The Gorse Academies Trust

UID 3206·Companies House 07465701·Incorporated December 2010·Compare

Schools

Flags

11 high severity

Finance: 2024/25Ofsted: Mar 2025Performance: 2025/26Workforce: 2025/26Attendance: 2025/26

Total income

£87.0m

11,516 pupils

Avg staff costs

74.6%

of income

Avg reserves

5.0%

of income

Avg absence

7.1%

Persistent: 19.2%

More metrics

Avg FSM

25.1%

free school meals

Capacity

94%

11,516 / 12,192 places

Trust overview

4 of 15 schools have staff costs above the DfE's 78% review threshold — review against school context.

9 of 15 schools have reserves below the DfE's 5% minimum.

5 of 15 schools had expenditure exceeding income this year.

Overall absence is above the national average in 67% of schools (8 of 12).

5 schools have persistent absence above 20%.

92% 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

8 schools with workforce pressure5 schools in deficit4 schools with staff costs above 78%3 schools with absence above 8%1 school with Ofsted concerns

Ofsted sub-judgements

Quality of education

100% Good+

Outst. 4Good 5

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 5Good 4

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 5Good 4

Leadership & management

92% Good+

Outst. 8Good 4RI 1

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

47.3

+1.1

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

60.8%

-0.2pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressBruntcliffe Academy Bruntcliffe Lane, Leeds, LS27 0LZ

Companies House07465701

Incorporated9 December 2010

Trust growth over time

matpulse.co.uk

Schools Pupils

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	12	10,522	£70.5m	£65.3m	73.2%	7.8%
2022/23	13	10,821	£77.1m	£71.9m	72.4%	6.9%
2023/24	15	11,516	£87.0m	£82.0m	74.6%	5.0%
2024/25partial	15	12,022	—	—	—	—

Central services — 2023/24

Centralisation

6.2%

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

£5,378,000

CS staff costs

£4,812,000

CS income

£683,000

Admin & clerical£1,640,000

Teaching staff£2,005,000

ICT£2,000

Premises£22,000

Legal & professional£213,000

Auditor costs£17,000

Governance

Accounts to Aug 2025Source: Companies House

11 current directors · Average tenure: 6.2 years · 1 change in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (11)

Adam Robert Cockroft

director·1 year

Andrew Fox

director·1 year

Andrew Brian

director·1 year

Richard Jarvis

director·5 years

Louise Banahene

director·5 years

Ryan Stephenson

director·5 years

Tracey Thomas-marshall

director·5 years

Steve Hall

director·7 years

Anne Mcavan

director·9 years

Susan Ada Slee

director·10 years

John Arthur Townsley

director·15 years

Company Secretary

Ailsa Jayne Hoyland

secretary·3 years

17 former officers — most recent departure: Jan 2026

Jon Fyffe

director·1 year·Resigned Jan 2026

James Pirie

director·3 years·Resigned Dec 2024

Brian Christopher Deane

director·3 years·Resigned Apr 2024

David Steven Morgan

director·5 years·Resigned Dec 2023

Paul Forbes

director·5 years·Resigned Sept 2024

Janice Boucher

Member schools (15)

15 schools|12 with risk flags|10 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Bardsey Primary Academy	149546	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
Boston Spa Academy	146217	Secondary	workforce pressure
Bruntcliffe Academy	142056	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence
Elliott Hudson College	141940	16 plus	workforce pressurehigh staff costs
Hillcrest Academy	140413	Primary	—
John Smeaton Academy	148793	Secondary	high absencein year deficit
Leeds Mathematics School	149755	16 plus	—
Little London Academy	150432	Primary	ofsted concernin year deficitworkforce pressure
Morley Newlands Academy	141797	Primary	—
Ryecroft Academy	140824	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
The Farnley Academy	137577	Secondary	high absence
The Morley Academy	136392	Secondary	workforce pressure
The Richmond Hill Academy	145178	Primary	workforce pressure
The Ruth Gorse Academy	140565	Secondary	workforce pressure
The Stephen Longfellow Academy	143761	Not applicable	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit