Oak Learning Trust

UID 16629·Companies House 10654345·Incorporated March 2017·Compare

Schools

Flags

5 high severity

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

Total income

£13.1m

1,668 pupils

Avg staff costs

75.1%

of income

Avg reserves

19.6%

of income

Avg absence

6.1%

Persistent: 16.6%

More metrics

Avg FSM

36.6%

free school meals

Capacity

84%

1,668 / 1,975 places

Trust overview

2 of 7 schools have staff costs above the DfE's 78% review threshold — review against school context.

4 of 7 schools have reserves below the DfE's 5% minimum.

4 of 7 schools had expenditure exceeding income this year.

Overall absence is above the national average in 29% of schools (2 of 7).

2 schools have persistent absence above 20%.

All 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

Trust-wide reserves at 27.9%above 20%3 schools in deficit3 schools with workforce pressure2 schools with staff costs above 78%2 schools with absence above 8%

Ofsted sub-judgements

Quality of education

100% Good+

Good 3

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 2

Personal development

100% Good+

Good 3

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 6

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

49.0%

-12.0pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressGeorge Washington Primary School, Washington, NE37 1NL

Companies House10654345

Incorporated6 March 2017

Trust growth over time

matpulse.co.uk

Schools Pupils

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	5	1,523	£8.1m	£7.8m	68.1%	30.6%
2022/23	6	1,642	£11.6m	£11.1m	70.2%	27.1%
2023/24	7	1,785	£13.1m	£13.1m	75.1%	19.6%
2024/25partial	7	1,807	—	—	—	—

Central services — 2023/24

Centralisation

3.6%

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

£482,000

CS staff costs

£276,000

CS income

£33,000

Admin & clerical£119,000

Teaching staff£151,000

ICT£0

Premises£72,000

Legal & professional£97,000

Auditor costs£18,000

Governance

Accounts to Aug 2025Source: Companies House

9 current directors · Average tenure: 5.3 years · 4 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (9)

Bradley John Channer

director·< 1 year

Martyn Joseph Rath

director·< 1 year

Christopher Robert England

director·2 years

Rex Alexander Winter

director·3 years

Ralph Wood Thoburn

director·5 years

Julie Reverend Wing

director·9 years

Ailsa Munro Dr Taylor

director·9 years

Graeme Ferguson Miller

director·9 years

Penelope Best

director·9 years

Company Secretary

Michelle Thompson

secretary·1 year

10 former officers — most recent departure: Mar 2026

Steve Bowler

director·< 1 year·Resigned Mar 2026

Martyn Dixon

director·6 years·Resigned Oct 2023

Rachel Eve Skeoch

director·6 years·Resigned Oct 2024

David Fenton

director·6 years·Resigned Oct 2023

Thomas David Frederick Lillie

director·8 years·Resigned Feb 2019

Francis Cain

Member schools (7)

7 schools|6 with risk flags|5 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Columbia Grange School	150096	Not applicable	high absencehigh staff costsin year deficit
Fellgate Primary School	151234	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressure
George Washington Primary School	144220	Primary	—
John F Kennedy Primary School	144223	Primary	workforce pressure
Monkton Academy	138025	Primary	in year deficit
Riverside Primary Academy	138285	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costs
Springwell Village Primary School	148780	Primary	in year deficit