Little Bookham Manor House School
Annual Report and Accounts For the Year Ended 31 August 2024
Company Number: 00719947 Charity Number: 312063
LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
GOVERNORS, OFFICERS AND ADVISERS
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
Governors, Directors and Charity Trustees
The Governors of Little Bookham Manor House School (“the School”) are the School’s charity trustees under charity law and the directors of the charitable company. The members of the Governing Body/Board of Governors who served in office as Governors during the year and up to the date of signing are detailed below.
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(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Mrs G Sims-Brassett (Chair) Extended on 18 June 2023 ￭ * ￭ ￭
Mrs S Hayes Appointed 1 September 2023 * ￭
Ms M Kieran Re-appointed 30 April 2022 * ￭
Ms C Owen (Safeguarding) Resigned 31 December 2023 ￭ ￭
Mr A Ross (Safeguarding) Appointed 31 December 2023 ￭ ￭
Canon P Thompson Appointed 1 September 2023 * ￭ ￭
Mrs S Woodward Resigned 31 August 2024 ￭ * ￭
Carys Dalton Appointed 1 September 2024 * ￭
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(1) Education Committee
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(2) Finance & Estates’ Committee
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(3) Health & Safety Committee
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(4) Child Protection and Safeguarding Officers (* All governors are required to be up to date with the requirements) Dr Richardson is the safeguarding Governor.
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(5) Remuneration Committee
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(6) Board of Governors
Officers
Mr AM Ellison
Clerk to the Governors, Company Secretary
Executive Officers
Ms T Fantham Mr S Hillier
Headteacher Deputy Head
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
GOVERNORS, OFFICERS AND ADVISERS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
Principal address and registered office
Little Bookham Manor House School, Manor House Lane, Little Bookham, Surrey KT23 4EN
Auditors
HaysMac LLP, 10 Queen Street Place, London, EC4R 1AG.
Bankers
Lloyds TSB Bank PLC, PO Box 18436, 2nd Floor, 39 Threadneedle Street, London EC2R 8PT Metro Bank PLC, One Southampton Row, London, WC1B 5HA
CCLA Investment Management Limited, COIF Charity Funds, Senator House, 85 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4V 4E
Health and safety
Assurity Consulting Limited, 26 Redkiln Way, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 5QH
Websites and social media
www.manorhouseschool.org www.twitter.com/manorhseschool www.facebook.com/manorhseschool
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
Little Bookham Manor House School became a subsidiary of the Effingham Schools Trust (comprising Cranmore and St Teresa’s Independent Schools) on 31 August 2023. The members of the Little Bookham Manor House School Governing Body present their Annual Report for the year ending 31 August 2024 under the Charities Act 2011, including the Directors’ and Strategic Reports, under the Companies Act 2006, together with the audited financial statements for the year.
Reference and administrative information
Little Bookham Manor House School (“the School”) was founded in 1920. It is constituted as a company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital, registered in England, No. 00719947, and is registered with the Charity Commission under Charity No. 312063.
The School is currently a selective independent day school for girls aged 4 to 16 with a co-educational nursery and lower prep school. Details of the members of the Governing Body, together with the School’s officers and principal advisers are provided on pages 1 and 2. There has been a reduction in the number of Governors serving on the Governing Body in 2023/24 and these changes are reflected in the Governors table on page 1.
Structure, Governance and Management
Governing documents
The School continues to be governed by a Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association. These were amended on 23 November 2012 to record a name change from Little Bookham Manor House School Educational Trust Limited to Little Bookham Manor House School. The Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association were amended on 31 August 2023 to facilitate the ‘merger’ between Little Bookham Manor House School and the Effingham Schools Trust
Governing Body
The Governing Body continues to be self-appointing, with one-third of its members required to retire by rotation at each AGM. The longest in office must retire first and the choice between any members of equal service is to be made by drawing lots. Members retiring by rotation can be re-elected.
New members of the Governing Body are elected on the basis of nominations from the Governors and the executive officers based on the candidates’ professional qualities, experience, personal competence, expertise and the needs of the Board and the School.
Recruitment and training of Governors
New Governors are interviewed by the Chair of Governors and other available Governors. They are appointed by the Board and inducted by the Chair of the Board of Governors, the Headteacher and the Clerk to the Governors. New Governors are provided with an introductory pack, which includes the most important School documentation (Articles of Association, annual financial statements, minutes and reports) and information on being a trustee, and school governor. Appropriate external training courses are provided for Governors by reputable professional bodies. The Designated Safeguarding Lead provides regular Child Protection and Safeguarding training to Governors and Governors are requested to participate in the on-line safeguarding training that is completed by the School staff.
The Governing body brings together skilled volunteers with a wide range of experience in education, finance, health/medical, investment, law, pensions and recruitment. Nominations for new governors are continually sought to add to the pool of skills and experience available on the Board with key areas of interest being child protection and safeguarding, early years’ education, finance, marketing and property development. A new Governor was appointed on 1 September 2023 to assume the role of the Safeguarding Governor on 31 December 2023. Another new Governor was appointed on 1 September 2024 to replace a Governor who retired on 31 August 2024.
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
Organisational management
The members of the Governing Body, as charity trustees, are legally responsible for the overall management and control of the School. The School’s Articles of Association require Governors to hold at least three meetings a year. The School’s governance structure in 2023/24 was as follows:
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Education Committee : This Committee was suspended on 1 September 2023 following the merger with the Effingham Schools Trust. The Committee's work was incorporated into the business of the Board of Governors. The Committee was reinstated on 8 October 2024 and the Committee is currently chaired by Mrs M Kieran.
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Finance and Estates Committee : This Committee was suspended on 1 September 2023 following the merger with the Effingham Schools Trust. The Committee’s work was incorporated into the business of the Board of Governors.
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Health and Safety Committee : This Committee was chaired by Mrs S Woodward and its primary objective was to monitor and ensure the School’s compliance with all legislative Health and Safety requirements and general good practice. Accident reports, fire drills, accessibility plans, Health and Safety training, provision of first aid and first aid training, as well as reports from the School’s external advisers were reviewed at meetings held once each term. Teaching and non-teaching staff were represented on this Committee.
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Child Protection and Safeguarding Officers : Ms C Owen was the Board’s appointed Child Protection and Safeguarding Governor until 31 December 2023, when Mr A Ross assumed the role on Ms Owen’s retirement. All Governors are required to be up to date on Child Protection and Safeguarding matters.
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Nominations and Remuneration Committee : The Chair of Governors and at least one other Governor from the Board of Governors considered nominations for Governorship, interviewed candidates and made recommendations to the Governing Body for its approval. The Chair of the Board and one other Governor (Canon P Thompson) reviewed the remuneration of the School’s senior managers and they monitored the general effectiveness of the School’s remuneration practices and policy.
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Board : The Board was responsible for strategic planning, risk management, educational matters, finance, the future development of the School, and the approval of policies reserved to the Board. The Board met at least 3 times during the year, and it fulfilled the roles of both the Education and Finance Committees, which were suspended following the merger with the Effingham Schools Trust. The timing of the Manor House Board meetings was sequenced to occur between the Effingham Schools Trust’s Finance and General Purposes Committe and the Trust’s Board meetings. The Manor House Board has representation on both the aforementioned Trust meetings. The subCommittee structure remaining at Manor House has meant that the reduced number of Governors have each actively contributed to and overseen the school’s performance.
The day-to-day running of the School continues to be delegated to the Headteacher who is supported by a Senior Leadership Team comprising in 2023/24 the Deputy Headteacher, the Head of Prep School, the Heads of Key Stages 3 and 4, the Head of Careers and Examinations Officer, the Head of Well-being and Extra-Curricular and the Director of Marketing. The Headteacher attended all Committee meetings and was invited to attend the Nominations and Remuneration Committee. The Deputy Headteacher attended the Health and Safety Committee meetings and was invited to attend all the Board Meetings with the exception of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee. The Director of Finance from the Trust attended all the Board meetings, and the Director of Operations from the Trust attended all Governors meetings either as a Trust executive and/or as Clerk to the Governors and Company Secretary.
The Headteacher and members of the Senior Leadership Team or staff were required to serve on any other committees set up by the Board from time to time. The Headteacher continues to be an active member of the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA), the School remains a member of the Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools (AGBIS) and the Independent Schools’ Council (ISC). The Director of Operations was the School’s representative in the Independent Schools Bursars’ Association (ISBA).
Remuneration is reviewed annually as part of the budgeting process and included a comparison, where possible, with other independent schools to ensure that the School remained sensitive to the broader issues of pay and employment conditions and, more importantly, remained capable of recruiting high calibre staff. Delivery of the School’s charitable vision and purpose was primarily dependent on key management personnel, and staff costs remained the largest single element of charitable expenditure.
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
Related parties
The School is a subsidiary of the Effingham Schools Trust and there was one related party, namely the Friends of Manor House School (FOMHS).
Employment policy
The School’s Recruitment and Selection Policy states clearly that the School is an equal opportunities employer. The School continues to select candidates on their ability to meet essential job requirements only, and it does not treat any job applicant less favourably than another by direct or indirect discrimination. The School has its own salary scale, which is applied consistently according to qualification and experience, but on occasion, additional responsibility points may be awarded in order to recruit and retain teachers in key subjects.
Communication with employees continues through normal management channels in a variety of forms and on a regular basis. The Director of Finance for the Trust writes to staff about salary increases and to parents about fee increases. The Governing Body are prepared to convene appropriate meetings to deal with issues of critical importance should the need arise.
Charitable objectives, aims and activities
Charitable Objects
The School’s primary objects, as stated in the Articles of Association, are ‘the advancement of education and, in particular, but without limitation, the promotion and operation of Manor House School, Little Bookham, Surrey, or any other schools, colleges, nurseries, or other educational facilities for the education of girls, and, if thought fit, for the education of boys, where they may obtain a general education of the highest standard, together with physical, moral and religious training, such religious training to be provided in accordance with the spirit and ethos of the Church of England but consistent with other creeds’.
Despite the School having no investments or endowments to support the award of scholarships, bursaries, awards and other benefactions, the foregoing remain a key focus of the Governing Body (“Board”) which is mindful of the longstanding need to provide public benefit and of the requirements of the Charities Act 2011. The Board continues to closely consider the guidance on public benefit produced by the Charity Commission, together with its supplemental guidance on the charging of fees.
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
Mission statement
The School’s current mission is to develop confident young women with a passion for learning both within and outside the classroom, who believe in their abilities to learn and succeed, and who are eager to apply the skills and knowledge they have learned for their benefit and for the benefit of the wider community.
Intended impact
The School’s intention is to operate within its charitable objects and to provide a well-rounded education of the highest standard. Girls are enabled to learn together at their own pace, develop the confidence to take risks, choose any field of study without stereotypical influence, grow in emotional intelligence and show compassion for others while honing life and leadership skills for the future. Most importantly, the School’s intention is to develop happy, confident and successful young women.
Aims
The School’s strategic aims to assist it in meeting its public benefit commitment are:
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To become a school of choice for independent pupils’ education
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To secure the financial health of the school through organisational effectiveness, efficiencies and popularity
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To prepare the pupils for their future through the development of academic excellence, enriching opportunities, creativity and skills for life
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To develop partnerships and network links with past and future stakeholders of Manor House School.
Public benefit
The Governors recognise the duty imposed upon them by Section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 and also the requirement to have due regard to the general guidance provided by the Charity Commission in connection with Public Benefit. Manor House School remains committed to the aim of providing public benefit in accordance with its founding principles and to develop in it’s pupils an understanding of and willingness to assist those less fortunate than themselves.
In 2023/24 the School has made its facilities available free of charge, and in the case of some joint ventures, at a reduced rate that covers cleaning and administrative costs only. Some of these activities are detailed below:
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All Saints Church uses the school facilities throughout the year for its fundraising events and the Church uses our main car park at no cost on a regular basis for Church events including weddings, funerals and all acts of worship.
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The school’s netball courts are used by the county Netball league. There are normally 12 fixtures over the season and at least 500 girls from across Surrey play at each fixture.
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The Womens’ Institute use the school premises for its meetings and for sporting and social events.
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The local Rugby Club use the school car park for their tournament events.
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We currently hire our premises and grounds during the school holidays to a company providing activity holiday camps for children from across the local community.
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We offer art workshops and tennis coaching during the holidays for children in the local community.
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A local community choir, Soudbytes, held two performance and a workshop in our large hall.
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The school allows local organisations (e.g. the scouts and the organisers of Bookham Open Gardens) to use the school minibuses to support their events.
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
- The school participates in a number of community events such as Heritage Day, and it opens its gardens annually to be enjoyed by the wider public. Community activities and events held at the Tithe barn across the road are frequent and visitors use the school car park to attend the events.
The Board views bursaries awarded to those who would not otherwise be able to afford a Manor House education as a valuable provider of diversity amongst its pupils, as well as a measurable means of providing public benefit. This year means-tested bursaries to the value of £186,676 were awarded to 18 girls (2023: £162,545 to 1618 girls) with the value of individual bursaries ranging between 20% and 75% of the basic tuition fee (average of 45%) depending on the outcome of the means testing. Scholarships, awards, bursaries and other discounts totalled £646,107 (13.3% of gross fee income) and benefitted 113 girls (2023: £504,234 to 104 girls at 10.8% of gross fee income).
Bursary information is widely advertised and is included on the School’s website. Information is available to all local state and independent schools in order to extend the awareness of the opportunities available to girls who would otherwise not be able to benefit from a Manor House education. Scholarships are not means tested and they are open to pupils from state or independent schools.
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
STRATEGIC REPORT
Review of achievements and performance for the year
Examination performance
Table 1: Y11 GCSE Results 2019-2024
- Year 11 pupils achieved an excellent set of results overall. 59% of results were 7 or above, more than double the national average.
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
Table 2: School Level Value Added Outcomes 2019-2024 (Source: CEM)
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Value added shows the difference between externally assessed (CEM) predicted performance, calculated through Yellis assessments, and actual outcomes in the exams. A value-added score of 2.0 indicates pupils gained on average 2 grades higher than others of a similar ability nationally in that subject. Value added therefore is a good measure of progress regardless of ability.
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Positive value-added outcomes in all subjects, with particular strengths in languages and Art/Drama.
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Improvement in VA in Maths compared to the previous year
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Biggest change from last year was a fall in value added in separate sciences subjects, which have historically performed well at Manor House. There has been no changes in personnel over the past few years. Curriculum time in the separate sciences is tight and this is an area for review
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
Prep School Attainment Summary
End of Key Stage Two
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July 2024 Attainment in Reading/Writing/Maths combined is above national levels (Teacher Assessment and External Assessments)
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Trend – Analysis of trends show that since 2019 Manor House Attainment is consistently above national average results.
EYFS Attainment trends
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
As our first year as part of the Effingham Schools Trust, we enjoyed collaborating with colleagues from the other two schools. We benefitted from the use of additional facilities, we refurbished much of the main house and co-ordinated transport across the trust enabling more pupils to access facilities and opportunities.
Extra-curricular activities
2023-2024 has been a fantastic year for Music. A new Director of music joined the team last year and inspired many to join choirs, take up instruments and perform out of our comfort zones in concerts and recitals.
Pupils have had more performance opportunities than ever to showcase their talents, including recitals featuring string players, woodwind players, vocalists, brass players from both the Prep and Senior School. Music Scholars and Year 10 and 11 pupils also performed at the annual Scholars and GCSE pupil’s recital.
Our Choirs in the Prep and Senior School have sung at prestigious school events and celebrations such as the Remembrance Service and Easter Service, and all music ensembles were featured at our Carol Service. Additionally, Year 6 took part in the largest children’s choir in the world as part of Young Voices at the O2.
Pupils loved being a part of new events on the music calendar, such as the Night at the Musicals concert, and Rock and Pop Concert – hosted for the first time at Leatherhead Theatre. We have enjoyed guest visitors, such as an ex-pupil returning to speak to GCSE pupils about her experience composing for video games, and pupils in the Prep School have had demonstrations from our wonderful team of Visiting Music Teachers, even taking up the opportunity to have a free trial lesson on a new instrument.
Manor House girls thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with other schools in the trust. Selected orchestral players rehearsed and performed with the St Teresa’s Chamber Orchestra at their Opera Showcase, and string players were invited to attend and perform at a Stringfever workshop at Cranmore.
In February, artists ventured to St Ives in Cornwall for a very inspiring Art trip where they engaged with a range of workshops and experienced all that the Cornish weather could muster. Trips to Art galleries in London and Guildford were also planned for senior pupils.
Within Performing Arts, we enjoyed another successful year of musical theatre and drama. We were transported over the rainbow and along the yellow brick road for our senior school production, The Wizard of Oz which brought comedy, colour and courage to the stage. Over 100 girls took part in the stunning performance which included a backstage team, costumes and lighting. We also enjoyed a wonderful Shakespeare performance of a Midsummer’s Night and the Drama club shared some of their work at the well-attended performance.
The school ski trip went to the Dolomites in Italy with 39 pupils and 4 members of staff. With over half the party being beginners, they soon conquered the nursery slopes and enjoyed all that the mountain had to offer.
The Head of Classics pioneered a new trip to Italy, to explore the ancient civilisations of Rome and the Bay of Naples which included a hike up Vesuvius. Thankfully seismic activity is carefully monitored in the area, so they safely enjoyed the opportunity to just gaze into the crater at Pompeii. The Humanities and MFL Department, combined forces to lead a GCSE History and German trip to Berlin where girls enjoyed an eclectic contrast of experiences. Later in the year, KS3 also visited Germany for a full immersive experience as well as practising their linguistic skills.
In March, we were informed that the independent schools inspection team would arrive the next day. The inspection went exceptionally well and we were very pleased with the final report which reflected the many qualities which make Manor House so unique.
The English Department organised a memorable book week developing a passion for literature and the written word. Winners of the Rotary writing competition this year included a Year 10 pupil in the Senior Competition and a Year 8 pupil was runner up in the intermediates. At District Level, a year 10 pupil was highly commended.
Crest awards, STEM projects and Teen Tech Awards were all schemes run last year to broaden science and leadership skills. We were particularly proud to offer the UK Biology challenge and the Intermediate and Junior Physics challenge to Year 9 and 10. Thirty-three students gained medals which is an amazing achievement and a we had 2 Gold medal winners
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
in Year 10. Using Technology Skills continues to be popular throughout the school. Food technology remains a very popular subject developing excellent life skills.
In Maths, girls worked really hard to achieve their potential in a subject that some find quite challenging. Three girls decided to study Further Maths alongside their Maths GCSE and achieved top grades. Junior Maths Challenge had many girls receiving certificates with the best in school award going to a Year 8 pupil. In the intermediate Maths challenge a year 10 pupil got invited to participate in the follow on "Kangaroo" round.
Once again we entered the GAIN (Girls Are INvestors) Challenge, and received wonderful feedback from the judges.
Our well-being programme included appointing well-being ambassadors and talking to pupils about how to enhance their happiness. The ambassadors organised a pupil led well-being day.
We introduced a therapy dog to the well-being programme.
We enjoyed a very successful year in sport and fielded numerous teams across a range of sports. Our Junior Team came 2nd in the District Athletics. 5 girls qualified for the Surrey Schools championships where a Year 9 pupil secured PBs winning Gold in both the 200m and 300m events. Having competed at the nationals, the pupil was ranked 3rd in the Country. In the 1500m, a year 8 pupil also set a new PB with her silver medal win and in Cross-Country, was ranked in the top 6 runners across Surrey.
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
A year 11 pupil made impressions on women’s cricket by being selected once again for the Surrey U16 women’s team. In swimming, 3 pupils swim at county and national level.
The Duke of Edinburgh scheme, continues to flourish and last year we gained numerous bronze and silver awards.
The FOMHS worked hard on fund raising activities and their proceeds were used to replace the Adventure playground.
We aimed to raise the profile of different careers. Interesting talks from guest speakers were enjoyed. One such inspiring assembly led to a female leader becoming a new school Governor and we welcomed the Head of Player Care at Chelsea Football Club.
Across the Trust, pupils enjoyed a range of combined activities. Our scholars joined the Global Scholars Cup programme and Music scholars from Manor House were invited to perform in a combined orchestra and Opera Strings.
Year 8 pupils showed resilience and character by joining the Combined Cadet Force and attended a camp at RAF Wittering in the summer term, where they experienced military aircraft among other adventurous activities.
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Results for the year
Following a sustained period of inflation, school fees increased by 7.9% on 1 September 2023 (1 September 2022: 4.4%), which supported a universal pay award of 5% for staff (2023: 3%).
Whilst the School recorded a post-depreciation deficit of £245,673 on 31 August 2024 (depreciation was £131,511) (2023: £32,457 (depreciation was £123,499)), the Board has concluded that the school is well placed to meet the economic and financial challenges that will persist over the next few years. Its recent partnership with the Effingham Schools Trust, will enable the Board to consider a range of options when responding to the challenges that have arisen following the abolition of business rates relief, the addition of VAT on school fees and an increase in the rate of employers’ national insurance contributions.
The School’s bursary and scholarship offerings remain significant. The Bursary awards provide some girls with the opportunity to receive an independent education that their parents would otherwise be unable to afford, whereas the scholarship policy aims to retain gifted and talented Manor House girls and to attract top scholars from other state and independent schools. The total discounts offered by the School including bursary awards, scholarships, staff fee remissions and other discounts was £646,107 in 2023/24 (2022/23: £504,234). This represents an increase over the previous year as staff remissions and sibling discounts were brought into line with Effingham Schools Trust policy. The discounts awarded in 2023/24 were 13.3% of gross fee income (2022/23: 10.8%).
Levels of Reserves, Reserves Policy and Financial Viability
The School’s total reserves at the end of the year amounting to £3,476,195 (2023: £3,721,868). These were all unrestricted in nature with free reserves of £178,719 (2023: £513,589) (general reserves less reserves represented by the net book value of fixed assets less associated funding arrangements). The School’s reserves policy is to maintain sufficient unrestricted income reserves to enable it to meet its short-term financial obligations in the event of an unexpected revenue shortfall. The free reserves provide cover for up to 0.45 months’ (2023: 1.4 months’) operating costs but the future target is for one term’s (3 months) operating costs.
Principal Risks and Uncertainties
The most significant risks to the Charity are a substantial fall in pupil numbers and safeguarding and compliance issues, with specific fire, pedestrian and traffic safety risks. These risks are mitigated by a wide-ranging set of control measures and particular attention is afforded to the Independent Schools Inspection compliance criteria with specific policies in place for compliance standards.
Health and Safety is always a significant area for risk management and the risks range from fire and infrastructure failures to personal risks (most notably when pupils are away from the School on trips). The School utilises external specialists to assist in ensuring that health and safety policies and practices are routinely reviewed, refined and implemented. The School is currently following the recommendations contained in both a Safe School Assessment and a Fire Risk Assessment produced by its appointed experts Assurity Consultants. The Board is committed to ensuring that the School remains a safe environment for parents, pupils, staff and visitors.
The School’s child protection and safeguarding policies are updated annually to reflect changes in the guidance, and regular training is given to staff and Governors alike. The Staff are alert to any possible signs, which may indicate the existence of any potential risk in this regard. The school continues to utilise professional counsellors who support the experienced and well-trained staff, and despite many challenges, no unmanageable incidents were reported during the year under review.
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
Detailed consideration of day-to-day risk is delegated to the Headteacher and the Senior Leadership Team. Risks are identified, assessed, controls established, formally reviewed and reported to the Governors. The generic controls used by the School to minimise risk include:
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Detailed terms of reference together with formal agendas for Committee and Board activity;
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Comprehensive budgeting and management accounting and reporting;
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Established organisational structures and lines of reporting;
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Formal written policies which are reviewed regularly;
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Clear authorisation and approval levels;
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Vetting procedures as required by law for the protection of the vulnerable;
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Assessment and monitoring of activities to ensure safe practices.
In addition, the Governors are aware of the risks that are common to the independent education sector, in particular, the introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) on school fees and the removal of business rates relief, and continue to develop plans to mitigate the impact of these changes.
The Governors are satisfied that adequate systems are in place to mitigate the school’s exposure to current and future risks.
FUTURE PLANS
The School acknowledges the challenges it will face in 2024/25 and it recognises the need for a strategy that: monitors risk to financial health; continues to increase pupil numbers; mitigates the impact of VAT on fees; manages operational costs and discounts at a level consistent with the size of the School; and reduces unnecessary expenditure while delivering excellent support to the School.
Manor House School will focus on the following areas of its current Development Plan:
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Increase capacity in the Nursery and Lower Prep to support growth.
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Retain Year 11 pupils in the EST Sixth Form
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Maintaining academic excellence and positive progress and achievement measures across all phases of the school.
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Utilise facilities across the trust to widen opportunities and broaden curriculum experiences.
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Continue to develop a comprehensive well-being provision responding to needs as they change.
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Reshape the curriculum so that it prepares pupils for a future world.
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Co-ordinate a change to a cross-trust management system. (ISAMS)
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Enhance educational experiences with cutting edge technology.
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Improve facilities within the senior school.
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES
The Governors, who are also the directors of Little Bookham Manor House School for the purposes of company law, are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements and have elected to do so in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards). Under company law the Governors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company, the incoming resources and application thereof, including the income and expenditure of the charitable company for the year under review. In preparing these financial statements, the Governors are required to:
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select the most appropriate accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
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make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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state whether applicable Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.
The Governors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s transactions, disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006 and the provisions of the charity’s constitution. 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.
Relevant Audit Information
Insofar as each of the Governors as Directors of the Company at the date of approval of this report are aware, there is no relevant audit information (information needed by the Company’s auditor in connection with preparing the audit report) of which the Company’s auditor is unaware. Each Governor has taken all the steps that he or she should have taken as a member of the Governing Body in order to make himself or herself aware of the relevant audit information and to establish that the Company’s auditor is aware of that information.
Approved by the Governing Body of Little Bookham Manor House School on 11 March 2025, including, in their capacity as company directors, approving the Directors’ and Strategic Reports contained therein, and signed on its behalf by:
…………………………..
G Sims-Brassett (Chair of Governors)
17
LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GOVERNORS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
18
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Little Bookham Manor House School for the year ended 31 August 2024 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, Balance Sheet, Cash flow Statement, and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion, the financial statements:
-
give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 August 2024 and of the charitable company’s net movement in funds, including the 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.
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 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 company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Directors and Trustees’ 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.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.
19
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
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 Governors’ Report (which includes the directors’ report prepared for the purposes of company law) for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
-
adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent charitable company; or
-
the company 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
-
the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies’ regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in preparing the trustees’ report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
Responsibilities of trustees for the financial statements
As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 17 the Governors (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 company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:
Based on our understanding of the charitable company and the environment in which it operates, we identified that the principal risks of non-compliance with laws and regulations related to the independent school regulations, safeguarding regulations, health and safety requirements, GDPR, employment law and charity law and we considered the extent to which non-compliance might have a material effect on the financial statements. We also considered those laws and regulations that have a direct impact on the preparation of the financial statements such as the Charities Act 2011 and Companies Act 2006 and consider other factors such as payroll tax.
20
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
We evaluated management’s incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements (including the risk of override of controls), and determined that the principal risks were related to posting inappropriate journal entries and management bias in making accounting estimates. Audit procedures performed by the engagement team included:
-
Inspecting correspondence with regulators and tax authorities;
-
Discussions with management including consideration of known or suspected instances of non-compliance with laws and regulation and fraud;
-
Evaluating management’s controls designed to prevent and detect irregularities;
-
Identifying and testing journals, in particular journal entries posted at the year-end; and
-
Challenging assumptions and judgements made by management in their accounting estimates
Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.
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. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an Auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company's members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Ie ……………………………………. Lee Stokes (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of HaysMac LLP, Statutory Auditor
10 Queen Street Place London EC4R 1AG
28/03/2025
………………………………..
21
LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE
| INCOME AND EXPENDITURE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted Funds | |||
| Notes | 2024 | 2023 | |
| £ | £ | ||
| INCOME FROM | |||
| Charitable activities | |||
| Tuition fees | 2 | 4,206,162 | 4,171,150 |
| Other educational income | 3 | 309,984 | 334,913 |
| Trading activities | |||
| Lettings | 4 | 2,917 | 13,332 |
| Investment: | |||
| Bank interest | 5 | - | 3,092 |
| Donations | |||
| General | 6 | 1,159 | 26,165 |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------- | ||
| Total income | 4,520,222 | 4,548,652 | |
| --------------------- | ------------------- | ||
| EXPENDITURE ON | |||
| Expenditure on Charitable Activity | |||
| Trust operating cost: | |||
| Teaching costs | 7 | 2,538,159 | 2,561,869 |
| Welfare | 7 | 616,924 | 529,416 |
| Premises | 7 | 928,833 | 921,416 |
| Support costs and governance | 7 | 680,844 | 566,747 |
| Raising funds | |||
| Finance costs | 1,135 | 1,661 | |
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ||
| Total expenditure | 4,765,895 | 4,581,109 | |
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ||
| Net expenditure | (245,673) | (32,457) | |
| Transfer between funds | - | - | |
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ||
| Net movement in funds | (245,673) | (32,457) | |
| Balance brought forward at | |||
| 1 September | 3,721,868 | 3,754,325 | |
| Balance carried forward at | ---------------------- | ---------------------- | |
| 31 August | 3,476,195 | 3,721,868 | |
| ========== | ========= |
The Statement of Financial Activities contains all the income and expenditure recognised in the current and preceding year. All of the School’s activities during the above two financial years derived from continuing activities.
The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.
22
LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
BALANCE SHEET
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
| 2024 | 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Notes | £ | £ | |
| FIXED ASSETS | |||
| Tangible assets | 9 | 3,297,476 | 3,208,279 |
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ||
| 3,297,476 | 3,208,279 | ||
| CURRENT ASSETS | |||
| Debtors - receivable within one year | 10 | 233,521 | 258,075 |
| Cash and bank balances | 1,937,663 | 1,192,526 | |
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ||
| 2,171,184 | 1,450,601 | ||
| CREDITORS- amounts falling | |||
| due within one year | 11 | (1,589,532) | (937,012) |
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ||
| NET CURRENT ASSETS | 581,652 | 531,589 | |
| -------------------- | -------------------- | ||
| TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT | |||
| LIABILITIES | 3,879,128 | 3,721,868 | |
| CREDITORS- amounts falling | |||
| due after more than one year | 12 | (402,933) | - |
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ||
| 3,476,195 | 3,721,868 | ||
| ========== | ========= | ||
| FUNDS | |||
| General unrestricted funds | 3,476,195 | 3,721,868 | |
| Restricted funds | - | ||
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ||
| 3,476,195 | 3,721,868 | ||
| ========== | ========= |
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Governors on 11 March 2025 and were signed below on their behalf by:
…………………………………… G Sims-Brassett (Chair of Governors)
The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.
23
LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Reconciliation of net expenditure to net | |||||
| cash flow from operating activities | |||||
| Net expenditure | (245,673) | (32,457) | |||
| Depreciation | 131,511 | 123,500 | |||
| Bank interest received | - | (3,092) | |||
| Bank interest paid | 1,135 | 1,661 | |||
| Decrease/(increase) in debtors | 24,554 | (89,897) | |||
| Increase/(decrease) in creditors | 188,160 | (35,185) | |||
| Increase/(decrease) in parent deposits and fees | 867,293 | (6,870) | |||
| in advance | |||||
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ||||
| Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities | 966,980 | (42,340) | |||
| Cash flows from investing activities | |||||
| Investment income | 3,092 | ||||
| Purchase of tangible fixed assets | (220,708) | (119,792) | |||
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (220,708) | (116,700) | |||
| Cash flows from financing activities | |||||
| Bank interest paid | (1,135) | (1,661) | |||
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ||||
| Net cash used in financing activities | (1,135) | (1,661) | |||
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ||||
| Decrease in cash | 745,137 | (160,701) | |||
| ========= | ========= | ||||
| Cash and cash equivalents at 1 September | 1,192,526 | 1,353,227 | |||
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ||||
| Cash and cash equivalents at 31 August | 1,937,663 | 1,192,526 | |||
| ========= | ========= | ||||
| ANALYSIS OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | |||||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||
| £ | £ | ||||
| --------------------- | --------------------- | ||||
| Cash at bank | 1,937,663 | 1,192,526 | |||
| ========== | ========== | ||||
| ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN NET | |||||
| DEBT | |||||
| At 1 September | Cash flows | At 31 August | |||
| 2023 | 2024 | ||||
| £ | ~~£~~ | £ | |||
| Cash | 1,192,526 | 745,137 | 1,937,663 | ||
| Total | --------------------- | --------------------- | --------------------- | ||
| 1,192,526 | 745,137 | 1,937,663 | |||
| ========== | ========== | ========== |
24
LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
Little Bookham Manor House School is a charitable company incorporated in England and Wales. The School is a Public Benefit Entity registered as a charity in England and Wales and a company limited by guarantee with no share capital. It was incorporated on 30 March 1962 (company number: 00719947) and registered as a charity on 29 August 1962 (charity number: 312063).
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
a) Basis of Accounting
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with applicable accounting standards and the Statement of Recommended Practice Accounting and Reporting by Charities (Second Edition), the Companies Act 2006 and FRS 102 the financial reporting standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
The functional currency of the School is considered to be GBP because that is the currency of the primary economic environment in which the School operates.
Having reviewed the School’s potential challenges in the future, the funding facilities available to the School, its recent merger with the Effingham Schools Trust and the School’s future projected cash flows, the Governors have a reasonable expectation that the School has adequate resources to continue its activities for the foreseeable future, and consider that there are no material uncertainties over the School’s financial viability in the short term. Accordingly, the Board of Governors continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements as outlined in the Statement of Accounting and Reporting Responsibilities on page 17.
The accounts present the statement of financial activities (SOFA), the cash flow statement and the balance sheet.
The following accounting policies have been applied consistently in dealing with items which are considered material in relation to the School’s financial statements.
b) Fees receivable and similar income
Tuition fees are stated after deducting allowances for awards and other remissions. Other educational income comprises income from school outings, activities and other related income. These sources of income are included in the accounts when the likelihood of the receipt is probable and their value can be measured with reasonable certainty.
c)
Investment income
Investment income from bank balances and interest bearing deposits are accounted for on an accruals basis.
d) Donations, legacies, grants and other income
Other income is accounted for as and when entitlement arises, the amount can be reliably quantified and the economic benefit to the School is considered probable.
Other income for the School’s general purposes is accounted for as unrestricted and is credited to the General Reserve. Where the donor or an appeal has imposed trust law restrictions, income is credited to the relevant restricted fund and incoming endowments are accounted for as permanent trust capital or expendable trust capital, according to whether the donor intends retention is to be permanent or not.
e) Expenditure
Expenditure is accrued as necessary. Charitable activity costs comprises all expenditure directly related to the objectives of the School including direct staff costs attributable to each activity. Support costs included within the charitable activity comprise the costs of all resources utilised to directly support the School’s primary activities. Governance costs are those costs incurred in connection with the governance of the charity and its assets and are primarily associated with constitutional and statutory requirements.
25
LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)
f) Pension costs
-
Retirement benefits to employees of the School are provided through three defined contribution pension schemes. The pension costs charged in the Statement of Financial Activities are determined as follows:
-
(a) The Aviva Pension Trust for Independent Schools: This scheme is a defined contribution group personal pension plan for the School’s teachers. Employer’s pension costs are charged in the period in which the salaries to which they relate are payable.
-
(b) The People’s Pension: This is a defined contribution group personal pension plan for the School’s support staff. Employer’s pension costs are charged in the period in which the salaries to which they relate are payable.
-
(c) The National Employment Savings Trust (NEST): This alternative fund for the School’s support staff is a workplace pension scheme set up by the government specifically for auto enrolment. The scheme is currently free for employers to use.
g) Operating Leases
Rentals under operating leases are charged on a straight-line basis over the lease term, even if the payments are not made on such a basis. Benefits received and receivable as an incentive to sign an operating lease are similarly spread on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
h) Fixed assets
All items of a capital nature with a value of over £3,000 are capitalised at cost. ICT equipment with an individual cost in excess of £300 is capitalised at cost as these items are usually an extension of the utilisation of the School’s network and they require greater safeguarding. Other expenditure on equipment incurred in the normal day-to-day running of the School is charged to the Statement of Financial Activities as incurred. Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost of tangible fixed assets on a straight-line basis over the expected useful economic lives of the assets concerned. The principal rates used are:
| Freehold Property: | |
|---|---|
| Buildings | - 2% |
| Swimming Pool | - 10% |
| Tennis/Netball courts | - 7.3% |
| Plant and equipment | - 10% |
| Motor vehicles | - 20% |
| Computer Equipment | - 33.33% |
Assets under construction are not depreciated until they are complete and brought into use. Land is not depreciated.
i) Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any discounts offered and less any impairment. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any discounts due.
j) Cash at bank and in hand
Cash is represented by cash in hand and deposits with financial institutions repayable without penalty on notice of not more than 24 hours. Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments that mature in no more than three months from the date of acquisition and that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash with insignificant risk of change in value.
26
LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)
k) Creditors and Provisions
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the Trust has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Short term creditors are measured at their transaction price. Other financial liabilities, including bank loans, are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
l) Financial instruments
Assets purchased under a financial lease, which transfers ownership of the asset to the School at the end of the lease period, with or without a small transfer of ownership fee, or under a hire purchase agreement are capitalised at cost. These assets are included in the School’s tangible fixed assets and are depreciated at the rates detailed in note h) above.
The hire purchase/finance lease creditor is included in accounts payable at the initial amount borrowed less capital repayments made thereafter. Finance charges are written off over the term of the agreement using the sum of digits method.
m) Fund accounting
The funds of the School are accounted for as unrestricted or restricted income, in accordance with the terms of trust imposed by the donors or any appeal to which they may have responded.
Unrestricted Funds are funds applied at the discretion of the Governors in furtherance of the objects of the Trust. Where the Governors decide to set aside any part of these funds to be used in future for some specific purpose, this is accounted for by transfer to the appropriate designated fund.
Designated Funds are a particular from of unrestricted funds consisting of amounts, which have been allocated or designated for specific purposes by the Governors. The use of designated funds remain at the discretion of the Governors.
Restricted Funds are subject to specific conditions imposed by donors.
n) Critical sources of estimation uncertainty and accounting judgements
In the application of the accounting policies, Governors are required to make judgements, estimates, and assumptions about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and underlying assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an on-going basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affected current and future periods.
In the view of the Governors, no assumptions concerning the future or estimation uncertainty affecting assets or liabilities at the balance sheet date are likely to result in a material adjustment to their carrying amounts in the next financial year.
27
LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
| 2. | FEES RECEIVABLE | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | ||
| Fees receivable consists of: | |||
| Tuition fees | 4,852,269 | 4,675,384 | |
| Less: Bursaries, grants and allowances | (646,107) | (504,234) | |
| ~~-------------------~~ | ~~-------------------~~ | ||
| 4,206,162 | 4,171,150 | ||
| ========= | ========= | ||
| 3. | OTHER EDUCATIONAL INCOME | 2024 | 2023 |
| £ | £ | ||
| Student transport | 92,864 | 89,302 | |
| Extras | 208,332 | 235,561 | |
| Registration and exam fees | 8,788 | 10,050 | |
| ------------------ | ------------------ | ||
| 309,984 | 334,913 | ||
| ======== | ======== | ||
| Scholarships (37 pupils), bursaries (18 pupils) and allowances (58 pupils) were | awarded to 113 | pupils (2023: 104). | |
| The means-tested bursaries totalled £186,676 for 18 pupils (2023: £162,545 for 18 pupils). | |||
| 4. | TRADING ACTIVITIES | 2024 | 2023 |
| £ | £ | ||
| Hire of facilities | 2,917 | 13,332 | |
| ------------------ | ------------------ | ||
| 2,917 | 13,332 | ||
| ======== | ======== | ||
| 5. | INVESTMENTS | 2024 | 2023 |
| £ | £ | ||
| Bank interest | - | 3,092 | |
| ------------------ | ------------------ | ||
| - | 3,092 | ||
| ======== | ======== | ||
| 6. | DONATIONS AND LEGACIES | 2024 | 2023 |
| £ | £ | ||
| The following sundry income and unrestricted donations were received | |||
| from voluntary sources: | |||
| Friends of Manor House School | 1,159 | 26,165 | |
| ------------------ | ------------------ | ||
| 1,159 | 26,165 | ||
| ======== | ======== |
28
LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
7. TOTAL EXPENDITURE
| Charitable Activity Teaching costs Welfare Premises Support costs Raising funds Finance costs Trading expenditure Prior year Charitable Activity Teaching costs Welfare Premises Support costs Raising funds Finance costs Included in expenditure is: Auditor’s remuneration - Audit of the financial statements - Other non-audit services Interest payable Operating leases |
Staff Costs £ 2,208,987 216,574 418,232 383,519 - ~~---------------------~~ 3,227,312 ========== = Staff Costs £ 2,069,594 145,275 401,547 389,372 - ~~---------------------~~ 3,005,788 ========== = |
Other Depreciation £ £ 292,164 37,008 399,839 511 416,950 93,651 296,984 341 1,135 - ~~--------------------~~ ~~---------------------~~ 1,407,072 131,511 ========= ========== Other Depreciation £ £ 462,675 29,600 382,412 1,729 428,039 91,830 177,034 341 1,661 - ~~--------------------~~ ~~---------------------~~ 1,451,821 123,500 ========= ========== 2024 £ 16,800 - 1,135 62,422 ========== |
Total 2024 £ 2,538,159 616,924 928,833 680,844 1,135 ~~-----------------------~~ 4,765,895 ============ Total 2023 £ 2,561,869 529,416 921,416 566,747 1,661 ~~-----------------------~~ 4,581,109 ============ 2023 £ 21,600 4,687 1,661 40,468 ========== |
|---|---|---|---|
No travel or other expenses were claimed by any Governors in their capacity as Governors (2023: £nil).
8. STAFF COSTS
| Wages and salaries Social security costs Other pension costs |
2024 £ 2,736,490 277,101 213,721 ~~---------------------~~ 3,227,312 ========== |
2023 £ 2,600,980 218,444 186,364 |
|---|---|---|
| ~~---------------------~~ 3,005,788 ========== |
29
LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
8. STAFF COSTS (Continued)
| The number of employees whose emoluments | ||
|---|---|---|
| exceeded £60,000 were: | ||
| £60,001 - £70,000 | 2 | - |
| £70,001 - £80,000 | - | 1 |
| £80,001 - £90,000 | 1 | 1 |
| £90,001 - £100,000 | - | - |
| £100,000 - £110,000 | 1 | 1 |
| ======== | ======= |
No Governors received remuneration, reimbursement or other benefits from Little Bookham Manor House School.
The aggregate amount of employee benefits of key management personnel comprising the School’s Senior Leadership Team (Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher, Heads of Prep, Head of Key Stages 3 & 4, Heads of Mathematics, Head of Admissions & Marketing, Head of Digital Learning and the Bursar) amounted to £592,404 (2022: £589,297). One member of staff received a termination benefit during the year of £nil (2023: £1,980). Pension contributions to a defined contribution pension scheme in respect of four employees (2023: three) who earned in excess of £60,000 during the year amounted to £27,734 (2023: £22,030). The average number of School employees during the year was 87 (2023: 88).
9. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
| Freehold | Plant and | Motor | Computer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property | Machinery | Vehicles | Equipment | Total | |
| COST | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| At 1 September | 4,518,506 | 383,908 | 145,202 | 360,934 | 5,408,550 |
| 2023 | |||||
| Additions | 190,056 | 15,062 | - | 15,590 | 220,708 |
| --------------------- | --------------------- | -------------------- | -------------------- | ---------------------- | |
| At 31 August 2024 | 4,708,562 | 398,970 | 145,202 | 376,524 | 5,629,258 |
| --------------------- | --------------------- | -------------------- | -------------------- | ---------------------- | |
| DEPRECIATION | |||||
| At 1 September | 1,488,535 | 255,714 | 144,878 | 311,144 | 2,200,271 |
| 2023 | |||||
| Charge for the year | 86,480 | 17,324 | 324 | 27,383 | 131,511 |
| -------------------- | -------------------- | --------------------- | ------------------ | --------------------- | |
| At 31 August 2024 | 1,575,015 | 273,038 | 145,202 | 338,527 | 2,331,782 |
| ------------------- | ------------------- | --------------------- | ----------------- | --------------------- | |
| NET BOOK | |||||
| VALUE | |||||
| At 31 August 2024 | 3,133,547 | 125,932 | - | 37,997 | 3,297,476 |
| ========== | ========== | =========== | ========= | ========== | |
| At 31 August 2023 | 3,029,971 | 128,194 | 324 | 49,790 | 3,208,279 |
| ========== | ========== | =========== | ========= | ========== |
Land with a value of £425,000 (2023: £425,000), which is included in freehold property is not depreciated.
All tangible fixed assets are held for use on charitable activities.
30
LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
10. DEBTORS
| DEBTORS | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Receivable within one year: | ||
| Fees and extras | 161,157 | 163,812 |
| Other debtors | 6,445 | 6,445 |
| Prepayments and accrued income | 65,919 | 87,818 |
| ------------------ | ------------------ | |
| 233,521 | 258,075 | |
| ======== | ========= |
All debtors are due within one year with the exception of £6,445 (2023: £6,445) in other debtors which are due after more than one year
11. CREDITORS
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Deposits from parents (see note | 234,100 | 217,000 |
| below) | ||
| Fees received from parents in advance | 447,260 | - |
| of term (see note 13) | ||
| Trade creditors | 190,701 | 146,538 |
| Taxation and social security | 57,121 | 57,848 |
| Amounts owed to group undertakings | 96,013 | - |
| Pensions | 21,692 | 35,252 |
| Provision for leave due but not taken | 3,943 | 3,943 |
| Other creditors | 8,967 | 4,139 |
| Accruals and deferred income | 529,735 | 472,292 |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------- | |
| 1,589,532 | 937,012 | |
| =========== | =========== |
It is anticipated that deposits from parents in respect of pupils who are not yet in their final year of study at the School amounting to £197,300 (2023: £188,800) are likely to fall due within a period which is greater than one year.
12. CREDITORS: amounts falling due after more than one year
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Fees received from parents in advance | 402,933 | - |
| of term (see note 13) | ||
| ------------------ | ------------------ | |
| 402,933 | - | |
| ======== | ========= |
31
LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
13. FEES IN ADVANCE SCHEME
Parents may enter into a contract to pay the School in advance for fixed contributions towards the tuition fees for up to five years. The money may be returned subject to specific conditions on the receipt of notice. Assuming pupils will remain with the Trust, fees in advance will be applied as follows:
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Balance as at 1 September | - | - |
| New contracts | 937,742 | - |
| Amounts used to pay fees | (87,549) | - |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------- | |
| Balance as at 31 August | 850,193 | - |
| ========== | ========== |
14. PENSION COMMITMENTS
Retirement benefits to the School’s employees are provided through three defined contribution schemes, which are funded by employer (the School) and employees’ contributions.
The Aviva Pension Trust for Independent Schools
This scheme is a defined contribution group personal pension plan for teachers in independent schools. The school joined this scheme following its withdrawal from TPS on 31 August 2020. The basic contributions are 6% for the employee and 9% for the employer. The employee can pay additional voluntary contributions up to 100% of salary. The employer’s contributions are charged in the Statement of Financial Activities in the period in which salaries to which they relate are due. The employer’s contributions in the year amounted to £148,574 (2023: £137,352) and at year-end there was £23,327 (2023: £21,623) accrued in respect of contributions to this scheme.
The People’s Pension
The People’s Pension is a multi-employer defined contribution occupational pension scheme that has master trust status. All eligible support staff can join this scheme. Basic contributions are 6% for the employee and 9% for the employer. The employer’s contributions are charged in the Statement of Financial Activities in the period in which salaries to which they relate are due. The employer’s contributions in the year amounted to £45,672 (2023: £47,649) and at year-end there was £7,014 (2023: £13,002) accrued in respect of contributions to this scheme.
The National Employment Savings Trust
The National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) provides the School’s support staff with an alternative to The People’s Pension. NEST is a workplace pension scheme set up by the government specifically for auto enrolment. The scheme is currently free for employers to use. Contributions rose from 1% by the employee and 1% by the employer to 3% from the employee and 2% from the employer from 6 April 2018. The employer’s contributions in the year amounted to £2,946 (2023: £3,285) and at year-end £528 (2022: £618) accrued in respect of contributions to the scheme.
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LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
15. OPERATING LEASE COMMITMENTS
At 31 August the School had commitments under noncancellable operating leases expiring as follows in respect of items classified as Plant and Machinery and Motor Vehicles:
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Amounts due: | ||
| Within one year | 40,528 | 40,468 |
| Between 1 and 5 years | 76,507 | 97,494 |
| ------------------ | ------------------ | |
| 117,035 | 137,962 | |
| ======== | ======== |
16. FUNDS OF THE SCHOOL
Endowments and Restricted Funds
The School held no endowments or restricted funds during the year under review or at balance sheet date.
Unrestricted Funds
Unrestricted funds represent accumulated income from the School’s activities and other sources that are available for the general purposes of the School.
17. SUMMARY OF MOVEMENTS ON FUNDS
| At | At | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September | Income | Expenditure | Gains and | Transfer | 31 August | |
| Between | ||||||
| 2023 | Losses | Funds | 2024 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| General funds | 3,721,868 | 4,520,222 | (4,765,895) | - | - | 3,476,195 |
| Restricted funds | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| --------------------- | ----------------- | -------------------- | --------------------- | --------------------- | --------------------- | |
| Total funds | 3,721,868 | 4,520,222 | (4,765,895) | - | - | 3,476,195 |
PRIOR YEAR
| At | At | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September | Income | Expenditure | Gains and | Transfer | 31 August | |
| Between | ||||||
| 2022 | Losses | Funds | 2023 | |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| General funds | 3,754,325 | 4,548,652 | (4,581,109) | - | - | 3,721,868 |
| Restricted funds | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| --------------------- | ----------------- | -------------------- | --------------------- | --------------------- | --------------------- | |
| Total funds | 3,754,325 | 4,548,652 | (4,581,109) | - | - | 3,721,868 |
33
LITTLE BOOKHAM MANOR HOUSE SCHOOL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)
YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024
18. RELATED PARTIES
The Friends of Manor House School (FOMHS) (Registered Charity No.1129072) is a charity set up and operated independently of the School by parents of past and present Manor House School pupils. FOMHS carry out fundraising activities to assist the School with various projects for the benefit of pupils. The Friends donated £1,159 in 2023/24 and has pledged to give further significant donations in 2023/24 (2023: £26,165).
19. CONTROLLING PARTY
On 31 August 2023, Little Bookham Manor House School became a subsidiary of the Effingham Schools Trust. The ultimate controlling party during the period under review was the Effingham Schools Trust, a charitable company incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number 04509623). Its registered office is Effingham Schools Trust, Effingham, Surrey, RH5 6ST. The accounts of Effingham Schools Trust are available from the Charity Commission. The company has taken advantage of the exemptions included in FRS 102, Section 33 from disclosing transactions with the controlling party.
34