Finance Score: 3

Governance Score: 8

Support Score: 6

Fundraising costs low: +3

No conflicts policy: -1
Good trustee age range: +3
Dynamic board: +3
Gender balanced board: +3

Grant maker support: +6

Overall GiG Score: 17

PRIORS COURT FOUNDATION

Prior's Court Foundation is a non-profit making charity which manages Prior's Court School and Prior's Court Young Adult Provision for autistic individuals with severe learning disabilities and complex needs, aged 5 to 25. Set up in 1999, it is now recognised as one of the foremost providers of autistic-specific education and care with a methodology, the Prior Approach.

Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

There have been no material income shortfalls in recent years
Fundraising costs are unusually low relative to funds raised
A significant proportion of recent income was derived from major grant makers including the Government
The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of age and gender and dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

This charity does not have a Conflict of Interests policy
Over half the Board have joined recently

Established: 26 years

www.priorscourt.org.uk

mail@priorscourt.org.uk

01635 247202

Charity Commission for England and Wales

Tweets

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?

Sources of Income ?

Y/E		Income £k	Spending £k	Surplus/ Deficit	Fundraising Cost £k	Total Funds £k	Unrestricted Funds £k	Mths Rsrvs	Staff	Volun- teers
31/08/22		£20,521	£20,242	£279	£299	£21,701	£21,650	12.8	381	272
31/08/21	*	£21,667	£21,030	£637	£335	£21,422	£21,287	12.1	484	61
31/08/20		£20,801	£19,740	£1,060	£370	£20,784	£20,478	12.4	459	174
31/08/19		£20,570	£19,383	£1,187	£408	£19,724	£19,640	12.2	451	208
31/08/18		£19,436	£18,130	£1,306	£334	£18,537	£18,468	12.2	437	8
31/08/17		£18,623	£17,045	£1,577	£185	£17,232	£17,176	12.1	444	0
31/08/16		£16,783	£16,838	£-56	£168	£15,655	£15,586	11.1	461	0
31/08/15		£16,825	£16,538	£288	£218	£15,710	£15,561	11.3	421	0
31/08/14?		£17,489	£16,288	£1,202	£145	£15,422	£15,327	11.3	397	0
31/07/13		£14,008	£13,465	£543	£22	£14,221	£14,145	12.6	348	0
31/07/12		£12,007	£11,225	£782	£20	£13,678	£13,118	14	294	0
31/07/11		£11,261	£10,852	£409	£22	£12,896	£11,466	12.7	327	0
31/07/10		£11,574	£11,722	£-148	£31	£12,487	£12,175	12.5	337	0
31/07/09		£10,951	£10,388	£562	£38	£12,635	£11,107	12.8	318	0
31/07/08		£9,911	£8,730	£1,181	£157	£12,073	£1,178	1.6	289	0
31/07/07		£9,100	£7,543	£1,557	£103	£10,892	£635	1	257	0
31/07/06		£8,100	£7,107	£993	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/07/05	*	£13,478	£6,753	£6,725	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0
31/07/04		£6,097	£5,809	£288	£0	£0	£0	n/a	0	0

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Financial Ratios

Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 1.5%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 1.5%
Senior Staff Costs/Total Spending: 5%
Highest pay band: £130,000-£140,000
Liabilities/Assets: 26%
Liabilities/Income: 38%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 100%
Reserves/Spending: 12.8 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 3 months
Quick Ratio: 1.2

Asset Split ?

Listed activities

Disability
Education/Training

How it operates

Provides advocacy/advice/information
Provides buildings/facilities/open space
Provides services

Where it operates

Throughout England And Wales,

Who it helps

Children/Young People
People With Disabilities

Who works here?

381 employees
272 volunteers

Who's supporting them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following significant donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Specific Donations

Amount	When Months	To be used for
The Foyle Foundation - Arts
£50,000	07/02/2023	towards a Performing Arts Centre, specially designed around the needs of the severely autistic young people
BBC Children in Need - Grant to Prior's Court Foundation
£45,176	30/07/2020	Covid19 - This project will provide horticultural skills development and work placements for disabled children and young people negatively impacted by Covid-19. Young people will improve their ....more Covid19 - This project will provide horticultural skills development and work placements for disabled children and young people negatively impacted by Covid-19. Young people will improve their aspirations, employability skills and positive relations with adults.
Sport England - Indoor Interactive Cardio and Climbing Walls
£10,000	27/02/2019 7	Funding under Sport England's Small Grants funding programme for a Revenue project titled Indoor Interactive Cardio and Climbing Walls. This project is a Exercise & Fitness project, with a focus ....more Funding under Sport England's Small Grants funding programme for a Revenue project titled Indoor Interactive Cardio and Climbing Walls. This project is a Exercise & Fitness project, with a focus on beneficiaries with a disability.
Sport England - Prior's Court Health and Fitness Centre Gym Cardio Equipment
£9,900	22/01/2018 11	Funding under Sport England's Small Grants funding programme for a Revenue project titled Prior's Court Health and Fitness Centre Gym Cardio Equipment. This project is a Exercise & Fitness ....more Funding under Sport England's Small Grants funding programme for a Revenue project titled Prior's Court Health and Fitness Centre Gym Cardio Equipment. This project is a Exercise & Fitness project, with a focus on younger beneficiaries.
DCMS - ALB-Prior's Court Health and Fitness Centre Gym Cardio Equipment
£9,900	22/01/2018	[Placeholder]
Wolfson Foundation - Grant to Prior's Court Foundation
£75,000	04/12/2017	Life skills centre
National Lottery Community Fund - Prior's Court Bakery
£9,800	01/11/2017 12	The organisation will establish a bakery facility to support young people with severe autism; providing them with the employment skills and confidence to engage with the wider community and gain ....more The organisation will establish a bakery facility to support young people with severe autism; providing them with the employment skills and confidence to engage with the wider community and gain employment skills.
Masonic Trust - Prior's Court Bakery
£66,582	18/10/2017	Bakery to provide work experience and training for young people with autism and learning disabilities.
Sport England - Wheelyboat
£3,824	20/05/2016 12	Funding under Sport England's Small Grants funding programme for a Revenue project titled Wheelyboat. This project lists its main activity as Sailing & Yachting
National Lottery Community Fund - Animal Therapy for Children with Autism
£59,974	29/06/2011 24	The project will create a dedicated animal-assisted therapy centre for children and young adults with autism, severe learning difficulties and challenging behaviour. It aims to aid their development ....more The project will create a dedicated animal-assisted therapy centre for children and young adults with autism, severe learning difficulties and challenging behaviour. It aims to aid their development and improve communication and social skills. Specialist staff, students and their families will be involved in the creation of the project ensuring that the therapy area and nature trail are designed and spaced to meet their needs.

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Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (9)

Current Trustees appointed

Gender Split

Based on 8/9 persons

Age Range of Trustees: 48-68

CAROL ELIZABETH UNWIN Appointed: 2021, Occupation: Semi Retired

CHRISTOPHER ROBERT BARRETT DL (Chair) Appointed: 2018, Other trusteeships: THAMES VALLEY ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND ASSOCIATION, RIVERTIME BOAT TRUST LIMITED, CHARITY MENTORS BERKSHIRE, THAMES VALLEY ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND CIO,

COLIN JOHN HAYFIELD Appointed: 2023, Occupation: Chartered Accountant, Other trusteeships: THE FRIENDS OF LITTLE MISSENDEN FESTIVAL, Wycombe Wanderers Foundation,

DEBORAH FULTON Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Nurse/Executive Director

DR CHARLOTTE WILSON Appointed: 2021, Occupation: Head Teacher

DR STEFAN FAFINSKI DL Appointed: 2022, Other trusteeship: BERKSHIRE CARE TRUST,

MELISSA FARNHAM Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Head Teacher

NEIL PORTER Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Chartered Surveyor

THOMAS JAMES BUCHAN SCOTT Appointed: 2017, Occupation: Lawyer

Legal constitution

Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 26/06/1998, number: 1070227
Registered at Companies House on 12/06/1998, number: 03583324

Gift Aid

Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid

Other Regulators

Care Quality Commission
Ofsted (Office For Standards In Education)

Policies in force

Complaints handling
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Volunteer management

Filing Record

19 returns made; AR21: 20 days late, AR05: 63 days late,

Main office

Prior's Court School
Priors Court Road
Hermitage
Thatcham
RG18 9NU

Objectives

3.1 THE OBJECTS OF THE CHARITY (THE OBJECTS) ARE TO PROMOTE THE EDUCATION, WELFARE AND RELIEF OF PEOPLE (AND IN PARTICULAR, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY, CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS) WHO SUFFER FROM ANY ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: 1. - LEARNING DISABILITIES; OR 2. - PHYSICAL DISABILITIES; OR 3. - PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS; AND 4. - SOCIAL OR COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES OR DISORDERS WHICH ARE RELATED TO OR ASSOCIATED WITH AUTISM 5. IN PARTICULAR (BUT WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING) BY: 3.1.1 PROVIDING AND MAINTAINING EDUCATION, TRAINING, OCCUPATION AND LEISURE FACILITIES (INCLUDING SPORT, ART AND MUSIC FACILITIES) FOR SUCH PERSONS; 3.1.2 PROVIDING AND MAINTAINING CARE AND ACCOMMODATION AND IN PARTICULAR (BUT NOT ONLY) THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL FOR SUCH PERSONS; 3.1.3 PROVIDING FACILITIES FOR THE ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE DISABILITIES AND ILLNESSES OF SUCH PERSONS AND DISSEMINATING INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE DISABILITIES AND ILLNESSES; 3.1.4 PROVIDING ADVISORY SERVICES AND CONSULTING FACILITIES FOR SUCH PERSONS AND THEIR FAMILIES; 3.1.5 UNDERTAKING RESEARCH INTO LEARNING AND/OR PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AND/OR PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS.

Defined Area of Benefit:

NOT DEFINED.

Data Sources