Sandstone Trust

UID 17482·Companies House 08100344·Incorporated June 2012·Compare

Schools

Flags

1 high severity

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

Total income

£19.6m

2,750 pupils

Avg staff costs

75.8%

of income

Avg reserves

-6.4%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

10.4%

free school meals

Capacity

93%

2,750 / 2,970 places

Total admin cost

£1.3m

£477 per pupil

Trust overview

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

1 of 4 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

2 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 16 percentage points over two years of published returns.

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

Absence is at or below the national average in 2 of 4 schools.

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

All 4 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.

At a glance

Trust-wide reserves at 4.6%below 5% threshold2 schools in deficit2 schools with workforce pressure1 school with absence above 8%1 school with staff costs above 78%

Ofsted & results

Ofsted

100%meeting standard or above

Across 4 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+

Good 2

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 3

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

52.9

+6.6

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

77.0%

+16.0pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

Companies House08100344

Incorporated11 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

Expected standard 1

Personal development

Growth

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	3	1,626	£9.1m	£8.8m	76.3%	8.7%
2022/23	4	2,795	£17.7m	£17.5m	74.4%	9.5%
2023/24	4	2,759	£19.1m	£18.6m	73.7%	10.7%
2024/25partial	4	2,750	£19.6m	£18.1m	75.8%	-6.4%
2025/26	4	2,778	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

6.0%

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

£1,146,000

CS staff costs

£794,000

CS income

£0

Admin & clerical£490,000

Teaching staff£294,000

ICT£119,000

Premises£79,000

Legal & professional£66,000

Auditor costs£53,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

8 current directors · Average tenure: 5.6 years · 1 change in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (8)

Jayne Lesley Jones

director·1 year

Andrea Helen Millard

director·3 years

Julie Margaret Ellis

director·3 years

Bryn Heeley

director·3 years

Simon Lazarus

director·5 years

Daniel Adam Thomas

director·5 years

Jason Lowe

director·8 years

Nigel Andrew Taylor

director·13 years

Company Secretary

Jonathan Neil Hayes

secretary·14 years

39 former officers — most recent departure: Mar 2026

Robert John Lambert

director·3 years·Resigned Dec 2023

Sarah Elizabeth Ford

director·5 years·Resigned Oct 2021

Susan Lesley Walters

director·5 years·Resigned Nov 2021

Sebastian John Kramer

director·5 years·Resigned Mar 2026

John Fraser Gow

director·6 years·Resigned Aug 2023

Jane Alison Hough

Member schools (4)

4 schools|3 with risk flags|1 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Eaton Primary School	147638	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficit
Tarporley High School and Sixth Form College	138483	Secondary	—
Tarvin Primary School	147995	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Weaverham High School	149614	Secondary	high absence

Eaton Primary SchoolPrimary

workforce pressurein year deficit

Tarporley High School and Sixth Form CollegeSecondary

Tarvin Primary SchoolPrimary

workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit

Weaverham High SchoolSecondary

high absence

Leadership

Expected standard 1

Gavin William Dr Mcneill

director·6 years·Resigned Dec 2020

Judith Claire Shorrock

director·6 years·Resigned Mar 2023

Michael Geoffrey Hutchinson

director·7 years·Resigned Dec 2020

Alison Jane Dodwell-cooke

director·8 years·Resigned Dec 2020

Bethany Althea Spray

director·8 years·Resigned Dec 2020

Jane Alison Hough

director·10 years·Resigned Jan 2020

Rachel Sims

director·10 years·Resigned Dec 2020

Roger Spencer Craig

director·10 years·Resigned Dec 2018

James Edward Bowland

director·10 years·Resigned Dec 2019

Alison Senior

director·10 years·Resigned Sept 2018

Sharon Maria Varey

director·10 years·Resigned Sept 2019

Andrew Christopher Joseph Davies

director·11 years·Resigned Jul 2020

Richard Anthony Gillard

director·12 years·Resigned Dec 2015

Julie Catherine Adkins

director·13 years·Resigned Jun 2017

Michael Ian Lomas

director·13 years·Resigned Dec 2020

Benedick Cox

director·13 years·Resigned Sept 2013

Richard Andrew Needham

director·13 years·Resigned Oct 2013

Avis Elaine France

director·13 years·Resigned Dec 2017

Judith Jennings

director·13 years·Resigned Oct 2014

Dawn Carol Joyce

director·13 years·Resigned Jun 2019

Trudy Boyle

director·13 years·Resigned Sept 2019

Clare Louise Blackhurst

director·13 years·Resigned Nov 2015

Caryle Frances Sinnott

director·13 years·Resigned Jan 2016

Philippa Smith

director·13 years·Resigned Jan 2015

Jane Sarah Stephens

director·13 years·Resigned Aug 2019

Stephen Williams

director·13 years·Resigned Jun 2016

Ronald Charles Woodcock

director·13 years·Resigned Feb 2014

Sarah Barton Lee

director·14 years·Resigned Dec 2017

John Waddington

director·14 years·Resigned Sept 2018

Sally Ann Sissons

director·14 years·Resigned Oct 2015

Thomas Patrick Crotty

director·14 years·Resigned Dec 2015

Joanna Mary Mcdonald

director·14 years·Resigned Dec 2012

Harry John Dr Ziman

director·14 years·Resigned Dec 2019