REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 04529622 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1096842

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

FOR

ROCHDALE EDUCATION AND LEARNING TRUST

Page

Reference and Administrative Details

1

Report of the Trustees

2

to

7

Independent Examiner's Report

8

Statement of Financial Activities

9

Balance Sheet

10

to

11

Notes to the Financial Statements

12

to

18

TRUSTEES

M Cockcroft

D J Dalziel

D Armitage

K Charlton (resigned 11.11.25)

P T Owen

R Dardis

M Kojder (appointed 1.4.25)

REGISTERED OFFICE

Suite F2

Haftley Court

Buckley Road

Rochdale

Lancashire

OL12 9DJ

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER

04529622 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER

1096842

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

TC Group

Park House

200 Drake Street

Rochdale

Lancashire

OL16 1PJ

SENIOR STAFF MEMBER E. Metcalfe

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2026. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

Principle Objectives

As set out in our governing document, it is our aim that our activities deliver benefit for the public by the following:-

- To encourage, identify, disseminate and celebrate best practice teaching and educational management.

- To promote and manage national strategies for the training and development of school leaders and managers.

- To enable groups of schools to work together on a range of shared activities e.g. workshops, seminars and conferences.

- To encourage and develop partnerships between schools with identified similar needs.

- To facilitate conferences and seminars throughout the Borough of Rochdale.

- To fund small scale curriculum development programmes not covered by national or regional initiatives.

- To access funding to support our work.

Activities and Achievements

Vision

REAL learning, REAL collaboration, REAL success. Education through encouragement, identification, dissemination and celebration.

Our Business

The Rochdale Education and Learning (REAL) Trust is an award winning company limited by guarantee and a charitable educational trust set up in 2001 by all the schools in Rochdale - nursery, primary, special and secondary. We are an educational Trust working in partnership with the Local Authority (LA) and other providers to provide a 'one stop shop' and brokerage service for all staff's continuing professional development needs. The REAL Trust currently sources, brokers and provides Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for the vast majority of schools in the Borough of Rochdale.

Summary of the Charity's Main Activities Undertaken for Public Benefit

The trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. Examples of some of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit include the following:-

To encourage, identify, disseminate and celebrate best practice of teaching and educational management:

- Rochdale Association of Early Years and Primary Headteachers (RAEYPH) termly conference at the Village Hotel in Bury - REAL Trust

- Providing a wide range of both remote and face-to-face learning and development training opportunities, sharing practice and plans - REAL Trust / Rochdale Borough Council and external consultants

- Offering access to targeted training to address identified needs within schools across the borough of Rochdale such as - Trauma Informed Approaches / Gifted and Talented Key Stages 2 and 6 / Neuro Divergent sessions - REAL Trust / Rochdale Borough Council / External consultants

- Developing training in response to identified needs around understanding behaviour and helping pupils who are struggling to regulate their emotions development through SEND programmes and workshops - REAL Trust / Rochdale Borough Council / External consultants

To continue to promote and manage national strategies for the training and development of schools leaders and managers:

- KS1 / KS2 Writing and Reading support and development sessions - REAL Trust / Rochdale Borough Council

- HLTA 3 Day Preparation for Assessment - REAL Trust / Concordia

- Developing Leadership & Expertise in Primary Sciences through regular network training sessions - REAL Trust / STEM / SEERIH

- Developing Maths skills and knowledge through networks - REAL Trust / various trainers

- Targeted subject network sessions - IT, History, Computing, Art, Modern Foreign Languages (MfL)

To enable groups of schools to work together on a range of shared activities, e.g. workshops, seminars and conferences:

- SENCo Clusters - REAL Trust / Rochdale Borough Council

- Subject network sessions - REAL Trust

- Secondary Subject Network Sessions - REAL Trust / Pioneer Trust

To encourage and develop partnerships between schools with identified similar needs:

- Collaborative training sessions

- EAL Hub Network Meetings - Rochdale Borough Council

- Designated Teacher Network - Rochdale Borough Council

- Designated Safeguarding Leader Network - Rochdale Borough Council

- Subject specific network sessions - Schools / REAL Trust

To facilitate conferences and seminars throughout the Borough of Rochdale:

- Primary Headteacher Conference (termly)

- Annual Leadership Conference for schools

- Reading Conference for schools

To fund small scale curriculum development programmes not covered by national or regional initiatives:

- SENDCo Cluster groups

- Primary Maths Leaders

- Primary Music Network

- Primary English Network

- Primary Music Network

- Secondary Subject Network Groups

To access funding to support our work:

- Annual subscriptions from schools for training

- Charges made to external and non-subscribing delegates to attend events

- Charges made to businesses to exhibit at key events - e.g. the Annual Leadership Conference

- Bids submitted to relative charities and funding agencies

- Offering rooms for hire at our new base

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

This year the REAL Trust has continued to develop and offer once more a huge range of sessions. The Annual Leadership Conference was a great success once more and was supported by a record number of stallholders which helped generate additional income to support the costs of the conference. Sadly we didn't have representation from our secondary schools.

We came to the end of our tenancy agreement at Edgar Wood Academy in July and after a great deal of searching we managed to secure a new venue which we moved into in early March. We are sharing a floor in a commercial office with one of the Multi Academy Trusts based in the Borough. As before, we will be running online only sessions on a Monday/Friday and on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we will be offering both online and face-to-face sessions. This has worked well previously and allows us to make some financial savings. Staff continue to work from home on a Monday and a Friday and works well in terms of also supporting a healthy work/life balance.

As there has not been a team 'office' since July more of our sessions moved online, with some occasional face-to-face sessions at hired venues. It has allowed us to maintain our wide offer in terms of sessions whilst also allowing us to continue delivering our high quality programmes of provision.

We changed the working hours of one of the team members so they could have a specific focus on income generation for the Trust. Our Administration and Marketing Officer has been looking into accessing grants and bid writing as well as promoting our course programme with external schools and educational establishments. They have also been looking at how best to promote our training rooms, should schools or other establishments or colleagues be interested in using the rooms for a fee.

We have had some conversations with the local authority about supporting us as the educational landscape changes as the number of schools subscribing to us reduced due to more of our schools moving into Multi Academy Trusts (MATs). We have closely monitored our spend on the training sessions and made savings where we can. We are also exploring options in terms of looking at whether or not it is viable to set up a trading subsidiary to support the work of the Trust.

We increased our subscription costs for 2025/2026 which made a difference to our income and we hope to maintain subscription levels with schools and other providers, or possibly increase them over the next 12 months. As mentioned previously, we now have schools subscribing to us at two different points in the year. The Local Authority and maintained schools renew their subscriptions from 1st April, but the Academy schools renew theirs from 1st September. For those who have just moved to an academy or who are about to move, they mostly tend to pay from 1st April to 31st August and then we re-invoice them for the next 12 months. At times this is a little confusing, but it is still manageable.

Our rent has increased in our new premises as we now have to pay commercial rates. We have also had costs associated with setting up the training rooms, which we had always anticipated having to do, which also includes the purchase of furniture for the rooms. Fortunately we have built up our reserves to cover these anticipated costs.

Financial Review / Future Plan

The Head of REAL Trust continues to maintain the additional work of the Finance Officer. Whilst there has been an underspend in our training this year, there has been an increased overall overspend, which was planned for and was used to develop the facilities in our new training rooms / office, referred to above.

Finances have been a concern this year with the number of subscribing schools falling. Reserves remain healthy, however the fact that the charity is unable to claim back any VAT contributions causes a significant detrimental impact. Conversations with the local authority have been positive in terms of them taking the Trust back in-house should the need arise. Also plans to look at establishing a trading subsidiary underneath the Trust are being explored which would support the work of the Trust and allow us to trade in a different way. More on this will be known early in the new financial year.

Accounts continue to be reconciled on a monthly basis and there have been no concerns or queries and Sage continues to work well as our accounting software system. Once again we have accessed limited support from our accountancy colleagues at TC Wyatt, Morris and Golland as there has not been a need for anything detailed during the year. Termly training budgets have all come in either under our predicted levels of spend, this is in part due to cancellations or postponements of some sessions but also because costs have been reduced due to sessions being delivered online.

We have had another new Trustee join us and one who has resigned. Changes to Companies House information has delayed the formalisation of this process but it should be updated shortly. Attendance at Trustee meetings is good and our meetings continue to alternate between face-to-face and online. Support from Trustees has been really valuable and helpful this year.

Online banking, BACS payments and the correct use of SAGE ensure that all our accounts are as up-to-date as they can be and the Head of REAL trust has an accurate figure of the finances at the touch of a button. This allows us to make much quicker decisions relating to finances and adapt our spending accordingly. All invoices continue to be settled in a timely manner and debts are regularly chased.

As we move into the new financial year, once again the Trust does so in a positive and optimistic manner but this year also with a note of caution. Concerns around subscriptions are still an issue so we must ensure that we remain vigilant around our spend without it being of any detriment to our programme.

As ever, we have continued to work hard to get the best value for money for our schools and Trustees, ensuring that our financial monitoring and spend have been rigorously adhered to.

Whilst 2026/2027 will undoubtedly once again bring us new challenges, it should also bring us new opportunities in the shape of a potential new company as a trading subsidiary as well as opening up our training rooms as a venue for others to share as well. We look forward to delivering sessions from our new training base and welcoming delegates back once more, working alongside them to continue to enhance and develop our provision to ensure that the REAL Trust remains a desirable and essential training provider for schools in the Rochdale borough and beyond.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The Rochdale Education and Learning Trust is a charitable trust and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, as defined by the Companies act 2006. The Trust is governed by its memorandum and articles of association.

Each member's liability is limited to £1 per guarantor. At 31 March 2026 there were 6 members of the charity.

In selecting persons to be appointed as members, the trustees take into account the benefits of appointing a person who is able, by virtue of their personal knowledge or professional qualifications, to make a contribution to the pursuit of the objects or the management of the Charity. Further, in selecting persons to be appointed as members, the trustees take advice from the creative group, which is a group of individuals and representatives who have an interest in the outcome of the trusts' activities. The group provide ideas and suggestions of how the trust should meet its objectives, based on local and national government policies. The trust also discusses with the group, any changes to the structure or management before implementing any changes.

Organisational Structure and Policies

Organisation

The day to day operations are undertaken via the REAL Trust team who are currently working under the pay, conditions and employment of the Early Help and Schools Team within Rochdale Borough Council. However this is done via a full-cost recovery means and all salaries and on-costs for the team are fully recharged back to the REAL Trust. It is envisaged that at some point the REAL Trust may have to establish its independence from Rochdale Borough Council, whilst maintaining a close working relationship, in order that it may utilise its funds to advance its objectives, whilst not undertaking any activities which the local authority is under a statutory duty to provide.

Policies

Reserves policy

At the year ended 31st March 2026, the charity had total Unrestricted Funds of £165,181 of which £136,592 represented free reserves. The trustees would like to build unrestricted reserves to a level to cover approximately 6 months expenditure should no other funding be available.

Investment policy

The charity's powers of investment are governed by its memorandum and Articles of Association.

The trustees have considered the most appropriate policy for investing funds and have found that a building society or bank deposit account meets their requirement.

Key management remuneration

Key management personnel as defined within the SORP received £92,379 in the year (2025 - £87,529).

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.

The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the charity, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate the charity's exposure to major risks.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 27 August 2026 and signed on its behalf by:

M Cockcroft - Trustee

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Rochdale Education And Learning Trust ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2026.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company 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 your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Since your charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a listed body. I can confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

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:

1.	accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2.	the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3.	the accounts 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

4.

the accounts 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 accounts to be reached.

Vivien Hill FCA

TC Group

Park House

200 Drake Street

Rochdale

Lancashire

OL16 1PJ

27 August 2026

2026

2025

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

fund

funds

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

2

31,655

-

31,655

45,771

Charitable activities

Charitable activities

228,551

-

228,551

252,959

Total

260,206

-

260,206

298,730

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

3

Promotion of best practice teaching and educational management

291,338

-

291,338

334,955

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

(31,132

)

-

(31,132

)

(36,225

)

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

196,313

-

196,313

232,538

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

165,181

-

165,181

196,313

2026

2025

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

fund

funds

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

FIXED ASSETS

Intangible assets

10

14,927

-

14,927

19,903

Tangible assets

11

13,662

-

13,662

714

28,589

-

28,589

20,617

CURRENT ASSETS

Debtors

12

19,036

-

19,036

6,713

Cash at bank and in hand

192,261

-

192,261

213,908

211,297

-

211,297

220,621

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year

13

(74,705

)

-

(74,705

)

(44,925

)

NET CURRENT ASSETS

136,592

-

136,592

175,696

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES

165,181

-

165,181

196,313

NET ASSETS

165,181

-

165,181

196,313

FUNDS

15

Unrestricted funds

165,181

196,313

TOTAL FUNDS

165,181

196,313

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2026.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

(a)	ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

(b)

preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 27 August 2026 and were signed on its behalf by:

M Cockcroft - Trustee

1.	ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) '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)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

The accounts are prepared on a going concern basis. The trustees are aware of the need to ensure that adequate funding is received before any expenditure is committed. The business plan, including financial budgets, have been prepared incorporating this principle.

Income

Income attributable to grants, subscriptions, donations and gifts is credited to the Statement of Financial Activities for the period to which it relates. 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. Deferred income represents amounts received for future periods.

Expenditure

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.

Allocation and apportionment of costs

Cost are allocated on a basis considered appropriate by the trustees having regard to the activity.

Intangible asset - website

Amortisation was being provided to write off the cost of the website over it's expected life of 5 years from 1st April 2024.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Improvements to property

-

20% on cost

Fixtures and fittings

-

20% on cost

Computer equipment

-

20% on cost

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charitable company's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

2.	DONATIONS AND LEGACIES

2026

2025

£

£

Contributions and donations

31,655

45,771

3.	CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS

Direct

Support

Costs (see

costs (see

note 4)

note 5)

Totals

£

£

£

Promotion of best practice teaching and educational management

285,653

5,685

291,338

4.	DIRECT COSTS OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

2026

2025

£

£

Staff costs

195,650

183,141

Accommodation

8,176

22,489

Training fees

45,123

76,648

Telephone

40

273

Postage, stationery and advertising

84

1,544

Computer software support

3,821

3,613

Sundries

2,105

2,755

Conference Costs

15,909

25,472

Subscriptions

6,085

8,542

Depreciation

8,660

5,334

285,653

329,811

5.	SUPPORT COSTS

Governance

costs

£

Promotion of best practice teaching and educational management

5,685

6.	NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):

2026

2025

£

£

Independent examination

5,685

5,144

Depreciation - owned assets

3,684

358

Website amortisation

4,976

4,976

7.	TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2026 nor for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2026 nor for the year ended 31 March 2025.

8.	STAFF COSTS

2026

2025

£

£

Wages and salaries

160,913

153,125

Social security costs

16,994

13,153

Other pension costs

17,743

16,863

195,650

183,141

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:

2026

2025

Management and administration staff

3

3

The number of employees whose employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) exceeded £60,000 was:

2026

2025

£70,001 - £80,000

1

1

Staff are seconded from Rochdale MBC and costs are met by the Trust. Vat is charged on the staff costs and included in the figures above.

9.	COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

fund

funds

funds

£

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

45,771

-

45,771

Charitable activities

Charitable activities

252,959

-

252,959

Total

298,730

-

298,730

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

Promotion of best practice teaching and educational management

334,955

-

334,955

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

(36,225

)

-

(36,225

)

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

232,538

-

232,538

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

196,313

-

196,313

10.	INTANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Website

£

COST

At 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026

24,879

AMORTISATION

At 1 April 2025

4,976

Charge for year

4,976

At 31 March 2026

9,952

NET BOOK VALUE

At 31 March 2026

14,927

At 31 March 2025

19,903

11.	TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Improvements

Fixtures

to

and

Computer

property

fittings

equipment

Totals

£

£

£

£

COST

At 1 April 2025

1,700

649

1,139

3,488

Additions

9,396

7,236

-

16,632

Disposals

(1,700

)

-

-

(1,700

)

At 31 March 2026

9,396

7,885

1,139

18,420

DEPRECIATION

At 1 April 2025

1,700

390

684

2,774

Charge for year

1,879

1,577

228

3,684

Eliminated on disposal

(1,700

)

-

-

(1,700

)

At 31 March 2026

1,879

1,967

912

4,758

NET BOOK VALUE

At 31 March 2026

7,517

5,918

227

13,662

At 31 March 2025

-

259

455

714

12.	DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

2026

2025

£

£

Trade debtors

12,045

300

Other debtors

4,410

-

Accrued income

-

2,820

Prepayments

2,581

3,593

19,036

6,713

13.	CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

2026

2025

£

£

Accruals and deferred income

74,705

44,925

14.	LEASING AGREEMENTS

Minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases fall due as follows:

2026

2025

£

£

Within one year

23,458

5,000

Between one and five years

103,457

-

126,915

5,000

The lease payments relate to the rental of the training and office facilities starting in February 2026.

15.	MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Net

movement

At

At 1.4.25

in funds

31.3.26

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

196,313

(31,132

)

165,181

TOTAL FUNDS

196,313

(31,132

)

165,181

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

260,206

(291,338

)

(31,132

)

TOTAL FUNDS

260,206

(291,338

)

(31,132

)