2025-07-31-accounts - Gambia School Support

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.


Trustees' Annual Report					for theperiod
From	Period start date			To	Period end date
	1	August	2022		31	July	2023

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name

Gambia School Support

Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1176136

GSS

red charity number (if any)	1176136	1176136
Charity's principal address	Goulds House
	Greatham
	Hampshire
	Postcode	GU33 6HA

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
Jonathan Roderick Dale-Harris	Chairman
Edward Peter Dale-Harris
Robert Whitcombe	Treasurer
Nicolas Stevenson	Secretary
TimothyLodge
Nicola Kelly		3 Oct 2024	Apt byvote at AGM

Names of trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Dates acted if not for whole year

March 2012

TAR

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) Type of adviser Name Address	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) Type of adviser Name Address	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) Type of adviser Name Address




Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Constitution adopted 27 November 2017 Type of governing document

(eg. trust deed, constitution) Association How the charity is constituted

(eg. trust, association, company)

Elected by the members. They will retire at the next AGM but shall be Trustee selection methods eligible for re-election. (eg. appointed by, elected by)

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

Gambia School Support (GSS) was registered by the UK Charity You may choose to include Commission on the 6 December 2017. additional information, where relevant, about:

The money raised by GSS is paid into its Charities Aid Foundation Bank
• policies and procedures account in the UK and is transferred to the ‘Gambia Schools Project’ bank account held with the Trust Bank of The Gambia.
adopted for the induction and training of trustees;

GSS’s implementing partner in The Gambia is an organisation known as the ‘Gambia Schools Project Charity’ an organisation registered under the Companies Act 2013 – registration number 2024/C23843.

the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
relationship with any related parties;
trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.

Section C Objectives and activities

March 2012

TAR

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)	The relief of poverty, the preservation of health and advancement of education in The Gambia, West Africa, in particular but not exclusively by helping with nursery school provision by working with nursery schools, the local community, local government bodies and other charities to provide good education, sporting facilities, healthcare and nutritional supplements for the children.
	GSS’s purpose is to make a substantial contribution to UN SDG 4.2 ‘that all children have access to quality early childhood education and care by 2030’ and we measure the quality of the education provided through adopting the UN SDG 4.2.1 indicator, a method of assessing pre-primary age children. GSS assists, not operates, community owned pre-primary schools. Today, we are supporting 13 schools with 1,837 pupils (age 2-7) and 71 teachers. The schools, to receive GSS support, must adhere to best practices - 35 to a class, qualified teachers, proper safeguarding, attend our training programs, work with our coach/inspectors and demonstrate good accounting/administration/governance. They must charge fees, though 20% of places have to be free to pupils from hardship backgrounds or are disabled. In return GSS maintains and supplies the schools, contributes c. 70% of salaries and provides food at 7 schools. Over time, our intervention is designed to transform them into independent centres of excellence. GSS works through a trusted implementing partner, the ‘Good Schools Project Charity’ (GSP). The GSP evolved from the original organisation we set up in 2019 and is now registered under the Gambian Companies Act (Aug 24). The GSP team is led by one of the foremost educators at ECD level (Early Child Development) in The Gambia. Finally, as required by Section 17(5) of the Charities Act and the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, the Charity Trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers or duties. Detailed information can be found on the GSS website: gambiaschoolsupport.org

Summary of the objects of the
charity set out in its
governing document
Summary of the main
activities undertaken for the
public benefit in relation to
these objects (include within
this section the statutory
declaration that trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit)

The relief of poverty, the preservation of health and advancement of
education in The Gambia, West Africa, in particular but not exclusively
by helping with nursery school provision by working with nursery
schools, the local community, local government bodies and other
charities to provide good education, sporting facilities, healthcare and
nutritional supplements for the children.

GSS’s purpose is to make a substantial contribution to UN SDG 4.2 ‘that
all children have access to quality early childhood education and care by
2030’ and we measure the quality of the education provided through
adopting the UN SDG 4.2.1 indicator, a method of assessing pre-primary
age children.
GSS assists, not operates, community owned pre-primary schools.
Today, we are supporting 13 schools with 1,837 pupils (age 2-7) and 71
teachers.
The schools, to receive GSS support, must adhere to best practices - 35
to a class, qualified teachers, proper safeguarding, attend our training
programs, work with our coach/inspectors and demonstrate good
accounting/administration/governance. They must charge fees, though
20% of places have to be free to pupils from hardship backgrounds or
are disabled.
In return GSS maintains and supplies the schools, contributes c. 70% of
salaries and provides food at 7 schools.
Over time, our intervention is designed to transform them into
independent centres of excellence.
GSS works through a trusted implementing partner, the ‘Good Schools
Project Charity’ (GSP). The GSP evolved from the original organisation
we set up in 2019 and is now registered under the Gambian Companies
Act (Aug 24). The GSP team is led by one of the foremost educators at
ECD level (Early Child Development) in The Gambia.
Finally, as required by Section 17(5) of the Charities Act and the
Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, the Charity Trustees
have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on
public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their
powers or duties.
Detailed information can be found on the GSS website:
gambiaschoolsupport.org

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

March 2012

TAR

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

policy on grant making;
policy programme related investment;
contribution made by volunteers.

March 2012

TAR

Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main
achievements of the charity
during the year

GSS's impact has grown rapidly, increasing the schools we assist from
2 to 13 since 2021. Twelve were at risk of failing and the other GSS
founded in June 2021 with the Ministry of Basic & Secondary Education
(MoBSE). Two schools have been added to our ‘network’ during this
year.
To date, GSS has spent £130k on improving school infrastructure - £23k
on the new school, £80k restoring 6 dilapidated schools and £27k
improving 6 other schools. Now they all have good safe learning
environments including bespoke Level 1 (age 3-4) classrooms – these
are larger, tiled floors and mats etc.
A main area of focus is on improving the teaching. We support a
bespoke ‘Teacher & Training Development Program’, recognised as
being one of the best of its kind in the country. The program comprises
an intensive course of workshops which all the teachers attend plus
specialist workshops for the Head Teachers and Year 1 teachers.
We back these up with a team of 3 coach/inspectors who visit each
school monthly to provide ‘on the job’ coaching in the classroom.
Progress has been measured since March 2023 with every teacher
being appraised at the end of each term. The results have continued to
be good this year contributing to the transformation in the capabilities of
the teachers.
In the last year GSS has introduced a program of assessing the pupils
through the adoption of the UN ECDI2030 tool. It is early days though
soon we will be measuring the impact our intervention is making through
comparing pupil attainment with the UNICEF ‘norm’.
The key to a project of this nature is finding good people and we have
been working with an exceptionally capable ‘implementing partner’
organisation. In the past year this has been formalised through the
setting up of a Gambian registered charity ‘Good Schools Project
Charity’ (GSP). Its executive comprises a team of tried and tested
locals. Its General Secretary is one of the most experienced and well-
respected Early Child Development (ECD) educators in The Gambia,
exemplified by the fact that MoBSE brings him in to help draft the new
ECD curriculum and that he is invited regularly by Gambia College as a
guest speaker to lecture on ECD best practice. He has Masters Degrees
in Education and Public Administration and worked for MoBSE for 18
years (8 as Head Master).

Section E Financial review

March 2012

TAR

Brief statement of the

charity’s policy on reserves

GSS reserves policy is reviewed by its trustees every 12 months. After scrutinising its detailed income and expenditure forecast in Oct 2024, the trustees decided to hold a reserve of £100,000.

Details of any funds materially in deficit

None

Further financial review details (Optional information)

Fundraising activities

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

GSS’s income is well diversified with support from a range of organisations including Charitable Trust, Corporate Benevolent Funds, Foundations both UK and overseas, City of London Livery companies and Church benevolent funds.

the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);

About 15% of its income from monthly donations and 10% from one-off donations from private individuals.

how expenditure has supported the key objectives Several of GSS’s supporters have made multi-year awards giving us a of the charity; predictable cash flow with which to plan the development of the HSS project.
investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

Section F Other optional information

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Jonathan Roderick Dale-Harris

March 2012

TAR

Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Chairman etc) Date

March 2012

TAR

Gambia School Support		1176136
Receipts andpayments accounts				CC16a
01/08/2024 Period start date For the period from	To	31/07/2025 Period end date

Section A Receipts and payments	Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts	Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 143,109 9,568 4,321 - - - - 156,998 - - - 156,998 125,500 66 5,277 694 - - - - 131,537 - - - 131,537 25,461 - 121,085 146,546	Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	Total funds to the nearest £ 143,109 9,568 4,321 - - - - - 156,998 - - - 156,998 125,500 66 5,277 694 - - - - 131,537 - - - 131,537 25,461	Last year to the nearest £
Donations	143,109				92,367
Gift aid	9,568				7,631
Interest	4,321				1,326
					-
	-				-
	-				-
	-				-
	-				-
*Sub total*(Gross income for AR)	156,998				101,324

A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table).
	-
	-				-
~~*Sub total*~~	-				-
*Total receipts* A3 Payments
					101,324

Good Schools Project Charity	125,500				90,000
Bank charges	66				66
Travel expenses - Trustees	5,277				3,683
Other	694				967
	-				-
	-				-
	-				-
	-				-
**Sub total **	131,537				94,716

A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table)
	-
	-
**Sub total **	-				-
*Total payments* *Net of receipts/(payments)* A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end *Cash funds this year end*
					94,716

	25,461	-	-	25,461	6,608
	-	-	-	-	-
	121,085	-	-	121,085	117,814
	146,546	-	-	146,546	121,085

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

13/10/2025

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets	Signature Details Details Bank account Details Details *Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details	Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 146,546 - - - - - 146,546 - OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name	Endowment funds to nearest £
			-
			-
			-
			-
			OK
			Endowment funds to nearest £
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			Current value (optional)
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			Current value (optional)
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			When due (optional)






			Date of approval

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

13/10/2025

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl member5 of Gambia School Support On accounts for the year ended 31 July 2025 Charity no (if any) 1176136 Set out on pages 1to2 Iren)emb&r to include the page nuinkrs of 3dditlonÈl sh&isl I report to the truslees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ('the Trust.) for the year ended 3110712025 Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Acf'l. I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515)Ib) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me rAuse to believe that in, any malerial respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records ndependent examiner's statement I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understanding ofthe aGcounts to be reached. Signed: Date: 12 Name: James Robbins Relevanl professional qualification(s) or body {if any): ACCA Address: The Old Post Office, High Street, Hartley Wintney, Hampshire RG27 8NZ Section B Disclosure Only complete ifthe examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, IndependÈnt examination of charity accountg= directions and 9UIdan for examiners). IER October 2018