Liverpool Diocesan Schools Trust

UID 4956·Companies House 09235635·Incorporated September 2014·Compare

Schools

Flags

8 high severity

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

Total income

£34.2m

4,795 pupils

Avg staff costs

71.6%

of income

Avg reserves

1.0%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

24.0%

free school meals

Capacity

89%

4,795 / 5,384 places

Total admin cost

£1.2m

£250 per pupil

Trust overview

2 of 19 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

7 of 19 schools report negative revenue reserves at year-end. A year-end snapshot can reflect planned spend-down, in-trust transfers or timing; the trust's audited accounts give the fuller picture.

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

8 of 19 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 at or below the national average in 17 of 19 schools.

18 of 19 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

Trust-wide reserves at 3.9%below 5% threshold15 schools with workforce pressure9 schools in deficit6 schools with declining results2 schools with staff costs above 78%2 schools with absence above 8%1 school with Ofsted concerns

Ofsted & results

Ofsted

95%meeting standard or above

Across 19 graded schools, including 2 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

100% Good+

Outst. 4Good 5

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 5Good 4

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 7Good 2

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 6Good 13

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

69.6%

+8.6pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressSt James' House, Liverpool, L1 7BY

Companies House09235635

Incorporated25 September 2014

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

Strong standard 1Expected 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	16	3,897	£24.0m	£22.7m	70.2%	7.5%
2022/23	17	4,184	£25.8m	£24.9m	73.1%	5.7%
2023/24	18	4,304	£27.8m	£27.6m	73.8%	2.0%
2024/25partial	18	4,210	£30.8m	£28.9m	71.3%	0.3%
2025/26	18	4,205	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

6.0%

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

£2,069,000

CS staff costs

£1,315,000

CS income

£350,000

Admin & clerical£387,000

Teaching staff£770,000

ICT£239,000

Premises£14,000

Legal & professional£120,000

Auditor costs£117,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

9 current directors · Average tenure: 5.7 years · 1 change in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (9)

Pamela Hazel Ambrose

director·1 year

Paul Ireland

director·1 year

Helen Dr O'keefe

director·3 years

David Thorpe

director·3 years

Laurie Frances Kwissa

director·6 years

Neil John Lockwood

director·7 years

Christine Barbara Roberts

director·8 years

Rachael Leone Coulthard

director·9 years

Margaret Anne Swinson

director·9 years

Company Secretary

Stephen Boothroyd

secretary·8 years

37 former officers — most recent departure: Jan 2026

Mark Rev Wade

director·3 years·Resigned Jul 2024

Stuart Mcgregor Harrison

director·6 years·Resigned Dec 2022

Cyril David Barratt

director·6 years·Resigned Mar 2024

Lynne Ryder

director·6 years·Resigned Jan 2026

Mark D'arcy

secretary·9 years·Resigned May 2018

Jonathan Edward Nichols

Member schools (19)

19 schools|19 with risk flags|8 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Ainsdale St John's Church of England Primary School	150557	Primary	workforce pressureperformance declineofsted concern
Bishop Martin Church of England Primary School	149982	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressureperformance decline
Bishop Martin Church of England Primary School, Woolton	145438	Primary	in year deficitperformance decline
Cronton Church of England Primary Academy	143456	Primary	in year deficit
Glazebury Church of England Primary School	146417	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficitperformance decline
Halewood Church of England Primary Academy	143457	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficit
Highfield St Matthew's Church of England Primary School	145713	Primary	workforce pressure
Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, Southport	145454	Primary	workforce pressure
Huyton with Roby Church of England Primary School	145435	Primary	high absence
Parish Church of England Primary School, St Helens	145458	Primary	workforce pressure
Rainford CofE Primary School	148365	Primary	in year deficitworkforce pressure
St Andrews Church of England Primary School, Maghull	145453	Primary	workforce pressure
St Helen's Church of England Primary School	146412	Primary	workforce pressure
St James' Church of England Primary School	146429	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficitperformance decline
St James' Church of England Primary School	145107	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressure
St Paul's Church of England Primary School	146399	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficit
St Philip (Westbrook) CofE Primary School	151989	Primary	in year deficit
St Thomas Church of England Primary School, Lydiate	145096	Primary	workforce pressure
The Beacon Church of England Primary School	145086	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline

Ainsdale St John's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary

workforce pressureperformance declineofsted concern

Bishop Martin Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary

high absenceworkforce pressureperformance decline

Bishop Martin Church of England Primary School, WooltonPrimary

in year deficitperformance decline

Cronton Church of England Primary AcademyPrimary

in year deficit

Glazebury Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary

workforce pressurein year deficitperformance decline

Halewood Church of England Primary AcademyPrimary

workforce pressurein year deficit

Highfield St Matthew's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary

workforce pressure

Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, SouthportPrimary

workforce pressure

Huyton with Roby Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary

high absence

Parish Church of England Primary School, St HelensPrimary

workforce pressure

Rainford CofE Primary SchoolPrimary

in year deficitworkforce pressure

St Andrews Church of England Primary School, MaghullPrimary

workforce pressure

St Helen's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary

workforce pressure

St James' Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary

workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficitperformance decline

St James' Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary

high staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressure

St Paul's Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary

workforce pressurein year deficit

St Philip (Westbrook) CofE Primary SchoolPrimary

in year deficit

St Thomas Church of England Primary School, LydiatePrimary

workforce pressure

The Beacon Church of England Primary SchoolPrimary

workforce pressureperformance decline

Personal development

Strong standard 1Expected standard 1

Leadership

Strong standard 2

Richard Finn Right Reverend Backburn

director·9 years·Resigned Jul 2017

Christina Cleugh

director·9 years·Resigned Jul 2017

Henry Reverend Wood

director·9 years·Resigned Dec 2022

David Francis Dr Dennison

director·9 years·Resigned Jul 2017

Michael John Eastwood

director·9 years·Resigned Jul 2017

Matthew Peter Elliott

director·9 years·Resigned Jul 2017

Richard Charles Reverend Peers

director·9 years·Resigned Jul 2020

Crispin Alexander The Revd Canon Dr Pailing

director·9 years·Resigned Jul 2017

Jonathan Kent Dr Richardson

director·9 years·Resigned Jun 2025

Roger Martin Howell The Venerable Preece

director·9 years·Resigned Aug 2019

Penelope Ann Johnson

director·9 years·Resigned May 2018

Keith William Cawdron

director·9 years·Resigned Mar 2017

Neil Brunskill

director·9 years·Resigned Mar 2017

Heidi Woods

director·10 years·Resigned Mar 2017

Paul Mcparlan

director·10 years·Resigned Mar 2017

Valerie Gee

director·11 years·Resigned Sept 2016

Irene Anne Melia

secretary·11 years·Resigned Jun 2017

Paul Gerard Masterson

director·11 years·Resigned Sept 2016

Malcolm Wilfred Parry