The Wensum Trust

UID 16054·Companies House 07982312·Incorporated March 2012·Compare

Schools

Flags

9 high severity

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

Total income

£31.6m

4,414 pupils

Avg staff costs

75.0%

of income

Avg reserves

0.3%

of income

Avg absence

6.8%

Persistent: 16.2%

More metrics

Avg FSM

19.2%

free school meals

Capacity

98%

4,414 / 4,496 places

Trust overview

5 of 12 schools have staff costs above the DfE's 78% review threshold — review against school context.

12 of 12 schools have reserves below the DfE's 5% minimum.

4 of 12 schools had expenditure exceeding income this year.

Overall absence is above the national average in 33% of schools (4 of 12).

4 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

Trust-wide reserves at 0.1%below 5% threshold5 schools with staff costs above 78%3 schools with absence above 8%3 schools in deficit1 school with declining results3 schools with workforce pressure1 school with Ofsted concerns

Ofsted sub-judgements

Quality of education

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 8

Behaviour & attitudes

89% Good+

Outst. 2Good 6RI 1

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 5Good 4

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 11

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

44.2

-2.0

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

57.0%

-4.0pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

Address185 Middletons Lane, Norwich, NR6 5SB

Companies House07982312

Incorporated8 March 2012

Trust growth over time

matpulse.co.uk

Schools Pupils

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	11	4,223	£27.0m	£28.0m	77.7%	9.9%
2022/23	11	4,285	£29.5m	£28.9m	71.5%	0.0%
2023/24	11	4,282	£30.7m	£29.6m	75.2%	0.0%
2024/25partial	12	4,398	£934k	£942k	72.8%	3.4%

Central services — 2023/24

Centralisation

5.2%

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

£1,665,000

CS staff costs

£1,071,000

CS income

£36,000

Admin & clerical£496,000

Teaching staff£356,000

ICT£46,000

Premises£130,000

Legal & professional£66,000

Auditor costs£35,000

Governance

Accounts to Aug 2025Source: Companies House

9 current directors · Average tenure: 5.4 years · 3 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (9)

Carol Yvonne Dallas

director·< 1 year

William John Lewis

director·< 1 year

Mary Jane Edwards

director·1 year

Karen Denise Gardner

director·1 year

Edwin Richard Pearson

director·2 years

Jason Richard Tipple

director·7 years

John David Smith

director·9 years

Daniel Thrower

director·9 years

Mary Elizabeth Richards

director·14 years

Company Secretary

Alice Eleanor Boesen

secretary·2 years

35 former officers — most recent departure: Dec 2025

Lisa Morgan

director·3 years·Resigned Oct 2024

Susan Warnes

secretary·4 years·Resigned Jan 2024

Maria Piper

director·4 years·Resigned Oct 2021

David Riddle

director·4 years·Resigned Dec 2025

Jennie Reynolds

secretary·6 years·Resigned Feb 2021

Zaliha Williamson

Member schools (12)

12 schools|9 with risk flags|7 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Acle Academy	138758	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Alderman Peel High School	145089	Secondary	high absence
Arden Grove Infant and Nursery School	139736	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
Burnham Market Primary and Nursery School	144825	Primary	performance decline
Firside Junior School	142840	Primary	—
Garrick Green Infant School	143460	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressure
Heather Avenue Infant School	144143	Primary	—
Hellesdon High School	138039	Secondary	high absenceofsted concern
Kinsale Infant School	151420	Primary	—
Kinsale Junior School	146880	Primary	high staff costs
Lodge Lane Infant School	143988	Primary	high staff costs
Wells-Next-the-Sea Primary and Nursery School	144975	Primary	workforce pressure