The Beam Education Trust

UID 17494·Companies House 13129766·Incorporated January 2021·Compare

Schools

Flags

4 high severity

Finance: 2025/26Ofsted: Sept 2024Performance: 2025/26Workforce: 2026/27Attendance: 2025/26

Total income

£6.8m

1,051 pupils

Avg staff costs

79.1%

of income

Avg reserves

5.8%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

12.7%

free school meals

Capacity

89%

1,051 / 1,185 places

Total admin cost

£253k

£241 per pupil

Trust overview

With 4 schools, trust-wide averages move materially with a single school's results.

3 of 4 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

2 of 4 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.

2 of 4 schools spent more than their income in the latest year. Single-year deficits are common around growth, building works or falling rolls; multi-year patterns matter more than one snapshot.

Absence is at or below the national average in 4 of 4 schools.

All 4 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above — Good or better under the legacy framework, or Expected standard or above under the Report Card.

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.

Ofsted & results

Ofsted

100%meeting standard or above

Across 4 graded schools.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

100% Good+

Good 3

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 2

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 2

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Good 4

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

74.7%

+13.7pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressOughtrington Primary School, Lymm, WA13 9EH

Companies House13129766

Incorporated12 January 2021

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	4	1,150	£496k	£449k	73.9%	97.5%
2022/23	4	1,119	£6.4m	£6.3m	74.3%	10.8%
2023/24	4	1,097	£6.8m	£6.7m	78.3%	7.9%
2024/25partial	4	1,051	£6.8m	£6.7m	79.1%	5.8%
2025/26	4	1,058	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

3.6%

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

£254,000

CS staff costs

£181,000

CS income

£18,000

Admin & clerical£60,000

Teaching staff£119,000

ICT£0

Premises£0

Legal & professional£10,000

Auditor costs£24,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

8 current directors · Average tenure: 4.3 years

Directors / Trustees (8)

Leanne Mrs. Shaw

director·1 year

Alyssa Helene Fyfe

director·3 years

William Simon Groarke

director·3 years

Mark Charles Dyson Bainton

director·3 years

Jacqueline Michelle Waby

director·5 years

Joanne Bridge

director·5 years

Karina Dawn Middlehurst

director·5 years

Clare Swann

director·5 years

6 former officers — most recent departure: Oct 2024

Andrew James Abernethy

director·3 years·Resigned Oct 2024

Lynne Hollingsworth

director·5 years·Resigned Oct 2024

Julie Hughes

director·5 years·Resigned Apr 2022

Beverley Joyce Rev Jameson

director·5 years·Resigned Mar 2023

Darren Manuel

director·5 years·Resigned Jan 2022

Susan Karen Nixon

Member schools (4)

4 schools|4 with risk flags|3 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Oughtrington Primary School	148458	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Ravenbank Primary School	148457	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Statham Primary School	148456	Primary	workforce pressure
Thelwall Infant School	148488	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit