Chester Diocesan Academies Trust

UID 2647·Companies House 08451787·Incorporated March 2013·Compare

Schools

Flags

106

27 high severity

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

Total income

£32.8m

5,285 pupils

Avg staff costs

75.0%

of income

Avg reserves

4.4%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

20.1%

free school meals

Capacity

83%

5,285 / 6,370 places

Total admin cost

£1.2m

£226 per pupil

Trust overview

7 of 30 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

3 of 30 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.

10 of 30 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 at or below the national average in 17 of 30 schools.

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

27 of 30 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above.

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

90%meeting standard or above

Across 30 graded schools, including 1 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

86% Good+

Outst. 1Good 17RI 1Inad. 2

Behaviour & attitudes

90% Good+

Outst. 5Good 14RI 2

Personal development

90% Good+

Outst. 3Good 16RI 2

Leadership & management

90% Good+

Outst. 1Good 26RI 1Inad. 2

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

55.5%

-5.5pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressRoom 526, The Heath Business And Technical Park, Room 526, Runcorn, WA7 4QX

Companies House08451787

Incorporated19 March 2013

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

Expected standard 1

Achievement

Expected standard 1

Inclusion

Expected standard 1

Attendance & behaviour

Strong standard 1

Personal development

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	16	2,806	£16.5m	£15.9m	71.1%	15.1%
2022/23	19	3,392	£20.6m	£20.4m	75.6%	8.5%
2023/24	24	3,875	£26.2m	£25.7m	74.5%	14.0%
2024/25partial	28	4,981	£30.7m	£29.5m	75.2%	4.2%
2025/26	28	4,864	—	—	—	—

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

£1,449,000

CS staff costs

£975,000

CS income

£508,000

Admin & clerical£432,000

Teaching staff£469,000

ICT£0

Premises£0

Legal & professional£245,000

Auditor costs£69,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

10 current directors · Average tenure: 5.4 years · 1 change in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (10)

Elizabeth Louise Holdcroft

director·1 year

Alison Margaret Beasley

director·2 years

Victoria Elizabeth Dunbar

director·4 years

Ralph Ian Mainard

director·4 years

John Philip Dr Mason

director·4 years

Christopher Robert Penn

director·5 years

Philip Mark Eastwood

director·6 years

David Rhys The Revd Felix

director·6 years

Neil Macaulay Dixon

director·7 years

Michael William Holland

director·10 years

Company Secretary

Christopher James Williams

secretary·2 years

19 former officers — most recent departure: Dec 2025

Susan Margaret Breckell

director·3 years·Resigned Dec 2025

Marianne Mowatt

director·6 years·Resigned Dec 2021

JN HAMPTON LIMITED

corporate-secretary·6 years·Resigned Aug 2023

Janet Mary Carr

director·7 years·Resigned Nov 2019

Timothy John Leslie

director·7 years·Resigned Jul 2022

Jason Nicholas Hampton

Member schools (32)

32 schools|30 with risk flags|21 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Astbury St Mary's CofE Primary School	145720	Primary	high absenceperformance declineworkforce pressure
Bosley St Mary's CofE Primary School	148660	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Bredbury St. Marks CofE Primary School	147723	Primary	high absenceperformance declineworkforce pressure
Brereton CofE Primary School	144832	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressureperformance decline
Broadbottom Church of England Primary School	152203	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficitperformance decline
Bunbury Aldersey CofE Primary School	143155	Primary	high staff costs
Clutton Church of England Primary School	145076	Primary	workforce pressurehigh absence
Dodleston CofE Primary School	150464	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficithigh absence
Gee Cross Holy Trinity CofE Primary School	152202	Primary	in year deficit
Huxley CofE Primary School	150475	Primary	high absenceofsted concernworkforce pressurein year deficit
Kingsley St John's CofE Primary School	152149	Primary	—
Little Bollington CofE Primary School	147810	Primary	workforce pressureofsted concernperformance declinein year deficit
Little Sutton C of E Primary School	145075	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costs
Moreton Christ Church CofE Primary School	146530	Primary	workforce pressure
Mottram CofE Primary School	152204	Primary	—
Norley Church of England Primary School	150463	Primary	workforce pressure
Overleigh St Mary's Church of England Primary School	150917	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Oxton St Saviour's CofE Primary School	151686	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficit
St Berteline's CofE Primary School	151844	Primary	workforce pressure
St George's CofE Primary School	148098	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressure