The Active Learning Trust Limited

UID 2075·Companies House 07903002·Incorporated January 2012·Compare

Schools

Flags

8 high severity

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

Total income

£68.7m

8,922 pupils

Avg staff costs

73.5%

of income

Avg reserves

0.8%

of income

Avg absence

5.6%

Persistent: 13.2%

More metrics

Avg FSM

30.8%

free school meals

Capacity

91%

8,922 / 9,772 places

Trust overview

4 of 20 schools have staff costs above the DfE's 78% review threshold — review against school context.

19 of 21 schools have reserves below the DfE's 5% minimum.

4 of 21 schools had expenditure exceeding income this year.

Overall absence is above the national average in 35% of schools (7 of 20).

4 schools have persistent absence above 20%.

90% 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

6 schools with workforce pressure5 schools with absence above 8%5 schools in deficit4 schools with staff costs above 78%3 schools with declining results2 schools with Ofsted concerns

Ofsted sub-judgements

Quality of education

85% Good+

Good 11RI 2

Behaviour & attitudes

85% Good+

Outst. 1Good 10RI 2

Personal development

85% Good+

Outst. 2Good 9RI 2

Leadership & management

90% Good+

Good 18RI 2

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

36.5

-9.7

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

55.5%

-5.5pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressActive Learning Trust C/O Neale-Wade Academy, March, PE15 9PX

Companies House07903002

Incorporated9 January 2012

Trust growth over time

matpulse.co.uk

Schools Pupils

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	19	8,670	£56.7m	£56.0m	76.2%	19.9%
2022/23	19	8,682	£61.7m	£59.5m	73.5%	0.0%
2023/24	19	8,592	£66.5m	£61.8m	73.4%	0.0%
2024/25partial	19	8,679	£2.2m	£2.2m	76.5%	15.6%

Central services — 2023/24

Centralisation

7.5%

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

£5,186,000

CS staff costs

£2,901,000

CS income

£686,000

Admin & clerical£2,386,000

Teaching staff£447,000

ICT£86,000

Premises£1,278,000

Legal & professional£153,000

Auditor costs£54,000

Governance

Accounts to Aug 2025Source: Companies House

8 current directors · Average tenure: 3.1 years · 1 change in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (8)

John Henry Irwin

director·1 year

David Robert Hughes

director·1 year

Indrajit Dey

director·1 year

Melanie Jane Gardner

director·1 year

Toni Marie Kittle

director·2 years

Claire Louise Heald

director·2 years

Lynsey Joanne Holzer

director·3 years

Jacqueline Cutchey

director·11 years

Company Secretary

Phil Beecher

secretary·1 year

33 former officers — most recent departure: Jan 2026

Stephen Paul Purdy

director·2 years·Resigned Jan 2026

Ngoc Nguyen

director·2 years·Resigned Jan 2024

Frances Rhiannon Hargrove

director·2 years·Resigned May 2024

Victor Russell Daniels

director·3 years·Resigned Dec 2023

Peter Michael Geoffrey Dabrowa

director·3 years·Resigned Jan 2024

Miles Norman Cole

Member schools (21)

21 schools|16 with risk flags|7 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Chantry Academy	138373	Secondary	high absence
Chesterton Primary School	139556	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Cromwell Community College	138177	All-through	high absence
Earith Primary School	145401	Primary	in year deficitperformance decline
Grove Primary School	140823	Primary	performance decline
Gusford Community Primary School	139803	Primary	workforce pressure
Highfield Ely Academy	143111	Not applicable	high staff costs
Highfield Littleport Academy	140882	Not applicable	high absence
Hillside Primary School	140887	Primary	ofsted concern
Isle of Ely Primary School	140483	Primary	—
Kingsfield Primary School	140888	Primary	—
Loddon Infant and Nursery School	152183	Primary	in year deficit
Loddon Junior School	152179	Primary	—
Neale-Wade Academy	139272	Secondary	high absenceofsted concernworkforce pressure
Pakefield Primary School	141640	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
Ravensmere Infant School	143491	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Red Oak Primary School	140573	Primary	—
Reydon Primary School	141702	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
Sidegate Primary School	140822	Primary	workforce pressure
The Albert Pye Community Primary School	143492	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressure