South Downs Education Trust

UID 17045·Companies House 08276210·Incorporated October 2012·Compare

Schools

Flags

2 high severity

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

Total income

£8.7m

1,115 pupils

Avg staff costs

76.1%

of income

Avg reserves

5.8%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

21.5%

free school meals

Capacity

94%

1,115 / 1,181 places

Total admin cost

£494k

£443 per pupil

Trust overview

With 2 schools, trust-wide averages move materially with a single school's results.

1 of 2 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

1 of 2 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 5 percentage points over two years of published returns.

Every school with reported data balanced its in-year budget in the latest return.

Absence is above the national average in 2 of 2 schools. Attendance tracks intake and local circumstances as well as school practice.

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

1 of 2 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above; 1 have at least one area judged below it. Inspection dates vary — some grades predate current leadership.

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.

At a glance

2 schools with absence above 8%1 school with staff costs above 78%1 school with Ofsted concerns1 school with workforce pressure

Ofsted & results

Ofsted

50%meeting standard or above

Across 2 graded schools, including 1 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

0% Good+

RI 1

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Good 1

Personal development

100% Good+

Good 1

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 1

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

48.6

+2.4

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

11.0%

-50.0pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressWorthing High School, Worthing, BN14 7AR

Companies House08276210

Incorporated31 October 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

Needs attention 1

Achievement

Needs attention 1

Inclusion

Expected standard 1

Attendance & behaviour

Expected standard 1

Personal development

Growth

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	2	1,102	£7.1m	£7.0m	80.7%	7.7%
2022/23	2	1,120	£7.7m	£7.6m	74.0%	3.0%
2023/24	2	1,123	£8.2m	£8.1m	77.7%	4.9%
2024/25partial	2	1,115	£8.7m	£8.4m	76.1%	5.8%
2025/26	2	1,101	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

6.8%

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

£613,000

CS staff costs

£497,000

CS income

£11,000

Admin & clerical£247,000

Teaching staff£198,000

ICT£1,000

Premises£2,000

Legal & professional£55,000

Auditor costs£39,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

7 current directors · Average tenure: 4.6 years · 3 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (7)

Nicholas Adam Sharp

director·< 1 year

Panicos Panayiotou

director·< 1 year

Lucy Ann Butler

director·< 1 year

David Monks

director·2 years

Andrew Sparsis

director·7 years

Terence John Parkin

director·7 years

Richard Anthony Cohen

director·13 years

Company Secretary

Tracy Jane Reed

secretary·4 years

39 former officers — most recent departure: Jul 2025

Amanda Jane Baker

director·4 years·Resigned Jul 2025

Helena Margareta Reverend Buque

director·5 years·Resigned Oct 2024

Jon Gilbert

director·5 years·Resigned Jul 2025

Ian Michael Hughes

director·6 years·Resigned May 2025

Kate Prangnell

director·6 years·Resigned Mar 2020

Anthony Stanley Lau-walker

Member schools (2)

2 schools|2 with risk flags|1 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Clapham and Patching CofE Primary School	148170	Primary	high absenceofsted concernworkforce pressure
Worthing High School	139109	Secondary	high absencehigh staff costs

Clapham and Patching CofE Primary SchoolPrimary

high absenceofsted concernworkforce pressure

Worthing High SchoolSecondary

high absencehigh staff costs

Leadership

Expected standard 1

Peter John Webb

director·8 years·Resigned May 2019

Hilary Elizabeth Thomas

director·8 years·Resigned Mar 2020

Martin Ashley Garratt

director·8 years·Resigned May 2019

Verona Margaret Hall

director·8 years·Resigned Aug 2018

Rosanne Nulty

director·8 years·Resigned Oct 2021

Anil Abraham Mathew

director·8 years·Resigned May 2019

Panicos Panayiotou

director·9 years·Resigned May 2018

Jonathan Newton Calvert

director·10 years·Resigned Sept 2017

Amanda Jane Allibone

director·10 years·Resigned May 2018

Peter Sidney Noone

director·10 years·Resigned Jan 2018

Rachel Mary Gordine

director·10 years·Resigned Mar 2016

Nicola Louise Thompson

director·10 years·Resigned May 2018

Jacqueline Linda Mchale

director·10 years·Resigned May 2018

Terence John Parkin

director·11 years·Resigned May 2015

Peter William Mott

director·11 years·Resigned Nov 2017

Mark Geoffrey Douglas Bideleux

director·11 years·Resigned May 2018

Jayne Fillery

director·11 years·Resigned Dec 2015

Lesley Jane Heasman

director·11 years·Resigned Oct 2015

Glynis Anne Jones

director·12 years·Resigned Sept 2014

Amanda Jane Diane Waring

director·12 years·Resigned Sept 2015

Keith Rhys Price

director·12 years·Resigned Mar 2017

Ricky Daryl Beasley

director·13 years·Resigned Oct 2013

Kevin Andrew Jenkins

director·13 years·Resigned Nov 2014

Debra Maxine Woudman

director·13 years·Resigned Mar 2014

Henry John Mckenzie Dr Bull

director·13 years·Resigned Jun 2018

Karen Michelle Hayler

secretary·13 years·Resigned May 2022

Anthony Roger Cohen

director·13 years·Resigned Jun 2018

Susan Rosemary Lanz

director·13 years·Resigned Nov 2017

Peter Lee Hoibak

director·13 years·Resigned Mar 2018

Helena Rosa Hall

director·13 years·Resigned Oct 2017

Carolyn Mary Ann Dickinson

director·13 years·Resigned Dec 2016

Andrew James Lutwyche

director·13 years·Resigned Jul 2015

Robert Owen Reynard

director·13 years·Resigned Jul 2013