The Dean Trust

UID 2864·Companies House 08027943·Incorporated April 2012·Compare

Schools

Flags

23 high severity

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

Total income

£81.2m

9,057 pupils

Avg staff costs

74.0%

of income

Avg reserves

6.4%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

50.9%

free school meals

Capacity

95%

9,057 / 9,512 places

Total admin cost

£3.8m

£417 per pupil

Trust overview

3 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 3 percentage points over two years of published returns.

4 of 11 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 above the national average in 7 of 11 schools. Attendance tracks intake and local circumstances as well as school practice.

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

7 of 11 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above; 4 have at least one area judged below it. Inspection dates vary — some grades predate current leadership.

1 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

73%meeting standard or above

Across 11 graded schools, including 1 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

50% Good+

Good 3RI 3

Behaviour & attitudes

83% Good+

Outst. 2Good 3RI 1

Personal development

83% Good+

Outst. 1Good 4RI 1

Leadership & management

82% Good+

Outst. 2Good 7RI 2

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

41.9

-4.3

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

65.8%

+4.8pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressAshton-On-Mersey School, Sale, M33 5BP

Companies House08027943

Incorporated12 April 2012

Report Card inspections (new framework)

About these grades

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

Curriculum & teaching

Strong standard 1

Achievement

Strong standard 1

Inclusion

Strong standard 1

Attendance & behaviour

Strong standard 1

Personal development

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	10	6,926	£52.3m	£50.6m	73.3%	16.7%
2022/23	11	8,843	£71.9m	£69.9m	72.3%	8.0%
2023/24	11	8,987	£76.2m	£74.2m	73.7%	8.7%
2024/25partial	11	9,057	£81.2m	£78.0m	74.0%	6.4%
2025/26	11	8,893	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

4.4%

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

£3,605,000

CS staff costs

£2,732,000

CS income

-£46,000

Admin & clerical£1,479,000

Teaching staff£1,140,000

ICT£3,000

Premises£158,000

Legal & professional£112,000

Auditor costs£69,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

8 current directors · Average tenure: 4.9 years · 5 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (8)

Katie Sharp

director·< 1 year

Jane Hughes

director·< 1 year

Simon Geoffrey Gallimore

director·2 years

Tom Richard Powell

director·3 years

James Thomas Franklin-smith

director·4 years

Sharon Bagshaw

director·8 years

Anna Marie Beaumont

director·8 years

Damian Francis James Mcgann

director·10 years

Company Secretary

Katie Ann Whitmore

secretary·< 1 year

12 former officers — most recent departure: Apr 2026

Joanne Marie Hyde

director·1 year·Resigned May 2025

Katie Stobbart

secretary·2 years·Resigned Jul 2025

John Howard Kelly

director·4 years·Resigned Oct 2023

Paul Michael Ireland

secretary·4 years·Resigned Oct 2021

Jonathan Phillip Bowers

director·9 years·Resigned Feb 2022

Paul James Edwards

Member schools (11)

11 schools|10 with risk flags|14 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Abraham Moss Community School	150009	All-through	high absenceworkforce pressure
Ashton-on-Mersey School	138123	Secondary	—
Blacklow Brow School	144355	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Broadoak School	138124	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absenceofsted concern
Dean Trust Ardwick	141884	Secondary	workforce pressure
Dean Trust Rose Bridge	146797	Secondary	high absenceofsted concernworkforce pressure
Dean Trust Wigan	144519	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressureofsted concern
Forest Gate Academy	138788	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficitperformance decline
Lord Derby Academy	140412	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Park View Academy	142552	Primary	ofsted concernworkforce pressure
Partington Central Academy	143380	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficithigh staff costs