Governance
Overview of Governance at The National Film and Television School
The National Film and Television School (NFTS) is a company limited by guarantee (Company number 981908) and registered as a charity (Charity Number: 313429). It has existed since 1971, and was granted status as a higher education institution in November 2013, under section 129 of the Education Reform Act 1988. NFTS Scotland is registered in Scotland as a charity with the OSCR (Charity number SC048472).
Articles of Association (as amended November 2019)
The Board of Governors
The Board of Governors (the Board) is the School’s governing body, established in accordance with the Articles of Association. The members of the Board are the company directors and charity trustees.
The majority of its members are drawn from outside the School and are referred to as independent members, although elected staff are co-opted members of the Board.
The minutes of the meetings of the Board of Governors are available below:
June 2024 (pdf)
February 2024 (pdf)
November 2023 (pdf)
September 2023 (pdf)
The Board has a number of standing committees to oversee particular areas of business. The Board is responsible for exercising the powers of the School as defined in the Articles of Association.
The Board has a Scheme of Delegation in place to record where authority rests within the School for particular types of decisions made in the name or on behalf of the School.
Executive management of the School
The Director of the NFTS is responsible for the executive management of the School, working through the Senior Management Team and supported by a number of committees.
Academic Standards Committee
The Academic Standards Committee is the School’s principal academic authority. Subject to the responsibilities of the Board of Governors and the Director of the NFTS, the Academic Standards Committee has oversight of academic activities, including: assessment and learning and teaching.
Register of interests
The school maintains a register of interests of the Board and the Senior Management Team (and their related parties). The register is kept up to date and may be inspected by contacting Trevor Hall, Finance Director.
Charitable status
The charitable purpose of the NFTS, as defined in the Charities Act 2011, is the advancement of education for public benefit.
The School’s specific charitable objectives set out in the Articles of Association are to “provide world-class training and education for film, television and the media industries.“
Finance and taxation
The School’s financial year runs from 1 August to 31 July.
The School is VAT registered (VAT registration number 669018708). As a supplier of education and research the School is only able to recover part of the VAT it pays.
By virtue of its charitable status, the School is exempt from corporation tax on its primary purpose activities. It is registered with HMRC (number XN59334) to enable recovery of Gift Aid.
Subsidiary and associate companies
The NFTS has two subsidiary and associate companies:
- NFTS Enterprises Ltd (Company number 01431773) (non-primary purpose trading)
- NFTS Foundation (Company number 03290399; Registered charity number 1061561) (fundraising for the School)
Legal name and correspondence address
The legal name of the institution, principal place of business and address for correspondence is:
National Film and Television School
Beaconsfield Studios
Station Road
Beaconsfield
Bucks HP9 1LG
Financial information
Information about the School’s finances and its audited financial statements can be found on the Charity Commission website and at Companies House. The most recent audited accounts are available for download below
Financial Statements
1 August 2023 - 31 July 2024
1 August 2022 - 31 July 2023
1 August 2021 - 31 July 2022
1 August 2020 - 31 July 2021
1 August 2019 - 31 July 2020
Financial statements are published on the School's website in accordance with legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements, which may vary from legislation in other jurisdictions. The maintenance and integrity of the School’s website is the responsibility of the members of the Governing body. The responsibility of the members of the Governing body also extends to the ongoing integrity of the financial statements contained therein.
Corporate Plan
Information about the School’s current five-year strategic plan can be found in the Corporate Plan Summary 2023-2028. This document is available for download below.