The Laurus Trust

UID 2627·Companies House 07907463·Incorporated January 2012·Compare

Schools

Flags

6 high severity

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

Total income

£61.5m

7,909 pupils

Avg staff costs

80.5%

of income

Avg reserves

2.1%

of income

Avg absence

5.8%

Persistent: 13.8%

More metrics

Avg FSM

19.2%

free school meals

Capacity

77%

7,909 / 10,287 places

Trust overview

8 of 11 schools have staff costs above the DfE's 78% review threshold — review against school context.

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

5 of 13 schools had expenditure exceeding income this year.

Overall absence is above the national average in 45% of schools (5 of 11).

3 schools have persistent absence above 20%.

91% 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

Trust-wide reserves at 2.1%below 5% threshold8 schools with staff costs above 78%3 schools in deficit3 schools with absence above 8%1 school with Ofsted concerns1 school with workforce pressure

Ofsted sub-judgements

Quality of education

89% Good+

Outst. 6Good 2RI 1

Behaviour & attitudes

89% Good+

Outst. 6Good 2RI 1

Personal development

89% Good+

Outst. 8RI 1

Leadership & management

91% Good+

Outst. 7Good 3RI 1

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

54.2

+8.0

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

72.0%

+11.0pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressCheadle Hulme High School Woods Lane, Cheadle, SK8 7JY

Companies House07907463

Incorporated12 January 2012

Trust growth over time

matpulse.co.uk

Schools Pupils

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	7	6,045	£40.1m	£36.3m	70.8%	10.9%
2022/23	9	7,958	£56.2m	£53.4m	73.0%	4.5%
2023/24	10	8,773	£59.0m	£59.0m	80.9%	1.7%
2024/25partial	13	9,577	£2.5m	£2.5m	77.0%	6.7%

Central services — 2023/24

Centralisation

6.8%

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

£4,501,000

CS staff costs

£3,398,000

CS income

£1,896,000

Admin & clerical£3,006,000

Teaching staff£225,000

ICT£142,000

Premises£339,000

Legal & professional£21,000

Auditor costs£35,000

Governance

Accounts to Aug 2025Source: Companies House

12 current directors · Average tenure: 5.4 years

Directors / Trustees (12)

Simeon John Mellor

director·1 year

Nicholas David James Thompson

director·1 year

Linda Mary Magrath

director·1 year

Julie Crawford

director·2 years

Alan George Gilmour

director·3 years

Sally Elizabeth Mcgill

director·3 years

Gillian Ann Turnpenney

director·3 years

Kalkivayi Seshagiri Ravi kumar

director·7 years

Wendy Mason

director·7 years

Dagmar Kent Kershaw

director·8 years

Anthony Richard Morrell Little

director·9 years

Charles John Rev Nevin

director·14 years

Company Secretary

Nicola Burgess

secretary·9 years

16 former officers — most recent departure: Nov 2024

Jane Marie Crombleholme

director·6 years·Resigned Sept 2024

Vivienne Elaine Horsfield

director·6 years·Resigned Aug 2021

Jenny Louise Singleton

director·7 years·Resigned Nov 2019

Linda Mary Magrath

director·9 years·Resigned Feb 2019

Lisa Woolley

director·9 years·Resigned Nov 2024

Estelle Goodwin

Member schools (13)

13 schools|10 with risk flags|6 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Cheadle Hulme High School	137843	Secondary	high staff costs
Cheadle Hulme Primary School	145870	Primary	high staff costs
Crown Street Primary School	150774	Primary	—
Didsbury High School	143729	Secondary	high staff costshigh absence
Gorsey Bank Primary School	143011	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Hazel Grove High School	137923	Secondary	high absencehigh staff costs
Hazel Grove Primary School	151030	Primary	in year deficit
Laurus Cheadle Hulme	145893	Secondary	high staff costs
Laurus Grace	151136	Not applicable	—
Laurus Ryecroft	145894	Secondary	high staff costs
Norris Bank Primary School	151687	Primary	—
Priestnall School	149936	Secondary	ofsted concernhigh absence
Woodford Primary School	149080	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit