WELLS CATHEDRAL SCHOOL, LIMITED
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Cash
£2.1m
-47.8% lowest in 3 filed years
Net assets
£19m
-4.7% lowest in 3 filed years
Employees
441
+7.6% highest in 3 filed years
Profit before tax
—
Period ending 2025-08-31
Watchouts
Facts from the Companies House register and the latest accounts — not a rating
-
Material uncertainty over going concern
it is anticipated that there will be a breach of one of the School's existing banking covenants. As a result, conversations have taken place with our bankers who have agreed to extended existing facilities to support the School as it addresses the impact of the recent regulatory changes (imposition of VAT on Independent School Fees; removal of Business Rates relief; and, increase in Employers' National Insurance Contributions) on the Group's cash flow position.
-
4 officer resignations in last 12 months
Multiple officers have left the board recently — see the People section for who.
Net assets
3-year trend · vs Consumer Discretionary median
Accounts
3-year trend · Δ = latest vs prior filed period · latest reflected 2025-08-31
| Metric | Trend | 2023-08-31 | 2024-08-31 | 2025-08-31 | Δ vs prior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £20,107,000 | £21,578,000 | £21,949,000 | +1.7% | |
| Operating profit | £869,000 | £590,000 | -£548,000 | -192.9% | |
| Profit before tax | — | — | — | — | |
| Net profit | £370,000 | -£210,000 | -£948,000 | -351.4% | |
| Cash | £3,010,000 | £4,099,000 | £2,139,000 | -47.8% | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | £23,874,000 | £24,168,000 | £22,406,000 | -7.3% | |
| Net assets | £20,206,000 | £19,996,000 | £19,048,000 | -4.7% | |
| Equity | £20,206,000 | £19,996,000 | £19,048,000 | -4.7% | |
| Average employees | 395 | 410 | 441 | +7.6% | |
| Wages | £9,318,000 | £10,651,000 | £10,756,000 | +1% | |
| Directors' remuneration | — | £0 | £0 | — |
Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. The Δ column is the change from the prior filed period as a percentage of |prior|; lines a company doesn't report show —. About these numbers
Ratios
Computed from the line items above — sparklines read oldest → newest
| Ratio | Trend | 2023-08-31 | 2024-08-31 | 2025-08-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | 4.3% | 2.7% | -2.5% | |
| Net margin | 1.8% | -1.0% | -4.3% | |
| Return on capital employed | 3.6% | 2.4% | -2.4% | |
| Gearing (liabilities / total assets) | — | 31.8% | 39.1% | |
| Current ratio | 1.04x | 1.06x | 0.87x | |
| Interest cover | 5.43x | 3.22x | -3.54x |
Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.
Audit & accounting basis
- Accounting basis
- FRS 102
- Reporting scope
- Consolidated group
- Auditor
- Crowe U.K. LLP
- Audit opinion
- Unqualified (clean)
- Going concern
- Material uncertainty disclosed
“it is anticipated that there will be a breach of one of the School's existing banking covenants. As a result, conversations have taken place with our bankers who have agreed to extended existing facilities to support the School as it addresses the impact of the recent regulatory changes (imposition of VAT on Independent School Fees; removal of Business Rates relief; and, increase in Employers' National Insurance Contributions) on the Group's cash flow position.”
Group structure
- WELLS CATHEDRAL SCHOOL, LIMITED · parent
- The Wells Cathedral School Foundation
Significant events
- “During the 2024-25 academic year the School received numerous award nominations including being shortlisted in the Independent School of the Year Awards for Best Performing Arts School and Best Pre-Prep”
- “our Senior School production of West Side Story nominated for Best Musical and Best ensemble in the National Schools Theatre Awards”
- “named the top performing school in Somerset at A level based on our summer 2024 results.”
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
12 active · 44 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCCARTNEY, Robert Denis | Secretary | 2022-07-18 | — | — |
| BERNAL-PALMER, Simon | Director | 2024-07-10 | Sep 1981 | British |
| COOKE, Martin Gordon | Director | 2019-03-25 | Jan 1957 | British |
| DAFFERN, Megan Isabel Jane, Reverend Dr | Director | 2023-09-25 | May 1980 | British |
| GUMMER, Andrew David Frederick | Director | 2019-12-09 | Aug 1961 | British |
| LEWIS, Timothy William Hunt | Director | 2015-03-23 | Aug 1954 | British |
| NANCEKIEVILL, Dorothy Anne | Director | 2022-09-09 | Mar 1958 | British |
| POWELL, Robert | Director | 2015-12-07 | Mar 1963 | British |
| ROBBETTS, Kris | Director | 2019-12-09 | Mar 1978 | British |
| SHELTON, Elizabeth | Director | 2020-07-30 | Oct 1958 | British |
| STEVENS, Timothy David, The Reverend Canon | Director | 2024-07-10 | Jul 1980 | British |
| WRIGHT, Toby Christopher, Very Reverend | Director | 2024-07-10 | Mar 1975 | British |
Show 44 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| DRABBLE, Stuart John | Secretary | 1997-03-24 | 2003-03-31 |
| HICK, Malcolm Richard, Group Captain | Secretary | — | 1997-03-24 |
| KNELL, Peter James | Secretary | 2013-08-01 | 2022-07-12 |
| WEBBER, Steven John Anthony Maltravers | Secretary | 2003-04-01 | 2013-08-01 |
| ACWORTH, Richard Foote, The Venerable | Director | 1993-11-28 | 2003-10-31 |
| ATTERTON, David Valentine, Dr | Director | — | 2002-06-02 |
| AVISS, Derek, Professor | Director | 2019-12-09 | 2020-09-14 |
| BAKER, Julia | Director | 2024-07-10 | 2025-12-08 |
| BALL OBE, Helen Mary, Prebendary | Director | 2003-07-07 | 2021-06-28 |
| BALLAN-WHITFIELD, Joanne Mary | Director | 2007-03-23 | 2013-07-01 |
| BATES, Barbara Christine | Director | 2009-09-25 | 2025-07-04 |
| BROWN OBE, David Alfred John | Director | 2014-01-01 | 2025-08-31 |
| BUFTON, Rosalind Janet | Director | — | 1995-12-11 |
| CAMPBELL-ORDE, Andrew Colin | Director | 2017-07-07 | 2024-06-24 |
| CLARKE, John Martin, The Very Reverend | Director | 2004-10-01 | 2015-12-31 |
| CLARKE, Stella Rosemary, Dr | Director | — | 2008-12-01 |
| COOK, Patrick Donald | Director | 2008-04-05 | 2014-06-30 |
| CUTT, Samuel Robert, The Reverend | Director | — | 1993-10-01 |
| DAVIES, John Harverd, The Very Revd Dr | Director | 2017-01-03 | 2023-01-09 |
| DREW, Rodney Charles Bethell | Director | 2003-03-10 | 2006-07-10 |
| FARRAN, George Orman, Canon | Director | — | 1997-06-27 |
| FEATHERSTONE, Andrew, Revd Canon | Director | 2005-09-01 | 2018-06-01 |
| FLANNIGAN, Sarah Elisabeth | Director | 2016-06-01 | 2019-06-24 |
| INGE, Rosemary Muriel | Director | 1995-12-11 | 2004-12-03 |
| JAMES, Robert, Revd Canon Dr | Director | 2019-12-09 | 2022-08-15 |
| JEPSON-BIDDLE, Nicholas Lawrence, Canon | Director | 2013-05-09 | 2023-08-31 |
| LEWIS, Richard, The Very Reverend | Director | — | 2003-04-30 |
| LUCAS, Paul De Neufville, The Reverend Canon | Director | — | 1999-06-30 |
| MATTHEWS, Melvyn William, Revd Canon | Director | 1997-09-04 | 2005-02-06 |
| MCILWRAITH, Peter | Director | 1996-12-09 | 2014-06-30 |
| MUSSELWHITE, Harry Thomas | Director | 2021-06-28 | 2024-09-06 |
| PERYER, Thomas Stuart | Director | 1997-06-27 | 2003-05-01 |
| PRETTY, Derek William Methven | Director | 2012-03-26 | 2017-07-07 |
| SHARKEY, Jeffrey Neil | Director | 2022-03-21 | 2026-02-12 |
| SMOUT, Martin John | Director | 2008-02-01 | 2017-09-01 |
| SOMMERS, Robert | Director | 2003-07-07 | 2017-01-09 |
| THOMAS, Charles Edward, The Venerable | Director | — | 1993-10-01 |
| TUDWAY QUILTER, David Cuthbert | Director | — | 2004-12-03 |
| VAN DER ZEE, Elsa, Prebendary | Director | 2005-03-21 | 2013-12-31 |
| VAUGHAN, Jonathan Andrew, Professor | Director | 2013-07-01 | 2018-01-01 |
| WALKER, Philip Geoffrey, Reverend Canon | Director | 1994-02-01 | 1997-03-10 |
| WILLEY, Martin Frederick Williams | Director | 1992-12-14 | 2007-06-25 |
| WOODHOUSE, Patrick Henry Forbes, Reverend Canon | Director | 2000-02-05 | 2012-10-14 |
| YOUNG, Roger William, Sir | Director | 1992-03-09 | 1996-12-09 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 241 total filings
Material constitutional events — rename, articles re-file, resolution
- 2024-07-29 RESOLUTIONS Resolution
- 2024-07-29 MA Memorandum articles
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-17 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type group | |
| 2026-04-24 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2026-01-11 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2025-12-17 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-09-08 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-07-18 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-06-02 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type group | |
| 2025-01-20 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2024-09-09 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2024-09-03 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2024-07-30 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date | |
| 2024-07-29 | RESOLUTIONS | resolution | Resolution | |
| 2024-07-29 | MA | incorporation | Memorandum articles | |
| 2024-07-24 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2024-07-24 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2024-07-23 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2024-07-06 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2024-01-10 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type group | |
| 2024-01-05 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2023-10-27 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 6
- Capital events
- 0
- Officers appointed
- 0
- Officers resigned
- 4
last 12 months
last 24 months
last 12 months
last 12 months
Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.