Chiltern Learning Trust

UID 2661·Companies House 07559901·Incorporated March 2011·Compare

Schools

Flags

24 high severity

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

Total income

£116.7m

14,836 pupils

Avg staff costs

76.6%

of income

Avg reserves

1.1%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

22.9%

free school meals

Capacity

89%

14,836 / 16,760 places

Total admin cost

£317k

£21 per pupil

Trust overview

8 of 20 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

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

Trust-average reserves have fallen about 4 percentage points over two years of published returns.

Absence is at or below the national average in 11 of 20 schools.

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

19 of 20 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.

At a glance

17 schools with workforce pressure11 schools in deficit9 schools with staff costs above 78%8 schools with absence above 8%1 school with declining results1 school with Ofsted concerns

Ofsted & results

Ofsted

95%meeting standard or above

Across 20 graded schools, including 2 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

92% Good+

Outst. 4Good 7Inad. 1

Behaviour & attitudes

92% Good+

Outst. 5Good 6Inad. 1

Personal development

92% Good+

Outst. 6Good 5RI 1

Leadership & management

95% Good+

Outst. 6Good 13Inad. 1

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

46.1

-0.1

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

62.5%

+1.5pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressC/O Redgrave Children & Young People's Centre, Luton, LU3 3QN

Companies House07559901

Incorporated10 March 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 1Strong standard 1

Achievement

Expected standard 1Needs attention 1

Inclusion

Strong standard 2

Attendance & behaviour

Growth

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	17	12,137	£70.9m	£66.5m	70.4%	8.0%
2022/23	18	13,693	£95.5m	£93.0m	72.2%	7.3%
2023/24	19	14,618	£106.2m	£106.7m	75.6%	3.2%
2024/25partial	20	14,836	£116.7m	£115.6m	76.6%	1.1%
2025/26	20	14,877	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

-0.4%

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

-£484,000

CS staff costs

£2,660,000

CS income

£379,000

Admin & clerical£0

Teaching staff£2,291,000

ICT£0

Premises£95,000

Legal & professional£59,000

Auditor costs£84,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

5 current directors · Average tenure: 7.7 years · 2 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (5)

Ashfaque Ali Chowdhury

director·4 years

Shahed Ahmed Koyes

director·7 years

Andrew Mark Lewin

director·7 years

Graham John Pryor

director·7 years

Stewart John Parfitt

director·11 years

Company Secretary

Teresa Catherine Kelly

secretary·15 years

31 former officers — most recent departure: Apr 2026

Alison Boston

director·< 1 year·Resigned Apr 2026

Mark Lynch

director·2 years·Resigned Sept 2025

Stephen Paul Morales

director·3 years·Resigned Mar 2025

Sarah Eluned Bennett

director·4 years·Resigned Jul 2025

Alison Theresa Wilshaw

director·4 years·Resigned Sept 2024

Abdul Ghafoor

Member schools (21)

21 schools|18 with risk flags|21 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Ardley Hill Academy	138209	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Aspley Guise Village School	151124	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
Cedars Upper School	137462	Secondary	workforce pressurein year deficithigh staff costs
Challney High School for Boys	136651	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Challney High School for Girls	144312	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence
Chiltern Academy	145872	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence
Dallow Primary School	139705	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Daubeney Academy	138067	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Denbigh High School	136319	Secondary	workforce pressure
Gilbert Inglefield Academy	152506	Middle deemed secondary	—
Kempston Academy	142387	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit
Lancot School	142036	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficit
Lark Rise Academy	136345	Primary	—
Lea Manor High School	149208	Secondary	ofsted concernhigh absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit
Linslade School	136766	Middle deemed secondary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Marston Vale Middle School	145861	Middle deemed secondary	workforce pressureperformance declinehigh staff costsin year deficit
Putteridge High School	144311	Secondary	—
Roebuck Academy	144419	Primary	workforce pressure
Springfield Primary School	145219	Primary	workforce pressurehigh absencehigh staff costsin year deficit
The Thomas Alleyne Academy	140037	Secondary	workforce pressure

Ardley Hill AcademyPrimary

high absenceworkforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit

Aspley Guise Village SchoolPrimary

high staff costsin year deficit

Cedars Upper SchoolSecondary

workforce pressurein year deficithigh staff costs

Challney High School for BoysSecondary

high absenceworkforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit

Challney High School for GirlsSecondary

workforce pressurehigh absence

Chiltern AcademySecondary

workforce pressurehigh absence

Dallow Primary SchoolPrimary

workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit

Daubeney AcademySecondary

high absenceworkforce pressure

Denbigh High SchoolSecondary

workforce pressure

Gilbert Inglefield AcademyMiddle deemed secondary

Kempston AcademySecondary

high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit

Lancot SchoolPrimary

workforce pressurein year deficit

Lark Rise AcademyPrimary

Lea Manor High SchoolSecondary

ofsted concernhigh absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit

Linslade SchoolMiddle deemed secondary

workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit

Marston Vale Middle SchoolMiddle deemed secondary

workforce pressureperformance declinehigh staff costsin year deficit

Putteridge High SchoolSecondary

Roebuck AcademyPrimary

workforce pressure

Springfield Primary SchoolPrimary

workforce pressurehigh absencehigh staff costsin year deficit

The Thomas Alleyne AcademySecondary

workforce pressure

Expected standard 1Strong standard 1

Personal development

Strong standard 1Expected standard 1

Leadership

Expected standard 1Strong standard 1

John Richard Williams

director·6 years·Resigned Jul 2024

Colin Michael Souster

director·7 years·Resigned Oct 2020

Suzanne Spicer

director·7 years·Resigned Jul 2025

Tracy Roberta Margaret Cowan

director·9 years·Resigned Jul 2019

Simon Andrew Foster

director·9 years·Resigned Nov 2021

Adrian John Rogers

director·10 years·Resigned Sept 2018

John King

director·11 years·Resigned Aug 2015

Felicity Rose Ann Tasker

director·12 years·Resigned Jul 2019

Ishtiaq Hussain

director·13 years·Resigned May 2014

Heather Cox

director·13 years·Resigned Sept 2016

Lorraine Nicola Thomas

director·13 years·Resigned Dec 2022

Victor Edward Galyer

director·13 years·Resigned Dec 2014

Brian Alan Howseman

director·13 years·Resigned Jul 2019

Jennifer Byrne