The Co-operative Academies Trust

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

Schools

Flags

190

87 high severity

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

Total income

£200.2m

20,914 pupils

Avg staff costs

72.1%

of income

Avg reserves

4.1%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

46.5%

free school meals

Capacity

86%

20,914 / 24,404 places

Total admin cost

£10.4m

£498 per pupil

Trust overview

10 of 38 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

15 of 38 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 6 percentage points over two years of published returns.

Absence is above the national average in 26 of 37 schools. Attendance tracks intake and local circumstances as well as school practice.

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

31 of 35 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above.

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

89%meeting standard or above

Across 35 graded schools, including 2 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

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

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 2

Inclusion

Strong standard 2

Attendance & behaviour

Expected standard 1

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	20,914	£200.2m	£183.3m	72.1%	4.1%
2025/26	38	21,091	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

7.0%

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

£13,806,000

CS staff costs

£10,406,000

CS income

£1,749,000

Admin & clerical£4,649,000

Teaching staff£2,748,000

ICT£346,000

Premises£436,000

Legal & professional£346,000

Auditor costs£84,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

10 current directors · Average tenure: 4.2 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·3 years

Ruth Welford

director·3 years

Sarah Findlay-cobb

director·3 years

Sarah Louise Baker

director·3 years

Timothy James Cutting

director·3 years

Arati Patel-mistry

director·4 years

Russell Mark Gill

director·12 years

Company Secretary

Sarah Lay

secretary·3 years

26 former officers — most recent departure: Sept 2023

Sarah Barton

director·3 years·Resigned Sept 2023

Gillian Robinson

director·4 years·Resigned Nov 2022

David Robertson

director·4 years·Resigned Aug 2023

Patricia Denise Kane

director·7 years·Resigned Jun 2023

Shaheen Akhtar Myers

director·7 years·Resigned Oct 2022

Simon Andrew Bourne

Member schools (38)

38 schools|37 with risk flags|55 high severity

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