The Circle Trust

UID 16934·Companies House 11031096·Incorporated October 2017·Compare

Schools

Flags

13 high severity

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

Total income

£34.1m

5,361 pupils

Avg staff costs

77.9%

of income

Avg reserves

7.0%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

10.2%

free school meals

Capacity

96%

5,361 / 5,575 places

Total admin cost

£2.1m

£387 per pupil

Trust overview

4 of 11 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 11 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 7 percentage points over two years of published returns.

Absence is at or below the national average in 10 of 11 schools.

All 11 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 11 graded schools.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

100% Good+

Good 4

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 2Good 2

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 2Good 2

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 4Good 7

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

51.2

+5.0

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

71.8%

+10.8pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressThe Oval Offices C/O St Crispin's School, Wokingham, RG40 1SS

Companies House11031096

Incorporated25 October 2017

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	6	3,432	£20.4m	£19.3m	75.9%	10.3%
2022/23	8	4,089	£25.1m	£23.2m	74.4%	16.5%
2023/24	9	4,343	£29.0m	£27.7m	77.6%	10.7%
2024/25partial	11	5,361	£34.1m	£31.9m	77.9%	7.0%
2025/26	11	5,416	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

5.0%

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

£1,671,000

CS staff costs

£1,100,000

CS income

£34,000

Admin & clerical£507,000

Teaching staff£556,000

ICT£257,000

Premises£0

Legal & professional£133,000

Auditor costs£35,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

12 current directors · Average tenure: 3.8 years · 3 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (12)

Christopher Paul Rothwell

director·< 1 year

Molli Wednesday Cleaver

director·< 1 year

Sara Attra

director·1 year

Arnab Mukherjee

director·2 years

Tariro Madzingira

director·2 years

Barbara Wojna

director·2 years

Hugh Kevin Magee

director·3 years

Stuart Riley

director·3 years

Katherine Elizabeth Jane Baker

director·3 years

David Walker

director·6 years

Kevin Gordon Addington

director·8 years

Andrew David Beckett

director·8 years

Company Secretary

Rebecca Jane Clarke

secretary·6 years

9 former officers — most recent departure: Jan 2026

Peter Mark Collins

director·6 years·Resigned Mar 2023

David Day

director·8 years·Resigned Jan 2026

Anne Haycocks

director·8 years·Resigned Mar 2025

Yun Tay

director·8 years·Resigned Oct 2019

Nicola Brown

director·8 years·Resigned Jan 2022

Julian Bushell

Member schools (11)

11 schools|11 with risk flags|10 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Badgemore Primary School	150741	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Emmbrook Infant School	149722	Primary	high staff costsworkforce pressure
Emmbrook Junior School	149723	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costs
Nine Mile Ride Primary School	145281	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressure
Owlsmoor Primary School	151784	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
Shinfield Infant and Nursery School	147249	Primary	high staff costsworkforce pressure
St Crispin's School	145286	Secondary	workforce pressure
The Emmbrook School	148453	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
The Hawthorns Primary School	151413	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressure
Wescott Infant School	147926	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costs
Westende Junior School	148014	Primary	workforce pressure