Sand Academies Trust

UID 17239·Companies House 11968610·Incorporated April 2019·Compare

Schools

Flags

7 high severity

Finance: 2025/26Ofsted: Nov 2024Performance: 2025/26Workforce: 2025/26Attendance: 2025/26

Total income

£24.1m

1,571 pupils

Avg staff costs

77.4%

of income

Avg reserves

4.2%

of income

Avg absence

8.2%

Persistent: 22.1%

More metrics

Avg FSM

39.5%

free school meals

Capacity

106%

1,571 / 1,478 places

Trust overview

3 of 8 schools have staff costs above the DfE's 78% review threshold — review against school context.

3 schools are operating in deficit — this may reflect planned investment or require financial planning.

2 of 8 schools had expenditure exceeding income this year.

Overall absence is above the national average in 88% of schools (7 of 8).

6 schools have persistent absence above 20%.

86% of 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 24.4%above 20%Last accounts filed 19 months ago7 schools with absence above 8%4 schools with workforce pressure3 schools in deficit3 schools with staff costs above 78%1 school with Ofsted concerns

Ofsted sub-judgements

Quality of education

83% Good+

Good 5RI 1

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Good 6

Personal development

100% Good+

Good 6

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 6

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

9.7%

-51.3pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressC/O The Milestone School Longford Lane, Gloucester, GL2 9EU

Companies House11968610

Incorporated29 April 2019

Trust growth over time

matpulse.co.uk

Schools Pupils

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	6	1,013	£18.3m	£15.5m	70.3%	16.7%
2022/23	6	1,021	£19.4m	£18.2m	81.9%	8.5%
2023/24	8	1,586	£25.8m	£24.4m	78.0%	1.9%
2024/25partial	8	1,605	£1.5m	£1.4m	67.8%	30.3%

Central services — 2023/24

Centralisation

9.0%

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

£2,421,000

CS staff costs

£1,526,000

CS income

£251,000

Admin & clerical£876,000

Teaching staff£386,000

ICT£11,000

Premises£97,000

Legal & professional£106,000

Auditor costs£60,000

Governance

Accounts to Aug 2024Source: Companies House

10 current directors · Average tenure: 3.4 years · 4 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (10)

Matthew Peplow

director·1 year

Joanne Margaret Bewley

director·1 year

Lyn Dance

director·1 year

Lisa Jadwiga Austin

director·2 years

Debbie Sleep

director·3 years

Martin Stuart Hughes

director·3 years

Alan Winwood

director·3 years

Melanie Louise Henry

director·3 years

Antonia Carter Noble

director·6 years

David Charles Ellis

director·6 years

24 former officers — most recent departure: Mar 2026

Alexander Richardson

director·< 1 year·Resigned Mar 2026

Alexandra Clio Nolan

director·1 year·Resigned Mar 2026

Scott Harvey

director·2 years·Resigned Mar 2025

Carly Wild

director·3 years·Resigned Jan 2025

Sarah Mcgurk

director·3 years·Resigned Jun 2024

Lewis Richard Grainger

Member schools (8)

8 schools|8 with risk flags|7 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Battledown School	147562	Not applicable	high absencehigh staff costsworkforce pressure
Belmont School	147577	Not applicable	workforce pressurehigh absence
Calton Primary School	150931	Primary	ofsted concernin year deficit
Paternoster School	147158	Not applicable	high absence
Sladewood Academy	149763	Not applicable	high absencein year deficitworkforce pressure
The Milestone School	147116	Not applicable	workforce pressurehigh staff costshigh absence
Tredworth Infant and Nursery Academy	140789	Primary	high absence
Willow Primary Academy	147726	Primary	high absencehigh staff costsin year deficit