,604 | 308,060 |
| Total | 337,142 | 501,051 |
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73 Report and Financial Statements 2022
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Notes to the Financial Statements
Notes to the Financial Statements
19. Related Party
Expense of £14,230 (2021 - £nil) and income of £62,702 (2021 - £37,471) was made to The University of Cambridge and its departments during the year to 31 July 2022 where a Trustee, John Munns, is a Director of Studies and a Trustee at Magdalene College, Cambridge, and the Director of Studies at Robinson College, Cambridge.
Income of £10,740 (2021 - £13,645) was received from Danes Educational Trust and its partner schools during the year to 31 July 2022 where a Trustee, Josephine Valentine is the CEO.
Income of £19,332 (2021 - £12,240) was received from partner schools belonging to the Middlesex Learning Trust during the year to 31 July 2022 where a Trustee, Josephine Valentine is a Trustee.
Income of £nil (2021 - £450) was received from Oak National Academy during the year to 31 July 2022 where an ex Trustee, Matthew Hood is the CEO.
20. Reconciliation of Net Income to Net Cash Flow from Operating Activities
| 2022 £ |
2021 £ |
|
|---|---|---|
| Net income for the reporting period | 1,045,994 | 1,126,008 |
| (as per the statement of financial activities) | ||
| Adjustments for: | ||
| Depreciation charges | 18,348 | 15,536 |
| Loss on disposal of tangible fixed assets | 949 | 209 |
| Decrease/(increase) in debtors | 223,191 | (507,391) |
| (Decrease) in creditors | (16,409) | (620,030) |
| Net cash provided by operating activities | 1,272,073 | 14,332 |
Income of £25,000 (2021 - £nil) was received as a grant from one of the trustees during the year to 31 July 2022.
No expense and no income amounts were outstanding at year end.
21. Analysis of Changes in Net Debt
2021-22
| At 1 August 2021 | Cash Flows | At 31 July 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Cash at bank and in hand | 1,470,846 | 1,270,616 | 2,741,462 |
| Total | 1,470,846 | 1,270,616 | 2,741,462 |
| 2020-21 | |||
| At 1 August 2020 | Cash Flows | At 31 July 2021 | |
| £ | £ | £ | |
| Cash at bank and in hand | 1,486,295 | (15,449) | 1,470,846 |
| Total | 1,486,295 | (15,449) | 1,470,846 |
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Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees and Members of The Brilliant Club
Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees and Members of The Brilliant Club
Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees and Members of The Brilliant Club
Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees and Members of The Brilliant Club
We have audited the financial statements of The Brilliant Club (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 July 2022 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the cash flow statement, and the notes to the financial statements including the principal accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion, the financial statements:
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give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 July 2022 and of its income and expenditure for the year then ended;
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have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
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have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and regulation 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
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 auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company 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’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
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 charitable company’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 trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. 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. In connection with our audit of the financial statements, 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 audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. 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.
Opinions on Other Matters Prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
-
the information given in the trustees’ report, which is also the directors’ report for the purposes of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
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the trustees’ report, which is also the directors’ report for the purposes of company law, has 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 charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees’ report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
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proper and adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
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the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
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certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
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we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
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the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in
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Independent Auditor’s Report to the Trustees and Members of The Brilliant Club
Matters on Which We Are Required to Report by Exception (continued)
preparing the trustees’ report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
Responsibilities of Trustees
As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, 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 concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern 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
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.
Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements (continued)
and regulation 8 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended), the Companies Act 2006), those legislative frameworks that relate to data protection (General Data Protection Regulation) and those in relation to safeguarding.
We assessed the susceptibility of the charitable company’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:
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making enquiries of management as to their knowledge of actual, suspected and alleged fraud; and
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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:
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performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships; and
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tested journal entries to identify unusual transactions; and
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assessed whether the judgements and the assumptions made in determining accounting estimates for the recognition of income and the valuation of gifts in kind were indicative of potential bias.
In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:
- reading the minutes of meetings of those charged with governance; and
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:
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:
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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;
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we obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that are applicable to the charitable company and determined that the most significant frameworks which are directly relevant to specific assertions in the financial statements are those that relate to the reporting framework (Statement of Recommended Practice Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing this accounts in accordance with the Financial reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005
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enquiring of management as to actual and potential litigation and claims.
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 trustees 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 for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.
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Notes to The Financial Statments
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Use of Our Report
This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and to the charity’s trustees as a body, in accordance with Section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and Regulation 10 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s 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 charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Catherine Biscoe (Senior Statutory Auditor)
For and on behalf of Buzzacott LLP, Statutory Auditor
130 Wood Street
London
EC2V 6DL
Date: 5 January 2023
Buzzacott LLP is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.
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Reference and Administrative Details
Key Management Personnel
Reference and Administrative Details
Trustees
Chief Executive Officer
Charity Registration Number Scottish Charity Registration Number Company Registration Number Registered Office
Auditor
Banker
Dr J A Valentine
J B Williams (Resigned 6th December 2021) J Timothy M Hood (Resigned 14th September 2021)
H N Chukwu C J Carter P Dhir Dr J M Munns F J Walding A Selage D J Herrington
Anne-Marie Canning MBE 1147771 SC048774 07986971 (England and Wales) 17th Floor, Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank London SW1P 4QP
Buzzacott LLP 130 Wood Street London, EC2V 6DL
HSBC Bank 17 Gerrard Street London, W1D 6HB
Key Management Personnel
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Operating Officer
Interim Chief Operating Officer
(Resigned 31st August 2022)
Chief Programmes and Communities Officer
(Appointed 15th September 2021 from National Programme Director, TSP)
Finance Director
Chief Impact & Strategy Officer
(Appointed 14th January 2022 from Research and Impact Director)
Director of Access Programmes Technology & Product Director External Affairs Director
Anne-Marie Canning MBE
Ciara Lynch Siobhan Haire
Susie Whigham
Angel-Ann D’Souza Dr Lauren Bellaera Leanne Adamson Nikki Labrum Sabrina Luisi
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Registered charity no: 1147771 (England and Wales) SC048774 (Scotland)
The Brilliant Club is a registered company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (no. 07986971)