Central Region Schools Trust

UID 4335·Companies House 08166526·Incorporated August 2012·Compare

Schools

Flags

31 high severity

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

Total income

£57.3m

7,335 pupils

Avg staff costs

79.6%

of income

Avg reserves

0.3%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

31.5%

free school meals

Capacity

94%

7,335 / 7,770 places

Total admin cost

£2.7m

£370 per pupil

Trust overview

8 of 14 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

13 of 14 schools hold reserves below the DfE's 5% reference point.

Trust-average reserves have fallen about 2 percentage points over two years of published returns.

5 of 14 schools spent more than their income in the latest year. Single-year deficits are common around growth, building works or falling rolls; multi-year patterns matter more than one snapshot.

Absence is above the national average in 8 of 14 schools. Attendance tracks intake and local circumstances as well as school practice.

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

13 of 14 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above.

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

93%meeting standard or above

Across 14 graded schools.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

89% Good+

Outst. 1Good 7RI 1

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 2Good 7

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 2Good 7

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 2Good 12

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

38.8

-7.4

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

66.8%

+5.8pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressSuite B06 Assay Studios, Birmingham, B3 1SF

Companies House08166526

Incorporated2 August 2012

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	13	6,898	£40.4m	£38.0m	75.2%	10.0%
2022/23	13	6,923	£47.4m	£45.9m	76.1%	2.0%
2023/24	14	7,315	£53.5m	£51.8m	75.5%	2.4%
2024/25partial	14	7,335	£57.3m	£55.3m	79.6%	0.3%
2025/26	14	7,121	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

5.0%

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

£2,935,000

CS staff costs

£1,796,000

CS income

£574,000

Admin & clerical£1,336,000

Teaching staff£1,899,000

ICT£204,000

Premises£179,000

Legal & professional£575,000

Auditor costs£18,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

9 current directors · Average tenure: 5.1 years · 3 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (9)

Richard Davies

director·1 year

Nasa Ahmed

director·1 year

Claire Grainger

director·2 years

Christopher Peter Smith

director·3 years

Gareth Bower

director·3 years

John Howard

director·4 years

Nicholas Raymond Dr Clifford

director·6 years

Orla Marie Macsherry

director·8 years

Eric Leslie Griffiths

director·13 years

Company Secretary

Rita Patel

secretary·< 1 year

20 former officers — most recent departure: Mar 2026

Sumandeep Kaur Harris

director·1 year·Resigned Mar 2026

Nicole Riley

director·3 years·Resigned Oct 2023

Jennie Homer

secretary·3 years·Resigned Aug 2025

Dominic James Bradley

director·4 years·Resigned Sept 2023

John Stephenson

director·4 years·Resigned Jan 2023

Mohammed Emtiyaz Raza Chowdhury

Member schools (14)

14 schools|14 with risk flags|19 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Abbeywood First School	142541	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costs
Arrow Vale High School	138505	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence
Arrow Valley First School	148140	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressure
Church Hill Middle School	142543	Middle deemed secondary	workforce pressurehigh absencehigh staff costs
Gospel Oak School	135599	Secondary	ofsted concernhigh absence
Holyhead School	137034	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence
Ipsley CofE Middle School	139020	Middle deemed secondary	workforce pressure
Lickhill Primary School	137825	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressure
Matchborough First School Academy	140309	Primary	workforce pressurehigh absencehigh staff costsin year deficit
Oak Hill First School	150403	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costs
Oldbury Park Primary School	147550	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficitperformance decline
St Stephen's CofE First School	147165	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressurehigh staff costs
Sutton Park Primary School	146749	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Waseley Hills High School	138664	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure