Oak Trees Multi Academy Trust

UID 16687·Companies House 10641561·Incorporated February 2017·Compare

Schools

Flags

6 high severity

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

Total income

£36.9m

4,374 pupils

Avg staff costs

70.7%

of income

Avg reserves

0.8%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

24.2%

free school meals

Capacity

97%

4,374 / 4,528 places

Total admin cost

£1.6m

£369 per pupil

Trust overview

1 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.

8 of 13 schools hold reserves below the DfE's 5% reference point.

Trust-average reserves have fallen about 3 percentage points over two years of published returns.

Absence is at or below the national average in 11 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.

4 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 4 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

100% Good+

Good 7

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 2Good 5

Personal development

100% Good+

Good 7

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 2Good 11

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

39.0

-7.2

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

62.3%

+1.3pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressUnit 1 - First Floor Prenton Business Park, Prenton, CH43 3EA

Companies House10641561

Incorporated27 February 2017

Report Card inspections (new framework)

About these grades

Grade distribution across 4 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 4

Achievement

Expected standard 3Strong standard 1

Inclusion

Expected standard 3Strong standard 1

Attendance & behaviour

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	7	3,193	£20.0m	£19.7m	73.2%	7.3%
2022/23	9	3,676	£23.8m	£23.1m	73.7%	4.7%
2023/24	12	4,305	£25.8m	£25.2m	72.1%	5.7%
2024/25partial	13	4,374	£36.9m	£32.5m	70.7%	0.8%
2025/26	13	4,309	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

3.7%

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

£1,235,000

CS staff costs

£974,000

CS income

£401,000

Admin & clerical£361,000

Teaching staff£554,000

ICT£0

Premises£63,000

Legal & professional£106,000

Auditor costs£33,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

11 current directors · Average tenure: 3.6 years · 1 change in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (11)

Stacia Patterson

director·1 year

Vicky Leary

director·1 year

Leanne Marie Ruth

director·1 year

Alyssa Rhymes

director·2 years

Gary Peter Turner

director·2 years

Sean Hennelly

director·2 years

Neil Millar

director·2 years

Zoe Wakelam

director·4 years

Paul Kenneth John Aitchison

director·5 years

Murray Dr Freeman

director·6 years

Jane Helen Owens

director·9 years

21 former officers — most recent departure: Sept 2025

Craig Pulton Hebden

director·2 years·Resigned Sept 2025

Joseph Pitcher

director·4 years·Resigned Dec 2023

Gail Eileen Webb

director·4 years·Resigned Sept 2024

Chris Abbey

director·6 years·Resigned Feb 2022

Helen Louise White

director·6 years·Resigned Apr 2023

Paul Crossland

Member schools (13)

13 schools|13 with risk flags|4 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Black Horse Hill Junior School	150633	Primary	in year deficitworkforce pressure
Brackenwood Junior School	148292	Primary	workforce pressure
Church Drive Primary School	143505	Primary	workforce pressure
Egremont Primary School	143502	Primary	workforce pressure
Greasby Junior School	149538	Primary	workforce pressure
Great Meols Primary School	143501	Primary	workforce pressure
Heswall Primary School	149931	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
Hilbre High School	138355	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absencein year deficit
Irby Primary School	150558	Primary	performance decline
Orrets Meadow School	151988	Not applicable	high staff costsin year deficit
Poulton Lancelyn Primary School	143503	Primary	workforce pressure
Stanton Road Primary School	143504	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Thingwall Primary School	149933	Primary	workforce pressure