Education Support Trustees’ Annual Report & Accounts For the year ending 31 March 2024
The charity for everyone
About Education Support
Our mission is to improve the mental health and wellbeing of teachers and education staff. We believe that better mental health leads to better education.
We support individuals and help schools, colleges and universities to improve the mental health and wellbeing of their staff. We also carry out research and advocate for changes in Government policy for the benefit of the education workforce.
Our free and confidential helpline is open 24/7 on 08000 562 561 and is staffed by qualified counsellors. It is available for everyone working in education, including support staff, lecturers, administrators and teaching assistants.
Call us. We’ll listen.
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Contents
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|Chair and CEO report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4|
|Our objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6|
|Delivering our services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|12|
|Increasing our reach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|19|
|Our research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24|
|How we raised our money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28|
|How we spent our money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29|
|Quality assurance and impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30|
|Legal & administrative information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|31|
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Chair and CEO report
Once again, we are writing that the context continues to be incredibly challenging for everyone who works in education.
School and college staff are still stretched beyond what is reasonable and doing work that goes beyond teaching and learning. The lack of support for children and young people from mental health and social services leaves many educators feeling powerless to help. This weighs heavily and many are exhausted by the relentlessness of the demand.
We are also hearing increasingly upsetting stories about violence and verbal abuse becoming normal, as school and college staff bear the brunt of the frustrations of people who cannot gain access to the support they need.
This cannot go on. We need to take the experiences of our teachers and education staff seriously, or future generations will pay the price as teacher supply grinds to a halt.
That’s why, this year, we chose to develop two of the organisation’s most significant reports to date, 1970s working conditions in the 2020s: Modernising the professional lives of teachers for the 21st Century and Teaching: the new reality. We wanted to put a solid evidence base behind the stories we hear from school and college staff every day. We will make sure that new government
Ministers understand all the drivers of poor health and high attrition among the education workforce.
Highlighting these challenges, and their very real mental health effects, at a policy level remains a top priority for Education Support. This is the work of changing the beliefs, assumptions and priorities that drive public policy. This feels vital when the ability to meaningfully help school and college staff remains so dependent on whole system change and investment.
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Despite this, we are heartened to see the real impact we’re having through our professional supervision service. Awareness of what supervision is and how it can help education leaders is growing dramatically. We are incredibly proud when we read about the tangible difference this service is making to school and college leaders’ lives and jobs. Being at the forefront of this cultural shift in education remains a significant priority for Education Support. We are grateful to the Welsh Government and the Department for Education for funding these services.
And, as always, our helpline remains open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Everyone working in education can receive immediate emotional support from a qualified counsellor. With access to mental support limited for so many, we invite you to print this poster out (pictured below) and put it up in your staff room.
The context is still challenging, but we remain committed to supporting everyone in the education sector. The work you do is incredibly important, and we’re so grateful that you show up every day.
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Need to talk?
You’re not alone.
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We are hugely grateful to everyone who has donated to us this year, making our work possible. This includes our regular givers and everyone who has responded to an urgent appeal, donated proceeds from the sale of products or left us a gift in their Will. We are also thankful to the organisations who have supported us, including the Pears Foundation, CSIS and Wesleyan.
Every penny makes a real difference to the lives of teachers and education staff in schools and colleges across the UK.
Call us. We’ll listen.
08000 562 561 educationsupport.org.uk/helpline Free and confidential emotional support for teachers and education staff
Sinéad Mc Brearty Chief Executive Officer
Sean Hanson Chair of Trustees
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Our objectives ATT Whici Stretch Challen Aw(pJ xooi (tAop O? C£A
As part of our regular strategic planning, trustees reviewed our goals this year.
The overall direction remains the same, but we have made minor adjustments to three of our goals, as indicated below.
Objective 1: To be well known, credible and trusted across the education workforce
This year saw improvement in brand awareness, with a 3% increase to 21% across the profession (at July 2023). Between 2019 and 2022, brand awareness grew from 14% to 16%. There is a long way to go to reach the level of awareness we want, but this has been an important achievement this year.
We continue to commission, write and curate mental health resources for the workforce and for school leaders, and are delighted to see steady growth in our social media followers and mailing list subscribers. We have developed over 60 new content pieces this year. Our resources have been viewed over 388,155 times across the year.
Collaboration with stakeholders across the sector is central to our work. We achieve this primarily through speaking engagements and contributions to working groups where our wellbeing and mental health expertise can add value. We are delighted to have collaborated with a wide range of organisations, including Anna Freud, ASCL, Association of Colleges, Chartered College of Teaching, the Department for Education, Educational Institute of Scotland, NAHT, NASBTT, NASUWT, NEU and Welsh Government.
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Objective 2 (revised): To advocate for wellbeing and mental health to be hard wired into policy-making, based on strong evidence.
2023 has been a watershed year for the charity on the policy and public affairs front. The highlight of the year was undoubtedly the completion and publication of the work of the Teacher Retention Commission, generously supported by Pears Foundation. The report was well received, bringing focus to the specific dynamics affecting retention across the sector.
Our annual Teacher Wellbeing Index remains a sector staple. Alongside core wellbeing indicators, this year’s report asked the profession about the impact of inspections as well as personal experiences of loneliness and isolation. Over the year we were also pleased to publish our Teaching: The New Reality report, setting out the experience of education staff dealing with a myriad of demands beyond teaching and learning.
We were delighted to give evidence to the House of Commons Education Select Committee on recruitment and retention in schools in England, and to be appointed to the Department for Education’s Workload Reduction Taskforce. We joined the Welsh Joint Ministerial Delivery and Oversight Board for the Whole System Approach to Emotional and Mental Wellbeing.
In Scotland, EIS, the teaching union, invited us to give a keynote at their wellbeing conference, hopefully the first of many opportunities for us to work in Scotland. We also delivered a keynote at the NASUWT’s national conference in Northern Ireland, engaging with teachers from across the country.
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Objective 3: To offer a range of high quality services that deliver clear and substantial impact for everyone working in education
Our 24/7 helpline continues to handle a consistent volume of emotional support calls from the workforce. This year we supported 4,083 people of which 8.8% were identified as at risk of suicide.
Our Employee Assistance Programme book of business has grown by 11%, with over 116,134 teachers and education staff now covered by our support. This year we have seen a 17% increase in people calling us, with increased complexity in their cases. The level of those clinically assessed to be at risk of suicide has fallen from 12.4% to 11.5%.
Requests for financial assistance continue to run at a higher rate than our historical average. To date, trustees have been determined to support as many applications as possible. We made grants to 787 staff, compared with 564 last year.
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Objective 4 (revised): To be recognised as a centre for innovation, disseminating new approaches to supporting the mental health of the education workforce.
We continue to evolve our work programmes in Wales and England.
In Wales, our team works directly with schools, helping them to embed wellbeing strategies within their teams. We are grateful to Welsh Government for supporting this work. We have developed a series of masterclasses, available to educators across the nation. We offer workshops to teaching assistants and learning support assistants. We offer action learning for school wellbeing leads, peer support to supply teachers and group supervision to safeguarding leads. We are also offering professional supervision for school leaders in Wales. The independent evaluation of this service continues to be very positive.
In England, we scaled up our professional supervision service and have supported almost 800 school leaders over the past year. An independent evaluation of the work highlighted the significant difference this support can make to school leaders. Through a competitive tender process, we secured a three year contract with the Department for Education to build on this work over the next three years.
Pears Foundation has generously funded a small supervision project for school leaders in Northern Ireland. This work is underway, supporting forty school leaders.
Wesleyan Foundation is kindly supporting a project to work with school leaders from a global majority background, building on our previous research in this area. We are offering a development programme based on an action learning approach and seeking to build networks and confidence across this group of leaders. This is in direct response to requests from a group of Black leaders.
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Objective 5 (revised): To steward the organisation for the future, with strong financial health, diversified income and a positive and productive team culture.
One of the key challenges facing the charity in the long term is the change in our income profile. The charity has always depended on individual donors to support its work. Over the past decade, our donor base has contracted. We are in conversations with stakeholders across the sector to explore how they might support us to attract new donors. This is a critical project: if it is successful, the charity will secure its funding for the long term.
Our income looks stable over the coming five years, but the rate of growth of our charitable activity is not sustainable in the face of dwindling donor income. Trustees are considering our strategic response to these circumstances and appraising a range of options for the future. As a result of our recent diversification into government-funded programmes, we have time to make good decisions and to continue our work to build long term income security.
Our staff team and culture is in good shape: staff report an extremely positive culture at the charity. The 2024 staff survey was externally benchmarked and showed Education Support outperforming the benchmark on most measures. There are some areas for development which we will continue to work across the organisation to improve.
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Delivering our Services
Counselling
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Our free and confidential helpline is open . every day, round the clock
We’re proud to provide immediate emotional support to everyone working in the education sector.
Callers can speak to our qualified counsellors about anything from their work or home life.
In 2023-24, our free and confidential helpline supported 4,083 individuals who spoke to a qualified counsellor in their moment of need. In 23-24:
Calls answered
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6,730
6,151
Individuals supported
4,083
4,178
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Individuals supported
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2023-24 2022-23
Calling the helpline helped me gain some clarity on my next steps to begin to recover from depression.
It also helped me talk to my Head and together create a supportive plan.
Teacher
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8.8%
of the people supported by our helpline were clinically assessed as at risk of suicide compared to 9.5% the previous year
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Employee Assistance Programme
Our EAP continues to provide quality, confidential support for thousands of people working in the education sector.
116,134
people working in schools are supported by an Education Support EAP, up from 107,007 in March 2023
11%
out 1,293 of 1,470
organisations increase in the number of renewed their schools we served EAP service (from 1,506 to 1,672 )
Our service offers face-to-face counselling and information to support staff with a range of personal and professional issues. Our high quality service enables schools and organisations to provide independent, qualified support for staff who need it. The timely provision of this type of support can prevent issues from escalating and can help staff to stay well and stay at work.
People supported
3,419 3,021
Calls answered
5,416 4,645
2023-24 2022-23
11.5%
of the people supported by counselling via our EAP were clinically assessed as at risk of suicide compared to 12.4% the previous year
77%
increase in people accessing noncounselling services, including our mindfulness programme, online CBT courses and life coaching service
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Financial grants
Our financial support continues to be in high demand. In 2023-24, we saw the highest number of applications to our financial grants programme over the past five years. As a result, we awarded 737 grants, which is an increase of 173 grant awards from 2022-23.
In 2023, we took the decision to change the way we award grants in response to the growing demand for emergency financial support. This is directly linked to the impact of the cost of living crisis on the education workforce.
We created two grant pots: one to provide help with food and travel to work costs and one to provide help with essential household items and utility costs. The aim of both is to help education staff meet their basic living needs, so that they can remain well and in work.
Applications received
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1,693
1,119
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Grants awarded
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737
564
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Thank you so much for your email, and for the £250 grant assistance. I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am! This is much appreciated indeed; it could not have come at a better time!”
Supply teacher
Total amount awarded
£299,379 £307,976 2023-24 2022-23
Thank you so much, what amazing news! This will make such a huge difference to me, and will really take some of the pressure off.”
Administrator
Service Feedback*
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82 [%] 91 [%] 91 [%]
believe the grant had a rated the service people would
positive impact on their as good or recommend us to
financial circumstances excellent a colleague
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*Service feedback provided April 2023-Sep 2023. From Oct 2023-March 2024, beneficiary surveys were paused to allow for an independent evaluation of the grants programme.
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Professional supervision for school and college leaders: England
In 2023-24 we delivered Professional Supervision to 793 school and college leaders in England via our Department for Education funded School Leaders’ Service.
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Leaders had access to six fully funded sessions of Professional Supervision, where they were provided a safe and confidential space for reflection, learning and development organised around their professional identity. The supervision sessions offered the leaders the opportunity to reflect on their core purpose in the education of children and young people, and to explore issues they don’t normally have the space to consider. This includes thinking about their own wellbeing and mental health.
Leaders that required a clinical intervention had access to counselling delivered by qualified BACP accredited counsellors.
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Total applications: Leaders supported:
933 793
852 376
2023-24 2022-23
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In October 2023, the Department of Education published an independent evaluation of the School Leader Service covering the delivery period Nov 2021-March 2023.
Findings included:
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89 [%] 86 [%] 94 [%]
of leaders felt less of leaders felt less of leaders felt
anxious stressed better supported
90 [%] 99 [%]
of supervision participants of leaders would
were able to manage recommend the
professional challenges in support to
between sessions a colleague
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Professional supervision feedback
I actually think that the whole process was transformational. It doesn't mean I don't have bad days sometimes, but it has given me a distance from myself, to almost see myself clearly again. I feel almost put back on my feet, on steady ground, with a bag of tools, to help me when things become challenging. I am very grateful for the opportunity and my supervisor.”
Secondary school leader
Concepts I worked on with my supervisor really helped me to understand myself and my reactions and where they were coming from. This has been absolutely beneficial in my work.”
Administrator
It's made me kinder when managing staff. I’ve applied the 'good enough' idea to other staff, and generally I’m more understanding if they make mistakes. It’s human to make mistakes and they need to know that it’s recoverable. Also making sure to say thank you to staff.”
Head teacher
I can't thank my Supervisor enough for the outstanding professional support and challenge that was provided through these sessions. The carefully structured and compassionate professional challenge supported me to think differently about complex issues and provided a safe environment to really look at things from a different perspective. It has really strengthened my ability to tap into different leadership styles and apply these more effectively within the school. I feel that the sessions have really supported my wellbeing as a leader.”
School leader
In March 2024 we were awarded additional funding from the Department of Education, to deliver Professional Supervision support to a further 2,500 school and college leaders over a three year period. We are pleased to continue offering this this vital support to school and college leaders, as they continue to navigate the challenges and complexity of their leadership role.
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Staff wellbeing service: Wales
In 2023-24 we continued to deliver a range of fully funded support to the education workforce in Wales, with extended funding from Welsh Government.
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We supported:
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686
211
individuals via our workshops, masterclasses, 1-1 professional supervision and group based support
schools via our regional advisory service, reaching approx. 8,000 staff
An independent evaluation of the service during 2023-24 found that:
83[%]
92[%]
88[%]
98[%]
of participants reported increased confidence to ask for support for their mental health
of participants reported increased motivation to prioritise their emotional health
of participants felt equipped to take action following the received support
of participants expressed their satisfaction with delivery of the support
One of the things she helped us to do is use the audit information to address the challenges [staff] are facing […] we wanted to embed staff wellbeing in a way that was actually meaningful and impactful.”
Senior leader
That support network [the advisor] is really important as well and that's been really helpful […] that makes you feel more confident in your abilities, and confidence builds resilience.”
Deputy head teacher
I’m having those difficult conversations with staff about my experiences, things I wouldn’t have shared before. But it’s so nice because then they open up about their experiences as well.”
Middle leader
If you are a school or college leader in England or Wales, click here to find out more. If you are in Northern Ireland or Scotland, please watch this space – we hope to have more to offer you soon.
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Increasing our reach
We have continued our strategy to reach teachers and education staff via digital resources and events. We’re delighted that our audiences continue to grow, and interact with us more!
Over
506,665 visitors to the website
+77,808 on 2022-23
59k
social media followers
+2.6k on 2022-23
145,000 people reached via new digital resources
+3,885 on 2022-23
Over
70
pieces in national and sector media +14 on 2022-23
2,250
people reached via our online events +39 on 2022-23
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Our content and our resources
We continued to improve our website and published over 60 high quality resources designed to support the mental health of teachers and education staff. These resources cover a wide range of topics, driven by staff feedback — from preventing burnout and managing the emotional toll to setting technology boundaries and navigating menopause at work.
Our top three free resources in 2023-24 were:
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Bullying and
; harassment
Teacher burnout
and how to avoid it
— £)
rN
Time Management
and wellbeing at work
An
27.5k+
views
22.4k+
views
21.7k+
views
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Online events
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71
attendees
77
views
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Instagram
Live event
14.2k
views
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42
attendees
35
views
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52
attendees
146
views
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Online events
97 attendees 93 attendees 54 views 59 views Impacted Let’s‘ get talk i ng about ©
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34
attendees
16
views
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118
attendees
40
views
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Our research
In 2023-24 we continued to publish comprehensive and robust research about the mental health and wellbeing of teachers and all education staff. We published:
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in partnership with
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1970s working conditions in the 2020s: Modernising the professional lives of teachers for the 21st Century
Education Support established a Commission on Teacher Retention to examine why so many secondary school teachers and leaders in the state sector are leaving the profession and what would encourage them to stay. The Commission was made up of experienced educationalists, sector experts and teachers.
1970s working conditions in the 2020s:
Modernising the professional lives of teachers for the 21st Century
June 2023
Public First carried out the research, which comprised a survey, focus groups and roundtable discussions with staff, and interviews and evidence gathering sessions with experts.
The research report makes 10 key recommendations for policymakers and schools which will help modernise the working practices in teaching.
Teachers are key to unlocking potential in young people and the country as a whole. We won’t achieve a more equitable society or a more productive and innovative economy unless we make it a profession attractive to join and sustainable to stay in. That starts with getting the talented teachers to schools where recruitment and retention challenges are felt most acutely.
Russell Hobby, Commissioner and Chief Executive of Teach First
This research would not have been possible without the generous support of the Pears Foundation.
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Section Name
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The job that teachers are currently trained for does not match the daily reality.
If we continue in this way, we will burnout a generation of talented and dedicated staff, and future generations of children and young people will be even worse off for it.
Teaching: the new reality
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A report by Education Support | May 2023
Education Support Teaching: the new reality 1
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Sinéad Mc Brearty, Chief Executive of Education Support
Teaching: the new reality
In May we published Teaching: the new reality, which set out to detail the current issues and challenges experienced at work by teachers and education staff in the wake of the pandemic. We aimed to shine a light how their roles have expanded to take on more emotional support and pastoral care for their learners to ensure they are ready to learn. This is set against the backdrop of reduced access to specialist support, despite the ever growing social, emotional and mental health needs among children and young people.
This report matters because it is the first time clear evidence was presented on the widening scope of the role of schools and education staff. This has become an important area of focus since publication and is now part of wider sector conversations about workload reduction.
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Teacher Wellbeing Index 2023
Teacher Wellbeing Index 2023
This was our seventh annual Teacher ~~ee~~ Wellbeing Index. Our large dataset about the mental health and wellbeing of education staff working in the UK continues to grow.
Our 2023 survey of over 3,000 UK education staff found:
experienced symptoms of poor mental health due to their work 81[%] (rising to 84% for senior leaders)
[were stressed] 78[%] (rising to 89% for senior leaders)
[reported that their organisation’s culture] 55[%] had a negative impact on their wellbeing
[reported their organisations do not support employees] 46[%] well who have mental health and wellbeing problems
Visit our website to download the full report and learn more about our findings and recommendations.
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We also investigated staff’s views about inspections, and loneliness, and their impact on mental health and wellbeing:
73[%]
considered that inspections were not fit for purpose
71[%]
considered inspections had a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing
26[%]
experienced at least one aspect of feeling isolated, lef out or lacking companionship at work
14[%]
always, or ofen, felt lonely at work
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The full report with findings and recommendations can be downloaded via our website
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How we raised our money
During 2023-24 20,378 individual supporters donated regularly, responded to appeals, or left us a gift in their Will.
We are also fortunate to have the support of charitable foundations, government and corporate partners. We generate income from the workplace services that we provide to schools and colleges, as well as through returns from our investments.
We couldn’t do what we do without our supporters, partners and customers. Thanks to them, we raised £3.98 million in 2022/23.
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Total Income
£3.98M
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Donations and Legacies £1,681,043
Government programmes £1,139,460
Workplace Services £975,537
Investment Income £106,507
Trusts and Foundations £56,700
Corporate Donations £16,450
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How we spent our money
Total Expenditure £2.89M
£2,888,382 was spent in total in the year on charitable services.
The cost of raising funds was £871k (2022-23 £955m) excluding strategic development costs.
The Surplus excluding investment gains was £117,560. (2022-23 deficit excluding investment losses was £569,737).
Counselling and mental health advice services £1,886.231
Communications, policy and research £481,657
Financial support services £442,649
Information and online advice services £77,845
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Quality assurance and impact
We continue to operate a bi-annual audit programme whereby an independent clinical assessor reviews the quality of practice in our Helpline and EAP services. These audits involve listening to calls, examining processes and exploring how improvements might be made. At the end of each audit, we agree specific actions that will improve the quality of our service delivery.
Each audit meeting operates to ISO 9001:2008 standards and monitors the performance of counsellors (based on clinical and non-clinical standards).
We invite every service user to complete an online evaluation form, and across 2023-24 we worked with the Institute of Employment Studies to carry out an independent evaluation of our helpline and financial grants programme. Findings of this work will be published later in 2024.
Clinical Audit Scores: January 2024
Actual clinical rubric 92.8[%] 90[%] Target clinical rubric Actual work-life rubric 81[%] 90[%] Target work-life rubric
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Legal & administrative Information
The trustees are pleased to present their report and accounts for Education Support and its subsidiaries (the group) for the year ended 31 March 2024.
Constitution
Education Support is a Company Limited by Guarantee (Company Number 09311354) with charitable status and is registered with the Charity Commission under registration number 1161436. It does not have any share capital.
Education Support is the successor to the Teacher Support Network Group comprising of Teacher Support Network and Recourse following a merger of their assets, activities, undertakings and liabilities on 31 March 2015.
The company was incorporated on 14 November 2014 as Education Sector Support UK and changed its name to Education Support Partnership on 24 July 2015.
Education Support Partnership and Worklife Support (a former subsidiary of Teacher Support Network) merged their trading activities and assets on 1 April 2016.
Governing document
The governing document guiding the work of the organisation is the Articles of Association – these articles were adopted upon incorporation and were amended following a special resolution in December 2018. The Charity is a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee.
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Trustees and Management
Board of Trustees who were in place during the financial year 2023 – 2024
| Sean Hanson | Chair |
|---|---|
| Adam Alagiah-Glomseth | |
| Evelyn Forde | Appointed 12 September 2023 |
| Debbie Simpson | |
| Deborah Lee | Appointed 12 September 2023, resigned 5 July 2024 |
| Mark Baker | Honorary Treasurer from 23 July 2024 |
| Steve Wharton | |
| Emma Hollis | |
| Gareth Conyard | |
| Rachelle Headland | Honorary Treasurer to 23 July 2024 |
| Clare Rees | Appointed 12 September 2023 |
| Roxanne Lashley Allen | Appointed 12 September 2023 |
Elected Officers of the Board
| Sean Hanson | Trustee Board Chair |
|---|---|
| Rachelle Headland | Honorary Treasurer to 23 July 2024 |
| Mark Baker | Honorary Treasurer from 23 July 2024 |
| Emma Hollis | Governance, Delivery & People Committee Chair |
Leadership team during the financial year 2023-2024
| Sinéad Mc Brearty | Chief Executive Ofcer |
|---|---|
| Paul Lismore | Director of Finance & Operations |
| Faye McGuinness | Director of Programmes |
| Gemma Scotcher | Director of Communications & Public Afairs |
==> picture [49 x 65] intentionally omitted <==
33 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
Other charities and companies in the group
Teacher Support Network 40A Drayton Park, London N5 1EW
Teacher Support Network formerly promoted health and wellbeing and offered benevolence to teachers. The company and charity transferred its assets and undertaking to Education Support Partnership on 31 March 2015 and is currently dormant.
TBF Holdings Limited
TBF Holdings Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary that manages the shareholdings of the charity in Worklife Support Limited. The principal office is at 40a Drayton Park, London, N5 1EW.
TBF Trading Limited
Currently dormant.
Worklife Support Limited (WLS Ltd)
WLS Ltd was a trading subsidiary of the charity delivering a range of health and wellbeing services to employers and their employees in education and in the third sector. The charity’s shareholding in WLS was held by TBF Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of Education Support Partnership. Its activities merged with Education Support Partnership on 1 April 2016.
Professional advisors
Bank
National Westminster Bank plc, Chancery Lane and Holborn branch, 332 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7PS
Solicitors
Gateley Plc Park View House, 58 The Ropewalk, Nottingham, NG1 5DW
Auditor
Moore Kingston Smith, 9 Appold Street, London, EC2A 2AP
Clinical auditor services
Ben Amponsah, Apartment 39 Islington Wharf Great Ancoats Street, Manchester, M4 6DH
Investment Manager
Quilter Cheviot Senator House, 85 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4V 4AB
Education Support’s registered office
Education Support, 40a Drayton Park, London N5 1EW
34 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
Objectives and activities
Our charity’s purposes as set out in the Objectives section of the Articles of Association (Article 3) are:
-
the relief of financial hardship, sickness, disability, ill-health (mental or physical) and the infirmities associated with old age for serving, former or retired workers from the education sector, and their dependents;
-
the advancement of education; and
-
such other charitable purposes as the trustees may determine.
Our vision and mission
Mission
Our mission is to improve the mental health and wellbeing of teachers and education staff. We believe that better mental health leads to better education.
How we deliver public benefit
Everything we do is aimed at supporting and improving the wellbeing and mental health of those working in, and retired from, education. This includes assisting them in managing their finances and going some way to relieving the associated pressures of financial hardship. We support the whole person: by that, we mean not just an individual in their professional capacity but in their personal life as well. In setting the business plan each year the trustees of Education Support have complied with the duty of section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission, including “Running a Charity PB2”.
Summary of our principal activities
See pages 12-30.
Volunteers
Education Support did not run a volunteer programme in 2023 - 2024.
Structure, Governance and Management
Governance structure
The Board of Trustees
Trustees govern the activities of the charity in accordance with its Articles of Association. The charity is constituted as a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee and has no share capital.
Governance Review
The board of trustees continue to assess its performance and skills. A full board effectiveness review is carried out regularly. Actions and findings from that are being incorporated into our use of the governance wheel toolkit [1] . One element of the good governance wheel is reviewed by our governance committee each meeting.
As well as the board of trustees there are three sub committees:
-
Finance, Audit and Risk
-
Governance, Delivery and People
-
Remuneration
Trustee selection methods
Trustees are recruited via an open recruitment process, selected on the basis of skill gaps and ability to contribute effectively to the governance of Education Support. We also co-opted two trustees with specific skill-sets that
1. The NCVO’s Governance Wheel can be accessed here: https://www.ncvo.org.uk/help-and-guidance/governance/board-basics/ tools-and-guidance/governance-wheel/#/
35 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
we had not been able to attract through open recruitment, namely higher education and digital development.
Remuneration policy
Staff salaries cost of living increases are approved at the remuneration committee before the annual budget for the year is completed. Senior staff salaries are reviewed by the remuneration committee against market rates on a regular basis.
How we make decisions
The board of trustees meets on a quarterly basis to review progress against key objectives.
The board of trustees makes all strategic decisions and delegates responsibility for the operational management and leadership of the charity to the Chief Executive (under the terms of the CEO delegated authority) who is supported by the Leadership Team.
Financial procedures set the financial limits for decision making at varying and appropriate levels from board level downwards.
The board of trustees organises itself into committees in order to explore particular areas in more depth and report back and make recommendations to the board as a whole.
Induction and Training
We run an induction process for all new Trustees and review content and feedback regularly.
Fundraising Review
The majority of Education Support’s fundraising is conducted by paid staff or by volunteers securing small sums of sponsorship on our behalf. We also work closely with carefully selected third party organisations who fundraise on our behalf, conducting telephone campaigns and operating our online lottery.
Education Support, and our third party fundraising partners comply with fundraising regulations and the Fundraising Regulator code of practice. Education Support and our third party suppliers are registered with the Fundraising Regulator, and pay the annual levy.
No areas of non-compliance have been identified relating to any of our fundraising activities.
There were no complaints registered relating to fundraising activities in 2023/2024.
Investment Policy
Quilter Cheviot acts as Investment Manager to Education Support. The investment objective is to invest holdings on a long-term basis to achieve capital appreciation and minimum income of 3 percent per annum for distribution to the charity on a quarterly basis.
The charity adopts a socially responsible investment approach excluding investment in arms manufacture and distribution and promotion of pornography from its portfolio, and restricting tobacco investment. We support community investment, environment and green technology, and encourage investment in recycling and waste, safety and protection, training and educational activities and employment.
Investments are selected from a wide range of asset classes to allow for diversification and maximise performance with a reasonable or balanced level of risk.
The Committee meets annually with its Investment Manager to review performance of the fund and to determine future plans. An initial £4.0 million was invested in the fund in 2014 and a further £300k added during 2015/16.
The investment portfolio gained £183k of its overall value during the financial year. The balanced approach adopted by Quilter Cheviot has benefited the charity by outperforming benchmarked indices such as FTSE All Share.
Markets have improved since 2020 but remain uncertain. The market value of the investments at 31 March 2024 is £3.4 million compared to £3.1 million as at 31 March 2023.
The trustees have considered the nature, disposition, marketability, security and valuation of the scheme’s investments and consider them to be appropriate relative to the reasons for holding each class of investment. More details about investments are given in the notes to the financial statements.
36 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
Financial Review
The cost of living issues continue to affect both our beneficiaries and donations.
Individual donors continue to be the financial bedrock for our charitable services. Having invested in our commercial team we improved sales year on year in a very challenging environment. We secured further grant and contract funding from DfE and the Welsh Government.
The generous response from supporters has enabled us to maintain similar levels of income through our regular fundraising activity (excluding legacies). This year we received over £600k in legacies.
We invested in strategic priorities (£99k) and due to the increased need for our grants programme, we spent £50k from our grant reserve. This means that, prior to investment gains/losses, we have an unrestricted surplus of £287k, and a total surplus including restricted and endowment funds of £118k.
total expenditure was £3.858 million, (2022/23: £3.612 million) giving an operating surplus of £118k (2022/23: deficit £570k) before gains/ losses on investments.
In 2023/24 financial year voluntary income was £1.754 million, down 7% on 2022/23 excluding legacies. Cost of living pressures continue to impact Appeals with 2023/24 levels remaing below 2021/22 levels. Voluntary income made up 44 percent of our total income. We will continue our long term strategy to diversify voluntary income sources.
Commercial revenue generated from our EAP business (and some other small training activities) totalled £976k (2022/23: £974 million).
In 2023/24 Education Support continued to contract with the English and Welsh governments to deliver new services to support education staff. Income in this area was £1.139 million (2022/23: £570k and additional funding is already secured for 2024/25.
Total incoming resources for the year were £3.976 million (2022/23: £3.042 million) and
37 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
Education Support continues to focus on achieving cost efficiency. Total resources expended in Education Support for the year amounted to £3.858 million, an increase of £246k on 2022/23, reflecting the increase in spend on counselling services.
Reserves Policy
The trustees have set a reserves policy, which requires that:
-
the reserves should provide the charity with adequate financial stability and the means for it to meet its charitable objectives for the foreseeable future;
-
reserves are maintained at a level which ensures that Education Support’s core activity can continue during a period of unforeseen difficulty;
-
a proportion of reserves is maintained in readily realisable form.
The policy states that free reserves should be maintained at a level which is at least equivalent to six months’ operational expenditure, having regard to its future business plan and likely funding streams. Based on the organisation’s budget for 2024-25 this equates to £2.049 million. At 31 March 2024, the value of unrestricted free reserves is £3.317 million.
In 2023 the Trustees decided to transfer from free reserves a sum of £300k for future years into designated funds for which we drew down on in 2023/24 the sum of £98k.
After this unrestricted reserves of the Group at 31 March 2024 are £4.809 million, which include fixed assets and designated funds of £1.491 million.
The underlying assets of the organisation have sufficient liquidity to enable the organisation to meet all of its commitments as they fall due, but we recognise that we are operating currently in an uncertain environment.
Restricted reserves represent funds provided by external organisations for a specific purpose. These funds are actively managed and utilised in accordance with the restrictions placed on these funds as advised to Education Support.
Free Reserves
It is recognised that the level of free reserves at 31 March 2024 is in excess of our policy minimum, however trustees recognised that the level of uncertainty around both voluntary and commercial income, the uncertainties that will remain throughout this year and beyond, and the increased level of need for our services, require us to be able to react positively in the coming years. We also aim to invest in strategic development projects in 2024/25 to meet key organisational goals and to establish an investment plan for further development thereafter.
Designated funds
The Development Fund represents the fund designated for the strategic development and growth of the charity.
Trustees have set aside funds for additional grant support which was utilised this year and £183k remains available for future use if needed. As mentioned an infrastructure reserve was set up of which £75k remains for new systems and major office works and we still have set aside £136k for development including impact and data reviews.
The trustees regularly review the level of reserves that are required to ensure that they are adequate to fulfil the charity’s continuing obligations. Trustees have the ability to redesignate reserves as they wish to meet the business needs of the organisation.
Risks and Uncertainties
Purpose and scope of the risk management policy
In the process of delivering its services, Education Support is subject to certain risks that affect its ability to operate, support its beneficiaries and staff in the education sector and protect its assets. These include risks to employees, service users, customers, financial risks, liability to others and risks to property. These risks are managed through an effective risk management policy that seeks to minimise, mitigate, or in certain cases, avoid these risks through appropriate management action.
38 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
The aim of the policy is for trustees and management within Education Support:
1. to understand as fully as possible the risks being faced or taken;
2. to take appropriate action to manage these risks where it is possible and cost effective to do so;
3. to minimise the risk that new initiatives adversely affect existing services;
4. to accept a higher level of uncertainty, if appropriate, when taking advantage of new opportunities.
The Senior Leadership Team is, through its dayto-day operational management of the charity, responsible for managing and controlling risk in line with the approved policy and framework agreed by the board.
Within Education Support, risks are categorised as follows:
-
Governance
-
Strategic – Financial
-
Strategic – People and Culture
-
Strategic – Research and Policy
-
Strategic – Service Delivery
-
Operational – Systems/processes/premises
-
Operational – ICT/Data
-
Operational and strategic – Covid-19 pandemic
The most significant strategic risks are:
1. Impact of recessional events
2. Net contribution from income generation cannot meet current charitable activity levels
3. Funded programmes not delivering on targets/impact
The risk register is reviewed every six months by the trustees and the policy is reviewed annually.
Third party operational risk management
The safety and wellbeing of our service users is paramount and to that end, we ensure that our service centre takes risk management very seriously.
We continue to operate a robust quarterly audit program with our clinical auditor at our service centre in Ealing. You can read more about our audit process on page 30.
Our audits are designed to ensure that we are aware of risks to the helpline and EAP service. These include operational risks but also risks which might impact upon the reputation of the services and the organisation and ultimately the users of our services. Mitigating actions are put in place to address any areas of potential concern.
Pension Liability
The charity participates in the scheme, a multiemployer scheme which provides benefits to some 638 non-associated participating employers. The scheme is a defined benefit scheme in the UK. It is not possible for the company to obtain sufficient information to enable it to account for the scheme as a defined benefit scheme. Therefore it accounts for the scheme as a defined contribution scheme.
The scheme is subject to the funding legislation outlined in the Pensions Act 2004 which came into force on 30 December 2005. This, together with documents issued by the Pensions Regulator and Technical Actuarial Standards issued by the Financial Reporting Council, set out the framework for funding defined benefit occupational pension schemes in the UK.
A full actuarial valuation for the scheme was carried out at 30 September 2020. This actuarial valuation showed assets of £800.3 million, liabilities of £831.9 million and a deficit of £31.6 million. To eliminate this funding shortfall, the trustees and the participating employers have agreed that additional contributions will be paid to the scheme as follows:
-
In 2023/24 the charity contributed £27k as part of its obligations to fund this pension deficit.
-
This pension scheme is now closed to employees. The charity currently offers a Defined Contribution scheme to employees. The charity introduced auto–enrolment during 2017/18.
39 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company and charity 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 charity and the group, the incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the period. In preparing, those financial statements the trustees are required to:
-
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
-
state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
-
make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
-
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In so far as the trustees are aware:
-
there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware; and
-
the trustees have taken all steps they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.
Going Concern
We continue to work in a challenging environment in terms of income generation and beneficiary needs. However we have invested in our sales structure and continue to invest from reserves in areas that will support longer term goals. After reviewing the group’s forecasts and projections, and taking into account the reserves available, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the group has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future, being the 12 months from the date these accounts are signed and have not identified any material uncertainties in this regard. The group therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its consolidated financial statements.
Small Company Provisions
This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on 12 September 2024
and signed on their behalf by:
==> picture [129 x 32] intentionally omitted <==
Sean Hanson (Chair)
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing preparation and dissemination of the financial statements and other information included in annual reports may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
40 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
Independent auditor’s report to the members and trustees of Education Support Partnership
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Education Support Partnership (the ’parent charitable company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘group’) for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise the Group Statement of Financial Activities, the Group and Parent Charitable Company Balance Sheets, the Group Cash Flow Statement and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 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:
-
give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s and the parent charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2024 and of the group’s incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;
-
have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
-
have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011.
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 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 the provisions available for audits of small entities, in the circumstances set out in note 7 to the financial statements, 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 group’s and parent 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 other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
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’ annual report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
-
the trustees’ annual report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and parent charitable company and their environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees’ annual report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:
-
the parent charitable company has not kept adequate and sufficient accounting records, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
-
the parent charitable company’s financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
-
certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
-
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
42 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
- the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies exemption in preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and from preparing 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 group and parent 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 group or parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Auditor’s Responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
We have been appointed as auditor under the Companies Act 2006 and section 151 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with those Acts.
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 aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK) we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:
-
Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
-
Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purposes of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the group and parent charitable company’s internal control.
-
Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the trustees.
-
Conclude on the appropriateness of the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the group and parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the group or parent charitable company to cease to continue as a going concern.
-
Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
-
Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the entities or business activities within the group to express an opinion on the consolidated financial statements. We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the group audit. We remain solely responsible for our audit report.
We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
Explanation as to what extent the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of noncompliance 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.
The objectives of our audit in respect of fraud, are; to identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements due to fraud; to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the assessed risks of material misstatement due to fraud, through designing and implementing appropriate responses to those assessed risks; and to respond appropriately to instances of fraud or suspected fraud identified during the audit. However, the primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of fraud rests with both management and those charged with governance of the charitable company.
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43 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
Our approach was as follows:
-
We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to the charitable company and considered that the most significant are the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, the Charity SORP, and UK financial reporting standards as issued by the Financial Reporting Council
-
We obtained an understanding of how the charitable company complies with these requirements by discussions with management and those charged with governance.
-
We assessed the risk of material misstatement of the financial statements, including the risk of material misstatement due to fraud and how it might occur, by holding discussions with management and those charged with governance.
-
We inquired of management and those charged with governance as to any known instances of non-compliance or suspected non-compliance with laws and regulations.
-
Based on this understanding, we designed specific appropriate audit procedures to identify instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. This included making enquiries of management and those charged with governance and obtaining additional corroborative evidence as required.
There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above. We are less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations that are not closely related to events and transactions reflected in the financial statements. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.
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, in respect of the consolidated financial statements, to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 8 of the Charities Act 2011. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members and trustees those matters which 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 any party other than the charitable company, the charitable company’s members, as a body, and the charity’s trustees, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinion we have formed.
Shivani Kothari (Senior Statutory Auditor)
for and on behalf of Moore Kingston Smith LLP, Statutory Auditor
DATE 9 October 2024
9 Appold Street London EC2A 2AP
Moore Kingston Smith LLP is eligible to act as auditor in terms of Section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.
44 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
Consolidated statement of financial activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 March 2024
| Unrestricted funds (£) |
Restricted funds (£) |
Endowment funds (£) |
Total Year to 31 March 2024 (£) |
Total Year to 31 March 2023 (£) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income (Notes) Donations and legacies Trusts and Foundations Government Programmes Paid for services Policy and Research Investment Income(6) Total income Expenditure Raising Funds Cost of generating voluntary income(5) Paid for services(5) Investment management costs Charitable expenditure Counselling and mental health advice service(5) Financial Support Services(5) Communications, Policy and Research(5) Information and Online Services(5) Strategy Development(5a) Total Expenditure Net Income/ (Expenditure) Realised gains/(losses) on investments(11) Unrealised gains/(losses) on investments(11) Unrealised gains/ (losses) on investment property(11) Transfers between funds Net gains/(losses) on investments Net income/(expenditure) for the year Net movement in funds Funds at 1 April 2022(16) Funds at 31 March 2023 (17) |
- 30,000 1,139,460 - - 13,774 1,183,234 - - - - 1,218,080 68,981 57,799 9,341 - 1,354,201 1,354,201 (170,967) (1,581) 25,772 - 1,394 25,585 (145,382) (145,382) 597,988 452,606 |
1,697,493 56,700 1,139,460 975,537 - 106,507 3,975,697 217,731 638,463 14,834 871,028 1,886,231 442,649 481,657 77,845 98,727 2,987,109 3,858,137 117,560 (11,938) 194,555 (89,000) - 93,617 211,177 211,177 5,113,234 5,324,411 |
|||
| 1,697,493 | - | 1,327,669 | |||
| 26,700 | - | 56,000 | |||
| - | - | 569,782 | |||
| 975,537 | - | 973,604 | |||
| - | - | 16,605 | |||
| 91,339 | 1,394 | 98,290 | |||
| 2,791,069 | 1,394 | 3,041,950 | |||
| 217,731 | - | 367,804 | |||
| 638,463 | - | 559,251 | |||
| 14,834 | - | 28,376 | |||
| 871,028 | - | 955,431 | |||
| 668,151 | - | 1,353,679 | |||
| 373,668 | - | 483,446 | |||
| 423,858 | - | 504,965 | |||
| 68,504 | - | 141,260 | |||
| 98,727 | - | 172,906 | |||
| 1,632,908 | - | 2,656,256 | |||
| 2,503,936 | - | 3,611,687 | |||
| 287,133 | 1,394 | (569,737) | |||
| (10,197) | (160) | (10,265) | |||
| 166,175 | 2,608 | (220,974) | |||
| (89,000) | - | 79,000 | |||
| - | (1,394) | - | |||
| 66,978 | 1,054 | (152,239) | |||
| 354,111 | 2,448 | (721,976) | |||
| 354,111 | 2,448 | (721,976) | |||
| 4,454,742 | 60,504 | 5,835,210 | |||
| 4,808,853 | 62,952 | 5,113,234 |
All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities All recognised gains and loses are reflected through the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities and no separate Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses has been presented. The notes on pages 48 to 51 form part of these financial statements
45 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
Balance sheets as at 31 March 2024 Company registration number: 9311354
| Fixed assets(Notes) Tangible fixed assets(10) Intangible Fixed Assets(10) Investments(11) Current assets Debtors(12) Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: amounts falling due within one year(13) Net current assets Pension Provision(14) Net assets Funds Endowment(16a) Restricted(16b) Unrestricted: General Fund(16c) Funds at 31 March 2023 (17) |
at 31 March 2024 Group (£) |
at 31 March 2024 Charity (£) 1,097,200 - 3,932,862 5,030,062 790,907 490,460 1,281,367 (987,018) 294,349 0 5,324,411 62,952 452,606 4,808,853 5,324,411 |
at 31 March 2023 Group (£) |
at 31 March 2023 Charity (£) 1,113,698 - 3,761,525 4,875,223 432,378 626,378 1,058,756 (816,517) 242,239 (4,228) 5,113,234 60,504 597,988 4,454,742 5,113,234 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,097,200 | 1,113,698 | |||
| - | - | |||
| 3,932,760 | 3,761,423 | |||
| 5,029,960 | 4,875,121 | |||
| 790,909 | 432,380 | |||
| 490,460 | 626,378 | |||
| 1,281,369 | 1,058,758 | |||
| (986,918) | (816,417) | |||
| 294,451 | 242,341 | |||
| 0 | (4,228) | |||
| 5,324,411 | 5,113,234 | |||
| 62,952 | 60,504 | |||
| 452,606 | 597,988 | |||
| 4,808,853 | 4,454,742 | |||
| 5,324,411 | 5,113,234 |
As permitted by s408 Companies Act 2006, the company has not presented its own income and expenditure statement and related notes. The company's surplus for the year was £211,177 (22/23 FY: loss £721,976)
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to the small companies regime.
These financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 12 September 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
Sean Hanson
46 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
Consolidated Cash Flow Statement Year Ended 31 March 2024
| Reconciliation of net income/(expenditure) to net cash flow from operating activities Net income/(expenditure) for the year as per the statement of financial activities Adjustments for Depreciation and amortisation charges Loss/(Gain) on investments Dividends, interest and rents from investments Loss/(profit) on the sale of fixed assets (Increase)/Decrease in stocks (Increase)/Decrease in debtors Increase/(Decrease) in creditors Net cash provided by operating activities Net cash flow provided by operating activities Cash flows from investing activities Dividends, interest and rent from investments Proceeds from the sale of property, plant and equipment Purchase of property, plant and equipment Proceeds from sale of investments Purchase of investments Net cash provided by investing activities Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period Analysis of cash and cash equivalents Cash at bank and in hand Cash held by broker Total cash and cash equivalents |
Year to 31 March 2024 (£) |
Year to 31 March 2023 (£) (721,976) 16,498 152,239 (98,290) - - 156,299 (95,432) (590,662) (590,662) 98,290 - - 503,310 (654,971) (53,371) (644,033) 1,485,600 841,567 £ 626,378 215,189 841,567 |
|---|---|---|
| 211,177 | ||
| 16,498 | ||
| (93,617) | ||
| (106,507) | ||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| (358,529) | ||
| 166,273 | ||
| (164,705) | ||
| (164,705) | ||
| 106,507 | ||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| 544,943 | ||
| (682,803) | ||
| (31,353) | ||
| (196,058) | ||
| 841,567 | ||
| 645,509 | ||
| £ | ||
| 490,460 | ||
| 155,049 | ||
| 645,509 |
47 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
Notes to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023
1. Company Information
Education Support is a private limited company incorporated in the United Kingdom on 14 November 2014, under Company Number 9311354.
The company’s registered office is 40A Drayton Park, London N5 1EW.
2. Basis of Preparation
The charitable Group is a public benefit group for the purposes of FRS102 and therefore the charity also prepared its financial statements in accordance with Statement of Recommended Practices applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (The FRS 102 Charities SORP), the Companies Act 2016, and the Charities Act 2011.
The group financial statements consolidate the financial statements of Education Support Partnership and its entire subsidiary undertakings drawn up to 31 March each year.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts are rounded to the nearest pound.
Going Concern
We continue to work in a challenging environment in terms of income generation and beneficiary needs. However we have invested in our sales structure and continue to invest from reserves in areas thaty will support longer term goals. After reviewing the group’s forecasts and projections, and taking into account the reserves available, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the group has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future, being the 12 months from the date these accounts are signed and have not identified any material uncertainties in this regard. The group therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its consolidated financial statements.
3. Accounting policies
The following indicates the principal policies adopted:
i. Income and expenditure
All items of income and expenditure are accounted for on an accruals basis. Where contracts are awarded in favour of the company for fixed terms, contract income and the direct costs associated with the contract are accrued evenly over the duration of the contract.
Income
The specific bases for accounting for income are described below.
Donations are included in full in the statement of financial activities when received.
For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on which either: the Charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor(s) to the Charity that a distribution will be made; or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the Charity has been notified to the executor’s intention to make a distribution.
Trusts and foundation grants are recognised when entitlement to the grant is confirmed. Paid for services income is recognised when the services are delivered.
Investment income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities in the year in which it is receivable.
ii. Tangible assets
Tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation to date and any accumulated impairment losses. Depreciation is calculated to write down the cost less residual value of all tangible fixed assets over their expected useful lives, using the straight line method. The rates applicable are:
Computer equipment 3 years Furniture and fittings 5 years
Our Head office leasehold is depreciated over the period of the lease (155 years) on a straight line basis. Refurbishment costs associated with the property are depreciated over 50 years on a straight line basis.
iii. Intangible assets
Intangible assets are measured at cost less accumulated amortisation to date and any accumulated impairment losses. Amortisation is calculated to write down the cost less residual value of all intangible assets over their expected useful lives, using the straight line method. The rate applicable is:
Software 3 years
iv. Impairment of assets
At each reporting date fixed assets are reviewed to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If there is an indication of possible impairment, the recoverable amount of any affected asset is estimated and compared with its carrying amount. If estimated recoverable amount is lower, the carrying amount is reduced to its estimated recoverable amount, and an impairment loss is recognised immediately in profit or loss.
v. Investments
Listed investments are included in the financial statements at bid value at the balance sheet date. Gains/losses on disposal of investments and revaluation of investments are recognised in the year of gain or loss and are allocated to the funds to which the investments relate. Investments in subsidiaries are included in the financial statements at cost.
48 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
vi. Debtors
Short term debtors are measured at transaction price, less any impairment.
vii. Creditors
Short term trade creditors are measured at the transaction price. Other financial liabilities are measured initially at fair value, net of transaction costs, and are measured subsequently at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
viii. Leases
Leases are classified as finance leases whenever the terms of the lease transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership of the leased asset to the company. All other leases are classified as operating leases. Rentals payable under operating leases are charged on a straight line basis over the lease term, unless the rental payments are structured to increase in line with general inflation, in which case the company recognises annual rent expense equal to amounts owed to the lessor.
ix. Taxation
The Charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied for its charitable purposes.
x. Turnover
Turnover arises from the company’s principal activities of providing support, assistance and training and consists of amounts invoiced net of VAT. All turnover arises in the U.K.
xi. Expenditure allocation
Expenditure has been allocated to restricted and unrestricted funds by direct attribution where possible, or by the proportion of service usage reported and attributed to each fund.
xii. Employee benefits
Short term employee benefits and contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised as an expense in the period in which they are incurred. In line with FRS 102 accrued holiday has been included as an expense in the period in which the entitlement arose.
xiii. Pensions
The Charity has two pension schemes: a defined contribution scheme for current employees and a closed defined benefit scheme. The latter is a multi-employer scheme and is currently in deficit. The charity is paying contributions to
eliminate the deficit in accordance with the deficit reduction plan. The assets of the defined contribution scheme are held separately from those of the Charity in independently administered funds. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable to the scheme contributions payable to the scheme in the year. The Charity has no liability under the scheme other than the payment of those contributions.
xiv. Funds
General funds are those that are available for use at the Trustees’ discretion in the furtherance of the Charity’s objectives. Designated funds are unrestricted funds set aside for unrestricted purposes and which would otherwise form part of general funds. Details of the nature and purpose of each fund are set out in note 16c.
Restricted funds are funds that are subject to restrictions imposed by donors and are applied in accordance with these restrictions. Details of the nature and purpose of each restricted fund are set out in note 16b.
The Charity has one Endowment fund, the Cutler Trust. Income derives from the investment of the fund and is used to promote the education of persons in need under 25 years of age, whose parents are or were teachers in the London area.
xv. Support Costs
Support costs cover those funds which assist the running of the charity and mainly comprise of staff costs and overheads. These costs have been allocated between costs of raising funds and charitable expenditure.
4. Significant judgements and estimates
In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees have made the following judgements:
Legacy income is based on proof of entitlement, the probability of receipt and the ability to estimate with sufficient accuracy the amount receivable.
Investment Property was previously valued at open market value at the reporting date, less an adjustment to reflect the discount that would be applied to the sale value on the basis of an incumbent tenant.
The incumbent tenant passed away so the value of the property is based on the latest market value placed on it as we aim to sell it this year.
Investments – Listed investments are valued at the quoted bid price at the reporting date.
Tangible Fixed Assets and Intangible assets are depreciated over their useful lives taking into account residual values where appropriate. The actual lives of the assets and residual values are assessed annually.
49 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
5. Expenditure for the year to 31 March 2024
| Counselling and mental health advice service Financial support Communications, Policy and Research Information and on-line services Paid for services Cost of generating voluntary income Total |
Grants (£) - 299,379 - 299,379 |
Direct Staff costs (£) |
Other direct costs (£) 1,158,885 - 153,063 - 43,888 41,171 1,397,007 |
Support Costs (£) |
Year to March 2024 Total (£) 1,886,231 442,649 481,657 77,845 638,463 217,731 3,744,576 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 482,684 | 244,662 | ||||
| 76,163 | 67,107 | ||||
| 208,264 | 120,330 | ||||
| 38,624 | 39,221 | ||||
| 357,354 | 237,221 | ||||
| 92,803 | 83,757 | ||||
| 1,255,892 | 792,298 |
5. Expenditure for the year to 31 March 2023
| Counselling and mental health advice service Financial support Communications, Policy and Research Information and on-line services Paid for services Cost of generating voluntary income Total |
Grants (£) - 375,374 - 375,374 |
Direct Staff costs (£) |
Other direct costs (£) 823,137 - 165,120 - 38,236 72,556 1,099,049 |
Support Costs (£) |
Year to March 2023 Total (£) 1,353,679 483,446 504,965 141,260 559,251 367,804 3,410,405 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 358,707 | 171,835 | ||||
| 52,674 | 55,398 | ||||
| 218,708 | 121,137 | ||||
| 83,383 | 57,877 | ||||
| 313,245 | 207,770 | ||||
| 183,013 | 112,235 | ||||
| 1,209,730 | 726,252 |
Resources expended are allocated to the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. The cost of overall direction and administration of each activity, comprising the salary and overhead costs of the central function, is apportioned on the following basis which is an estimate, based on staff time, of the amount attributable to each activity.
Counselling and mental health advice services represent the costs of delivering Employee Assistance Programme, Free Helpline and Occupational Health Services. In addition we also deliver a range of services incuding online peer to peer support and Telephone supervision through grants from English and Welsh governments.
Communications and Policy represents the expenditure associated with survey, research and statistical analysis in order to bring awareness of the challenges within the education sector.
Information and on-line service costs represent the expenditure associated with commissioning social media content, marketing and events to increase awareness and promote our services.
Paid for services costs represent the costs of selling our commercial products and services.
Costs of generating voluntary income represent the costs of running and supporting our fundraising function.
Financial Support costs relate to grants awarded to help people with financial emergencies and the burden of short term debt, to pay for essential unaffordable items and to help them stay in or get back to work. All grants are paid to individuals.
50 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
5. Expenditure for the year to 31 March 2024 (continued)
| Support costs include: Office administration costs Building administration costs Organisational Management Human Resources costs Finance Costs Professional fees Marketing and communications costs IT Costs Governance costs Total overheads |
Support Costs March 2024 |
Support Costs March 2023 88,997 59,804 169,437 77,688 106,020 33,340 12,524 85,710 92,732 726,252 |
|---|---|---|
| 79,946 | ||
| 67,279 | ||
| 171,636 | ||
| 96,234 | ||
| 113,240 | ||
| 41,772 | ||
| 11,222 | ||
| 98,189 | ||
| 112,780 | ||
| 792,298 |
Office and Building administration costs during the year consistent with last years' spend.
Increase in Organisational Management costs reflects the increase in staff costs in Senior Leadership team. Increase in HR costs is due to increased level of recruitment during the year and associated recruitment costs. Increase in Finance costs in the current year is general inflationary increase
Marketing and communications costs remain at the level with last year.
Increase in IT reflects the purchases of new IT equipment during the year.
Increase in governance costs is due to increase in staff supporting governance.
Professional Fees costs increased due to Investment property sale during the year.
5b. Governance Costs
5a. Strategy Development
Strategic development costs were paid to improve our infrastructure, knowledge and our income generation with funding provided by Trustees to make improvements to our IT infrastructure, develop our Research knowledge and review and test our donor program
The main components of strategic development are:
| Strategic Project Grants and Helpline Impact review Office infrastructure |
£ 16,087 72,927 9,713 |
|---|---|
| 98,727 |
Costs classified as governance relate to the general running of the charity and included operation of the Board of Trustees and addressing constitutional, audit and other statutory matters, and are made up of the following:
| Financial Audit fees Governance Travel and Subsistence Governance Meetings Apportionment of Staff costs Professional and Legal Costs Total |
March 2024 (£) |
March 2023 (£) 21,900 1,171 531 52,968 5,550 |
|---|---|---|
| 25,419 | ||
| 1,427 | ||
| 3,947 | ||
| 72,968 | ||
| 9,019 | ||
| 112,780 | 82,120 |
6. Investment Income
| 6. Investment Income | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year to March 2024 | Year to March 2023 | ||||||
| Income from listed investments Bank interest receivable |
General Funds (£) 90,921 418 91,339 |
Restricted Funds (£) |
March 2024 Total (£) 106,089 418 106,507 |
General Funds (£) 77,560 1,020 78,580 |
Restricted Funds (£) |
March 2023 Total (£) 97,270 1,020 |
|
| 15,168 | 19,710 | ||||||
| - | - | ||||||
| 15,168 | 19,710 | 98,290 |
51 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
7. Net outgoing resources for the year are stated after charging
| 7. Net outgoing resources for the year are stated afer charging | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year to March 2024 (£) | Year to March 2023 (£) | |
| Depreciation | 16,498 | 16,498 |
| Auditor’s remuneration: | ||
| Audit fees (excluding VAT) | 22,900 | 20,660 |
| Additional work in relation to the new ISA 240 and 315 | 1,240 |
8. Employee information
| 8. Employee information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Employee Costs Wages and salaries Social security costs Pension costs Redundancy payments within year |
Year to March 2024 (£) | Year to March 2023 (£) 1,354,508 148,380 125,854 - |
| 1,431,211 | ||
| 148,421 | ||
| 133,024 | ||
| 22,193 | ||
| 1,734,849 | 1,628,742 | |
| The average number of employees during the period was: Fundraising Paid for Services Financial Support Information and on-line services Counselling and Mental Health services Communications, Policy and Research Administration Total |
Year to March 2024 (£) | Year to March 2023 (£) 4 5 2 1 6 6 7 |
| 1 | ||
| 6 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 9 | ||
| 5 | ||
| 5 | ||
| 30 | 31 | |
| Key management personnel aggregate pay (including NI and pension) | Year to March 2024 (£) | Year to March 2023 (£) 396,008 |
| 414,299 | ||
| During the year key management personnel comprised of: cCEOcDirector of Finance and OperationscDirector of Communications and Public AfairscDirector of Programmes |
||
| Employee information The number of employees earning in excess of £60,000 per annum (including taxable benefits) was: Year to March 2024 (£) Year to March 2023 (£) over £100,000 1 1 £90,001 to £100,000 1 - £80,000 to £90,000 - 1 £70,000 to £80,000 2 - £60,000 to £70,000 1 2 |
9. Trustees
| 9. Trustees | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year to March 2024 (£) | Year to March 2023 (£) | |
| Trustees provide their services without remuneration | ||
| Total expenses reimbursed to the trustees (including amounts paid on behalf of trustees) | ||
| for travel, accommodation and subsistence | 1,327 | 2,028 |
| Number of trustees claiming expenses during the year | 3 | 4 |
52 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
10. Tangible (TFA) and intangible fixed assets (IFA)
| Group & Charity Cost At 1 April 2023 Additions Disposals At 31 March 2024 Accumulated depreciation At 1 April 2023 Charge for the year Disposals At 31 March 2024 Net book value At 31 March 2024 At 31 March 2023 |
TFA | TFA Furniture, equipment, fixtures & fittings (£) 204,303 - - 204,303 199,566 2,868 - 202,434 1,869 4,737 |
TFA | IFA Software (£) 65,236 - |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leasehold property including refurbishment (£) |
Total (£) |
|||
| 1,314,276 | 1,518,579 | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| 1,314,276 | 1,518,579 | 65,236 | ||
| 65,236 - |
||||
| 205,315 | 404,881 | |||
| 13,630 | 16,498 | |||
| - | - | |||
| 218,945 | 421,379 | 65,236 | ||
| 1,095,331 | 1,097,200 | - | ||
| 1,108,959 | 1,113,698 | - |
11. Fixed asset investments
| 11. Fixed asset investments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary Listed investments (a) Unlisted investment (b) Investment Property (c) |
March 24 Group (£) |
March 24 Charity (£) 3,422,760 102 510,000 3,932,862 |
March 23 Group (£) |
March 23 Charity (£) 3,162,423 102 599,000 |
| 3,422,760 | 3,162,423 | |||
| - | - | |||
| 510,000 | 599,000 | |||
| 3,932,760 | 3,761,423 | 3,761,525 |
(a) Listed Investments Group & Charity
| Unrestricted | Unrestricted | Total | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At 1 April 2023 Additions Disposals Realised gain/(loss) Unrealised gain/(loss) Cash held by broker At 31 March 2024 Historical cost |
Fixed Interest (£) 811,114 173,259 (150,705) - 76,105 909,773 909,773 |
Equities (£) 700,118 62,290 (99,865) (11,938) 48,508 699,113 699,113 |
Overseas Equities (£) |
Alternative Investments (£) 520,102 47,504 (34,772) - (48,290) 484,544 484,544 |
Year to March 2024 (£) |
Year to March 2023 (£) 3,027,342 654,971 (503,310) (10,265) (220,974) |
| 916,430 | 2,947,764 | |||||
| 399,750 | 682,803 | |||||
| (259,601) | (544,943) | |||||
| - | (11,938) | |||||
| 118,232 | 194,555 | |||||
| 1,174,811 | 3,268,241 | 2,947,764 214,659 |
||||
| 154,519 | ||||||
| 1,174,811 | 3,422,760 | 3,162,423 | ||||
| 2,938,934 | 2,789,135 |
53 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
11. Fixed asset investments (continued)
Unrestricted fund investments consist of a portfolio of listed investments managed on the Charity's behalf by professional fund managers.
The following investments make up more than 5% of the total investment portfolio:
| United Kingdom (Government of) 4.25% Gilt Snr Bds JPMorgan American Investment Trust ord GBP0.05 |
% of total (%) 5.10 6.62 |
Market Value (£) 172,392 226,780 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (b) Unlisted investments 100% interest in TBF Holdings Limited (i) Incorporated in the United Kingdom, Company Number 4328710 100% interest in TBF Trading (No. 2) Limited (ii) Incorporated in the United Kingdom, Company Number 4162015 |
Group at 31 March 2024 (£) |
Charity at 31 March 2024 (£) £ 100 2 102 |
Group at 31 March 2023 (£) |
Charity at 31 March 2023 (£) £ 100 2 |
| £ | £ | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | |||
| - | - | 102 |
(i) Education Support Partnership owns the entire share capital of TBF Holdings Limited, a company limited by shares and incorporated in England and Wales. TBF Holdings Limited was dormant during the year and the previous period.
(ii) Education Support Partnership owns the entire share capital of TBF Trading (No. 2) Limited, a company limited by shares and incorporated in England and Wales. The company was dormant during the year and the previous period.
| (c) Investment Property Market value at 1st April 2022 Unrealised gain on valuation Market value at 31st March 2023 |
at 31 March 2024 (£) |
at 31 March 2023 (£) 520,000 79,000 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 599,000 | ||||
| (89,000) | ||||
| 510,000 | 599,000 |
At the end of 22/23 FY, the investment property was listed on the market for sale. The gain on the valuation reflects the most up to date market value of the property.
In May 2024 the property was sold for £510,000.
54 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
12. Debtors
| Trade debtors Prepayments and accrued income Legacy debtor Other debtors Welfare loans |
March 24 Group (£) |
March 24 Charity (£) 254,599 346,260 110,609 47,821 31,618 790,907 |
March 23 Group (£) |
March 23 Charity (£) 128,291 225,481 12,672 34,703 31,231 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 254,599 | 128,291 | |||
| 346,260 | 225,481 | |||
| 110,609 | 12,672 | |||
| 47,823 | 34,705 | |||
| 31,618 | 31,231 | |||
| 790,909 | 432,380 | 432,378 |
Legacy debtor relates to legacy income which was notified and Education Support was entitled to before 31 March 2023 and had been accrued as required by FRS 102.
13. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
| Amount due to subsidiary undertakings Trade creditors Taxation and social security costs Pensions including pension fund deficit contribution plan Accruals and deferred income including holiday pay Other creditors |
March 24 Group (£) |
March 24 Charity (£) 100 146,766 85,924 37,280 694,294 22,654 987,018 |
March 23 Group (£) |
March 23 Charity (£) 100 176,699 47,436 42,021 543,956 6,305 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | |||
| 146,766 | 176,699 | |||
| 85,924 | 47,436 | |||
| 37,280 | 42,021 | |||
| 694,294 | 543,956 | |||
| 22,654 | 6,305 | |||
| 986,918 | 816,417 | 816,517 |
13a. Deferred Income
| Deferred Income b/f Released in year Deferred to next year Deferred income c/f |
March 24 (£) | March 23 (£) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 424,958 | 490,310 | |||
| 5,703,546 | 5,783,307 | |||
| (5,643,669) | (5,848,659) | |||
| 484,835 | 424,958 |
Deferred income relates to paid for services that are expected to be delivered over several months. Employee Assistance Programmes are delivered over 12 month period from the start of the contract. Headspace/ Yourspace and training and development service deferrals based on the duration of the individual contracts.
14. Pension Provision
| 14. Pension Provision | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pensions including pension fund deficit contribution plan | March 24 Group (£) |
March 24 Charity (£) 0 - |
March 23 Group (£) |
March 23 Charity (£) 4,228 |
| 0 | 4,228 | |||
| - | 4,228 | 4,228 |
55 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
15. Pension Scheme
The company participates in the scheme, a multi-employer scheme which provides benefits to some 638 non-associated participating employers. The scheme is a defined benefit scheme in the UK. It is not possible for the company to obtain sufficient information to enable it to account for the scheme as a defined benefit scheme. Therefore it accounts for the scheme as a defined contribution scheme.
The scheme is subject to the funding legislation outlined in the Pensions Act 2004 which came into force on 30 December 2005. This, together with documents issued by the Pensions Regulator and Technical Actuarial Standards issued by the Financial Reporting Council, set out the framework for funding defined benefit occupational pension schemes in the UK.
The scheme is classified as a 'last-man standing arrangement'. Therefore the company is potentially liable for other participating employers' obligations if those employers are unable to meet their share of the scheme deficit following withdrawal from the scheme. Participating employers are legally required to meet their share of the scheme deficit on an annuity purchase basis on withdrawal from the scheme.
A full actuarial valuation for the scheme was carried out at 30 September 2020. This valuation showed assets of £800.3m, liabilities of £831.9m and a deficit of £31.6m. To eliminate this funding shortfall, the Trustee has asked the participating employers to pay additional contributions to the scheme as follows:
Deficit contributions
From 1 April 2022 to 31 January 2025: £3,312,000 per annum (payable monthly)
Unless a concession has been agreed with the Trustee the term to 31 January 2025 applies.
Note that the scheme’s previous valuation was carried out with an effective date of 30 September 2017. This valuation showed assets of £794.9m, liabilities of £926.4m and a deficit of £131.5m. To eliminate this funding shortfall, the Trustee asked the participating employers to pay additional contributions to the scheme as follows:
Deficit contributions
From 1 April 2019 to 30 September 2025:
£11,243,000 per annum
(payable monthly and increasing by 3% each on 1st April)
The recovery plan contributions are allocated to each participating employer in line with their estimated share of the Series 1 and Series 2 scheme liabilities.
Where the scheme is in deficit and where the company has agreed to a deficit funding arrangement the company recognises a liability for this obligation. The amount recognised is the net present value of the deficit reduction contributions payable under the agreement that relates to the deficit. The present value is calculated using the discount rate detailed in these disclosures. The unwinding of the discount rate is recognised as a finance cost.
Present values of provision
| Present values of provision | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Present value of provision | 31 March 2024 (£) | 31 March 2023 (£) 46,751 |
31 March 2022 (£) 73,333 |
| 21,838 | |||
| Reconciliation of opening and closing provisions | |||
| Provision at start of period Unwinding of the discount factor (interest expense) Deficit contribution paid Remeasurements - impact of any change in assumptions Remeasurements - amendments to the contribution schedule Provision at end of period |
Period Ending 31 March 2024 (£) |
Period Ending 31 March 20233 (£) 73,333 1,384 (26,717) (1,249) - |
|
| 46,751 | |||
| 1,788 | |||
| (26,717) | |||
| 16 | |||
| - | |||
| 21,838 | 46,751 |
Income and Expenditure Impact
| Interest expense Remeasurements – impact of any change in assumptions Remeasurements – amendments to the contribution schedule Contributions paid in respect of future service* Costs recognised in income and expenditure account |
Period Ending 31 March 2024 (£) |
Period Ending 31 March 2023 (£) 1,384 (1,249) - * |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,788 | |||
| 16 | |||
| - | |||
| * | |||
| * | * |
*includes defined contribution schemes and future service contributions (i.e. excluding any deficit reduction payments) to defined benefit schemes which are treated as defined contribution schemes. To be completed by the company.
56 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
Assumptions
| Assumptions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 March 2024 | 31 March 2023 | 31 March 2022 | |
| % per annum | % per annum | % per annum | |
| Rate of discount | 5.31 | 5.25 | 2.35 |
The discount rates shown above are the equivalent single discount rates which, when used to discount the future recovery plan contributions due, would give the same results as using a full AA corporate bond yield curve to discount the same recovery plan contributions.
The following schedule details the deficit contributions agreed between the company and the scheme at each year end period:
Deficit contributions schedule
| Year | ending | 31 March 2024 | 31 March 2023 | 31 March 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % per annum | % per annum | % per annum | ||
| Year | 1 | 22,264 | 26,717 | 26,717 |
| Year | 2 | - | 22,264 | 26,717 |
| Year | 3 | - | - | 22,264 |
| Year | 4 | - | - | - |
| Year | 5 | - | - | - |
| Year | 6 | - | - | - |
| Year | 7 | - | - | - |
| Year | 8 | - | - | - |
| Year | 9 | - | - | - |
| Year | 10 | - | - | - |
The company must recognise a liability measured as the present value of the contributions payable that arise from the deficit recovery agreement and the resulting expense in the income and expenditure account i.e. the unwinding of the discount rate as a finance cost in the period in which it arises.
It is these contributions that have been used to derive the company's balance sheet liability.
Statement of Changes in Reserves
16a. Endowment Fund
| Cutler Trust | Balance as at 31 March 2023 (£) |
Income (£) 1,394 |
Expenditure (£) |
Gains/ (Losses) on Investments (£) 2,448 |
Transfers (£) |
Balance as at 31 March 2024 (£) 62,952 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60,504 | (1,394) |
The Cutler Trust is a permanent endowment to promote the education of persons in need under 25 years of age, whose parents are or were teachers in the London area.
57 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
16b. Restricted funds for the year to 31 March 2024
| DFE programme Welsh Government programme National Association of Special Schools NAHT Project Wesleyan Northern Ireland project AOC Cutler Trust TeachWell grant G Hollows Kent NAHT Scottish Teachers & Lecturers NUT Development Workers Fund Widows Fund Alan Naylor legacy CSiS Grant Recourse Funds |
Balance as at 31 March 2023 (£) |
Income (£) 493,755 577,450 500 15,285 30,000 42,020 10,450 109 413 165 140 - 196 167 227 - 12,357 1,183,234 |
Expenditure (£) Gains/(Losses) on Investments (£) (493,893) - (555,885) - (450) - (10,517) - (500) - - - - - - 46 - 409 - 143 - 138 - - - 194 - 164 - 225 - - (292,956) 22,872 (1,354,201) 24,191 |
Transfers (£) | Balance as at 31 March 2024 (£) 3,670 116,155 50 4,768 29,500 42,020 10,450 5,512 15,797 6,292 5,341 - 7,508 6,377 8,697 4 190,465 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,808 | (493,893) | - | |||
| 94,590 | (555,885) | - | |||
| - | (450) | - | |||
| - | (10,517) | - | |||
| - | (500) | - | |||
| - | - | - | |||
| - | - | - | |||
| 3,963 | - | 1,394 | |||
| 14,975 | - | - | |||
| 5,984 | - | - | |||
| 5,063 | - | - | |||
| - | - | - | |||
| 7,118 | - | - | |||
| 6,046 | - | - | |||
| 8,245 | - | - | |||
| 4 | - | - | |||
| 448,192 | (292,956) | - | |||
| 597,988 | (1,354,201) | 1,394 | 452,606 |
Restricted funds for the year to 31 March 2023
| DFE programme Welsh Government programme Cutler Trust TeachWell grant G Hollows Kent NAHT Scottish Teachers & Lecturers NUT Development Workers Fund Widows Fund Alan Naylor legacy CSiS Grant Teacher Support Network Funds Recourse Funds |
Balance as at 31 March 2022 (£) |
Income (£) 230,550 309,381 29,851 60 352 140 119 - 167 142 194 - 17,170 588,126 |
Expenditure (£) Gains/(Losses) on Investments (£) (226,742) - (308,560) - (29,851) - - (79) - (702) - (245) - (237) - - - (332) - (283) - (386) - - (277,024) (39,285) (842,177) (41,549) |
Transfers (£) | Balance as at 31 March 2023 (£) 3,808 94,590 - 3,963 14,975 5,984 5,063 - 7,118 6,046 8,245 4 448,192 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | (226,742) | - | |||
| 93,769 | (308,560) | - | |||
| - | (29,851) | - | |||
| 2,616 | - | 1,366 | |||
| 15,325 | - | - | |||
| 6,089 | - | - | |||
| 5,181 | - | - | |||
| - | - | - | |||
| 7,283 | - | - | |||
| 6,187 | - | - | |||
| 8,437 | - | - | |||
| 4 | - | - | |||
| 747,331 | (277,024) | - | |||
| 892,222 | (842,177) | 1,366 | 597,988 |
58 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
16b. Restricted funds (continued)
-
a. Restricted funds arise from receipt of restricted grants, donations and legacies. Expenditure may only be charged against these funds provided it is in accordance with the restrictions imposed by various donors.
-
b. DFE programme grant was received from DFE to deliver COVID-19 School Leader Wellbeing programme.
-
c. Welsh Government programme grant received in 20/21 FY to deliver dedicated support to support the mental health and wellbeing education staff in Wales, with a particular focus on school leaders.
-
d. Income arising from The Cutler Trust is applied to welfare grants towards the education of persons in need under 25 years of age, whose parents are or were teachers in the London area.
-
e. Teach Well grant was provided by NASUWT to undertake research and develop Teach Well tools
-
f. Winter appeal donations derive from a campaign to supplement our welfare grants programme
-
g. Wales WCVA project received a 3 year grant to promote and develop volunteering activities in Wales
-
h. G Hollows fund was created as a memorial to Graham Hollows to develop an online wellbeing tool
-
i. Kent NAHT Benevolent Fund was disbanded and residual funds transferred to distribute welfare grants to members, spouses and dependants of NAHT Kent and Kent Federation of Head Teachers Associations.
-
j. Scottish Teachers and Lecturers fund was created on the dissolution of Teacher Support Scotland to fund services in Scotland.
-
k. NUT Development Workers Fund is a grant provided by NUT to revive local operations and maintain the relationship with the NUT.
-
l. Widows Fund was provided by the widow of a former teacher to support young widows with children.
-
m. Alan Naylor legacy assists with residential care and housing support for our elderly beneficiaries
-
n. CSiS provided a grant to extend our welfare grants programme
-
o. Recourse funds transferred on merger to Education Support Partnership are restricted to the objects of Recourse.
-
p. Teacher Support Network funds transferred on its merger to Education Support Partnership are restricted to the objects of Teacher Support Network. In 2019/20 Teacher Support Network restricted fund was fully spent
16c. Unrestricted funds
| 16c. Unrestricted funds | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted Funds: Comprise of: Designated Fund Fixed Asset Development Fund Grant Reserve Infrastructure Reserve Free Reserves |
Balance at 31 March 2023 (£) |
Transfers (£) (50,000) 50,000 - |
Net movement in funds excl transfers (£) |
Balance at 31 March 2024 (£) 4,808,853 1,097,198 135,986 183,000 75,287 3,317,382 |
| 4,454,742 1,113,696 225,000 233,000 85,000 2,798,046 |
354,111 (16,498) (89,014) (9,713) 469,336 |
|||
| 4,454,742 | 354,111 | 4,808,853 |
-
a. The Tangible fixed asset fund represents the net book value of the charity’s fixed assets.
-
b. The Development Fund represents the fund designated for the strategic development and growth of the charity. The Trustees agreed to add £225,000 to this fund for use in 2023/24 onwards
-
c. The infrastructure reserve was set up for 2023/24 to fund major office projects and system upgrades
-
d. The Grants Fund represents monies set aside to ensure that any short term issues in income streams will not impact on our ability to support those in financial hardship. The trustees are committed to ensuring funds are available should the need arise.
59 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
17. Analysis of Group and Charity net assets between funds
| 2024 Fixed assets Investments Current assets Current liabilities Long term liabilities Net assets at 31 March 2024 |
General fund (£) |
Endowment fund (£) - 62,952 - - - 62,952 |
Restricted funds (£) - 452,606 - - - 452,606 |
Designated funds (£) |
Total funds (£) 1,097,198 3,932,760 1,281,371 (986,918) 0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | 1,097,198 | ||||
| 3,417,202 | - | ||||
| 962,385 | 318,986 | ||||
| (986,918) | - | ||||
| 0 | - | ||||
| 3,392,669 | 1,416,184 | 5,324,411 | |||
| 2023 Fixed assets Investments Current assets Current liabilities Long term liabilities Net assets at 31 March 2023 |
General fund (£) |
Endowment fund (£) - 60,504 - - - 60,504 |
Restricted funds (£) - 597,988 - - - 597,988 |
Designated funds (£) |
Total funds (£) 1,113,696 3,761,423 1,058,760 (816,417) (4,228) |
| - | 1,113,696 | ||||
| 3,102,931 | - | ||||
| 600,760 | 458,000 | ||||
| (816,417) | - | ||||
| (4,228) | - | ||||
| 2,883,046 | 1,571,696 | 5,113,234 |
Analysis of Charity net assets between funds
| 2024 Fixed assets Investments Current assets Current liabilities Long term liabilities Net assets at 31 March 2024 |
General fund (£) |
Endowment fund (£) - 62,952 - - - 62,952 |
Restricted funds (£) - 452,606 - - - 452,606 |
Designated funds (£) |
Total funds (£) 1,097,198 3,932,862 1,281,369 (987,018) 0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | 1,097,198 | ||||
| 3,417,304 | - | ||||
| 962,383 | 318,986 | ||||
| (987,018) | - | ||||
| 0 | - | ||||
| 3,392,669 | 1,416,184 | 5,324,411 | |||
| 2023 Fixed assets Investments Current assets Current liabilities Long term liabilities Net assets at 31 March 2023 |
General fund (£) |
Endowment fund (£) - 60,504 - - - 60,504 |
Restricted funds (£) - 597,988 - - - 597,988 |
Designated funds (£) |
Total funds (£) 1,113,696 3,761,525 1,058,758 (816,517) (4,228) |
| - | 1,113,696 | ||||
| 3,103,033 | - | ||||
| 600,758 | 458,000 | ||||
| (816,517) | - | ||||
| (4,228) | - | ||||
| 2,883,046 | 1,571,696 | 5,113,234 |
60 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
18. Operating lease commitments
At 31 March 2024 the group had total future minimum lease commitments under non-cancellable operating leases as follows:
| At 31 March 2024 the group had total future minimum lease commitments under non-cancellable operating leases as follows: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Plant and Machinery | March 24 (£) | March 23 (£) |
| Maturing within one year (equipment) | 5,200 | 5,200 |
| Maturing between one and five years (equipment) | 15,600 | 20,800 |
19. Related party transactions
There were no identified related party transactions in 2023/24 (2022/23: none)
The total donations received from trustees in 2023/24 amounted to £788 (£720 received from trustees in prior year)
20. Financial Instruments
| 20. Financial Instruments | ||
|---|---|---|
| March 24 (£) | March 23 (£) | |
| Financial asset measured at fair value | 510,000 | 599,000 |
| Financial assets measured at amortised cost | 755,097 | 386,742 |
| Financial liabilities measured at amortised cost | 900,994 | 768,981 |
61 Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24
Education Support
The charity for everyone
Education Support 40A Drayton Park, London, N5 1EW +44 (0) 20 7697 2750 educationsupport.org.uk
Design: Charlie Behrens Photography: Simon Ellis
Registered Charity No. 1161436 © 2024 Education Support