THE WELLS CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOUNDATION

Registered charity 1118159 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

The objects of the charity are to advance the education of pupils at Wells Cathedral School for the public benefit and to assist in financial assistance towards the maintenance and development of the school, raising money for bursaries for pupils and the provision of facilities and equipment to support education.

Objects

TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUPILS AT WELLS CATHEDRAL SCHOOL WHICH IS REGISTERED AS A CHARITY NUMBER 310212 (THE 'SCHOOL') FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT AND TO PROMOTE ANY OTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSE OR CHARITABLE ORGANISATION CONNECTED WITH OR OTHERWISE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SCHOOL, AND SUCH OTHER SCHOOL AS THE TRUSTEES SHALL FROM TIME TO TIME IN THEIR ABSOLUTE DISCRETION DETERMINE, AND IN PARTICULAR, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY, TO ASSIST IN:A THE PROVISION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TOWARDS THE MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCHOOL;B RAISING MONEY FOR AWARDS TO PUPILS TO PURSUE THEIR EDUCATION AT THE SCHOOL INCLUDING PUPILS WHOSE PARENTS OR GUARDIANS ARE IN NEED OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE;C THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT TO SUPPORT THE EDUCATION (INCLUDING THE SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL TRAINING) OF PUPILS IN THE SCHOOL.

Area of benefit: UNDEFINED. IN PRACTICE, NATIONAL AND OVERSEAS.

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Education/training · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Somerset, South West, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£240k

Latest spending

£168k

Registered

2007

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net surplus of £115,078 for the year ended 31 August 2025, with total net assets increasing to £1,880,287. The Trustees confirmed that there are no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue as a going concern, citing adequate resources for the foreseeable future.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: The policy of the Trustees is to use available unrestricted general funds for bursaries, other financial assistance for pupils and the general expenses of the Foundation. (reserves figure: £206k)

“The policy of the Trustees is to use available unrestricted general funds for bursaries, other financial assistance for pupils and the general expenses of the Foundation.”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The School funded the initial set up costs of the Foundation and will fund certain ongoing costs of operation of the Foundation as agreed in the ‘memorandum of understanding’ between the School and the Foundation. In 2025, the Foundation’s operating costs of £83,979 (2024: £69,610) were recharged to the School.

“In 2025, the Foundation’s operating costs of £83,979 (2024: £69,610) were recharged to the School.”

“The staff employed by the School were paid £78,138 (2024: £70,169), £59,187 (2024: £37,750) of which is incorporated in the operating expenses and gifts in kind from the School of £83,979 (2024: £69,610), the balance of £18,951 (2024: £32,419) being borne by the Foundation.” — page 25

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The School employed staff for the Foundation's development office. Staff costs of £78,138 were paid by the School, with £59,187 incorporated in operating expenses and gifts in kind, and the balance of £18,951 borne by the Foundation.

“In 2025, the Foundation’s operating costs of £83,979 (2024: £69,610) were recharged to the School.”

“The staff employed by the School were paid £78,138 (2024: £70,169), £59,187 (2024: £37,750) of which is incorporated in the operating expenses and gifts in kind from the School of £83,979 (2024: £69,610), the balance of £18,951 (2024: £32,419) being borne by the Foundation.” — page 25

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The Foundation made donations to the School of £36,832 for bursaries and specific projects.

“In 2025, the Foundation’s operating costs of £83,979 (2024: £69,610) were recharged to the School.”

“The staff employed by the School were paid £78,138 (2024: £70,169), £59,187 (2024: £37,750) of which is incorporated in the operating expenses and gifts in kind from the School of £83,979 (2024: £69,610), the balance of £18,951 (2024: £32,419) being borne by the Foundation.” — page 25

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Two Trustees were parents of pupils at the School and paid fees on the same terms as any other parent.

“In 2025, the Foundation’s operating costs of £83,979 (2024: £69,610) were recharged to the School.”

“The staff employed by the School were paid £78,138 (2024: £70,169), £59,187 (2024: £37,750) of which is incorporated in the operating expenses and gifts in kind from the School of £83,979 (2024: £69,610), the balance of £18,951 (2024: £32,419) being borne by the Foundation.” — page 25

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Crowe U.K. LLP. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
Complaints handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
Paying staff
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/08/2025

Grant-making is its main activity

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/08/2024

Grant-making is its main activity

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/08/2023

Grant-making is its main activity

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 02804495

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Wells Cathedral School Foundation (matched by registered charity number).

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

SHEAF, Charlotte Ann — director, appointed 08/10/2024on trustee list
POTTER, Sophie Melissa — director, appointed 20/06/2024on trustee list
DURRANT, Alan Richard — director, appointed 14/11/2019on trustee list
TIGHE, Alastair Geoffrey — director, appointed 01/09/2018on trustee list
BROWN OBE, David Alfred John — director, appointed 03/02/2015not on trustee list
COSTANTINI, Massimiliano — director, appointed 17/05/2013not on trustee list
SEATON, Christopher Shaun Tudor — director, appointed 27/11/2009on trustee list
LEWIS, Timothy William Hunt — director, appointed 12/09/2008on trustee list
LEMANSKI, Philip Robert — director, appointed 29/11/2007not on trustee list
MCCARTNEY, Robert Denis — secretary, appointed 18/07/2022

Official officers record.

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): instagram

Register events

Received assets from another charity (18/09/2025) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.
Received assets from another charity (22/06/2018) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

CHRISTOPHER SHAUN TUDOR SEATONchair
ALAN DURRANT
Alastair Geoffrey Tighe
Charlotte Ann Sheaf
DAVID ALFRED JOHN BROWN OBE
MASSIMILANO COSTANTINI
Melissa Potter
PHILIP ROBERT LEMANSKI FCA MA
Timothy William Hunt Lewis · trustee of 2 other charities

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Somerset

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/08/2025	£240k	£168k
31/08/2024	£225k	£220k
31/08/2023	£228k	£108k
31/08/2022	£158k	£129k
31/08/2021	£269k	£145k

Common questions

Is THE WELLS CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOUNDATION financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net surplus of £115,078 for the year ended 31 August 2025, with total net assets increasing to £1,880,287. The Trustees confirmed that there are no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue as a going concern, citing adequate resources for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Crowe U.K. LLP.

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
GARFIELD WESTON FOUNDATION	1	£250k
THE WELLS CATHEDRAL CHORISTER TRUST	1	£84k
THE OUSELEY CHURCH MUSIC TRUST	1	£22k
THE ALBERT AND EUGENIE FROST MUSIC TRUST CIO	1	£16k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with CROSFIELDS SCHOOL.

CROSFIELDS SCHOOL income £13.8m
WISHFORD FOUNDATION income £243k
WELLS OPERATIC SOCIETY LTD income £103k
WELLS CATHEDRAL SCHOOL LIMITED income £19.1m
THE WELLS CHURCH income £280k
FRIENDS OF EARLS HALL SCHOOLS income £31k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE WELLS CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOUNDATION	£240k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
CROSFIELDS SCHOOL FY2025	£13.8m	—	—	above	—	no doubt
WISHFORD FOUNDATION FY2025	£243k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
WELLS OPERATIC SOCIETY LTD FY2025	£103k	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
WELLS CATHEDRAL SCHOOL LIMITED FY2025	£19.1m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
THE WELLS CHURCH FY2025	£280k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.