Advantage Schools

UID 16606·Companies House 07337888·Incorporated August 2010·Compare

Schools

Flags

25 high severity

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

Total income

£51.7m

6,537 pupils

Avg staff costs

73.6%

of income

Avg reserves

0.0%

of income

Avg absence

6.7%

More metrics

Avg FSM

28.4%

free school meals

Capacity

100%

6,537 / 6,552 places

Total admin cost

£2.4m

£370 per pupil

Trust overview

2 of 10 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

9 of 10 schools hold reserves below the DfE's 5% reference point.

Trust-average reserves have fallen about 10 percentage points over two years of published returns.

Absence is at or below the national average in 6 of 10 schools.

4 schools report persistent absence above 20%, a level the DfE prioritises for additional support.

All 10 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above — Good or better under the legacy framework, or Expected standard or above under the Report Card.

1 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

100%meeting standard or above

Across 10 graded schools, including 1 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

88% Good+

Outst. 1Good 6RI 1

Behaviour & attitudes

88% Good+

Outst. 1Good 6Inad. 1

Personal development

88% Good+

Outst. 2Good 5RI 1

Leadership & management

90% Good+

Outst. 1Good 8Inad. 1

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

43.5

-2.7

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

67.0%

+6.0pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressBedford I-Lab, Bedford, MK44 3RZ

Companies House07337888

Incorporated6 August 2010

Report Card inspections (new framework)

About these grades

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

Curriculum & teaching

Expected standard 1

Achievement

Expected standard 1

Inclusion

Expected standard 1

Attendance & behaviour

Expected standard 1

Personal development

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	9	5,479	£34.1m	£31.9m	75.5%	12.5%
2022/23	9	5,749	£41.3m	£37.7m	67.6%	17.6%
2023/24	10	6,432	£47.4m	£44.8m	74.5%	15.5%
2024/25partial	10	6,537	£51.7m	£47.9m	73.6%	0.0%
2025/26	10	6,575	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

6.8%

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

£3,512,000

CS staff costs

£2,203,000

CS income

£288,000

Admin & clerical£1,415,000

Teaching staff£818,000

ICT-£476,000

Premises£278,000

Legal & professional£444,000

Auditor costs£42,000

Member schools (10)

10 schools|10 with risk flags|13 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Bedford Free School	138228	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Elstow School	144039	Primary	workforce pressure
Houstone School	149107	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Laburnum Primary School	150629	Primary	high staff costsofsted concernin year deficitworkforce pressure
Queen's Park Academy	136660	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressure
The Chalk Hills Academy	135337	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
The Linden Academy	137324	Primary	workforce pressurehigh absence
The Rushmere Park Academy	146685	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
The Stockwood Park Academy	135338	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
The Vale Academy	138714	Primary	workforce pressure