Red Balloon Educational Trust — Charity Commission profile

01 Identity

Registration and reporting

Registration status: Registered
Reporting status: Submission Received
Charity type: Charitable company
Registered: 23 May 2005
Removed: Not supplied
Company number supplied: 05385341
Financial period: 1 September 2024 – 31 August 2025
Latest income: £4,182,038
Latest expenditure: £3,553,998
Gift Aid: Yes
Owns or uses land: Yes
In administration: No
Insolvent: No
CIO: No

Public contact address: Red Balloon Educational Trust, Willow Lodge, 37 High Street, Milton, Cambridge, CB24 6DF

Website recorded by the regulator: www.redballoonlearner.org (displayed as text)

02 Activities

What the charity does

Red Balloon Educational Trust sets up and oversees small schools, called Learner Centres, that offer a full-time educational, therapeutic and community-based recovery programme for children and young people aged 9 to 18 who experience EBSA (emotionally-based school avoidance) as a consequence of severe bullying or other traumatic experiences.

03 Official extract

Charity Annual Return History

Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2025
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Reporting Due Date: 30 June 2026
Date Annual Return Received: 8 June 2026
Date Accounts Received: 8 June 2026
Total Gross Income: £4,182,038
Total Gross Expenditure: £3,553,998

Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2023
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2024
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Reporting Due Date: 30 June 2025
Date Annual Return Received: 3 June 2025
Date Accounts Received: 3 June 2025
Total Gross Income: £3,328,143
Total Gross Expenditure: £3,167,467

Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2022
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2023
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Reporting Due Date: 30 June 2024
Date Annual Return Received: 27 June 2024
Date Accounts Received: 27 June 2024
Total Gross Income: £2,904,164
Total Gross Expenditure: £2,621,262

Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2021
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2022
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Reporting Due Date: 30 June 2023
Date Annual Return Received: 27 June 2023
Date Accounts Received: 27 June 2023
Total Gross Income: £2,404,451
Total Gross Expenditure: £2,167,724

Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2020
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2021
Ar Cycle Reference: AR21
Reporting Due Date: 30 June 2022
Date Annual Return Received: 31 August 2022
Date Accounts Received: 31 August 2022
Total Gross Income: £3,460,833
Total Gross Expenditure: £3,454,954

04 Official extract

Charity Annual Return Parta

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: Yes
Fin Period Order Number: 1
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2025
Ar Due Date: 30 June 2026
Ar Received Date: 8 June 2026
Total Gross Income: £4,182,038
Total Gross Expenditure: £3,553,998
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 122
Count Govt Grants: £0
Income From Government Contracts: 3402816
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: Yes
Count Salary Band 70001 80000: 1
Count Volunteers: 8

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 2
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2023
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2024
Ar Due Date: 30 June 2025
Ar Received Date: 3 June 2025
Total Gross Income: £3,328,143
Total Gross Expenditure: £3,167,467
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 103
Count Govt Grants: £1
Income From Government Contracts: 1901641
Income From Government Grants: £1,200
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: Yes
Count Salary Band 60001 70000: 1
Count Volunteers: 15

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 3
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2022
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2023
Ar Due Date: 30 June 2024
Ar Received Date: 27 June 2024
Total Gross Income: £2,904,164
Total Gross Expenditure: £2,621,262
Grant Making Is Main Activity: No
Count Govt Contracts: 90
Count Govt Grants: £0
Income From Government Contracts: 2017655
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: No
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Payments Acting As Trustee: No
Trustee Receives Payments Services: No
Trustee Receives Other Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: Yes
Count Salary Band 60001 70000: 1
Count Volunteers: 20

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 4
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2021
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2022
Ar Due Date: 30 June 2023
Ar Received Date: 27 June 2023
Total Gross Income: £2,404,451
Total Gross Expenditure: £2,167,724
Charity Raises Funds From Public: Yes
Charity Professional Fundraiser: No
Charity Commercial Participator: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: Yes
Count Govt Contracts: 42
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: No
Income From Government Contracts: 1077791
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: Yes
Trustee Also Director Of Subsidiary: Yes
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: Yes
Count Salary Band 60001 70000: 1
Count Volunteers: 15

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 5
Ar Cycle Reference: AR21
Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2020
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2021
Ar Due Date: 30 June 2022
Ar Received Date: 31 August 2022
Total Gross Income: £3,460,833
Total Gross Expenditure: £3,454,954
Charity Raises Funds From Public: Yes
Charity Professional Fundraiser: No
Charity Commercial Participator: No
Charity Receives Govt Funding Contracts: Yes
Count Govt Contracts: 105
Charity Receives Govt Funding Grants: Yes
Count Govt Grants: £2
Income From Government Contracts: 2075754
Income From Government Grants: £8,449
Charity Has Trading Subsidiary: Yes
Trustee Also Director Of Subsidiary: Yes
Does Trustee Receive Any Benefit: No
Trustee Resigned Employment: No
Employees Salary Over 60k: No
Count Volunteers: 12

05 Official extract

Charity Annual Return Partb

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: Yes
Fin Period Order Number: 1
Ar Cycle Reference: AR25
Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2024
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2025
Ar Due Date: 30 June 2026
Ar Received Date: 8 June 2026
Income Donations And Legacies: 266053
Income Other Trading Activities: 3587
Income Charitable Activities: 3498502
Income Investments: 139759
Income Other: 274137
Income Total Income And Endowments: 4182038
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £110,660
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £3,443,338
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 3553998
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 24292
Expenditure Support Costs: 441057
Expenditure Depreciation: 115604
Gain Loss Investment: 274137
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £2,370,619
Assets Total Fixed: 2458575
Assets Own Use: 1912813
Assets Long Term Investment: 545762
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £2,931,897
Assets Total Liabilities: £1,575,464
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £3,815,008
Creditors One Year Total Current: 415470
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 1159994
Assets Cash: £2,579,260
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 3673101
Funds Restricted: 141907
Funds Total: 3815008
Count Employees: 94
Charity Only Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 2
Ar Cycle Reference: AR24
Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2023
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2024
Ar Due Date: 30 June 2025
Ar Received Date: 3 June 2025
Income Donations And Legacies: 514036
Income Other Trading Activities: 2866
Income Charitable Activities: 2684447
Income Investments: 126794
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 3328143
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £83,922
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £3,083,545
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 3167467
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 28532
Expenditure Support Costs: 349844
Expenditure Depreciation: 88587
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £1,234,762
Assets Total Fixed: 3052695
Assets Own Use: 1780554
Assets Long Term Investment: 1272141
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £2,128,680
Assets Total Liabilities: £1,994,407
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £3,186,968
Creditors One Year Total Current: 624155
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 1370252
Assets Cash: £1,777,349
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 2906190
Funds Restricted: 280778
Funds Total: 3186968
Count Employees: 93
Charity Only Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 3
Ar Cycle Reference: AR23
Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2022
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2023
Ar Due Date: 30 June 2024
Ar Received Date: 27 June 2024
Income Donations And Legacies: 429166
Income Other Trading Activities: 2581
Income Charitable Activities: 2389899
Income Investments: 82518
Income Other: 0
Income Total Income And Endowments: 2904164
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £76,186
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £2,545,076
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 2621262
Expenditure Investment Management: 0
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 20827
Expenditure Support Costs: 330865
Expenditure Depreciation: 49994
Gain Loss Investment: 0
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £1,269,208
Assets Total Fixed: 2996260
Assets Own Use: 1724119
Assets Long Term Investment: 1272141
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £1,713,747
Assets Total Liabilities: £1,652,853
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £3,057,154
Creditors One Year Total Current: 239887
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 1412966
Assets Cash: £1,604,724
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 2839572
Funds Restricted: 217582
Funds Total: 3057154
Count Employees: 86
Consolidated Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 4
Ar Cycle Reference: AR22
Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2021
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2022
Ar Due Date: 30 June 2023
Ar Received Date: 27 June 2023
Income Donations And Legacies: 606160
Income Other Trading Activities: 147450
Income Charitable Activities: 1524001
Income Investments: 125303
Income Other: 1537
Income Total Income And Endowments: 2404451
Income Legacies: 0
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £70,641
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £2,097,083
Expenditure Other: 0
Expenditure Total: 2167724
Expenditure Investment Management: 600
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 33885
Expenditure Support Costs: 374062
Expenditure Depreciation: 17456
Gain Loss Investment: -8373
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £785,520
Assets Total Fixed: 2958137
Assets Own Use: 985256
Assets Long Term Investment: 1972881
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £2,048,987
Assets Total Liabilities: £2,232,872
Assets Current Investment: 700000
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £2,774,252
Creditors One Year Total Current: 372666
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 1860206
Assets Cash: £1,135,061
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 2551869
Funds Restricted: 222383
Funds Total: 2774252
Count Employees: 72
Consolidated Accounts: Yes

Latest Fin Period Submitted Ind: No
Fin Period Order Number: 5
Ar Cycle Reference: AR21
Fin Period Start Date: 1 September 2020
Fin Period End Date: 31 August 2021
Ar Due Date: 30 June 2022
Ar Received Date: 31 August 2022
Income Donations And Legacies: 652670
Income Other Trading Activities: 390
Income Charitable Activities: 2718321
Income Investments: 81003
Income Other: 8449
Income Total Income And Endowments: 3460833
Income Legacies: 12046
Income Endowments: 0
Expenditure Raising Funds: £89,737
Expenditure Charitable Expenditure: £2,515,029
Expenditure Other: 850188
Expenditure Total: 3454954
Expenditure Investment Management: 600
Expenditure Grants Institution: 0
Expenditure Governance: 32984
Expenditure Support Costs: 309214
Expenditure Depreciation: 62492
Gain Loss Investment: 7466
Gain Loss Pension Fund: 0
Gain Loss Revaluation Fixed Investment: 0
Gain Loss Other: 0
Reserves: £927,214
Assets Total Fixed: 2933978
Assets Own Use: 28000
Assets Long Term Investment: 2905978
Defined Benefit Pension Scheme: 0
Assets Other Assets: £1,315,771
Assets Total Liabilities: £1,703,851
Assets Current Investment: 0
Assets Total Assets And Liabilities: £2,545,898
Creditors One Year Total Current: 394487
Creditors Falling Due After One Year: 1309364
Assets Cash: £1,072,932
Funds Endowment: 0
Funds Unrestricted: 2353875
Funds Restricted: 192023
Funds Total: 2545898
Count Employees: 102
Consolidated Accounts: Yes

06 Official extract

Charity Area Of Operation

Geographic Area Type: Region
Geographic Area Description: Throughout England And Wales
Welsh Ind: No

07 Official extract

Charity Classification

Classification Code: 102
Classification Type: What
Classification Description: Education/training

Classification Code: 201
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: Children/young People

Classification Code: 205
Classification Type: Who
Classification Description: Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies

Classification Code: 307
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Provides Advocacy/advice/information

Classification Code: 306
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Provides Services

Classification Code: 310
Classification Type: How
Classification Description: Other Charitable Activities

08 Official extract

Charity Event History

Charity Name: Red Balloon Educational Trust
Charity Event Order: 2
Event Type: Asset transfer in
Date Of Event: 2014-07-29T00:00:00
Reason: Transfer of funds
Assoc Organisation Number: 4046567
Assoc Registered Charity Number: 1130569
Assoc Charity Name: RED BALLOON LEARNER CENTRE PRESTON

Charity Name: Red Balloon Educational Trust
Charity Event Order: 1
Event Type: Standard registration
Date Of Event: 2005-05-23T00:00:00

Charity Name: Red Balloon Educational Trust
Charity Event Order: 3
Event Type: Asset transfer in
Date Of Event: 2024-03-18T00:00:00
Reason: Funds spent (by trustees)
Assoc Organisation Number: 5078571
Assoc Registered Charity Number: 1166654
Assoc Charity Name: THE BEN COHEN STANDUP FOUNDATION

09 Official extract

Charity Governing Document

Governing Document Description: MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED 8 MARCH 2005 as amended on 26 Jul 2021 as amended on 22 Jun 2017
Charitable Objects: TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS AGED 9 TO 18 AT RED BALLOON LEARNER CENTRES, BEING STUDENTS WHO ARE VICTIMS OF SEVERE BULLYING AND FOR THE TIME BEING ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS, BY PROVIDING TUITION AND APPROPRIATE SUPPORT FOR THEM IN A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT UNTIL THEY ARE READY TO RETURN TO MAINSTREAM EDUCATION OR EMPLOYMENT
Area Of Benefit: NATIONAL

10 Official extract

Charity Other Names

Charity Name Id: 703777
Charity Name Type: Working name
Charity Name: RBET

Charity Name Id: 464655
Charity Name Type: Previous name
Charity Name: RED BALLOON LEARNER CENTRE GROUP

Charity Name Id: 703775
Charity Name Type: Working name
Charity Name: Red Balloon Norfolk

Charity Name Id: 703776
Charity Name Type: Working name
Charity Name: RBET Aylesbury

Charity Name Id: 703778
Charity Name Type: Working name
Charity Name: Red Balloon Aylesbury

Charity Name Id: 703779
Charity Name Type: Working name
Charity Name: RBET Norfolk

Charity Name Id: 509203
Charity Name Type: Previous name
Charity Name: RBLCG

Charity Name Id: 651082
Charity Name Type: Working name
Charity Name: Red Balloon Worthing

Charity Name Id: 650959
Charity Name Type: Working name
Charity Name: Red Balloon of the Air

Charity Name Id: 509204
Charity Name Type: Previous name
Charity Name: RED BALLOON GROUP

Charity Name Id: 464658
Charity Name Type: Previous name
Charity Name: RED BALLOON NATIONAL

11 Official extract

Charity Policy

Policy Name: Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures

Policy Name: Social media policy and procedures

Policy Name: Complaints handling

Policy Name: Investment

Policy Name: Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries

Policy Name: Serious incident reporting policy and procedures

Policy Name: Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures

Policy Name: Internal risk management policy and procedures

Policy Name: Safeguarding policy and procedures

Policy Name: Investing charity funds policy and procedures

Policy Name: Financial reserves policy and procedures

Policy Name: Bullying and harassment policy and procedures

Policy Name: Conflicting interests

Policy Name: Engaging external speakers at charity events policy and procedures

Policy Name: Complaints policy and procedures

Policy Name: Volunteer management

Policy Name: Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Policy Name: Paying staff