The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 30 November 2025.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply 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 trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
Ensonglopedia exists to advance education in science, history and the arts by providing live and recorded educational workshops and musical performances for the public benefit, particularly but not exclusively for young people.
During the financial year we:
Delivered 158 live performances.
Delivered 7 educational workshops.
Released 7 educational music videos.
Created two new original science-themed musical theatre productions.
Began developing a stronger focus on SEND audiences and participants by commissioning work from a disabled animator and delivering workshops in two disability settings and one pupil referral/alternative provision setting.
These activities directly furthered the charity's objects by making scientific and historical learning engaging, memorable and accessible through music, theatre and the creative arts.
Our work took place primarily across Sussex, where we continued to strengthen relationships with local schools, cultural organisations, charities and community interest companies. We also delivered performances and workshops elsewhere in England, including Surrey, Greater London and Lincolnshire, and presented four performances at an international science festival in Malta, helping to extend the reach of our educational work beyond our local area.
This financial year marked Ensonglopedia's first full year as a registered charity, building on foundations established since becoming a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee in 2019. It was also our busiest year to date, with a greater volume of performances and educational activity than at any previous point in the organisation's history.
We delivered 158 live performances, exactly double our previous highest annual total, alongside educational workshops and new digital resources, reaching thousands of children, young people and families through science-themed music and theatre.
During the year we created two new musical comedy productions. Light Fantastic! explored the science of light for Key Stage 3 audiences in an energetic gig-style format, while Forces at Play, commissioned by Brooklands Museum, introduced family audiences to the history and science of early aviation and motoring through music, storytelling and comedy.
Alongside these new productions, we continued touring our existing repertoire, expanded our educational video output, and began an important strategic shift towards making more of our work accessible to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
We estimate that our live performances reached around 8,000 audience members during the year, primarily children and young people in schools, alongside teachers, parents and family audiences. Our educational videos also attracted nearly 3,000 online views, extending the reach of our work beyond live events.
Across all our strands of work, we use original songs, humour and interactive performance to communicate scientific ideas in ways that encourage curiosity, creativity and confidence. This approach is particularly valuable for children who may find more conventional forms of learning less accessible, helping to create inclusive learning experiences that combine artistic participation with educational outcomes.
As we increasingly worked within SEND and alternative education settings during the year, we strengthened our approach to delivering creative learning that is inclusive, accessible and responsive to the individual needs of children and young people.
The charity’s financial position strengthened during the financial year, with income exceeding expenditure and unrestricted reserves increasing to £6,500 at the year end. These funds will be used to meet the charity’s core running costs and provide greater financial stability as it delivers its charitable activities.
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.
The Trustees believe the charity is well placed to build on the progress made during the year.
Our priorities are to continue expanding our work with SEND participants and audiences while increasing opportunities for disabled and neurodivergent artists and practitioners to contribute to our creative work. During the coming year we will continue developing our new production, currently titled Project Plantlife, alongside touring our existing productions and producing further educational video resources for both mainstream and specialist educational settings.
Through these activities, we aim to continue advancing education in science, history and the arts by making learning creative, inclusive and accessible for children and young people.
The charity is a company limited by guarantee and the charity's governance arrangements remained stable throughout the financial year, with a Board of five Trustees providing oversight of the organisation's activities. There were no changes to the Board during the reporting period.
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:
Trustees are appointed by the existing trustees in accordance with the charity’s governing document. When a vacancy arises, the Board considers the skills, knowledge and experience required to complement those of the existing trustees. New trustees may be recruited through a combination of personal approaches, recommendations, local networks, volunteering and other appropriate recruitment channels.
None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Ensonglopedia for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity 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 charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Ensonglopedia (the charity) for the year ended 30 November 2025.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act 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 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
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 2006 Act; or
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 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts 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 accounts 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.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Ensonglopedia is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Amelia House, Crescent Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 1RL.
Last year, the reporting period of the financial statements was lengthened from one year to seventeen months. This was in order to align reporting with the date that the company became a charitable company. Therefore, the comparative amounts presented in the financial statements (including the related notes) are not entirely comparable.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP "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 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.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, 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 classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
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:
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
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 assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans 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.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated 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 ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Performance fees receivable
Tax credit receivable
Performance related costs
Insurance
Equipment repairs
Computer running costs
Travelling expenses
Accommodation and subsistence
Subscriptions
Consultancy fees
Accountancy and independent examination
Bank charges and interest
Printing, postage and stationery
Advertising and promotion
Sundry expenses
Governance costs includes payments to the independent examiners of £1,500 (2024 - £nil) for independent examination fees.
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.
Deferred income is included in the financial statements as follows:
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.
The purpose of the restricted funds is to complete the associated project for which the funding has been received.
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).