Ironstone Academy Trust

UID 3538·Companies House 09040348·Incorporated May 2014·Compare

Schools

Flags

5 high severity

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

Total income

£11.2m

1,516 pupils

Avg staff costs

70.7%

of income

Avg reserves

11.9%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

31.6%

free school meals

Capacity

81%

1,516 / 1,883 places

Total admin cost

£469k

£309 per pupil

Trust overview

All 6 schools with reported data have staff costs below the DfE's 78% review point.

All 6 schools with reported data hold reserves at or above the DfE's 5% reference point.

Every school with reported data balanced its in-year budget in the latest return.

Absence is at or below the national average in 3 of 6 schools.

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

5 of 6 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

83%meeting standard or above

Across 6 graded schools, including 1 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

100% Good+

Good 2

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Good 2

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 1

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 2Good 4

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

60.0%

-1.0pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressNormanby Primary School Flatts Lane, Middlesbrough, TS6 0NP

Companies House09040348

Incorporated14 May 2014

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

Needs attention 1

Achievement

Needs attention 1

Inclusion

Expected standard 1

Attendance & behaviour

Expected standard 1

Personal development

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	6	1,664	£9.6m	£9.4m	75.3%	12.5%
2022/23	6	1,616	£10.2m	£10.0m	74.7%	9.8%
2023/24	6	1,565	£10.8m	£10.1m	72.4%	8.4%
2024/25partial	6	1,516	£11.2m	£10.0m	70.7%	11.9%
2025/26	6	1,427	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

7.3%

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

£785,000

CS staff costs

£394,000

CS income

£60,000

Admin & clerical£177,000

Teaching staff£144,000

ICT£61,000

Premises£0

Legal & professional£101,000

Auditor costs£28,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

10 current directors · Average tenure: 7.8 years

Directors / Trustees (10)

Natasha Dr Neary

director·1 year

Emma Jane Harrison

director·1 year

Darren Brian Holmes

director·4 years

Theresa Michelle Smith

director·7 years

David John Atkin

director·9 years

Richard Michael Carter

director·9 years

Stephen David Elliott

director·9 years

Peter Charles Robinson

director·9 years

Lesley Addison

director·12 years

Carl Faulkner

director·12 years

17 former officers — most recent departure: May 2024

Lisa Evelyn Noteyoung

director·5 years·Resigned Nov 2021

Susan Jayne Nicholson

director·8 years·Resigned Mar 2020

Karen Deen

director·9 years·Resigned May 2024

Matthew Whitfield

director·9 years·Resigned Dec 2017

Dorothy Ann Ives

director·9 years·Resigned Feb 2017

Kenneth Wood

Member schools (6)

6 schools|4 with risk flags|4 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Normanby Primary School	140918	Primary	—
Nunthorpe Primary Academy	140919	Primary	—
Ormesby Primary School	143479	Primary	workforce pressurehigh absenceperformance decline
Overfields Primary School	146403	Primary	workforce pressure
Riverdale Primary School	145046	Primary	workforce pressureperformance declineofsted concern
Zetland Primary School	143478	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressure