Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service
Reference and Administrative Details
Trustees
Miss K Cohoon Mr D Foskett
Mrs A Gillespie (to 17th October 2024)
Reverend S Gillespie
Mr P McCole (to 17th October 2024)
Right Reverend P J McKinney Mrs J McQuillan Mrs L O'Brien
Secretary
Mrs J Sweeney (to 30th September 2024) Mrs S Buller (from 1st October 2024)
Charity Registration Number
1149466
Company Registration Number
07713392
The Charity is incorporated in England & Wales.
Registered Office
The Diocesan Centre Mornington Crescent Mackworth Derby Derbyshire DE22 4BD
Independent Examiner
Forrester Boyd Independent Examiners Waynflete House 139 Eastgate Louth Lincolnshire LN11 9QQ
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Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service
Trustees' Report
The Trustees, who are directors for the purposes of company law, present the annual report together with the financial statements and auditors' report of the charitable company for the year ended 31 August 2024.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charitable company's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and "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)" (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2016).
Objectives and activities
Objects and aims
The Charity is committed to challenging and supporting all of its schools to become good and outstanding providers of Catholic education in collaboration with the Catholic Multi-Academy Trusts established in September 2018.
To this end, the Charity is active in providing practical support and advice, as well as monitoring and inspection (canon 806 §1, Code of Canon Law), as to the Catholic Life, Collective Worship and teaching of Religious Education in the Catholic schools within the Diocese of Nottingham. This support and monitoring is provided to ensure that Christ is at the centre of every Catholic school in the Diocese, and that each member of the school communities, whether pupils, students, staff, governors or parents, has the frequent opportunity to encounter the person of the Risen Christ.
Further, 'those who are in charge of Catholic schools are to ensure under the watchfulness of the local Ordinary that the instruction which is given in them is, in its academic standards, at least as outstanding as that in other schools in the area' (canon 806 §2, Code of Canon Law). To this end, the Charity keeps an overview as to each element of the academic achievement of the pupils and students in the Catholic schools of the Diocese.
The Charity is particularly determined to play a pivotal role in supporting its schools serving the most disadvantaged communities of the Diocese in order to improve the life chances of pupils and students, and to raise the aspirations of - their families, so that young people have the opportunities they need to enable them to achieve their God given potential and to live life to the full.
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Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service
Trustees' Report
Strategies for achieving objectives
The Charity will contribute to the following key success factors in securing school improvement and raising standards:
• By continuing to promote our distinctive Catholic virtues and ethos in our home, school and parish communities, placing Christ at the centre of all we do
• By helping to articulate a clear educational vision that champions the ability of all children to achieve their potential and - has buy in at all levels in school and which is clearly underpinned by our Catholic faith
• By supporting the recruitment, retention and development of highly successful school leaders with a commitment to nurturing their own personal faith and professional development as leaders of Catholic communities
• By developing and supporting effective and robust governance arrangements at all levels
• By monitoring clearly defined aspirational and challenging targets and ensuring improvement in performance of all schools in collaboration with the Catholic Multi-Academy Trusts
- By establishing effective partnerships with key stakeholders
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charitable company should undertake.
Objectives, strategies and activities
Significant activities
The principal objects of the Charity are specifically restricted to such charitable purposes as the trustees in their absolute discretion, and under the direction of the Bishop of Nottingham (cf canon 806, Code of Canon Law) think fit including, but not limited to, the advancement of the mission of the Catholic Church through education and faith formation in the United Kingdom.
Public benefit
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
Social investment policies
The Charity aims to manage its cash balances to provide for the day to day working capital requirements of its operations, - whilst protecting the real long term value of any surplus cash balances against inflation.
The Charity aims to spend the monies with which it is entrusted for the direct benefit of its service users as soon as is prudent.
The Charity does not consider the investment of surplus funds as a primary activity, although ethical investments of surplus funds has been made during 2023-24.
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Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service
Trustees' Report
Strategic Report for the Year Ended 31 August 2024
The Trustees, who are directors for the purposes of company law, present their strategic report for the year ended 31 August 2024, in compliance with s414C of the Companies Act 2006.
Achievements and performance
Catholic School Inspection (CSI)
The Director of Education has responsibility, delegated from the Bishop of Nottingham (canon 806 §1, Code of Canon Law) for undertaking Catholic School Inspections. The inspection framework covers Catholic Life and mission of the school, the teaching of Religious Education and Collective Worship.
Religious Education Directory and Prayer and Liturgy Directory
The Charity has been working in partnership with schools on the successful implementation of both of these new documents.
Director/Governor Support
The Charity continues to support CMAT boards and local governing bodies on a range of matters by providing guidance and support where required. The Charity supports with recruitment of senior staff and to reserved posts, the appointment of foundation directors, governors, and advice on policies, admissions and appeals and staffing matters, among other things.
R.E. Adviser
Primary subject leaders for Religious Education attend termly meetings and training sessions. The RE Adviser also meets with secondary RE coordinators in each CMAT on a regular basis. The Charity continues to provide extensive training on the primary Religious Education curriculum, Come and See, and other training and formation for teachers in Catholic schools; this includes provision for RSE (relationships and sex education).
Headteachers' Conference, Headteachers' Retreat and Bishop's Day Conference
These three popular annual events (one each term) are always well received and allow the Charity to support headteachers and senior staff as well as other school leaders in reflecting on their mission as leaders of Catholic schools.
Lay Chaplaincy
In close collaboration with the Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Youth Service and the Director of Chaplaincy from the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, the Charity provides practical support and resources for the growing network of Lay Chaplains within the diocesan schools. Underpinning this are regular meetings for the CMAT Lead Lay Chaplains, hosted by the Charity, a number of annual inset days, and an annual retreat.
Chapel of Blessed Carlo Acutis
The Resources Centre and Bookshop has now been converted to a Chapel. The Chapel of Blessed Carlo Acutis was solemnly blessed by Bishop Patrick McKinney on 12 October 2023. This beautiful space now provides our staff and visitors with an opportunity for prayer and reflection.
Other Meetings
The Director of Education or other designated NRCDES officers, attend a range of meetings with a number of organisations including the DfE, the CES and other dioceses.
School Standards
This continues to be an important area of the Charity's work but is now undertaken in collaboration with the Catholic MultiAcademy Trusts.
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Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service
Trustees' Report
Strategic Report for the Year Ended 31 August 2024
Policy on reserves
It is the policy of the Charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to six-months' expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the Charity's current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.
Investment policy and objectives
The Charity has now invested £300,000 of its funds into the CCLA Catholic Investment Portfolio. The Charity manages its cash by reviewing the short and medium-term requirements for funds, whilst allowing surplus reserve funds to not only provide additional income through sound investment, but that such investment is in line with the Church's teachings and reflects ethical stands offinancial management. This investment is undertaken in such a way as to ensure no damage is done to the day-to-day financial management of the Charity.
The strategic report was approved by the Trustees of the Charity on 13/03/2025 and signed on its behalf by:
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Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service
Trustees' Report
Going concern
The trustees consider the Charity to be sufficiently financially stable to meet its obligations and continue its business for the foreseeable future. This view is based on the budget forecasts for 2023 to 2025 and longer-term projections for following years. The Charity has appropriate levels of cash reseNes and considers that income streams are sufficiently secure to suggest that no uncertainty exists in this respect.
For this reason, the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. Further details regarding the adoption of the going concern basis can be found in the Accounting Policies.
Structure, governance and management
Nature of governing document
Governing document
The Charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who seNed during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
Miss K M Cohoon Mr D Foskett Mrs A Gillespie - resigned 17th October 2024 Reverend S Gillespie Mr P G McCole - resigned 17th October 2024 Right Reverend P J McKinney Mrs J McQuillan Mrs L M O'Brien
Recruitment and appointment of Trustees
The management of the Charity is the responsibility of the trustees who are elected or co-opted under the terms of the Articles of Association.
All new trustees are invited to meet with the Director of Education to be briefed on the work of the Charity and the role of the Board and its committees. They are provided with details of Board and Committee meetings including terms of reference and other documents, and the NRCDES Code of Conduct for Directors. Trustees are provided with details of training sessions on governance and the role of trustees delivered either directly by the Charity or by partner organisations and are encouraged to attend.
All trustees are required to declare their business interests annually.
All trustees undertake to hold a DBS enhanced check in line with diocesan policy.
Arrangements for setting key management personnel remuneration
The trustees set the pay level for the Director of Education by reference to the salaries paid for similar jobs in other Catholic Dioceses. Levels of pay for other senior members of staff are determined by ensuring a differential that recognises the differing levels of responsibility and accountability for each role.
Our overall policy is to ensure parity within the pay scales in education, generally using the agreed CMAT pay scales to ensure parity within the Diocese of Nottingham.
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Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service
Trustees' Report
Organisational structure
The management of the Charity is the responsibility of the trustees who are appointed under the terms of the Articles of Association. The Articles state:
• The number of Directors (trustees) shall be not less than three but (unless otherwise determined by ordinary resolution) shall not be subject to any maximum.
• The first Directors (trustees) shall be those persons notified to Companies House as the first Directors (trustees) of the charity.
• Subject to Article 30(1)(c), the Bishop of Nottingham shall be entitled (but not obliged) to appoint up to eight Directors (trustees) of the Charity and at any time to remove his nominated Directors (trustees) from office.
• The Bishop of Nottingham shall be a Director (trustee) appointed in accordance with Article 30(1)(a).
• The Charity may by ordinary resolution appoint a person who is willing to act to be an additional Director (trustee) or fill a vacancy provided he or she is recommended by not less than two thirds of the Directors (trustees); and he or she would not be disqualified from acting under article 37.
• The appointment of a Director (trustee), whether by the Charity in general meeting or by the other Directors (trustees), must not cause the number of Directors (trustees) to exceed any number fixed as the maximum number of Directors (trustees).
• A Director (trustee) shall cease to hold office if he or she resigns his or her office by notice to the Charity (but only if at least two Directors (trustees) will remain in office when the notice of resignation is to take effect). A Director (trustee) shall cease to hold office if he or she is removed by the person or persons who appointed him or her.
• The Directors (trustees) are responsible for the strategic direction of the Charity. They review progress towards objectives and outcomes and approve major expenditure requests, set the budget for the following year, and set the staffing structure.
To support them to carry out these responsibilities the Board have established two committees with the following functions delegated to them by the Directors (trustees):
Finance and Estates Committee
Responsible for proposal of the Company Accounts and approval of the budget, monitoring financial performance, reviewing the financial control Procedures and oversight of the Diocesan Centre.
Human Resources and Staffing Committee
Responsible for the oversight and development of the staffing structure of the Charity, the development of relevant staffing policies; pay awards and increments, and staff welfare.
Day to Day Management
The Director of Education has overall executive responsibility for the day-to-day financial management of the Charity and has responsibility for the general management, leadership and development of the Charity supported by the trustees. The Director of Education meets regularly with the Diocesan Episcopal Vicar for Catholic Education and the staff team to review progress and performance and to develop strategic plans Catholic education and the staff team to review progress and performance and to develop strategic plans to meet the evolving needs of the organisation which are submitted to the Board for their approval.
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Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service
Trustees' Report
Relationships with related parties
The Charity will work in partnership with all schools and academies in the Diocese of Nottingham for the benefit of pupils and students in their care, for the benefit of all staff employed in the schools and CMATs and for the advancement of Catholic education and the Catholic faith.
Financial instruments
Objectives and policies
The Charity's activities expose it to a number of financial risks including credit risk, cash flow risk and liquidity risk. The use of financial derivatives is governed by the Charity's policies approved by the board of Trustees, which provide written principles on the use of financial derivatives to manage these risks. The Charity does not use derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes.
Cash flow risk
The Charity's activities expose it primarily to the financial risks of changes in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. The Charity uses foreign exchange forward contracts and interest rate swap contracts to hedge these exposures. Interest bearing assets and liabilities are held at fixed rate to ensure certainty of cash flows.
Credit risk
The Charity's principal financial assets are bank balances and cash, trade and other receivables, and investments. The Charity's credit risk is primarily attributable to its trade receivables. The amounts presented in the balance sheet are net of allowances for doubtful receivables. An allowance for impairment is made where there is an identified loss event which, based on previous experience, is evidence of a reduction in the recoverability of the cash flows.
The credit risk on liquid funds and derivative financial instruments is limited because the counterparties are banks with high credit-ratings assigned by international credit-rating agencies.
The Charity has no significant concentration of credit risk, with exposure spread over a large number of counterparties and customers.
Liquidity risk
In order to maintain liquidity to ensure that sufficient funds are available for ongoing operations and future developments, the Charity uses a mixture of long-term and short-term debt finance.
Further details regarding liquidity risk can be found in the Statement of accounting policies in the financial statements.
Funds held as custodian trustee on behalf of others
Up until 31st March 2023, the Charity acted as intermediary agent on behalf of Catholic Diocesan schools and academies in respect of capital projects, therefore holding funds as a custodian. This arrangement ceased as from 1st April 2023, at which point the funds were devolved to the individual CMATs, under an agreed formula. A small retention is still being held, and is separately identifiable from those funds to which the Charity is entitled.
This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
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Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service
Trustees' Report
Statement of Trustees' responsibilities
The Trustees (who are also the directors of Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland".
Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including its 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 apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable accounting standards, comprising FRS 102 have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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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 business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that can 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. 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.
The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
The annual report was approved by the Trustees of the Charity on 13/03/2025 and signed on its behalf by:
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