The Co-operative Academies Trust

UID 2777·Companies House 07747126·Incorporated August 2011·Compare

Schools

Flags

41 high severity

Finance: 2025/26Ofsted: Jun 2025Performance: 2025/26Workforce: 2025/26Attendance: 2025/26

Total income

£181.3m

19,900 pupils

Avg staff costs

73.8%

of income

Avg reserves

2.7%

of income

Avg absence

8.1%

Persistent: 23.8%

More metrics

Avg FSM

44.4%

free school meals

Capacity

82%

19,900 / 24,391 places

Trust overview

10 of 37 schools have staff costs above the DfE's 78% review threshold — review against school context.

10 schools are operating in deficit — this may reflect planned investment or require financial planning.

11 of 38 schools had expenditure exceeding income this year.

Overall absence is above the national average in 64% of schools (23 of 36).

21 schools have persistent absence above 20%.

86% 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

20 schools with workforce pressure19 schools with absence above 8%10 schools with staff costs above 78%9 schools in deficit5 schools with Ofsted concerns1 school with declining results

Ofsted sub-judgements

Quality of education

79% Good+

Outst. 2Good 17RI 4Inad. 1

Behaviour & attitudes

88% Good+

Outst. 2Good 19RI 2Inad. 1

Personal development

92% Good+

Outst. 4Good 18RI 1Inad. 1

Leadership & management

89% Good+

Outst. 4Good 27RI 3Inad. 1

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

39.9

-6.3

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

50.8%

-10.2pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

Address1 Angel Square, Manchester, M60 0AG

Companies House07747126

Incorporated19 August 2011

Trust growth over time

matpulse.co.uk

Schools Pupils

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	32	18,731	£145.2m	£142.7m	70.4%	12.6%
2022/23	34	19,534	£161.1m	£153.9m	72.6%	6.5%
2023/24	36	20,032	£179.5m	£171.5m	73.9%	2.5%
2024/25partial	38	20,862	£1.8m	£1.6m	69.0%	9.1%

Central services — 2023/24

Centralisation

6.3%

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

£11,567,000

CS staff costs

£8,966,000

CS income

£1,091,000

Admin & clerical£4,115,000

Teaching staff£2,424,000

ICT£408,000

Premises£84,000

Legal & professional£415,000

Auditor costs£80,000

Governance

Accounts to Aug 2025Source: Companies House

10 current directors · Average tenure: 3.9 years

Directors / Trustees (10)

Melanie Dawn Wicks

director·2 years

Gillian Gardner

director·2 years

Claire Louise Costello

director·2 years

Mahmood Ali Ahmed

director·2 years

Ruth Welford

director·2 years

Sarah Findlay-cobb

director·2 years

Sarah Louise Baker

director·2 years

Timothy James Cutting

director·3 years

Arati Patel-mistry

director·4 years

Russell Mark Gill

director·11 years

Company Secretary

Sarah Lay

secretary·2 years

26 former officers — most recent departure: Sept 2023

Sarah Barton

director·2 years·Resigned Sept 2023

Gillian Robinson

director·4 years·Resigned Nov 2022

David Robertson

director·4 years·Resigned Aug 2023

Patricia Denise Kane

director·6 years·Resigned Jun 2023

Shaheen Akhtar Myers

director·7 years·Resigned Oct 2022

Simon Andrew Bourne

Member schools (38)

38 schools|33 with risk flags|38 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Co-op Academy Bebington	146315	Secondary	high absence
Co-op Academy Beckfield	145306	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressure
Co-op Academy Belle Vue	148544	Secondary	—
Co-op Academy Brierley	149719	Not applicable	high absencehigh staff costs
Co-op Academy Broadhurst	146227	Primary	high staff costsworkforce pressure
Co-op Academy Brownhill	138986	Primary	high absence
Co-op Academy Clarice Cliff	148219	Primary	ofsted concern
Co-op Academy Delius	147117	Not applicable	high absenceworkforce pressure
Co-op Academy Failsworth	144627	Secondary	high absence
Co-op Academy Florence MacWilliams	150790	Secondary	workforce pressure
Co-op Academy Friarswood	144207	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
Co-op Academy Glebe	140280	Primary	—
Co-op Academy Grange	147177	Secondary	high absencein year deficitofsted concern
Co-op Academy Grove	144696	Primary	—
Co-op Academy Hamilton	143484	Primary	—
Co-op Academy Hillside	149838	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Co-op Academy Leeds	137065	Secondary	high absencein year deficitworkforce pressure
Co-op Academy Manchester	136174	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence
Co-op Academy Medlock	150612	Primary	ofsted concern
Co-op Academy New Islington	139598	Primary	workforce pressure