Saffron Academy Trust

UID 4437·Companies House 07618351·Incorporated April 2011·Compare

Schools

Flags

3 high severity

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

Total income

£47.2m

6,646 pupils

Avg staff costs

74.8%

of income

Avg reserves

1.4%

of income

Avg absence

5.8%

Persistent: 13.7%

More metrics

Avg FSM

15.2%

free school meals

Capacity

94%

6,646 / 7,053 places

Trust overview

2 of 9 schools have staff costs above the DfE's 78% review threshold — review against school context.

1 school is operating in deficit — this may reflect planned investment or require financial planning.

5 of 9 schools had expenditure exceeding income this year.

Overall absence is above the national average in 56% of schools (5 of 9).

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 4.6%below 5% threshold3 schools with workforce pressure2 schools with absence above 8%5 schools in deficit2 schools with staff costs above 78%1 school with declining results

Ofsted sub-judgements

Quality of education

100% Good+

Outst. 4Good 2

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 4Good 2

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 4Good 2

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 5Good 4

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

49.6

+3.4

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

73.7%

+12.7pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressSaffron Walden County High School, Saffron Walden, CB11 4UH

Companies House07618351

Incorporated28 April 2011

Trust growth over time

matpulse.co.uk

Schools Pupils

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	9	6,527	£40.0m	£38.3m	77.3%	6.2%
2022/23	9	6,619	£43.7m	£42.0m	74.7%	0.0%
2023/24	9	6,646	£47.2m	£47.9m	74.8%	1.4%
2024/25partial	9	6,717	—	—	—	—

Central services — 2023/24

Centralisation

1.0%

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

£472,000

CS staff costs

£1,940,000

CS income

£747,000

Admin & clerical£968,000

Teaching staff£427,000

ICT£0

Premises£41,000

Legal & professional£28,000

Auditor costs£31,000

Governance

Accounts to Aug 2025Source: Companies House

10 current directors · Average tenure: 5.9 years · 4 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (10)

Hannah Wheatcroft

director·< 1 year

Karen Marie Cant

director·< 1 year

Mark Andrew Guest

director·< 1 year

Robin James Newman

director·2 years

Matt Clare

director·2 years

Sarah Elizabeth Dignasse

director·7 years

Steven Keith Bancroft

director·7 years

Jane Dolores Marshall

director·8 years

Linda Godelieve Fabiola Vincent-van overloop

director·14 years

David Anthony Barrs

director·14 years

Company Secretary

Paul Douglas Wilson

secretary·11 years

24 former officers — most recent departure: Aug 2025

Patrick James Bailey Philpott

director·3 years·Resigned Mar 2025

John David Kerr

director·8 years·Resigned Mar 2023

Paul John Blair Sinnott

director·8 years·Resigned Aug 2022

Jacqueline Sweeting

director·8 years·Resigned Sept 2020

Derek Bull

director·8 years·Resigned Jan 2018

Caroline Harriet Derbyshire

Member schools (9)

9 schools|6 with risk flags|2 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Alec Hunter Academy	139402	Secondary	—
Beckers Green Primary School	147816	Primary	performance decline
Helena Romanes School	137975	All-through	high absencein year deficitworkforce pressure
Honywood School	136729	Secondary	in year deficitworkforce pressurehigh absence
Katherine Semar Infant School	141574	Primary	—
Katherine Semar Junior School	141572	Primary	—
R A Butler Infant School	136325	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
R A Butler Junior School	136328	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressure
Saffron Walden County High School	136776	Secondary	in year deficit