THE ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL

Registered charity 214364 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL

To train and educate outstanding classical ballet dancers for The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and other top international dance companies.

Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£16.6m

Latest spending

£19.2m

Registered

1962

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the School incurred a consolidated loss of £3.36m from day-to-day operations, resulting in a total deficit of £2.627m for the year. Free/unrestricted reserves have dropped significantly to £272,000, which the trustees describe as 'very low'. However, the School relies on funding from The Royal Ballet School Endowment Fund to cover interim losses while implementing a strategic plan to achieve financial sustainability by 2029-30.

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

What the accounts disclose

Fundraising cost ratio: 10.0% of fundraised income, as disclosed

“This amounts to 10% of non-government donated income.”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: three to six months of operating costs (held: £272k)

“the School aims to hold reserves of a level equivalent to three to six months of operating costs.”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Going concern: noted by the trustees or auditor

“The Governors therefore believe that financial resources are sufficient to ensure the School will continue as a going concern for the foreseeable future, being at least until 31 August 2027”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Trading subsidiary: TRBS Enterprises Limited

“The School has a wholly owned trading subsidiary, TRBS Enterprises Limited, which sells branded merchandise, offers on-demand training and hires out School premises, gifting its profits to the School.” — page 19

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

Year-over-year changes

Going concern: no going-concern doubt (FY2024) → going-concern doubt noted (FY2025).

Comparing this charity’s FY2024 and FY2025 accounts as analysed by this site.

Funders the charity credits

Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).

Kinoshita Group — “Kinoshita Group has been passionately involved in supporting the arts and culture to date. In particular, they have been supporting Japanese…” (source page)

Property (HM Land Registry)

8 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (3 freehold); recorded price paid £11.8m. All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/08/2025)

Total income

£16.6m

Total spending

£19.2m

Cost of raising funds

£1.6m

Reserves (reported)

£587k

Employees

250

Reported reserves equal ~0.4 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (64% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 9.6% of total income — above the median for charities its size (3.8%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Natasha Kaplinskychair · trustee of 4 other charities
Adrian George Packer
Alistair Summers · trustee of 1 other charity
Carlos Acosta CBE · trustee of 1 other charity
Caroline Anne Davis
Cordelia Redwood-Sawyerr
Craig Alan Ranson
Edward Watson · trustee of 1 other charity
Isabel Mortimer
Jillian Barker · trustee of 1 other charity
Joanna Birkett
Kevin O'Hare
Lady Sarah Ann Dorfman
Mary Breen
Michael Richard Hussey
Richard Dennen
Suzanne Margaret Brennan · trustee of 1 other charity
Thomas Clementi · trustee of 1 other charity

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

Operates in: Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/08/2025	£16.6m	£19.2m
31/08/2024	£15.7m	£18.6m
31/08/2023	£21.2m	£16.2m
31/08/2022	£12.5m	£14.3m
31/08/2021	£11.8m	£12.9m

Common questions

Is THE ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the School incurred a consolidated loss of £3.36m from day-to-day operations, resulting in a total deficit of £2.627m for the year. Free/unrestricted reserves have dropped significantly to £272,000, which the trustees describe as 'very low'. However, the School relies on funding from The Royal Ballet School Endowment Fund to cover interim losses while implementing a strategic plan to achieve financial sustainability by 2029-30. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Crowe U.K. LLP.

Who funds THE ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL as a grant recipient include MAAIKE MCINNES CHARITABLE TRUST, ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL ENDOWMENT FUND, THE BAND TRUST, THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST, THE KENNETH & SUSAN GREEN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION.

Shared trustees with funders

Register facts shown side by side: a person serves as trustee of both this charity and a funder whose accounts record grants to it. Shared trusteeship is lawful and common; well-run charities manage it through declared-interest procedures.

Carlos Acosta CBE — trustee here and at THE FREDERICK ASHTON FOUNDATION
Thomas Clementi — trustee here and at ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL ENDOWMENT FUND

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
MAAIKE MCINNES CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£7.5m	to help with the building project work
ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL ENDOWMENT FUND	FY2025	£1.3m	Return of unrestricted funds granted from the School to the Endowment Fund in 2017
THE BAND TRUST	FY2023	£1.0m	Children and Young People
THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£300k
THE KENNETH & SUSAN GREEN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	FY2025	£300k
THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£250k
THE ERANDA ROTHSCHILD FOUNDATION	FY2022	£191k	The arts
THE BEAVERBROOK FOUNDATION	FY2024	£181k
ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL ENDOWMENT FUND	FY2025	£165k	Repairs at White Lodge and Jebsen House
THE CALLEVA FOUNDATION	FY2023	£140k	Education
THE KENNETH & SUSAN GREEN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	FY2024	£100k
THE KENNETH & SUSAN GREEN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	FY2023	£100k	Advancement of education, health and saving lives
THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£100k
THE AURUM CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£80k
THE TOMLINSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£75k
THE CALLEVA FOUNDATION	FY2024	£70k	Education
THE HEADLEY TRUST	FY2025	£60k	Towards the White Lodge Music Bursaries.
ST PAUL'S SCHOOLS FOUNDATION	FY2024	£52k	Literacy & Oracy
THE KENNETH & SUSAN GREEN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	FY2022	£50k
THE BUFFINI CHAO FOUNDATION	FY2024	£50k
E B M CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£40k
E B M CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2025	£40k	Grant paid to institution
E B M CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2024	£40k
THE HEADLEY TRUST	FY2023	£30k	Towards the White Lodge Hardship and Music Bursaries.
ST PAUL'S SCHOOLS FOUNDATION	FY2025	£27k	Associated Schools Mental Health & Wellbeing
ST PAUL'S SCHOOLS FOUNDATION	FY2025	£27k	Aligned Funding
CHK Foundation	FY2023	£25k
THE MERCERS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION	FY2022	£25k	Young People & Education Programme
ST PAUL'S SCHOOLS FOUNDATION	FY2022	£25k	Support for the school’s Professional Skills Development Programme which will provide a sustainable programme of careers advice for students aged 16-18.
The Gerald and Gail Ronson Family Foundation	FY2025	£25k
THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE BENEVOLENT FUND	FY2025	£25k	Healthy Dancer Programme
THE BAND TRUST	FY2022	£25k	Specific grantee
THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE BENEVOLENT FUND	FY2024	£25k	Healthy Dancer Programme
ST PAUL'S SCHOOLS FOUNDATION	FY2023	£25k
THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE BENEVOLENT FUND	FY2023	£25k	Healthy Dancer Programme
THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE BENEVOLENT FUND	FY2022	£20k	Healthy Dancer Programme
THE ERANDA ROTHSCHILD FOUNDATION	FY2025	£20k	The Arts
AMAR-FRANSES AND FOSTER-JENKINS TRUST	FY2024	£20k	Grants to academic institutions
THE AURUM CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£20k
THE THOMPSON FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£15k
AMAR-FRANSES AND FOSTER-JENKINS TRUST	FY2025	£13k	Annual funding increased by £2,500 to £12,500
THE BEAVERBROOK FOUNDATION	FY2025	£11k
THE BUFFINI CHAO FOUNDATION	FY2022	£11k
AMAR-FRANSES AND FOSTER-JENKINS TRUST	FY2023	£10k	Grants to academic institutions
THE BORROWS CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£10k
THE CHARLOTTE HEBER-PERCY CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2023	£10k
AMAR-FRANSES AND FOSTER-JENKINS TRUST	FY2022	£10k	Grants to academic institutions
THE BORROWS CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£10k
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE COVENT GARDEN FOUNDATION	FY2023	£10k	Grant to Royal Ballet School
E B M CHARITABLE TRUST	FY2022	£10k

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The Mercers' Company	03/06/2026	£80k	Grant to The Royal Ballet School
The Mercers' Company	13/11/2025	£500k	Grant to The Royal Ballet School
The Mercers' Company	25/06/2024	£80k	Grant to Royal Ballet School
The Mercers' Company	18/05/2023	£80k	Grant to Royal Ballet School
The National Lottery Community Fund	08/11/2022	£121k	The Ripple Older Peoples Service
The Mercers' Company	27/04/2021	£75k	Grant to Royal Ballet School
The Mercers' Company	24/09/2019	£75k	Grant to Royal Ballet School
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	24/02/2005	£50k	"Conservation and Re-Development of White Lodge, Richmond Park, Surrey"

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
THE IDLEWILD TRUST	3	£36k
THE LINBURY TRUST	2	£180k
THE CHARLOTTE BONHAM-CARTER CHARITABLE TRUST	2	£18k
THE HAROLD HYAM WINGATE FOUNDATION	2	£13k
THE MICHAEL BISHOP FOUNDATION	1	£265k
THE KIRBY LAING FOUNDATION	1	£125k
DAVID LAING FOUNDATION	1	£111k
WILLIAM ADLINGTON CADBURY CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£86k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET.

BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET income £17.6m
ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL ENDOWMENT FUND income £627k
RAMBERT SCHOOL OF BALLET AND CONTEMPORARY DANCE income £3.5m
ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET SCHOOL LIMITED income £2.6m
RAMBERT TRUST LIMITED income £5.1m
RAMBERT SCHOOL OF BALLET AND CONTEMPORARY DANCE TRUST income £330k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Staff >£60k	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
THE ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL	£16.6m	—	0	unclear	10.0%	noted
BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET FY2025	£17.6m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL ENDOWMENT FUND FY2025	£627k	—	0	unclear	—	no doubt
RAMBERT SCHOOL OF BALLET AND CONTEMPORARY DANCE FY2025	£3.5m	—	—	within	—	no doubt
ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET SCHOOL LIMITED FY2025	£2.6m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt
RAMBERT TRUST LIMITED FY2025	£5.1m	—	—	unclear	—	no doubt

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