Meridian Trust

UID 2526·Companies House 07552498·Incorporated March 2011·Compare

Schools

Flags

23 high severity

Finance: 2024/25Ofsted: Apr 2025Performance: 2025/26Workforce: 2025/26Attendance: 2025/26

Total income

£147.7m

19,718 pupils

Avg staff costs

70.8%

of income

Avg reserves

9.5%

of income

Avg absence

7.1%

Persistent: 18.4%

More metrics

Avg FSM

23.6%

free school meals

Capacity

76%

19,718 / 26,032 places

Total admin cost

£7.2m

£367 per pupil

Trust overview

5 of 36 schools have staff costs above the DfE's 78% review threshold — review against school context.

4 schools are operating in deficit — this may reflect planned investment or require financial planning.

6 of 36 schools had expenditure exceeding income this year.

Overall absence is above the national average in 47% of schools (17 of 36).

14 schools have persistent absence above 20%.

97% of inspected schools are rated Good or Outstanding across sub-judgements.

Reference points from DfE published guidance. Whether any metric warrants action depends on the trust's context and strategy.

Ofsted sub-judgements

Quality of education

96% Good+

Outst. 5Good 18RI 1

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 6Good 18

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 7Good 17

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 10Good 25

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

40.0

-6.2

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

58.8%

-2.2pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressSawtry Village Academy Fen Lane, Huntingdon, PE28 5TQ

Companies House07552498

Incorporated4 March 2011

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	34	18,800	£116.1m	£113.5m	75.5%	10.4%
2022/23	35	19,383	£133.2m	£124.3m	71.5%	11.9%
2023/24	36	19,718	£147.7m	£138.9m	70.8%	9.5%
2024/25partial	36	20,378	—	—	—	—

Central services — 2023/24

Centralisation

6.4%

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

£9,508,000

CS staff costs

£7,407,000

CS income

-£513,000

Admin & clerical£2,323,000

Teaching staff£3,135,000

ICT£19,000

Premises£629,000

Legal & professional£236,000

Auditor costs£106,000

Governance

Accounts to Aug 2025Source: Companies House

12 current directors · Average tenure: 7.5 years · 3 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (12)

Julie Forsyth Buchanan

director·< 1 year

Robert Page Robson

director·1 year

Robert Stuart Plumbly

director·4 years

Darren John Woodward

director·4 years

Mark Richard Bedlow

director·5 years

Judith Anne Salter

director·6 years

Michael Brian Griffiths

director·6 years

Paul Steven Phillipson

director·8 years

James William Kennedy

director·8 years

Mark Edward Woods

director·14 years

Shirley Marie Jamieson

director·14 years

David Robert Ruddy

director·15 years

Company Secretary

Helen Louise Anderson

secretary·7 years

16 former officers — most recent departure: Mar 2026

Simon James Piers Evans-evans

director·4 years·Resigned Jan 2023

Kevin Michael Barton

director·4 years·Resigned Mar 2026

Sean Patrick Hayes

director·6 years·Resigned Jul 2023

Neil Alexander Grimston

director·9 years·Resigned Sept 2018

Roger Moore

director·10 years·Resigned May 2019

Lesley Christine Birch

Member schools (36)

36 schools|33 with risk flags|14 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Abbey College, Ramsey	137377	Secondary	in year deficit
Bar Hill Community Primary School	145801	Primary	workforce pressure
Crosshall Infant School	136332	Primary	workforce pressure
Crosshall Junior School	136339	Primary	in year deficithigh staff costsworkforce pressure
Downham Feoffees Primary Academy	144947	Primary	workforce pressure
Ely College	143404	Secondary	workforce pressure
Great Ouse Primary Academy	144746	Primary	high staff costsperformance decline
Greater Peterborough UTC	142902	Secondary	high absence
Harrold Primary Academy	143084	Primary	in year deficit
Hatton Park Primary School	138993	Primary	workforce pressure
Histon and Impington Brook Primary School	139087	Primary	—
Histon and Impington Park Primary School	139086	Primary	—
Lantern Community Primary School	145804	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Lincroft Academy	136471	Secondary	high absence
Nene Park Academy	137082	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence
Nene Valley Primary School	146854	Primary	in year deficit
NeneGate	149368	Not applicable	high absenceworkforce pressure
North Cambridge Academy	139401	Secondary	high absence
Northstowe Learning Community	148128	All-through	high absence
Oakley Primary Academy	143561	Primary	workforce pressure