Advance Learning Partnership

UID 16711·Companies House 07928558·Incorporated January 2012·Compare

Schools

Flags

109

43 high severity

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

Total income

£77.6m

9,280 pupils

Avg staff costs

74.2%

of income

Avg reserves

11.4%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

41.5%

free school meals

Capacity

81%

9,280 / 11,484 places

Total admin cost

£8.7m

£933 per pupil

Trust overview

5 of 23 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

5 of 23 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.

8 of 23 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 15 of 23 schools. Attendance tracks intake and local circumstances as well as school practice.

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

18 of 23 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above; 5 have at least one area judged below it. Inspection dates vary — some grades predate current leadership.

3 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.

At a glance

17 schools with workforce pressure13 schools with absence above 8%12 schools in deficit8 schools with staff costs above 78%3 schools with declining results5 schools with Ofsted concerns

Ofsted & results

Ofsted

78%meeting standard or above

Across 23 graded schools, including 3 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

74% Good+

Outst. 1Good 13RI 5

Behaviour & attitudes

89% Good+

Outst. 1Good 16RI 2

Personal development

89% Good+

Good 17RI 2

Leadership & management

78% Good+

Outst. 2Good 16RI 5

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

43.3

-2.9

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

53.1%

-7.9pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressAdvance Learning Partnership, Spennymoor, DL16 7LN

Companies House07928558

Incorporated30 January 2012

Report Card inspections (new framework)

About these grades

Grade distribution across 3 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 3

Achievement

Expected standard 2Needs attention 1

Inclusion

Expected standard 2Strong standard 1

Attendance & behaviour

Growth

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	13	6,611	£41.6m	£38.5m	67.5%	16.7%
2022/23	17	8,149	£60.8m	£57.1m	69.2%	12.0%
2023/24	19	8,455	£69.7m	£68.2m	68.6%	10.2%
2024/25partial	23	9,280	£77.6m	£75.9m	74.2%	11.4%
2025/26	23	9,168	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

3.1%

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

£2,438,000

CS staff costs

£4,863,000

CS income

£635,000

Admin & clerical£2,440,000

Teaching staff£1,125,000

ICT£22,000

Premises£79,000

Legal & professional£219,000

Auditor costs£138,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

12 current directors · Average tenure: 4.0 years · 1 change in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (12)

Nicola Cooke

director·< 1 year

Debra Ann Swinburn

director·1 year

Mark Benedict Professor Allen

director·1 year

Patrick Alexander Joseph Morton

director·3 years

Helen Catherine Tarokh

director·3 years

Linda Ann Davies

director·3 years

Nigel Ashley

director·3 years

Peter Joseph Coady

director·3 years

Kelvin Simpson

director·5 years

Arthur Andrew Robertson Scott

director·6 years

Alan Boddy

director·6 years

Ellen Beveridge

director·8 years

Company Secretary

Claire Oates

secretary·3 years

48 former officers — most recent departure: Apr 2025

Andrew Baldwin

director·3 years·Resigned Apr 2025

Natalie Davison

director·4 years·Resigned Apr 2024

Neville Harrison

director·5 years·Resigned Aug 2021

Robert Geoffrey Wolff

director·5 years·Resigned Aug 2022

Stefanie Louise Emmerson

secretary·6 years·Resigned Jul 2023

Marie Abigail Roe

Member schools (23)

23 schools|22 with risk flags|25 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Bishop Barrington Academy	148706	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit
Bowburn Primary School	152113	Primary	in year deficithigh staff costs
Brandon Primary Academy	148858	Primary	—
Copeland Road Primary School	151457	Primary	in year deficithigh staff costsworkforce pressurehigh absenceofsted concern
Dene Academy	147122	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Durham Academy	149251	Secondary	workforce pressureofsted concernhigh absence
Edmondsley Primary Academy	151127	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficithigh absence
Greenfield Academy	149962	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficitofsted concern
Hartside Primary Academy	145429	Primary	performance decline
Howden-le-Wear Primary School	148852	Primary	in year deficithigh staff costs
Hummersknott Academy	136838	Secondary	workforce pressure
Hunwick Primary School	151429	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficithigh staff costs
Middlestone Moor Academy	149505	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficithigh absence
Moorside Primary Academy	148969	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
New Brancepeth Primary Academy	148970	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Parkside Academy	137903	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence
Peases West Academy	150389	Primary	in year deficithigh staff costs
Skerne Park Academy	139195	Primary	workforce pressurehigh absencein year deficithigh staff costsofsted concern
Staindrop Academy	144991	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficithigh staff costs
Whitworth Park Academy	145564	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence

Bishop Barrington AcademySecondary

high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit

Bowburn Primary SchoolPrimary

in year deficithigh staff costs

Brandon Primary AcademyPrimary

Copeland Road Primary SchoolPrimary

in year deficithigh staff costsworkforce pressurehigh absenceofsted concern

Dene AcademySecondary

high absenceworkforce pressure

Durham AcademySecondary

workforce pressureofsted concernhigh absence

Edmondsley Primary AcademyPrimary

workforce pressurein year deficithigh absence

Greenfield AcademySecondary

high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficitofsted concern

Hartside Primary AcademyPrimary

performance decline

Howden-le-Wear Primary SchoolPrimary

in year deficithigh staff costs

Hummersknott AcademySecondary

workforce pressure

Hunwick Primary SchoolPrimary

workforce pressurein year deficithigh staff costs

Middlestone Moor AcademyPrimary

workforce pressurein year deficithigh absence

Moorside Primary AcademyPrimary

workforce pressureperformance decline

New Brancepeth Primary AcademyPrimary

workforce pressureperformance decline

Parkside AcademySecondary

workforce pressurehigh absence

Peases West AcademyPrimary

in year deficithigh staff costs

Skerne Park AcademyPrimary

workforce pressurehigh absencein year deficithigh staff costsofsted concern

Staindrop AcademySecondary

high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficithigh staff costs

Whitworth Park AcademySecondary

workforce pressurehigh absence

Expected standard 1Strong standard 2

Personal development

Strong standard 2Expected standard 1

Leadership

Expected standard 3

Andrea Tomlinson

director·8 years·Resigned Nov 2018

Stephen Leech

director·9 years·Resigned May 2024

Hilary Baronness Armstrong

director·9 years·Resigned Nov 2018

Kelvin Simpson

director·9 years·Resigned Sept 2017

Alison Mary Aisbitt

director·9 years·Resigned Jan 2018

Fraser Paul Tinsley

director·10 years·Resigned Sept 2017

Enda Thomas Dr Chadwick

director·10 years·Resigned Jul 2017

Sarah Robson

director·11 years·Resigned Jul 2017

Melanie Sheppard

director·11 years·Resigned Sept 2017

Linda Christine Thompson

director·11 years·Resigned Mar 2020

Kevin Reynolds

director·11 years·Resigned Nov 2018

Claire Oates

secretary·11 years·Resigned Jul 2020

Emma Clare Blackett

director·12 years·Resigned Sept 2017

Gavin Smith

director·12 years·Resigned Sept 2017

Kelly Martin

director·12 years·Resigned Sept 2017

Eileen Graham

director·12 years·Resigned Mar 2016

Simon Lipscombe

director·13 years·Resigned Sept 2018

Pauline Ruth Gordon

director·13 years·Resigned Oct 2014

Anna Horner

director·13 years·Resigned Sept 2017

Olwyn Elizabeth Gunn

director·14 years·Resigned Jul 2017

John Deller

director·14 years·Resigned Aug 2022

Ian Lyle

director·14 years·Resigned Dec 2012

Robert Geoffrey Wolff

director·14 years·Resigned Sept 2017

Brian Leslie Myers

director·14 years·Resigned Feb 2012

Robert Bryan Nelson

director·14 years·Resigned Jul 2017

Geoffrey Hardy

director·14 years·Resigned Jun 2018

Alastair Rowell

director·14 years·Resigned Oct 2015

Michelle Annette Rowell

director·14 years·Resigned May 2013

Julie Ann Gallon

director·14 years·Resigned Mar 2015

David English

director·14 years·Resigned May 2013

Joan Elizabeth Stephenson

director·14 years·Resigned Nov 2012

Linda Ann Davies

director·14 years·Resigned Aug 2020

Edward Joe Buckham

director·14 years·Resigned Feb 2016

Andrew John Williams

director·14 years·Resigned Jun 2015

Linda Thompson

secretary·14 years·Resigned Aug 2014

Susan Elaine Hopper

director·14 years·Resigned Mar 2012

Valerie Ann Hopkins

director·14 years·Resigned Feb 2014

Jonathan Mark Reverend Jewsbury

director·14 years·Resigned Feb 2014

David Paul Kingston

director·14 years·Resigned Nov 2018

Brian Kinnair

director·14 years·Resigned Jul 2014

Kenneth Henfrey

director·14 years·Resigned Feb 2016

David Glenn Liddle

director·14 years·Resigned Nov 2018