COLUMBUS TOPCO LIMITED

Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. About these numbers

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.

Accounting basis

FRS 102

Reporting scope

Consolidated group

Auditor

Crowe U.K. LLP

Audit opinion

Unqualified (clean)

Going concern

Affirmed

“We draw attention to the group's existing shareholder loan notes of £16.5m that at the balance sheet date of 31 December 2024, had redemption dates of October 2026 and the group's bank facility agreement of £11m which had an original termination date of September 2025. Since the year end, the group has successfully refinanced and extended these facilities, with the bank facility now extended to December 2028, and the shareholder loan notes extended to October 2029. As a result, the directors have additional confidence in the group's ability to continue as a going concern. Accordingly, there is no material uncertainty relating to going concern, and no adjustments have been made to the financial statements in this regard.”

Group structure

1. COLUMBUS TOPCO LIMITED · parent
   1. Columbus Midco Limited 100% · UK · Holding company
   2. Columbus Bidco Limited 100% · UK · Holding company
   3. Explore Learning Limited 100% · UK · Operation of Maths and English tuition centres
   4. Explore Horizons Incorporated 100% · USA · Dormant

Significant events

• “Subsequent to the balance sheet date, on 28th March 2025, the company renewed its existing bank facilities, which were due to expire on 30th September 2025. The renewal includes a continuation of the credit line at £9.7 million, split into Facility A for £1.425m, Facility B for £6.825m and a Capex Facility for £1.450m, with initial margin rates of 3.50 per cent, 4.00 per cent and 3.50 per cent per annum respectively. The loans also remain subject to a SONIA plus interest charge. Facility A terminates on 7 October 2027, Facility B terminates on 29 December 2028 and the Capex Facility terminates on 7 July 2027. Repayments with respect to the renewed facility are due £350,000 in 2025, £1.05m in 2026 with the remainder due after 2026. The security on the facility is unchanged.”
• “In addition to the bank facility renewal, the redemption date of the £21.77m of unsecured loan notes has been extended to 31 October 2029.”

Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers

Filings

8

last 12 months

Capital events

0

last 24 months

Officers appointed

1

last 12 months

Officers resigned

1

last 12 months

Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.

• Turnover

  +11.8%

  £37,661,000 → £42,093,000

• Cash

  +171%

  £644,000 → £1,745,000

• Net assets

  -6.4%

  -£23,812,000 → -£25,341,000

• Employees

  +1.4%

  3,234 → 3,278

• Operating profit

  +336.6%

  -£606,000 → £1,434,000

• Profit before tax

  +56.1%

  -£3,160,000 → -£1,388,000

• Wages

  +10.7%

  £22,182,000 → £24,566,000

Each % is (latest − prior) ÷ |prior| for the line item as filed. The comparison is only shown when the latest and prior accounts cover broadly equal-length periods — short or long stubs (typical around incorporation or a year-end change) are suppressed rather than misrepresented. Lines a company doesn't report are omitted. About these numbers