City of London Academies Trust

UID 2705·Companies House 04504128·Incorporated August 2002·Compare

Schools

Flags

13 high severity

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

Total income

£106.2m

10,142 pupils

Avg staff costs

74.5%

of income

Avg reserves

8.0%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

46.4%

free school meals

Capacity

95%

10,142 / 10,633 places

Total admin cost

£5.2m

£510 per pupil

Trust overview

1 of 12 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 12 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.

Trust-average reserves have fallen about 3 percentage points over two years of published returns.

4 of 12 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 7 of 11 schools. Attendance tracks intake and local circumstances as well as school practice.

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

10 of 11 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

91%meeting standard or above

Across 11 graded schools, including 1 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

89% Good+

Outst. 3Good 5RI 1

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 4Good 5

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 4Good 5

Leadership & management

91% Good+

Outst. 5Good 5RI 1

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

48.5

+2.3

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

79.3%

+18.3pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressNorth Wing, Guildhall, London, EC2V 7HH

Companies House04504128

Incorporated6 August 2002

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

Strong standard 1

Achievement

Strong standard 1

Inclusion

Strong standard 1

Attendance & behaviour

Strong standard 1

Personal development

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	10	7,810	£71.1m	£67.1m	72.2%	10.3%
2022/23	10	8,006	£78.2m	£74.7m	70.8%	11.3%
2023/24	10	8,009	£84.0m	£81.7m	73.2%	11.0%
2024/25partial	11	8,654	£92.4m	£89.6m	73.7%	7.6%
2025/26	11	8,435	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

3.9%

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

£4,148,000

CS staff costs

£3,463,000

CS income

£1,133,000

Admin & clerical£1,508,000

Teaching staff£1,173,000

ICT£0

Premises£2,000

Legal & professional£534,000

Auditor costs£15,000

Member schools (12)

12 schools|11 with risk flags|8 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
City of London Academy (Southwark)	134222	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
City of London Academy Highbury Grove	144962	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence
City of London Academy Islington	135587	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence
City of London Academy, Highgate Hill	143659	Secondary	workforce pressure
City of London Academy, Shoreditch Park	143756	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absencein year deficit
City of London Primary Academy, Islington	143020	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficit
Galleywall Primary, City of London Academy	142875	Primary	workforce pressure
London Nautical, City of London Academy	150889	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressureofsted concernin year deficit
Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre, City of London Academy	144511	16 plus	workforce pressure
Plashet, City of London Academy	152267	Secondary	high staff costsin year deficit
Redriff Primary, City of London Academy	137648	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
The City Academy, Hackney	135835	Secondary	—