Creative Education Trust

UID 2816·Companies House 07617529·Incorporated April 2011·Compare

Schools

Flags

109

35 high severity

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

Total income

£123.6m

14,163 pupils

Avg staff costs

70.5%

of income

Avg reserves

0.0%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

34.4%

free school meals

Capacity

91%

14,163 / 15,603 places

Total admin cost

£6.6m

£469 per pupil

Trust overview

1 of 17 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

17 of 17 schools hold reserves below the DfE's 5% reference point.

Trust-average reserves have fallen about 5 percentage points over two years of published returns.

11 of 17 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 12 of 17 schools. Attendance tracks intake and local circumstances as well as school practice.

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

13 of 17 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above; 4 have at least one area judged below it. Inspection dates vary — some grades predate current leadership.

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

76%meeting standard or above

Across 17 graded schools, including 1 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

57% Good+

Good 4RI 3

Behaviour & attitudes

86% Good+

Good 6RI 1

Personal development

86% Good+

Good 6RI 1

Leadership & management

88% Good+

Outst. 1Good 14RI 2

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

42.5

-3.7

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

62.6%

+1.6pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

Address67-68 Long Acre, London, WC2E 9JD

Companies House07617529

Incorporated28 April 2011

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

Needs attention 1

Achievement

Needs attention 1

Inclusion

Needs attention 1

Attendance & behaviour

Needs attention 1

Personal development

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	17	14,483	£95.2m	£90.3m	73.2%	4.5%
2022/23	17	14,557	£105.3m	£99.9m	71.3%	4.2%
2023/24	17	14,499	£106.8m	£106.8m	74.2%	0.0%
2024/25partial	17	14,163	£123.6m	£128.7m	70.5%	0.0%
2025/26	17	13,805	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

-6.9%

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

-£8,353,000

CS staff costs

£4,441,000

CS income

-£2,372,000

Admin & clerical£3,467,000

Teaching staff£748,000

ICT£29,000

Premises-£9,298,000

Legal & professional£598,000

Auditor costs£72,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

8 current directors · Average tenure: 3.7 years · 5 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (8)

Joss Emma Gill

director·< 1 year

Jason Davies

director·< 1 year

Richard Francis Tapp

director·< 1 year

Owen David Carter

director·2 years

Frances Joan Soul

director·3 years

Abbie Clare Churton

director·6 years

Diana Judith Gerald

director·7 years

Nicholas James Douglas Bull

director·7 years

Company Secretary

Catherine Sara Hughes

secretary·4 years

28 former officers — most recent departure: Jun 2026

Lucy Becque

director·2 years·Resigned Jun 2026

Merlin Joseph

director·3 years·Resigned Mar 2025

Theresa Lorraine Palmer

secretary·4 years·Resigned Jun 2022

Catherine Sara Hughes

secretary·4 years·Resigned Jan 2022

Emily Olivia Mcdonald

director·5 years·Resigned Sept 2025

Didem Un ates

Member schools (17)

17 schools|17 with risk flags|19 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Abbeyfield School	138858	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absencein year deficitofsted concern
Ash Green School	137781	Secondary	high absenceofsted concernworkforce pressurein year deficit
Caister Academy	141331	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absencein year deficit
Ellis Guilford School	146539	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit
Harpfield Primary Academy	138497	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficit
Lynn Grove Academy	137541	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit
Queen Eleanor Primary Academy	139650	Primary	in year deficitworkforce pressure
The Bulwell Academy	145952	Secondary	high absenceofsted concernworkforce pressurein year deficit
The Hart School	137100	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit
The Milton Keynes Academy	135665	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit
Thistley Hough Academy	139068	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit
Three Peaks Primary Academy	141344	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficit
Weavers Academy	139819	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit
Woodlands Primary Academy	139580	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficit
Wrenn School	139961	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absencein year deficit
Wroughton Infant Academy	143461	Primary	workforce pressurehigh absencehigh staff costsin year deficit
Wroughton Junior Academy	143522	Primary	ofsted concernhigh absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit