Discovery Schools Academies Trust Ltd

UID 2932·Companies House 08104111·Incorporated June 2012·Compare

Schools

Flags

37 high severity

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

Total income

£66.5m

6,426 pupils

Avg staff costs

77.4%

of income

Avg reserves

1.0%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

31.2%

free school meals

Capacity

89%

6,426 / 7,210 places

Total admin cost

£3.8m

£598 per pupil

Trust overview

9 of 20 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

19 of 20 schools hold reserves below the DfE's 5% reference point.

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

Absence is at or below the national average in 13 of 19 schools.

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

All 19 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above — Good or better under the legacy framework, or Expected standard or above under the Report Card.

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

100%meeting standard or above

Across 19 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. 2Good 6RI 1

Behaviour & attitudes

89% Good+

Outst. 2Good 6RI 1

Personal development

89% Good+

Outst. 3Good 5RI 1

Leadership & management

95% Good+

Outst. 4Good 14RI 1

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

20.3

-25.9

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

55.0%

-6.0pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

Address3 Gilmour Close, Leicester, LE4 1EZ

Companies House08104111

Incorporated13 June 2012

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

Strong standard 1

Attendance & behaviour

Strong standard 1

Personal development

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	17	5,838	£42.9m	£41.4m	76.0%	4.5%
2022/23	17	5,839	£51.4m	£49.1m	75.2%	3.2%
2023/24	19	6,268	£53.9m	£52.7m	82.5%	1.0%
2024/25partial	20	6,426	£66.5m	£64.4m	77.4%	1.0%
2025/26	19	6,283	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

0.0%

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

£0

CS staff costs

£0

CS income

£0

Admin & clerical£0

Teaching staff£0

ICT£0

Premises£0

Legal & professional£0

Auditor costs£0

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

11 current directors · Average tenure: 6.0 years · 2 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (11)

Stuart Cain Wilson

director·< 1 year

Elizabeth Carolyn Anne Needham

director·1 year

Faith Geary

director·2 years

Stephen Andrew Dixon-mould

director·4 years

Lucy Charlotte Welsford

director·4 years

Raj Tugnet

director·4 years

Mihir Trivedi

director·7 years

Shane William Bray

director·8 years

Richard Guy Bettsworth

director·8 years

Margaret Spence

director·11 years

Gary David Sims

director·11 years

Company Secretary

Adam Michael Lapidge

secretary·< 1 year

22 former officers — most recent departure: Jan 2025

Ruth Louise Malkin

director·4 years·Resigned Apr 2024

Christopher Frank Bristow

director·4 years·Resigned Jan 2025

Helen Denise Stockill

secretary·5 years·Resigned Jun 2022

MICHELMORES SECRETARIES LIMITED

corporate-secretary·10 years·Resigned Apr 2021

David Rowlands Williams

director·10 years·Resigned Feb 2022

Michael James Mcallister

Member schools (20)

20 schools|20 with risk flags|22 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Ash Field Academy	138094	Not applicable	high absenceworkforce pressure
Badgerbrook Primary School	151128	Primary	ofsted concernworkforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Birch Wood (Melton Area Special School)	152239	Not applicable	high absence
Braunstone Community Primary School	143245	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costs
Captains Close Primary School	139845	Primary	workforce pressurehigh absencehigh staff costsin year deficit
Enderby Danemill Primary School	140316	Primary	workforce pressure
Farndon Fields Primary School	138345	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Fossebrook Primary School	142410	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficithigh staff costs
Greystoke Primary School	141903	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Keyham Lodge School	148171	Not applicable	high absenceworkforce pressurehigh staff costs
Kibworth Church of England Primary School	138358	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costs
Leighfield Primary School	139481	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Merrydale Junior School	143244	Primary	workforce pressure
Millgate School	148165	Not applicable	high absencehigh staff costsworkforce pressure
Mowmacre Hill Primary School	141137	Primary	workforce pressure
Parkland Primary School South Wigston	138348	Primary	workforce pressure
Sileby Redlands Community Primary School	140101	Primary	workforce pressure
Uppingham Community College	136629	Secondary	high absencein year deficit
Wellington Place Primary School	150744	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
Woolden Hill Primary School	140851	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficit