Epworth Education Trust

UID 2072·Companies House 08638158·Incorporated August 2013·Compare

Schools

Flags

8 high severity

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

Total income

£17.2m

2,382 pupils

Avg staff costs

70.8%

of income

Avg reserves

2.9%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

25.6%

free school meals

Capacity

88%

2,382 / 2,692 places

Total admin cost

£517k

£217 per pupil

Trust overview

All 11 schools with reported data have staff costs below the DfE's 78% review point.

2 of 11 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 9 percentage points over two years of published returns.

Absence is at or below the national average in 7 of 10 schools.

9 of 11 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above.

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

10 schools with workforce pressure4 schools with declining results4 schools in deficit2 schools with Ofsted concerns1 school with staff costs above 78%

Ofsted & results

Ofsted

82%meeting standard or above

Across 11 graded schools.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

71% Good+

Good 5RI 2

Behaviour & attitudes

86% Good+

Good 6RI 1

Personal development

86% Good+

Outst. 1Good 5RI 1

Leadership & management

82% Good+

Good 9RI 2

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

52.9%

-8.1pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressEpworth Education Trust Central Office, Leigh, WN7 5NJ

Companies House08638158

Incorporated5 August 2013

Growth

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	6	1,442	£8.8m	£8.3m	72.3%	13.7%
2022/23	6	1,433	£8.6m	£8.8m	78.7%	15.2%
2023/24	11	2,451	£14.3m	£14.2m	73.6%	5.2%
2024/25partial	11	2,382	£17.2m	£15.8m	70.8%	2.9%
2025/26	11	2,308	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

6.7%

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

£1,140,000

CS staff costs

£956,000

CS income

£286,000

Admin & clerical£340,000

Teaching staff£419,000

ICT£55,000

Premises£5,000

Legal & professional£32,000

Auditor costs£48,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

7 current directors · Average tenure: 2.9 years · 3 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (7)

Rebecca Gough

director·< 1 year

Alison Mitchell

director·1 year

David Paul Clayton

director·2 years

James Andrew Lockwood

director·2 years

Stuart Rev Ellis

director·3 years

Stephen Myers

director·3 years

Kevin Meredith

director·5 years

27 former officers — most recent departure: Dec 2025

Charlotte Taylor

director·2 years·Resigned Aug 2025

Luke Cowell

director·2 years·Resigned Apr 2025

Lesley Brookbanks

director·3 years·Resigned Oct 2023

Gareth Roberts

director·3 years·Resigned Mar 2023

David Edwin Kershaw

director·5 years·Resigned Jul 2022

John Weaving

Member schools (11)

11 schools|11 with risk flags|6 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Bakewell Methodist Academy	150292	Primary	ofsted concernworkforce pressure
Bedford Hall Methodist Primary School	140053	Primary	workforce pressure
Hey-with-Zion Primary School	150562	Primary	in year deficit
Leigh Westleigh Methodist Primary School	140087	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Leyland Methodist Infant School	150578	Primary	in year deficitworkforce pressure
Leyland Methodist Junior School	150577	Primary	performance declineworkforce pressure
Nutgrove Methodist Primary School	146120	Primary	workforce pressureofsted concern
Rosehill Methodist Primary Academy	146177	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Summerseat Methodist Primary School	148325	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitperformance declineworkforce pressure
Wesley Methodist Primary School	146996	Primary	workforce pressure
Wheatley Lane Methodist Primary School	150581	Primary	in year deficitworkforce pressure