Scholars' Education Trust

UID 4533·Companies House 07697132·Incorporated July 2011·Compare

Schools

Flags

5 high severity

Finance: 2025/26Ofsted: Nov 2023Performance: 2025/26Workforce: 2025/26Attendance: 2025/26

Total income

£62.5m

8,352 pupils

Avg staff costs

74.4%

of income

Avg reserves

10.3%

of income

Avg absence

7.0%

Persistent: 18.3%

More metrics

Avg FSM

18.9%

free school meals

Capacity

85%

8,352 / 9,838 places

Trust overview

3 of 13 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.

4 of 13 schools had expenditure exceeding income this year.

Overall absence is above the national average in 42% of schools (5 of 12).

5 schools have persistent absence above 20%.

82% 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

Last accounts filed 19 months ago3 schools with staff costs above 78%3 schools with workforce pressure3 schools in deficit2 schools with Ofsted concerns2 schools with absence above 8%

Ofsted sub-judgements

Quality of education

83% Good+

Outst. 1Good 4RI 1

Behaviour & attitudes

67% Good+

Outst. 1Good 3RI 2

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 2Good 4

Leadership & management

91% Good+

Outst. 3Good 7RI 1

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

49.1

+2.9

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

63.0%

+2.0pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressSamuel Ryder Academy, St Albans, AL1 5AR

Companies House07697132

Incorporated7 July 2011

Trust growth over time

matpulse.co.uk

Schools Pupils

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	6	5,823	£37.4m	£34.8m	69.1%	8.5%
2022/23	7	7,242	£48.6m	£46.2m	70.6%	12.8%
2023/24	11	8,911	£59.7m	£57.0m	74.1%	12.2%
2024/25partial	13	9,536	£2.8m	£2.7m	75.8%	-0.4%

Central services — 2023/24

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

Accounts to Aug 2024Source: Companies House

13 current directors · Average tenure: 4.6 years

Directors / Trustees (13)

Carley Anne Holliman

director·1 year

Clare Turner

director·1 year

Gemma Sayers

director·1 year

David Paul Whiteley

director·2 years

Jocelyn Sarah Angrave

director·2 years

Victoria Garvin

director·4 years

Joel Bellman

director·4 years

Sean David Hegarty

director·4 years

Paul Burrett

director·4 years

William Ernest Rammell

director·5 years

Andrew Clifford Cunningham

director·6 years

Geoffrey Donald Stephen Payne

director·9 years

Claire Elizabeth Robins

director·9 years

Company Secretary

Hazel Wale

secretary·14 years

26 former officers — most recent departure: Mar 2024

Stephen John Owen

director·8 years·Resigned Jul 2019

Sanjeevan Bala

director·8 years·Resigned Dec 2021

Nicholas Andrew Spittal

director·8 years·Resigned Dec 2021

Geoffrey Alistair Newman

director·9 years·Resigned Aug 2017

Susan Lucy Archer

director·9 years·Resigned Nov 2021

Catherine Baxendale

Member schools (13)

13 schools|7 with risk flags|5 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Buntingford First School	149748	Primary	—
Dunstable Icknield Lower School	151210	Primary	high staff costsofsted concernworkforce pressure
Harpenden Academy	143648	Primary	—
Longdean School	137110	Secondary	high absence
Nazeing Primary School	151971	Primary	—
Oakleaf Primary	151385	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
Priory Academy	138181	All-through	high staff costsin year deficit
Robert Barclay Academy	143131	Secondary	—
Samuel Ryder Academy	138582	All-through	workforce pressure
Sir John Lawes School	137270	Secondary	—
The Hemel Hempstead School	149500	Secondary	—
The Highfield School	150217	Secondary	ofsted concernin year deficithigh absence
Watling Lower School	151796	Primary	workforce pressure