The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply withcharity the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)".
The Compass Trust is the trading name of The Newcastle Special Schools Trust. This is a foundation trust of four foundation status schools and the local authority (Newcastle City Council) which was set up with effect from 1st September 2013. The member organisations were Newcastle Bridges School, Hadrian School, Thomas Bewick School, Sir Charles Parsons School and Newcastle City Council. Newcastle Bridges School left the Compass Trust as of 1st January 2018 and Thomas Bewick left the Compass Trust on the 1st of April 2019. All four schools were founding members of the Trust as was the local authority. The land and buildings of Hadrian School and Sir Charles Parsons School transferred to the Compass Trust by way of statutory declaration on 1st September 2013. The schools continue to be managed as local authority maintained schools. The staff in each school are employed directly through the governing body of each school with effect from 1st October 2013.
Understanding Newcastle's Special Educational Needs Picture
There are just under 40,000 school aged (5-16 years) children and young people in Newcastle. Of these around 6,000 have been identified as having some form of special educational need, with just over 800 requiring a statutory assessment of need. In post 16 education provision there are just under 8,000 young people in Years 12-14. Of these over 1,400 have been identified as having some form of special educational need, with just over 150 requiring a statutory assessment of need.
The number of new statutory assessments per year has increased in recent years with 60 in 2011 rising to 180+ in 2014.
The objects of the Trust, as set out in our governing document, are to advance, for the public benefit, education, health, advancement of welfare and training within the North East for all the children, young people and communities nationally. This includes, but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the education of the pupils at any School which is a Qualifying School or at any other school in respect of which the Company acts or has acted as a foundation it being acknowledged that in carrying out the Objects the Company must, so far as is consistent with this purpose, have regard to its obligation to promote community cohesion under the Education Acts.
The purpose of the strategic plan of the Compass Trust is to support schools in raising standards of care and achievement for children, young people and their families and communities. Specifically it aims to co-ordinate and support the activities of the constituent schools for children and young people with additional and special needs in the Newcastle upon Tyne area.
The Compass Trust Vision
'Setting the direction for specialist education in our city - journeying together, learning together, stronger together'
Public benefit
The charity's aims and achievements are set out in this report. The activities have been undertaken to further the charity's charitable aims for the public benefit. The Trustees have complied with the duty under section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to Public Benefit guidance published by the Charities Commission and have had due regard to the guidance in deciding which activities the Trust should undertake.
Through collaboration, innovation and challenge the Trust will:
1. Improve the educational experience and achievements of our pupils
2. Advocate on behalf of our pupils, their parents and carers, to develop and improve the quality of services they are offered or may require
3. Work in partnership with each other and other agencies to improve the continuity and provision of services across the Trust and the wider education, social care and health communities
4. Promote the efficient and effective and creative use of its partnership resources
5. Provide a framework for challenge across its schools.
Improve the educational experience and achievements of our pupils:
- Through sharing our vision with our members and partners, including our Governing Bodies
- Through the continuity and stability of our current discrete provisions offering parents/carers choices and excellent education
- Through working in partnership with our Trust Schools and partners (Linhope PRU/EEAST Team, LA, mainstream links) to share moderation, information exchange, subject specialisms, curriculum initiatives and joint CPD
- Through communicating and celebrating our pupils' and partners' achievements to raise our profile in the city and the wider region.
Advocate on behalf of our pupils, their parents and carers, to develop and improve the quality of services they are offered or may require:
- Through listening to our pupils' views
- Through listening to our parents'/carers' views
- Through communications between school councils/forums
- Through combining training opportunities for parents/carers across the Trust
- Through discussions and representations to the LA and the voluntary sector.
Work in partnership with each other and other agencies to improve the continuity and provision of services across the Trust and the wider education, social care and health communities:
- Through communicating the Trust's vision with our core membership, our staff, governors, parents/carers and pupils
- Investigate potential new partnerships and the contributions they can make to our Trust
- Through enhancing the voice of the Trust at Schools' Forum and LA level
- Through investigating the benefits of joint health commissioning of services.
Promote the efficient, effective and creative use of its partnership resources:
- Through networking School Business Managers promoting value for money in the procurement of goods and services and LA SLAs
- Through sharing school policies and protocols
- Through sharing the Pupil Premium accountability
- Through joint membership of affiliations, e.g. FLSE, EQUALS, NASEN, North East Special Needs Network, SI Network, SLD Forum, Governor North
- Through investigating combined outreach, advice and support
- Through investigating Research and Development.
Provide a framework for challenge across its schools:
- Share a combined Strategic Target in each School's Development Plan that commits time to developing the Trust's vision and strategic planning. Time to set up protocols and operational procedures and a three year narrative outlining our capacity to move forward as a collective.
- Create opportunities to bring the community of schools together for social and educational forums to develop networks, forge relationships and plan future partnerships.
- Create opportunities to share school self-evaluation and preparation for inspection.
- Create opportunities for peer review, shadowing, middle leadership, succession planning.
Alternative Education Models and Local SEN Review:
The Trust Board has been very mindful of the changing political landscape in relation to education delivery and the current political persuasion to consider Academy schools as a mainstay in the delivery of education. Fundamental differences exist in governance between a Foundation Trust and a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) with the latter headed up by an overall MAT Trust Board and with scope for Local Governing Bodies to be set up within each school. An appropriate Scheme of Delegation would need to be developed to define the appropriate responsibilities of each.
In December 2016 the governing body of Newcastle Bridges school decided that the school would commit to the process of an academy conversion and applied to sponsor the Pupil Referral Unit in order to improve its management and delivery of educational services. PROSPER Learning Trust was formed on 1st January 2018 and at that point Newcastle Bridges School ceased to be a member of the Compass Trust.
The directors of the newly formed MAT envisaged that this development could embrace the other schools of the Compass Trust should those schools' governing bodies also decide to pursue academy conversion. Hadrian school has re-affirmed its position to remain a foundation trust school. Both Thomas Bewick and Sir Charles Parsons schools applied to the Department for Education for Academy orders to join the PROSPER Learning Trust. During this reporting period Sir Charles Parsons School were granted their Academy Order, however have since withdrawn from the process. During the previous reporting period Thomas Bewick School had been granted permission from the Department for Education and left the trust on 1 April 2019.
Charitable activities
Compass Trust School Council
The formation of the Trust enabled our four schools to consider and explore some exciting opportunities for collaboration centred on the ethos of working, sharing and learning together. Each school in the trust is passionate about giving all of our pupils the opportunity to share their views with teachers, school staff and other pupils and to participate in decision-making on matters which affect them directly.
The Compass Trust school council was created in the Autumn of 2014 to ensure that our pupils are an integral part of our work as a Trust. We want to make sure that all of our pupils are involved in future Compass Trust development and that they feel part of the wider school community.
The Compass Trust school council is co-ordinated by a core team of staff from across the four schools and the Trust Support Officer. The Trust council consists of twelve pupils - three pupil representatives from each school. The council meet at least once a term to plan ways of working together as a Trust and to discuss issues that may be relevant or important to them. The meetings also encourage the pupils to develop listening, talking, and socialising skills.
The positions for School Council representatives are always popular with pupils. Attendance at meetings is high as is participation at events. Council is always the source of many new ideas and projects to trial throughout the year. The Council voted to continue to support the Smile for Life charity for any fundraising events.
There have not been any major activities taking place over the 2024/25 financial year that need to be
reported.
From April 2024 - March 2025 there has been a total income of £1.18 with outgoing of £1,486.00
Main highlights – Expenditure:
£870 for annual accounts
£448 – Indemnity Insurance
£128 ICO annual costs
Opening bank account £12,250.95
Closing £10,806.13
Reserves policy
The Trustees will review the level of reserves on an annual basis. This review will encompass the nature of income and expenditure streams, the need to match income with commitments, and the nature of the reserves required.
Risk management
The Trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error. Financial procedures of the Trust were reviewed in the reporting period, particular attention was given to bank signatories, cash handling and petty cash procedures to make these more efficient while maintaining a risk aversive approach.
Governing document
The Trust's governing documents are its Memorandum and Articles of Association incorporated on 10th September 2013.
Incorporation
The company is limited by guarantee, registered at Companies House on 10th September 2013, company number 08684375 and is also an exempt charity by way of s21 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, the Department for Education being the principal regulator. On the 1st April 2019 Thomas Bewick School left the Trust. The remaining members are Hadrian School and Sir Charles Parsons School.
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
Induction and training of trustees
New trustees are briefed on their director duties and legal obligations under company and charity law, the content of the governing document of the charity, the committee and decision making processes, actions from previous meetings, recent financial performance and future plans and earlier TAR and Financial Statements.
Remuneration policy
All Trustees, including those who are directly employed by the governing bodies of the member organisations, give their time voluntarily to the Charity and do not receive any financial benefits or emoluments from the Charity. No Trustees received remuneration or other benefits from the Trust for the period ending 31st March 2025. There were no Trustees expenses paid by the Trust for the period ended 31st March 2025. Each member of the Board of Trustees, agrees to contribute a sum of up to £10 in the event of the Charity winding up.
The trustee's report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Newcastle Special Schools Trust (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the Companies Act 2006.
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the financial statements give a true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
capital
Investments
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
capital
Investments
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Newcastle Special Schools Trust is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Hadrian School, Bentram Crescent, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tune and Wear, NE15 6PY, England.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.
Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
Included in cost or valuation of land and buildings is freehold land of £2,521,450 (2024: £2,521,450) which is not depreciated.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
These are unrestricted funds which are material to the charity's activities.
The capital fund represents the value of the capital assets.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2024 - none).