Link Academy Trust

UID 16074·Companies House 10049068·Incorporated March 2016·Compare

Schools

Flags

18 high severity

Finance: 2025/26Ofsted: Dec 2024Performance: 2025/26Workforce: 2025/26Attendance: 2025/26

Total income

£13.3m

1,748 pupils

Avg staff costs

74.1%

of income

Avg reserves

-0.0%

of income

Avg absence

4.7%

Persistent: 10.9%

More metrics

Avg FSM

19.1%

free school meals

Capacity

75%

1,748 / 2,330 places

Trust overview

6 of 21 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.

5 of 23 schools had expenditure exceeding income this year.

Overall absence is above the national average in 26% of schools (6 of 23).

5 schools have persistent absence above 20%.

5 of 23 inspected schools have a sub-judgement area rated Requires Improvement — see their profiles for context.

Reference points from DfE published guidance. Whether any metric warrants action depends on the trust's context and strategy.

At a glance

Trust-wide reserves at 5.0%below 5% threshold11 schools with workforce pressure6 schools with staff costs above 78%5 schools in deficit5 schools with Ofsted concerns4 schools with absence above 8%2 schools with declining results

Ofsted sub-judgements

Quality of education

50% Good+

Good 5RI 3Inad. 2

Behaviour & attitudes

70% Good+

Outst. 2Good 5RI 2Inad. 1

Personal development

70% Good+

Outst. 1Good 6RI 3

Leadership & management

78% Good+

Outst. 1Good 17RI 3Inad. 2

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

54.5%

-6.5pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressLandscove School House, Nr Ashburton, TQ13 7LY

Companies House10049068

Incorporated8 March 2016

Trust growth over time

matpulse.co.uk

Schools Pupils

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	17	1,494	£9.1m	£7.6m	65.3%	24.3%
2022/23	18	1,688	£11.6m	£10.5m	65.8%	-0.2%
2023/24	23	1,972	£13.8m	£12.5m	73.5%	0.1%
2024/25partial	23	1,806	£687k	£876k	80.4%	11.1%

Central services — 2023/24

Centralisation

22.6%

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

£3,655,000

CS staff costs

£1,516,000

CS income

£1,497,000

Admin & clerical£635,000

Teaching staff£815,000

ICT£34,000

Premises£840,000

Legal & professional£211,000

Auditor costs£25,000

Governance

Accounts to Aug 2025Source: Companies House

11 current directors · Average tenure: 3.4 years · 4 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (11)

Thomas Parkin

director·< 1 year

Jill Larcombe

director·< 1 year

Rachael Sharpe

director·< 1 year

Max Thomas

director·1 year

Christine Cottle

director·2 years

Benjamin John Thorne

director·4 years

Katherine Ann Evans

director·4 years

Graeme Alexander Scott

director·4 years

Paul Baillie Waterworth

director·5 years

Dominic Anthony Course

director·6 years

Cheryl Diane Mathieson

director·8 years

Company Secretary

Mark Matthew

secretary·6 years

17 former officers — most recent departure: Sept 2025

Christopher James Norman

director·4 years·Resigned Mar 2025

Sarah Cox

director·5 years·Resigned Dec 2024

Jane Alison Collings

director·6 years·Resigned Dec 2021

Michael Andrew Fisher

director·6 years·Resigned Jul 2021

Tracey Cleverly

director·7 years·Resigned May 2019

Jason Myles Hayward-jones

Member schools (23)

23 schools|17 with risk flags|17 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Bearnes Voluntary Primary School	142649	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitofsted concernworkforce pressure
Branscombe Church of England Primary School	151001	Primary	high absencehigh staff costsin year deficit
Broadhembury Church of England Primary School	151002	Primary	ofsted concernhigh absence
Broadhempston Village Primary School	147493	Primary	—
Cheriton Bishop Community Primary School	145397	Primary	ofsted concern
Diptford Parochial Church of England Primary School	142652	Primary	—
Drake's Church of England Primary School	147495	Primary	—
Farway Church of England Primary School	151003	Primary	high absenceofsted concernworkforce pressure
Harbertonford Church of England Primary School	142707	Primary	workforce pressure
Hennock Community Primary School	142709	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
Ilsington Church of England Primary School	136919	Primary	high staff costsworkforce pressure
Landscove Church of England Primary School	142641	Primary	workforce pressure
Littleham Church of England Primary School	150836	Primary	ofsted concernhigh absencehigh staff costsin year deficit
Morchard Bishop Church of England Primary School	148743	Primary	performance decline
Moretonhampstead Primary School	141285	Primary	workforce pressure
Otterton Church of England Primary School	147496	Primary	performance declineworkforce pressure
Sparkwell All Saints Primary School	139795	Primary	—
Stoke Gabriel Primary School	142639	Primary	workforce pressure
Tedburn St Mary School	145345	Primary	workforce pressure
Widecombe-in-the-Moor Primary	136563	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressure