BH
The Leeds Menorah School Trust
Charity number 517679
Trustees' Annual Report Financial year 01 September 2020 - 31 August 2021
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:
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 £149,600.48 (£141,726.42 in 2019-20) and expenditure was £144,527.25 (£121,139.47 in 2019-20), resulting in a surplus of £5,073.23 compared to a surplus of £20,586.96 in the previous year. Funds brought forward were £117,661.60. The larger surplus at August 31[st] 2020 was due to the very successful fundraising campaign held that year.
The “Building Improvements” figure refers to improvements to the leasehold property housing the School. Although this figure is being depreciated over the remaining eight years of the lease, which runs until 2029, this year the School received a substantial grant of £31,912 from CST towards security equipment (CCTV and fencing fully enclosing the School property) which accounts for the overall increase of that figure. A successful PTA cookery event was held that brought in a net income of £3236.
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 belong, along with a 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 new governing body and trustees of the school have been making great efforts to meet and surpass all Ofsted requirements, raise the standards of the school and secure its financial stability.
A notice requiring the submission of an Action Plan was served by the Department of Education in September 2020, resulting in a further action plan dated 3 December 2020 which was unfortunately rejected in March 2021. Two subsequent progress monitoring inspections by Ofsted, on 5 May and 7 July 2021 noted that not all of the requisite standards had been met, but the report following the July inspection acknowledged the training and work that the new board of governors, appointed just seven months earlier had already put in place. This included safeguarding training for every member of staff and all volunteers, safer recruitment training and subject specific training.
The remaining unmet standards were mostly in the area of fire safety and risk assessments and the school governors immediately set to work to address these during August 2021, in time for the new school year. A new Designated Safeguarding Lead was appointed, taking the responsibility off the Acting Head so that Safeguarding would get the focus it needs. Among other steps we have trained and appointed a main fire marshal, together two other fire marshals to ensure that there would always be a fire marshal on site. We also worked with Fire Sharp and West Yorkshire Fire Service to ensure that all our fire risk assessments and processes are appropriate.
The governors have also focused on teaching and staffing improvements in the school. Four staff have enrolled on a course for a Level 5 Diploma in Education, two of them are on track to gain QTLS in August 2022 and a further two in August 2023. Other subject specific training has taken place and we’ve put in place a new system of monitoring and feedback for teachers.
The school has continued to engage Dr Rabbi Y Yodaiken M.A. B.A.I (Hons) P.G.C.E. PhD (Education) L.L.E. CEO Executive Headteacher of MAT and the governors and trustees are continuing their efforts to bring the school up to and beyond the required standard and are quietly confident that at our next inspection the outcome will be much better.
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 31[st] May 2022
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of £f595 /4ENufi4rf kHooL TKugr On accounts for the year ended 3 l AvGvsT Z¢221 Charity no (if any) Set out on pages I report to the truslee5 on my examination of the accounts of the above charity {'Ihe Tfust") for th@ year ended 31 ¢)3 2021 . As the chaTily's trustees, you are responsibl& for Ihe preparation of the accounts In accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 I'lhe AcV'}. Responslbllltles and basis of report I report in respect of my examln8tion of the Trust's accounts carrled out under seclSon 145 of the 2011 A¢t and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charlty Commlsslon under section 145(51(bl of the Act. Independent examiner's statement I have cornplet8d my 8xamlnallon. I confirm that no rnaterlal mallers have come to rny atl8nllon in connection wlth the examlnation 4sGIo.I whlch gives me cause to b811èvè that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not k@pt In accordance with sedion 130 of the Charllies Act., or the accounts did not accord wllh the accountlng records., or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out In the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement Ihat the accounts give a 'lrue and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examinalion. I have no concerns and have come across no Dther matters in connectlon with the examination to whlch 8tlention should be drawn in Ihis report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete Ihe words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: 2[ 2olL Name: Relevant professional quallfl¢atlon(s) or body C¥40r&&* C f IER Oct 2018
(if any): Address: //ql<é F16L> K/ 2Tff wgsf yoBl<S Section B Disclosure Only complete if the exatlliner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. dlreclions and guidance for examiners). Glve here brlef detalls of any item5 that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER Oct 2018
LEEDS MENORAH SCHOOL- REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 517679 YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021 INCOME & EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT 2021 2020 Fees received Donations received csr Leeds City Councll Gilt Aid Other Furlough claims Loan Waiver SO,843.51 11,611.34 58.542.38 18.669.90 35,353.31 44,930.57 24,755.01 23,207.00 7,758.10 2,175.25 7,480.53 6.000.00 149,600.48 141,726.42 endl Wèges and Pension Self employed Rent & rates Llght & heat Insurance / securlty Telephone Repairs & renewals 8ooks, 5tatl¢nery & equipment Miscellaneous & swlmmlng fees Legal and Professional Sundry Garden/cie3nln8 Depreclatlon 42,133.79 31,909.61 6,365.56 4,977.84 22,856,61 6DO.55 1,735.59 4.839.18 2,359.30 2,65A.61 4,803.89 3,718.9 15,571.76 144,S27.2S 3S,703.65 34,177.16 7,788.13 5,677.48 19,344.39 395.99 2,102.77 2,437.62 964.40 1,278.nO 11,269.88 121,139.47 SurpluslDeflclt for the year 5,073.23 20,586.96
LEEDS MENORAH SCHOOL- REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 517679 YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2021 BALANCE SHEET FIXED ASSETS 2021 2020 Building Improvements 97,732.46 78,889.13 CUR T ASS Cash at bank= Yorkshlre Bank Cvrrent Account otheT Debtor 19,929.14 32,923.67 775.58 19.929.14 33,699.25 Loan Leeds Clty Council Error NIC&PAYE NT ASSETS IE5 19,929.14 33,699.25 SSET 117,661.60 112,588.38 REPRESENTED B Y., Accumulated Funds brought forward 112,588.38 92,001.42 SurpluslLo5s for year 5,073.23 20,586.96 Accumulated Funds carried forward 117,661.60 112,588.38 Approved by.. Name Mrs E Refson P051tion Headteacher and Trustee SiEnature Date 24th March 2022