The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025.
The results for the Company are set out in the statement of comprehensive income on page 8.
No dividends were declared or paid in the year (2024: £nil).
The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of approval of the financial statements were as follows:
The auditor, Johnston Carmichael LLP, is deemed to be reappointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.
The going concern disclosure for the Company can be found in note 1.2 of the financial statements.
Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law, the directors 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 company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period.
In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.
The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
We have audited the financial statements of Pyramid Schools (Hadley) Limited ('the company') for the year ended 31 December 2025 which comprise the Statement of Comprehensive Income, Balance Sheet, Statement of Changes in Equity and notes to the financial statements, including 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:
Basis for opinion
Conclusions relating to going concern
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Directors' 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 Directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
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 Directors' Report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
The Directors' Report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud
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.
We assessed whether the engagement team collectively had the appropriate competence and capabilities to identify or recognise non-compliance with laws and regulations by considering their experience, past performance and support available.
All engagement team members were briefed on relevant identified laws and regulations and potential fraud risks at the planning stage of the audit. Engagement team members were reminded to remain alert to any indications of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit.
We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that are applicable to the company and the sector in which it operates, focusing on those provisions that had a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The most relevant frameworks we identified include:
Companies Act 2006;
UK Corporation Tax legislation;
VAT legislation; and
United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.
We gained an understanding of how the company is complying with these laws and regulations by making enquiries of management and those charged with governance. We corroborated these enquiries through our review of submitted returns and board meeting minutes.
We assessed the susceptibility of the financial statements to material misstatement, including how fraud might occur, by meeting with management and those charged with governance to understand where it was considered there was susceptibility to fraud. This evaluation also considered how management and those charged with governance were remunerated and whether this provided an incentive for fraudulent activity. We considered the overall control environment and how management and those charged with governance oversee the implementation and operation of controls. In areas of the financial statements where the risks were considered to be higher, we performed procedures to address each identified risk. We identified a heightened fraud risk in relation to:
Management override of controls; and
Revenue recognition
In addition to the above, the following procedures were performed to provide reasonable assurance that the financial statements were free of material fraud or error:
Reviewing minutes of meetings of those charged with governance for reference to: breaches of laws and regulation or for any indication of any potential litigation and claims; and events or conditions that could indicate an incentive or pressure to commit fraud or provide an opportunity to commit fraud;
Reviewing the level of and reasoning behind the company's procurement of legal and professional services;
Performing audit procedures over the risk of management override of controls, including testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness, evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business and assessing judgements made by management in their calculation of accounting estimates for potential management bias;
Recalculating the unitary charge received by taking the base charge per the project agreement and uplifting for RPI;
Agreeing a sample of income receipts to supporting documents and bank statements;
Reconciling the finance income and amortisation to the finance debtor reconciliation to ensure allocation methodology is in line with contractual terms and relevant accounting standards;
Completion of appropriate checklists and use of our experience to assess the company's compliance with the Companies Act 2006; and
Agreement of the financial statement disclosures to supporting documentation.
Our audit procedures were designed to respond to the risk of material misstatements in the financial statements, recognising that the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation. There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures performed and the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the 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 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 company and the company's members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
The statement of comprehensive income has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.
Pyramid Schools (Hadley) Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 1 Park Row, Leeds, United Kingdom, LS1 5AB.
The financial statements are prepared in Pound Sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £000.
These financial statements are prepared on the going concern basis. The Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company will continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. However, the Directors are aware of certain matters which may impact the performance of the Company in future.
The Directors have reviewed a detailed model forecast which forecasts financial performance through to project completion in December 2034, incorporating the relevant terms of the Project Agreement, Subcontracts and Credit Agreement and reasonable, prudent economic assumptions. This forecast and associated business model, which is updated semi-annually, predicts that the Company will remain profitable and will have sufficient cash resources to operate within the terms of the Project Agreement, Subcontracts and Credit Agreement to the end of the concession.
The Company has positive net current assets.
With effect from 5 October 2023, the Company's FM Provider did not have an effective Parent Company Guarantee in place due to the liquidation of Interserve Group Limited (“IGL”). This led to technical defaults in the Credit Agreement which meant that the lenders could recall the senior debts from the Company on demand.
At the balance sheet date no proceedings had commenced to recall the senior debt earlier than repayment by instalments. Subsequent to the year end, a new PCG was signed which included the lenders providing a historic waiver for the EoD. The Directors are satisfied that this agreement brings the EoD to a close and clears the going concern risk related to this breach.
The Directors confirm that there are no plans that would change the future operations of the Company. Consequently, the Directors have prepared the financial statements on a going concern basis and acknowledge the EoD under the Credit Agreement and the combined Construction and FM Contract which gave rise to a material uncertainty and may have caused significant doubt over the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Given that a formal waiver had not been agreed at the year end date, the Company may have been unable to realise its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business.
Further details on the event of default
The Company's FM Provider failed to have an effective Parent Company Guarantee (“PCG”) in place as a result of the liquidation of IGL which led to the combined Construction and FM Contract becoming terminable as well as triggering technical defaults in the Credit Agreements.
An EoD was triggered when Interserve PLC went into administration on 15 March 2019, as it was parent company guarantor for Interserve (Facilities Management) Ltd and Interserve Construction Limited. A waiver was signed in 2020 accepting the PCG of IGL meaning the Company was no longer in default.
On 5 October 2023 IGL appointed liquidators under a Creditors Voluntary Liquidation. IGL is a Major Project Party as it provides a PCG for Tilbury Douglas Construction Limited ("TDCL") in relation to the Construction and FM Contract (combined contract) between the Company and TDCL. Therefore, as a result of IGL's liquidation, the combined Construction and FM Contract had become terminable. This insolvency event has also triggered a technical default in the Credit Agreement. This has been known for some time and the Company has been working with IGL, TDCL, Mitie FM and the lenders to find a resolution. The FM services are being carried out by Mitie via a contract with the Company's contractor (TDCL), and a PCG has been received. The defect liability period expired on the construction of the project on 30 November 2023 therefore no new PCG was required in relation to the construction obligations.
The Company issued a Reservation of Rights letter to IGL and notice of this was issued to the lenders and Telford and Wrekin Council in October 2023 in respect of the technical default. The Directors believed that this was highly unlikely to cause going concern issues but technically whilst the EoD subsisted, there was a risk that the lenders could accelerate senior debt repayments.
However with no formal waiver in place at the balance sheet date, the debt has been classified as wholly due within one year, whilst the technical default persisted. From Directors and management discussions with the lender there was no evidence that they intended to recall the debt earlier than the repayment terms that would otherwise prevail without an event of default. However, under the Credit Agreement it was within the lenders’ control to recall the outstanding loan balance.
The Company’s cash position and future cash flow forecasts evidence that it would not be possible for the Company to meet its liabilities if the debt were to be recalled for repayment in full rather than by instalments. Despite this course of action being available to the lenders, the Directors consider the possibility to be so remote that they deem the application of the going concern basis of preparation of the financial statements to be appropriate.
Subsequent to the year end, the PCG has been agreed and signed off on 19 May 2026. This waived historic breaches and therefore cleared the EoD at the date of signing of the financial statements.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest.
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors, bank loans and loans from fellow group companies, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Derivatives, including interest rate swaps, are not basic financial instruments. Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value on the date a derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently re-measured at their fair value. Changes in the fair value of derivatives are recognised in profit or loss in finance costs or finance income as appropriate, unless hedge accounting is applied and the hedge is a cash flow hedge.
Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.
Where a derivative financial instrument is designated as a hedge of the variability in cash flows of a recognised asset or liability, or a highly probable forecast transaction, the effective part of any gain or loss on the fair value of the derivative financial instrument is recognised directly in the statement of comprehensive income as other comprehensive income or expense. Any ineffective portion of the hedge is recognised immediately in profit or loss.
Where hedge accounting recognises a liability then an associated deferred tax asset is also recognised.
The effective portion of changes in the fair value of derivatives that are designated and qualify as cash flow hedges is recognised in other comprehensive income. The gain or loss relating to the ineffective portion is recognised immediately in profit or loss. Amounts previously recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated in equity are reclassified to profit or loss in the periods in which the hedged item affects profit or loss or when the hedging relationship ends.
Hedge accounting is discontinued when the entity revokes the hedging relationship, the hedging instrument expires or is sold, terminated, or exercised, or no longer qualifies for hedge accounting. Any gain or loss accumulated in equity at that time is reclassified to profit or loss when the hedged item is recognised in profit or loss. When a forecast transaction is no longer expected to occur, any gain or loss that was recognised in other comprehensive income is reclassified immediately to profit or loss.
Disclosure exemptions
The entity satisfies the criteria of being a qualifying entity as defined in FRS 102. As such, advantage has been taken of the following disclosure exemptions available under paragraph 1.12 of FRS 102:
No cash flow statement has been presented for the Company.
The disclosures required by Sections 11 and 12 of FRS 102 (Basic Financial Instruments and Other Financial Instruments Issues respectively) in respect of financial instruments not falling within the fair value accounting rules of Paragraph 36(4) of Schedule 1.
The company has also taken advantage of the exemption in section 33 of FRS 102 'Related Party Disclosures' that allows it not to disclose transactions with wholly owned members of a group.
The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with FRS 102 requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the application of policies and reported amounts of assets, liabilities, income and expenses. The estimates and associated assumptions are based upon historical experience and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the result of which form the basis of making judgements about carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily available from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates. The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing 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 revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods.
The Company’s borrowings are linked to SONlA and the Company has entered into interest rate swaps to restrict its exposure to future interest rate fluctuations.
In assessing whether the company is entitled to apply cash flow hedge accounting, the directors must apply judgment in considering whether there is appropriate matching between the hedged item (the loan balance) and the hedging instrument (the interest rate swap). The directors must prepare documentation to demonstrate this consideration.
In the directors' judgment, the Company has met the criteria for cash flow hedge accounting, accordingly the Company has therefore recognised fair value movements on derivatives in effective hedging relationships through other comprehensive income as well as deferred taxation thereon.
The Company has been established to provide services under certain private finance agreements with Telford & Wrekin Council. Under the terms of these Agreements, Telford & Wrekin Council (as grantor) controls the services to be provided by the Company over the contract term. Based on the contractual arrangements the Company has classified the project as a service concession arrangement, and has accounted for the principal assets, of and income streams from, the project in accordance with FRS 102, Section 34.12 Service Arrangements.
Accounting for the service concession contract and finance debtor requires estimation of finance debtor interest rates and the associated amortisation profile, which is based on projected trading results for the remainder of the contract term.
Derivative financial instruments are carried at fair value, which required estimation of various factors including future interest rates and credit risk.
Fair values for derivative contracts are based on mark-to-market valuations provided by the contract counterparty. Whilst these can be tested for reasonableness, the exact valuation methodology and forecast assumptions for future interest rates or inflation rates are specific to the counterparty.
The turnover and profit before taxation are attributable to the one principal activity of the Company.
Turnover, which is stated net of value added tax, represents amounts invoiced for services provided and is recognised each year as the applicable portions of the amounts receivable relating to finance and operating costs calculated on a consistent basis (see accounting policies).
Turnover is attributable to one geographical market, the United Kingdom. Revenue from pass throughs in the current year and previous year relates to variations and other pass through costs.
The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the year was nil (2024: nil).
Service fees were paid to the Company's ultimate shareholders for the directors' services to the company during the year as above.
The comparative figures for corporation tax on profits have been restated. See note 14 for details of the prior year adjustment.
The senior secured loan represents total amounts of £67,649,000 borrowed under a facility agreement with Bank of Scotland and HSBC. The loan bears interest at a margin over SONIA of 0.900% as at 29 December 2008 and is repayable in instalments between 2007 and 2033. The loan is secured by fixed and floating charges over the undertaking, property, assets and rights of the company, and has certain covenants attached.
In order to hedge against interest variations on the loan, the company has entered into two interest rate swap agreements with two banks whereby at six monthly intervals sums are exchanged reflecting the difference between floating and fixed interest rates, calculated on a predetermined notional principal amount.
Due to the Event of Default referred to in accounting policy note 1.2, and with no waiver being received by the lenders at the balance sheet date, the senior loan is classified as due within one year in the balance sheet.
The comparative figures for amounts owed to group undertakings have been restated. See note 14 for details of the prior year adjustment.
The subordinated loan from the shareholder companies bears interest at a standard rate of 12%, with an additional 2% being applied when any interest payable falls late.
The loan is repayable in instalments within 2033, unsecured, and shown within Other borrowings above.
The Company has 1,000 shares at £1 each, of which none carry rights to fixed income. All of the shares have equal voting rights.
During the year the company entered into the following transactions with related parties:
Services supplied during the year and amounts payable at 31 December 2025 are included within trade creditors and accruals.
The directors have determined there was a material error in the prior year financial statements in respect of accrued interest on the subordinated loan. The financial statements incorrectly accrued interest on the loan notes at the standard rate of 12%, however this should have been increased by 2% due to late payment in line with the Shareholder Agreement. This error applied to interest calculations from the year ended 31 December 2018 onwards.
As such, the accrual recognised has been increased, and the associated expense and tax implications recognised within the restatement.
The effect of the above restatement is detailed below: