Inspiration Trust

UID 3531·Companies House 08179349·Incorporated August 2012·Compare

Schools

Flags

8 high severity

Finance: 2024/25Ofsted: Oct 2024Performance: 2025/26Workforce: 2025/26Attendance: 2025/26

Total income

£82.5m

10,675 pupils

Avg staff costs

70.9%

of income

Avg reserves

0.0%

of income

Avg absence

7.1%

Persistent: 19.5%

More metrics

Avg FSM

33.7%

free school meals

Capacity

77%

10,675 / 13,883 places

Trust overview

2 of 17 schools have staff costs above the DfE's 78% review threshold — review against school context.

17 of 18 schools have reserves below the DfE's 5% minimum.

2 of 18 schools had expenditure exceeding income this year.

Overall absence is above the national average in 62% of schools (10 of 16).

9 schools have persistent absence above 20%.

88% 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

9 schools with workforce pressure8 schools with absence above 8%2 schools with staff costs above 78%2 schools in deficit2 schools with Ofsted concerns

Ofsted sub-judgements

Quality of education

80% Good+

Outst. 1Good 7RI 1Inad. 1

Behaviour & attitudes

90% Good+

Outst. 1Good 8RI 1

Personal development

90% Good+

Outst. 2Good 7Inad. 1

Leadership & management

88% Good+

Outst. 6Good 8RI 1Inad. 1

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

47.1

+0.9

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

63.8%

+2.8pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressWeights And Measures Building, Norwich, NR2 1NR

Companies House08179349

Incorporated14 August 2012

Trust growth over time

matpulse.co.uk

Schools Pupils

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	15	9,469	£64.2m	£58.1m	68.0%	0.0%
2022/23	17	10,309	£72.5m	£66.1m	69.9%	0.0%
2023/24	17	10,675	£82.5m	£74.9m	70.9%	0.0%
2024/25partial	18	10,715	—	—	—	—

Central services — 2023/24

Centralisation

11.1%

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

£9,384,000

CS staff costs

£6,545,000

CS income

£2,247,000

Admin & clerical£2,703,000

Teaching staff£3,776,000

ICT£48,000

Premises£1,342,000

Legal & professional£461,000

Auditor costs£46,000

Governance

Accounts to Aug 2025Source: Companies House

9 current directors · Average tenure: 5.2 years · 2 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (9)

Olivia Louise Leary

director·< 1 year

Michael Tyrone Bradburn

director·2 years

Elin Victoria De zoete

director·3 years

Lucy Churchill

director·3 years

Heather Madsen

director·4 years

Theodore Thomas More Lord Agnew

director·5 years

Gareth Stevens

director·5 years

David Robert Earnshaw

director·9 years

David Charles Tibble

director·13 years

Company Secretary

Laura Jane Wilson

secretary·4 years

16 former officers — most recent departure: Oct 2025

Kathryn Buscall

director·4 years·Resigned Oct 2025

Georgina Alice Hardingham

secretary·6 years·Resigned Sept 2021

Colin James Professor Diamond

director·7 years·Resigned Sept 2022

Helena Christine Mills

director·8 years·Resigned Apr 2022

Catherine Sian Paine

director·8 years·Resigned Dec 2017

Sally Ann Culling

Member schools (18)

18 schools|13 with risk flags|7 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Charles Darwin Primary School	142871	Primary	workforce pressure
Cobholm Primary Academy	141359	Primary	workforce pressure
Cringleford Prep	150734	Primary	—
Cromer Academy	137431	Secondary	high absence
East Point Academy	137134	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence
Great Yarmouth Charter Academy	142883	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Great Yarmouth Primary Academy and Nursery	138793	Primary	workforce pressure
Hethersett Academy	140188	Secondary	—
Hewett Academy	142059	Secondary	high absence
Jane Austen College	140815	Secondary	—
King Edward Vii Academy	148826	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence
Norwich Primary Academy	139929	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressure
Queensway Infant Academy	149896	Primary	ofsted concernworkforce pressure
Queensway Junior Academy	149636	Primary	ofsted concernworkforce pressurehigh absencehigh staff costsin year deficit
Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form Free School	139896	16 plus	—
Stradbroke Primary Academy	141358	Primary	—
The Thetford Academy	136204	Secondary	high absence
Wayland Academy	137949	Secondary	high absence