North Star Academy Trust

UID 17491·Companies House 13057873·Incorporated December 2020·Compare

Schools

Flags

11 high severity

Finance: 2025/26Ofsted: Apr 2024Performance: 2025/26Workforce: 2026/27Attendance: 2025/26

Total income

£10.5m

247 pupils

Avg staff costs

62.1%

of income

Avg reserves

18.5%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

85.6%

free school meals

Capacity

71%

247 / 346 places

Total admin cost

£231k

£935 per pupil

Trust overview

With 4 schools, trust-wide averages move materially with a single school's results.

All 4 schools with reported data have staff costs below the DfE's 78% review point.

1 of 4 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 2 percentage points over two years of published returns.

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

Absence is above the national average in 3 of 3 schools. Attendance tracks intake and local circumstances as well as school practice.

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

All 3 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above — Good or better under the legacy framework, or Expected standard or above under the Report Card.

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 3 graded schools.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

100% Good+

Good 2

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Good 2

Personal development

100% Good+

Good 2

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Good 3

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

5.7

-40.6

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

0.0%

-61.0pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressNorth Star Academy Trust Long Cross, Bristol, BS11 0QA

Companies House13057873

Incorporated2 December 2020

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	3	207	£6.9m	£6.9m	73.9%	27.7%
2022/23	3	239	£7.7m	£7.4m	77.3%	30.4%
2023/24	3	246	£8.3m	£8.3m	76.6%	26.9%
2024/25partial	4	247	£10.5m	£9.2m	62.1%	18.5%
2025/26	4	264	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

8.5%

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

£862,000

CS staff costs

£786,000

CS income

£50,000

Admin & clerical£419,000

Teaching staff£286,000

ICT£0

Premises£53,000

Legal & professional£16,000

Auditor costs£3,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

11 current directors · Average tenure: 3.1 years · 6 changes in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (11)

Thomas Henry Mortimer Perrott

director·< 1 year

Douglas Richard Ure

director·< 1 year

Anthony Paul Stubbs

director·< 1 year

Kris Hristakev

director·2 years

Fiona Jane Williams

director·2 years

Dominic Henry Cole

director·2 years

Andrew Sivam Kandiah

director·2 years

Stephen Philip Hornsby

director·5 years

Adam John Fare Matthews

director·5 years

Irina Florentina Lazar

director·5 years

Michaela Groves

director·5 years

7 former officers — most recent departure: Dec 2025

Tiffini De Angela Smith

director·2 years·Resigned Sept 2025

Mark Edward Saint

director·2 years·Resigned Oct 2025

Amar Shah

director·4 years·Resigned Apr 2023

Gabrielle Elizabeth Stacey

director·5 years·Resigned Jun 2023

Pippa Louise Harding

director·5 years·Resigned Jul 2022

Richard Bernard Penska

Member schools (4)

4 schools|4 with risk flags|6 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
North Star 180°	140677	Not applicable	workforce pressurehigh absencein year deficit
North Star 240°	148322	Not applicable	high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit
North Star 265°	149843	Not applicable	workforce pressure
North Star 82°	148296	Not applicable	high absenceworkforce pressurehigh staff costs