Cheshire Academies Trust

UID 5455·Companies House 08108086·Incorporated June 2012·Compare

Schools

Flags

5 high severity

Finance: 2025/26Ofsted: Jun 2025Performance: 2025/26Workforce: 2025/26Attendance: 2025/26

Total income

£20.9m

2,432 pupils

Avg staff costs

74.3%

of income

Avg reserves

7.4%

of income

Avg absence

5.7%

Persistent: 13.2%

More metrics

Avg FSM

24.7%

free school meals

Capacity

76%

2,432 / 3,208 places

Trust overview

2 of 11 schools have staff costs above the DfE's 78% review threshold — review against school context.

1 school is operating in deficit — this may reflect planned investment or require financial planning.

4 of 11 schools had expenditure exceeding income this year.

Overall absence is above the national average in 27% of schools (3 of 11).

3 schools have persistent absence above 20%.

91% of 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

3 schools in deficit3 schools with absence above 8%2 schools with declining results5 schools with workforce pressure2 schools with staff costs above 78%1 school with Ofsted concerns

Ofsted sub-judgements

Quality of education

86% Good+

Outst. 3Good 3RI 1

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 4Good 3

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 4Good 3

Leadership & management

91% Good+

Outst. 4Good 6RI 1

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

62.5%

+1.5pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressKelsall Primary School, Kelsall, CW6 0PU

Companies House08108086

Incorporated18 June 2012

Trust growth over time

matpulse.co.uk

Schools Pupils

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	6	1,633	£9.2m	£8.4m	68.3%	16.7%
2022/23	8	2,111	£12.6m	£12.2m	71.1%	9.8%
2023/24	10	2,837	£16.6m	£16.2m	73.7%	7.5%
2024/25partial	11	2,944	£4.3m	£4.3m	80.4%	5.9%

Central services — 2023/24

Centralisation

0.0%

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

£0

CS staff costs

£0

CS income

£0

Admin & clerical£0

Teaching staff£0

ICT£0

Premises£0

Legal & professional£0

Auditor costs£0

Governance

Accounts to Aug 2025Source: Companies House

10 current directors · Average tenure: 4.0 years · 2 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (10)

Hailey Kelso

director·< 1 year

Linda Holdridge

director·< 1 year

Lindsay Cowan

director·1 year

Christopher Laurence Jelfs

director·2 years

Lynne Marie Fletcher

director·3 years

Jide Tope Olanipekun

director·3 years

Emlyn John Wright

director·5 years

Robert Edward Hughes

director·7 years

Janet Claire Sandford

director·7 years

Janet Helen Myers

director·7 years

32 former officers — most recent departure: Jan 2025

Alice Elizabeth Greaves

director·3 years·Resigned Jul 2024

Geoff Mason

director·5 years·Resigned Aug 2022

Sarah Louise Price

director·5 years·Resigned Oct 2021

William Michael Giffin

director·5 years·Resigned May 2024

Peter Woodhouse

director·6 years·Resigned Jul 2023

Joanne Elizabeth Harvey

Member schools (11)

11 schools|7 with risk flags|4 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Bexton Primary School	147133	Primary	workforce pressure
Boughton Heath Academy	141614	Primary	—
Gayton Primary School	149493	Primary	—
Hebden Green Community School	150904	Not applicable	high absencehigh staff costs
Kelsall Primary and Nursery School	138742	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Manor Park Primary School and Nursery	148278	Primary	—
Mill View Primary School	141621	Primary	workforce pressure
Over Hall Community School	140097	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressureperformance decline
Rock Ferry Primary School	150115	Primary	high absencein year deficit
Woodchurch Road Academy	150119	Primary	ofsted concernin year deficitworkforce pressurehigh absence
Woodfall Primary and Nursery School	150118	Primary	—