The Leeds Menorah School Trust
Charity number 517679
Trustees' Annual Report Financial year 01 September 2019 - 31 August 2020
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHARITY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS
The name of the charity: The Leeds Menorah School Trust
Charity Number: 517679
Address: 24 Falkland Rise Leeds LS17 6JQ
The names of trustees who served during the year are:
Rabbi Julian J Refson (until his untimely passing on 23 March 2020)
Mrs Ethel Refson
Additional trustees were appointed as follows:
Rabbi Reuven Zanvill Cohen (21[st] June 2021)
Rabbi Eliyohu Pink (21[st] June 2021)
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
The charity was formed and is governed by a Declaration of Trust dated 28 January 1986 for the purpose of promoting the Orthodox Jewish Religion, religious education and education in general, and in particular through the running of the Leeds Menorah School.
All funds are used in the educational activities of the school and in furtherance and promotion of the Orthodox Jewish religion. The School aims to produce educated and well-adjusted observant Jews who will become an integral part of and contributors to modern society. This result is achieved by providing a standard of secular education to allow pupils to go on to secondary schools integrated with an intense religious study as to give the pupils a deep understanding of the moral and ethical richness of their Jewish heritage and traditions, and to provide them with a solid foundation for their lives.
Day-to-day management of the charity is conducted by the trustee(s), assisted by a managing committee and, latterly, a Board of Governors. The trustees have regard to the views of parents and teachers, where and to the extent appropriate, in their decision making.
New Trustees are appointed by the trustees for the time being and are expected to understand and support the needs and the ethos of the School, its pupils, parents and staff.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Charity Bank: Yorkshire Bank Branch: Moortown Address: 370 Harrogate Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS17 6QA.
Independent financial examiner: David Scott FCCA Chartered (certified accountant) 21 Willow Park, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF1 2JP.
Financial Performance
Income received was £141,726.42 (£112,222.14 in 2018-19) and expenditure was £121,139.47 (£118,764.60 in 2018-19), resulting in a surplus of £20,586.96 compared to a deficit of £6,542.46 in the previous year. Funds brought forward were £112,588.38.
The “Building Improvements” figure refers to improvements to the leasehold property housing the School and relating to costs such as a new kitchen and security gates which were capitalised as being relevant to more than one accounting period. This figure is being depreciated over the remaining eight years of the lease, which runs until 2029.
The income of the School comes from fees, and charitable donations. Full fees are currently £5,000.00 a year, but provision is made from charitable donations for those parents who cannot pay the fees in full or at all. The School is unlike most private schools, in that it is not a luxury for parents of means. The school is the only orthodox Jewish school in Yorkshire which provides the education required by Haredi (Orthodox) parents and children, in which category most Jewish men of the cloth in Leeds, Hull and Sheffield belong, along with a growing number of lay people.
Policy on reserves
The charity’s funds are used for the day-to-day running of the School and any funds accrued throughout the year are reserved to meet these and additional needs as they present themselves. To the extent that surplus funds are received, these will be applied to meet medium and longer-term strategic goals and plans.
Public benefit statement
The trustee(s) confirm that they 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 and are satisfied that the charity provides such a benefit.
Achievements and performance
The year between September 2019 and August 2020 was particularly challenging for the charity and all of those associated with the School.
First and foremost, the untimely passing in March 2020 of the Chairman of the Trustees, Rabbi Refson, dealt a massive blow to both the morale and running of the School.
The difficulties were exacerbated by the Government’s lockdown and closure of the School for four months as a result of Covid.
An ad hoc committee was immediately established comprising some dedicated parents and staff members to deal with the many immediate issues:
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The school continued to operate very effectively for older children using zoom online classes. Younger children did find this difficult. However, at least the atmosphere of School and the School community was maintained during this time.
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The financial situation needed addressing to ensure staff wages and other payments were kept up-todate. Following up on income streams was required too.
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The financial situation, although complex, was assisted by the extraordinarily successful Charidy fundraising campaign that had run just prior to Rabbi Refson’s passing. The funds were designated to meet the school’s current and longer-term needs, including the costs of such improvements as are necessary to address the matters raised by OFSTED in an inspection that took place in February 2020. They have acted as useful reserve to borrow from to maintain cash flow.
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The furlough scheme was used for those teachers not providing zoom classes.
In July, the school re-opened for one week an hour per day, then for two weeks for two hours per day, after which the summer holidays commenced. Much effort was put in to ensuring the premises were Covidcompliant to ensure a safe provision for children and staff alike.
As well as dealing with the ongoing running of the School, much effort has since been invested into addressing the OFSTED’s requirements. The ad-hoc committee was formalised as an official Board of Governors in November 2020, and all the matters raised by of OFSTED are being dealt with methodically with the advice of an outside educational expert – Rabbi Y Yodaiken.
The Trustee(s) and the Board of Governors are confident that with dedicated and systematic effort, all the affairs of the School will be stabilised and ultimately lead to a high-quality provision for the future. It is fortunate that parents and staff together as a School community are all highly dedicated and motivated to work as a team to reach this goal.
Signature and declaration:
I declare, in my capacity of charity trustee that the trustees have approved the report above and have authorised me to sign it on their behalf
Mrs Ethel Refson Trustee 22[nd] June 2021
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examlner's Report Report to th8 trusteesl members of fFOJ /llEfyt)IhA fcNroL TKusr 51 IL/6vsr 10 10 On accounts for the year ended Charlty no (if any) 5IF679 Set out on pages I report to the Iruslees on my examination of the accounts of the above harily {"th8 Trust") for the year ended 3 J os 20 xo As the charlty's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts In accordance wlth the r8quirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('Ihe Act.). Responslbllities and basis of report 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 examinatlon, I have followed all the applicable Dir8clions glven by the Charity Commlsslon under sectlon 14515)(b) of the Act. Independent fFe examlner's statement WAdeFtake4he[nln811&bfftr I have completed my examlnallon. I confirm that no material matters have come lo my attention In connection with the examlnation143tho di9de8e&W) whlch gives me cause to b6lieve that in, any material respecl.. Ihe accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities A¢l', or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or the accounts did not comply with th8 applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Rèports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'lrue and fair, view which is not a maller considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examinalion to which attention should be drawn in this report in orderto enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words In the braok6ts if they do not apply. Date: Signed: Name.. Relevant professional qualification(s) or body IER Oct 2018
(if any): Address: K4k 41<é f/6 L > /2TP pQ/< S Section B Dlsclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight rnalerial matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity 8ccounts: direcllons and guldance for examiners). Glve here brief details of any items that the examlner wishes to disclose. IER Oct 2018
LEEDS MENORAH SCHOOL- REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 517679 YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2020 INCOME & EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT 2020 2019 INCOME Fees received Donations received 35,353.31 44,930.S7 24,755.01 23,207.00 22,611.50 31,543.SO 24,777.02 31,609.87 1,680.25 Leeds City Council Gift Aid Furlough claims Loan Waiver 7,480.53 6,000.00 141,726.42 112,222.14 enditure Wages Self employed Rent & rates Light & heat Insurance and security Telephone Repairs & renewals Books, st3tion&ry & equipment Miscellaneous & swimming fees Legal and Professional Garden/cieaning Depreciation 35,703.65 34,177.16 7,788.13 5,677.48 19,344.39 395.99 46,254.93 34,159.64 4,878.21 5,764.44 11,059.67 977.48 277.14 5,098.30 8,969.79 2,102.77 2,437.62 964.40 1,278.00 11,269.88 121,139.47 1,325.00 118,764.60 Surplusloeficit for the year 20,586.96 6,542.46
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