Acorn Education Trust

UID 2070·Companies House 07654902·Incorporated June 2011·Compare

Schools

Flags

21 high severity

Finance: 2025/26Ofsted: Feb 2026Performance: 2025/26Workforce: 2026/27Attendance: 2025/26

Total income

£45.0m

5,744 pupils

Avg staff costs

70.0%

of income

Avg reserves

0.0%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

20.2%

free school meals

Capacity

74%

5,744 / 7,720 places

Total admin cost

£2.0m

£354 per pupil

Trust overview

1 of 21 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

20 of 21 schools hold reserves below the DfE's 5% reference point.

Absence is at or below the national average in 16 of 21 schools.

20 of 21 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above.

2 of these inspections used the new Report Card framework; its scale is not directly comparable with legacy grades.

Generated from published DfE and Ofsted data — year-end snapshots that cannot show in-year plans, restructuring or local context. Reference points are DfE review thresholds, not judgements.

Ofsted & results

Ofsted

95%meeting standard or above

Across 21 graded schools, including 2 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

88% Good+

Good 14RI 2

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Good 16

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 15

Leadership & management

90% Good+

Good 19RI 2

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

39.1

-7.1

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

54.3%

-6.8pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressKingdown School, Warminster, BA12 9DR

Companies House07654902

Incorporated1 June 2011

Report Card inspections (new framework)

About these grades

Grade distribution across 2 schoolsinspected under Ofsted's 5-point scale (from November 2025). Not directly comparable with the earlier 1–4 sub-judgements above.

Curriculum & teaching

Expected standard 2

Achievement

Expected standard 2

Inclusion

Expected standard 2

Attendance & behaviour

Strong standard 1Expected standard 1

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	18	5,281	£28.6m	£27.5m	74.0%	0.1%
2022/23	19	5,328	£36.6m	£32.7m	71.3%	-0.3%
2023/24	20	5,559	£39.0m	£38.2m	73.7%	1.9%
2024/25partial	21	5,744	£45.0m	£40.9m	70.0%	0.0%
2025/26	21	5,567	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

11.2%

of total trust spend

Typical MAT centralisation ranges from 3-7% of total trust spend. Figures below 2% may indicate limited central coordination; above 10% warrants review of value for money.

CS expenditure

£5,144,000

CS staff costs

£3,271,000

CS income

£1,910,000

Admin & clerical£798,000

Teaching staff£1,579,000

ICT£9,000

Premises£243,000

Legal & professional£181,000

Auditor costs£39,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

13 current directors · Average tenure: 5.6 years · 3 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (13)

Gillian Mary Maddocks

director·< 1 year

Nicholas Anthony Taylor

director·< 1 year

Richard Marsh

director·2 years

Susan Daphne Bale

director·2 years

Gillian Claire Gosling

director·2 years

Olivia Jane Evans

director·3 years

Susan Whitehead-whiting

director·4 years

Alan John Sedgley

director·6 years

Allen Rev Edwards

director·7 years

Thomas Morgan

director·8 years

Richard Ward Hendrickse

director·8 years

David George Middleton

director·11 years

Andrew James Armstrong

director·15 years

Company Secretary

Fiona Simpson

secretary·7 years

17 former officers — most recent departure: Aug 2025

Sarah Anne Vodden

director·4 years·Resigned Jul 2025

Heather Cowan

director·8 years·Resigned Jul 2022

John Cowan

director·8 years·Resigned Jul 2025

David Gordon Johnson

director·8 years·Resigned Jul 2025

Gillian Claire Gosling

director·8 years·Resigned Jul 2023

Richard Anthony Crow

Member schools (21)

21 schools|21 with risk flags|17 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Avon Valley Academy	143005	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Bulford St Leonard's C of E (va) Primary School	143007	Primary	ofsted concernworkforce pressure
Chapmanslade Church of England Primary School	151313	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Dilton Marsh CofE Primary School	141148	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costs
Dinton CofE Primary School	149660	Primary	workforce pressure
Durrington All Saints Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infants' School	143004	Primary	workforce pressure
Great Wishford CofE (va) Primary School	145555	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Heytesbury Church of England Primary School	144333	Primary	workforce pressure
Keevil CofE Primary School	143009	Primary	performance declineworkforce pressure
Kingdown School	137230	Secondary	high absencehigh staff costsworkforce pressure
Netheravon All Saints CofE Primary School	140699	Primary	workforce pressure
New Close Primary School	144995	Primary	performance declineworkforce pressurehigh staff costs
Pewsey Vale School	151533	Secondary	high absenceofsted concernworkforce pressure
Rowde CofE Academy	147649	Primary	workforce pressure
St John's CofE School	144854	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
St Michael's Church of England Primary School	143006	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsperformance decline
The Avenue Primary School and Children's Centre	141619	Primary	high staff costsworkforce pressureperformance decline
The Clarendon Academy	138885	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Wansdyke School	139303	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsperformance decline
West Ashton Church of England Primary School	143957	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsperformance decline