River Learning Trust

UID 2644·Companies House 07966500·Incorporated February 2012·Compare

Schools

Flags

114

32 high severity

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

Total income

£132.8m

16,505 pupils

Avg staff costs

73.7%

of income

Avg reserves

7.7%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

23.4%

free school meals

Capacity

84%

16,505 / 19,537 places

Total admin cost

£8.4m

£509 per pupil

Trust overview

8 of 31 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

2 of 31 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 2 percentage points over two years of published returns.

Absence is at or below the national average in 16 of 30 schools.

11 schools report persistent absence above 20%, a level the DfE prioritises for additional support.

27 of 31 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above.

1 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

87%meeting standard or above

Across 31 graded schools, including 1 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

86% Good+

Outst. 2Good 16RI 3

Behaviour & attitudes

90% Good+

Outst. 4Good 15RI 2

Personal development

90% Good+

Outst. 4Good 15RI 2

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 5Good 26

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

49.8

+3.5

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

60.4%

-0.6pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressRiver Learning Trust Central Office C/O Rose Hill Primary School, Oxford, OX4 4SF

Companies House07966500

Incorporated27 February 2012

Report Card inspections (new framework)

About these grades

Grade distribution across 1 schoolinspected under Ofsted's 5-point scale (from November 2025). Not directly comparable with the earlier 1–4 sub-judgements above.

Curriculum & teaching

Expected standard 1

Achievement

Expected standard 1

Inclusion

Expected standard 1

Attendance & behaviour

Needs attention 1

Personal development

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	30	15,481	£97.5m	£93.4m	74.7%	9.9%
2022/23	30	15,789	£110.7m	£110.1m	77.0%	8.4%
2023/24	30	15,989	£123.3m	£119.6m	75.4%	7.4%
2024/25partial	31	16,505	£132.8m	£124.2m	73.7%	7.7%
2025/26	31	16,549	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

0.0%

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

£0

CS staff costs

£0

CS income

£0

Admin & clerical£0

Teaching staff£0

ICT£0

Premises£0

Legal & professional£0

Auditor costs£0

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

12 current directors · Average tenure: 3.5 years · 4 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (12)

Kate Overton hope

director·< 1 year

Martin Thornley

director·< 1 year

Alice Dr Tawell

director·< 1 year

Helen Dr Drury

director·1 year

Christian Mcguinness

director·1 year

Cathy Burleigh

director·2 years

Donna Husband

director·2 years

Jeremy Paul Warwick Long

director·2 years

Mary Curnock Cook

director·2 years

Colin William Bishop Fletcher

director·4 years

Felix Charles Penrice Dr Leach

director·6 years

Paul Alexander James

director·14 years

21 former officers — most recent departure: Oct 2025

Margaret Jane Stevens

director·2 years·Resigned Oct 2025

Lydiah Chizoba Igweh

director·5 years·Resigned Oct 2023

Ruth Bennie

director·8 years·Resigned Jul 2024

Giles Orr

director·10 years·Resigned Dec 2023

Deborah Mary Prof Eyre

director·10 years·Resigned Dec 2024

Julie Clare Mcculloch

Member schools (31)

31 schools|30 with risk flags|23 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Barton Park Primary School	147865	Primary	workforce pressure
Bayards Hill School	141231	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Beckley Church of England Primary School	146939	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Charlbury Primary School	147640	Primary	workforce pressure
Cheney School	139146	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence
Chipping Norton School	137936	Secondary	high staff costshigh absence
Cutteslowe Primary School	139064	Primary	workforce pressure
Edith Moorhouse Primary School	144185	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Edward Feild Primary School	151467	Primary	high staff costsworkforce pressurein year deficit
Garsington Church of England Primary School	144433	Primary	performance declinehigh staff costs
Gillotts School	137921	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh staff costshigh absence
Gosford Hill School	138897	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressureofsted concern
Horspath Church of England Primary School	144432	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costs
Kingsdown School	145139	Secondary	high absencein year deficithigh staff costsworkforce pressure
Larkrise Primary School	146815	Primary	workforce pressurehigh absence
Madley Brook Community Primary School	145648	Primary	workforce pressure
Meadowbrook College	141727	Not applicable	in year deficitworkforce pressurehigh staff costs
Middle Barton Primary School	146236	Primary	performance declinein year deficit
New Marston Primary School	143951	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Rose Hill Primary School	146278	Primary	high staff costsin year deficithigh absenceworkforce pressureofsted concern