Melrose Learning Trust

UID 17481·Companies House 09012630·Incorporated April 2014·Compare

Schools

Flags

11 high severity

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

Total income

£18.4m

2,828 pupils

Avg staff costs

74.9%

of income

Avg reserves

6.7%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

20.5%

free school meals

Capacity

95%

2,828 / 2,988 places

Total admin cost

£788k

£279 per pupil

Trust overview

5 of 13 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

1 of 13 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 3 percentage points over two years of published returns.

Absence is at or below the national average in 13 of 13 schools.

All 13 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above — Good or better under the legacy framework, or Expected standard or above under the Report Card.

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.

Ofsted & results

Ofsted

100%meeting standard or above

Across 13 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+

Good 6

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 5

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 5

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 2Good 11

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

71.1%

+10.1pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressUnit 3 Alexander House 6 Whitfield Court, Durham, DH7 8XL

Companies House09012630

Incorporated25 April 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

Expected standard 1Strong standard 1

Achievement

Expected standard 1Strong standard 1

Inclusion

Strong standard 2

Attendance & behaviour

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	9	1,967	£10.9m	£10.3m	73.8%	8.6%
2022/23	11	2,625	£15.2m	£14.6m	74.5%	9.5%
2023/24	12	2,739	£13.7m	£13.4m	75.3%	8.9%
2024/25partial	13	2,828	£18.4m	£17.5m	74.9%	6.7%
2025/26	12	2,813	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

1.6%

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

£278,000

CS staff costs

£208,000

CS income

£0

Admin & clerical£111,000

Teaching staff£0

ICT£0

Premises£0

Legal & professional£18,000

Auditor costs£19,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

8 current directors · Average tenure: 5.8 years · 2 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (8)

Paul Richard Farrow

director·< 1 year

David Martin Reverend Brooke

director·3 years

Helen Sutherland

director·3 years

Craig Robert Alderson

director·4 years

Steven Paul Professor Bradley

director·5 years

Kendra Brownless

director·5 years

Roger Michael Ward

director·11 years

Paul Anthony Cllr Mackings

director·12 years

15 former officers — most recent departure: Jul 2025

Rhiannon Jane Hiles

director·5 years·Resigned Feb 2025

John Paul Card

director·6 years·Resigned Jan 2021

Claire Reverend Gibbs

director·7 years·Resigned Jan 2021

Tracey Forster

director·9 years·Resigned Jan 2021

Julie Mogridge

director·9 years·Resigned Oct 2022

Jane Tate

Member schools (13)

13 schools|13 with risk flags|9 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Abbey Infants' School	136988	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costs
Abbey Junior School	136989	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Cleves Cross Primary and Nursery School Academy	140324	Primary	workforce pressure
Easington CofE Primary School	149659	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitperformance declineworkforce pressure
Esh CofE (Aided) Primary School	148303	Primary	high staff costsworkforce pressure
Greatham CofE Primary School	149507	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
High Coniscliffe CofE Primary School	142961	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Hutton Henry CofE (Controlled) Primary School	152175	Primary	workforce pressure
Prior's Mill CofE Primary School	149706	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficithigh staff costs
Rosa Street Primary and Nursery Academy	141121	Primary	workforce pressure
St Hild's College Church of England Primary School, Durham	150390	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressure
St Mary's Cockerton Church of England Primary School	142962	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsperformance decline
Wynyard Church of England Primary School	142108	Primary	workforce pressure