Ad Astra Academy Trust

UID 5445·Companies House 09308398·Incorporated November 2014·Compare

Schools

Flags

5 high severity

Finance: 2024/25Ofsted: Feb 2025Performance: 2025/26Workforce: 2025/26Attendance: 2025/26

Total income

£24.3m

3,348 pupils

Avg staff costs

75.1%

of income

Avg reserves

4.3%

of income

Avg absence

5.8%

Persistent: 15.6%

More metrics

Avg FSM

43.9%

free school meals

Capacity

98%

3,348 / 3,411 places

Trust overview

4 of 10 schools have staff costs above the DfE's 78% review threshold — review against school context.

4 schools are operating in deficit — this may reflect planned investment or require financial planning.

4 of 10 schools had expenditure exceeding income this year.

Overall absence is above the national average in 40% of schools (4 of 10).

3 schools have persistent absence above 20%.

All inspected schools are rated Good or Outstanding across sub-judgements.

Reference points from DfE published guidance. Whether any metric warrants action depends on the trust's context and strategy.

At a glance

4 schools with staff costs above 78%4 schools in deficit1 school with declining results2 schools with absence above 8%2 schools with workforce pressure

Ofsted sub-judgements

Quality of education

100% Good+

Good 6

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Good 6

Personal development

100% Good+

Good 6

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Good 10

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

59.2%

-1.8pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressHub Two, The Innovation Centre Venture Court, Hartlepool, TS25 5TG

Companies House09308398

Incorporated12 November 2014

Trust growth over time

matpulse.co.uk

Schools Pupils

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	8	3,116	£19.1m	£17.4m	74.9%	8.7%
2022/23	8	3,109	£20.7m	£19.6m	75.5%	9.8%
2023/24	10	3,348	£24.3m	£24.2m	75.1%	4.3%
2024/25partial	10	3,317	—	—	—	—

Central services — 2023/24

Centralisation

5.4%

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

£1,392,000

CS staff costs

£795,000

CS income

£219,000

Admin & clerical£407,000

Teaching staff£244,000

ICT£1,000

Premises£62,000

Legal & professional£149,000

Auditor costs£25,000

Governance

Accounts to Aug 2025Source: Companies House

9 current directors · Average tenure: 3.4 years · 5 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (9)

Mary Elizabeth Elwell

director·< 1 year

Alison Anderson

director·< 1 year

Paul Rickeard

director·< 1 year

Penelope Norman

director·1 year

David New

director·2 years

Emma Louise Robins

director·2 years

Mark Richard Tilling

director·4 years

Richenda Courtenay Broad

director·6 years

Andrew Appleton Brown

director·11 years

17 former officers — most recent departure: Dec 2025

Peter Noteyoung

director·< 1 year·Resigned Dec 2025

Joanne Louise Dobson

director·2 years·Resigned Jun 2025

Craig James Malarkey

director·3 years·Resigned Dec 2024

Mary Elizabeth Elwell

director·5 years·Resigned Jun 2021

John Gerarde Maddison

director·5 years·Resigned Feb 2024

Alison Wilson

Member schools (10)

10 schools|9 with risk flags|5 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Ayresome Primary School	146770	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
Barnard Grove Primary School	146856	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
Brougham Primary School	142965	Primary	high absence
Crooksbarn Primary School	145689	Primary	workforce pressure
Deaf Hill Primary School	150147	Primary	high absence
Kelloe Primary School	150146	Primary	in year deficit
Rosebrook Primary School	143145	Primary	high staff costs
Sunnyside Academy	140503	Primary	workforce pressure
West Park Primary School	141717	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitperformance decline
West View Primary School	141627	Primary	—