2025-03-31-accounts - Ashton Schools Foundation

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ASHTON SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

REGISTERED CHARITY NO: 307526

ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

ASHTON SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

INDEX TO ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

PAGE	1	Legal and administrative information
	2-3	Report of the Trustees
	4	Income and expenditure account
	5	Statement of assets and liabilities
	6	Independent Examiner’s Report

ASHTON SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 307526

TRUSTEES AND

APPOINTING BODY

Rev Rachel Phillips - Ex Officio Governor Mrs Cynthia Gresham - Acting Chair and Co-optative Governor Mr Mark Saccoccio - Treasurer and Co-optative Governor Cllr Peter Hollick - Representative Trustee for Dunstable Town Cllr Matthew Neall - Representative Trustee for Dunstable Town Council Cllr Gregory Alderman - Representative Trustee for Central Bedfordshire Council Cllr Kenson Gurney - Representative Trustee for Central Bedfordshire Council Mrs Gill Short - Representative Trustee for St Albans Diocesan Board of Education Mrs Jana Veyres - Co-optative Trustee Ms Gloria Martin - Co-optative Trustee

PRINCIPAL OFFICE	Grove House
	76 High Street North
	Dunstable
	Beds LU6 1NF
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER	Mrs Pearl Partridge
	39 Wallace Drive
	Eaton Bray
	Dunstable
	Beds LU6 2DF
SOLICITORS	Debenhams Ottaway
	Ivy House
	107 St Peter’s Street
	St Albans
	Herts AL1 3EW
BANKERS	Barclays Bank Plc
	28 George Street
	Luton
	Beds LU1 2AE

ASHTON SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

The Trustees present their annual report together with the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2025.

CONSTITUTIONAL INFORMATION

The Charity is constituted under a trust instrument dated 15 January 1987 as amended on 24 July 2001 and 22 September 2015 and a further amendment was granted by the Charity Commission on 19 February 2024. It is a registered charity number 307526 and was registered as a charity on 11 August 1966.

OBJECTS OF THE CHARITY

To provide funding and grants to schools and individuals to enhance the furtherance of education in the area of Dunstable, Bedfordshire in which the Charity has established its area of benefit.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Following the sale of Ashton Middle School the proceeds have been used to improve and extend facilities at the two remaining schools in the foundation. This year monies have been spent on the improvement of facilities at Manshead Church of England Academy. All building works under the Scheme have now been completed.

MANAGEMENT OF THE CHARITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT

The names of the trustees who served during the year are set out on page 1. The trustees meet on a regular basis and also as and when considered necessary.

The trustees carry out an annual review of the risks which the Charity may face and have established systems and procedures to mitigate any risks identified and minimise any potential impact should any identified risks materialise.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The trustees have pleasure in presenting the accounts of the trust for the year ended 31 March 2025. The receipts (excluding asset sales) exceeded purchases (excluding assets purchases) by £15,139 (2024: £8,561.) (Grants and allocations totalling £12,500 (2024: £24,324) were paid during the year. Capital allocations made were £214,364 to Manshead Church of England Academy (2024: £83,700). The total value of investments and cash balances (less creditors’ payments due) held at 31 March 2025 was £ £1,125,050 (2024:£1,368,622).

Particulars of the Charity’s freehold properties are shown in a schedule to the accounts and are stated at nil cost.

ASHTON SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

RESERVES

In accordance with guidelines issued by the Charity Commissioners, the trustees have adopted a policy regarding reserves and regularly review the level of reserves to ensure that the Charity is able to be managed efficiently and to provide an adequate buffer for the objects of the Charity to be maintained.

INVESTMENT POLICY

The trustees only invest in Governments stocks, Official investment funds and interest bearing accounts with reputable clearing banks and building societies.

GRANT MAKING POLICY

The Trust Instrument determines the schools and individuals qualifying for grants. The levels of grants paid to the schools and individuals are determined by the trustees based on income available after defraying the Charity’s expenses.

Signed on behalf of the trustees

SIGNED…………………………………………………… Cynthia Gresham – Co-optative Governor

DATE………………………………………………………

ASHTON SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF ASHTON SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

I report on the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2025, which are set out on pages 4 and 5.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The Charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The Charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year (under Section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act)) and that an independent examination is required.

It is my responsibility to:

examine the accounts under Section 145 of the 2011 Act
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act); and
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act

have not been met; or

(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Mrs Pearl Partridge DATE 16 September2025 39 Wallace Drive Eaton Bray Dunstable Bedfordshire LU6 2DF

STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

2025 £ £ 35,329 305 35,634 9,500 3,000 - 12,500 6,888 650 457 - 7,995 20,495 15,139 214,364 214,364 414,662 215,437	£ £ 40,148 244 40,392 18,000 6,000 324 24,324 6,276 650 462 119 7,507 31,831 8,561 83,700 83,700 489,801 414,662 2024	£ £ 40,148 244 40,392 18,000 6,000 324 24,324 6,276 650 462 119 7,507 31,831 8,561 83,700 83,700 489,801 414,662 2024
9,500 3,000 -
6,888 650 457 -	6,276 650 462 119
214,364	83,700
		31,831
		8,561 83,700 489,801

		414,662

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

2025 £ £ Cash Funds Bank current account 35,309 Bank deposit account 20,861 56,170 Other monetary assets Teachers Building Society 100,000 COIF deposit fund 59,267 159,267 Total monetary assets 215,437 Non monetary assets Date Acquired Cost Market value at 31/03/2025 £ £ Charities Official Investment Fund Income Units 14/12/1994 136,586 and 2017 250,000 386,586 909,513 Liabilities Accountancy 250 Held for charity's purposes Land and buildings known as Ashton St Peter's VA Primary School Land known as Mill Field Land and buildings known as Manshead Church of England Academy and the car park The income and expenditure account and the statement of assets and liabilities on pages 4 and 5 were	£ £ 20,474 20,557 41,031 100,000 273,631 373,631 414,662 250 2024	£ £ 20,474 20,557 41,031 100,000 273,631 373,631 414,662 250 2024
	100,000 273,631

		414,662
		250

approved by the Trustees on …………………………....................................and signed on their behalf by

Cynthia Gresham

39 Wallace Drive Eaton Bray Dunstable Bedfordshire LU6 2DF

17 September2025

Grove House 76 High Street North Dunstable Bedfordshire LU6 1NF

Dear Mrs Gresham and Mr Saccoccio

I am writing with the findings of my recent examination of the accounts for The Ashton Schools Foundation charity for the year ended 31[st] March 2025 and I would like to include my thanks once again to Julie Tipler for her help and co-operation .

I am pleased that, at last, the donations to both schools have been completed. This has involved a lot of work from the audit point of view so next year’s accounts should be very much more straight forward.

I have read the minutes of the meetings over the past year and note that you wish to make further grants to Manshead and Ashton St Peter distributing the interest received from the sale of the school. Presumably these will be capital grants for specific projects and not just a sum of money to be used on an ad hoc basis. You will see from the attached profits schedule that there is almost £95,000 available but I would not suggest that you spend all of that . Income will of course decline now that all the sale money has been distributed and you have to allow for about £26,000 expenses each year so you should keep some money in reserve. I note that there is about £40,000 in the bank current account at present which seems extremely high without earning any interest. I would suggest that only a small amount should be kept in the current account and the rest transferred to the premium account or other interest bearing account. The Coif interest is higher than the building society interest so it might be a better idea to withdraw funds from the building society depending on how much you wish to give to the two schools.

I hope this information is helpful. I am willing to act as Examiner again next year if you wish to use my services.

Yours sincerely

Pearl Partridge