The Challenge Academy Trust

UID 16682·Companies House 10689247·Incorporated March 2017·Compare

Schools

Flags

12 high severity

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

Total income

£85.3m

11,331 pupils

Avg staff costs

75.1%

of income

Avg reserves

9.7%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

31.1%

free school meals

Capacity

94%

11,331 / 12,009 places

Total admin cost

£4.8m

£425 per pupil

Trust overview

4 of 14 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 14 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 risen about 2 percentage points over two years of published returns.

Absence is above the national average in 8 of 13 schools. Attendance tracks intake and local circumstances as well as school practice.

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

All 13 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above — Good or better under the legacy framework, or Expected standard or above under the Report Card.

2 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.

Ofsted & results

Ofsted

100%meeting standard or above

Across 13 graded schools, including 2 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

100% Good+

Good 9

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 2Good 7

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 3Good 6

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Good 13

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

44.3

-1.9

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

59.7%

-1.3pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressBridgewater High School (Upper) Broomfields Road, Warrington, WA4 3AE

Companies House10689247

Incorporated24 March 2017

Report Card inspections (new framework)

About these grades

Grade distribution across 2 schoolsinspected under Ofsted's 5-point scale (from November 2025). Not directly comparable with the earlier 1–4 sub-judgements above.

Curriculum & teaching

Expected standard 1Strong standard 1

Achievement

Expected standard 1Strong standard 1

Inclusion

Expected standard 1Strong standard 1

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	11	9,185	£58.6m	£55.5m	73.9%	6.9%
2022/23	12	7,570	£66.3m	£63.1m	72.5%	6.9%
2023/24	13	8,072	£76.1m	£73.4m	72.5%	8.4%
2024/25partial	14	11,331	£85.3m	£81.8m	75.1%	9.7%
2025/26	13	9,192	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

5.2%

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

£4,490,000

CS staff costs

£2,024,000

CS income

£1,159,000

Admin & clerical£1,216,000

Teaching staff£695,000

ICT£31,000

Premises£1,075,000

Legal & professional£162,000

Auditor costs£51,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

10 current directors · Average tenure: 5.2 years

Directors / Trustees (10)

Linda Boys

director·1 year

Matthew William Grant

director·2 years

Peter Ronald Charles Winter

director·2 years

John Warren

director·2 years

Phil Mcewan

director·4 years

John Paul Cartwright

director·5 years

Andrew Moorcroft

director·5 years

Sheila Yates

director·9 years

Stephen Nicholas Whatmore

director·9 years

Howard Wilson Platt

director·9 years

13 former officers — most recent departure: Jul 2025

Susila Dr Davis

director·4 years·Resigned Aug 2024

Susan Richardson

director·6 years·Resigned Jul 2023

Lacy Nadine Muir

director·7 years·Resigned Feb 2024

Linda Jane Waterson

director·9 years·Resigned Jul 2025

Matthew William Grant

director·9 years·Resigned Aug 2020

Jane Griffiths

Member schools (14)

14 schools|12 with risk flags|9 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Appleton Thorn Primary School	149676	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Beamont Collegiate Academy	139196	Secondary	high absencehigh staff costsin year deficit
Bridgewater High School	141598	Secondary	high staff costs
Broomfields Junior School	147637	Primary	performance declineworkforce pressure
Dallam Community Primary School	150824	Primary	performance declinehigh staff costs
Great Sankey Primary School	144798	Primary	—
Meadowside Community Primary and Nursery School	147636	Primary	workforce pressure
Padgate Academy	146765	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Penketh High School	145157	Secondary	high absence
Penketh South Community Primary School	145710	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Priestley College	144782	16 plus	—
Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School	144799	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
South Wirral High School	151354	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
The Sutton Academy	136141	Secondary	high absencehigh staff costsworkforce pressure