Scholars' Education Trust

UID 4533·Companies House 07697132·Incorporated July 2011·Compare

Schools

Flags

12 high severity

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

Total income

£72.8m

9,538 pupils

Avg staff costs

74.1%

of income

Avg reserves

9.3%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

18.1%

free school meals

Capacity

96%

9,538 / 9,903 places

Total admin cost

£2.7m

£281 per pupil

Trust overview

1 of 13 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

1 of 13 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.

Absence is above the national average in 9 of 13 schools. Attendance tracks intake and local circumstances as well as school practice.

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

10 of 11 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

91%meeting standard or above

Across 11 graded schools, including 1 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

83% Good+

Outst. 1Good 4RI 1

Behaviour & attitudes

67% Good+

Outst. 1Good 3RI 2

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 2Good 4

Leadership & management

91% Good+

Outst. 3Good 7RI 1

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 4

Attainment 8

49.1

+2.9

vs national

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

63.0%

+2.0pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressSamuel Ryder Academy, St Albans, AL1 5AR

Companies House07697132

Incorporated7 July 2011

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

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	5,823	£37.4m	£34.8m	69.1%	8.5%
2022/23	7	7,242	£48.6m	£46.2m	70.6%	12.8%
2023/24	11	8,911	£59.7m	£57.0m	74.1%	12.2%
2024/25partial	13	9,538	£72.8m	£68.6m	74.1%	9.3%
2025/26	13	9,539	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

4.7%

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

£3,412,000

CS staff costs

£2,720,000

CS income

-£984,000

Admin & clerical£1,470,000

Teaching staff£531,000

ICT£2,000

Premises-£2,000

Legal & professional£99,000

Auditor costs£75,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2024

13 current directors · Average tenure: 4.9 years

Directors / Trustees (13)

Carley Anne Holliman

director·1 year

Clare Turner

director·2 years

Gemma Sayers

director·2 years

David Paul Whiteley

director·2 years

Jocelyn Sarah Angrave

director·3 years

Victoria Garvin

director·4 years

Joel Bellman

director·4 years

Sean David Hegarty

director·5 years

Paul Burrett

director·5 years

William Ernest Rammell

director·6 years

Andrew Clifford Cunningham

director·7 years

Geoffrey Donald Stephen Payne

director·9 years

Claire Elizabeth Robins

director·9 years

Company Secretary

Hazel Wale

secretary·15 years

26 former officers — most recent departure: Mar 2024

Stephen John Owen

director·8 years·Resigned Jul 2019

Sanjeevan Bala

director·8 years·Resigned Dec 2021

Nicholas Andrew Spittal

director·8 years·Resigned Dec 2021

Geoffrey Alistair Newman

director·9 years·Resigned Aug 2017

Susan Lucy Archer

director·9 years·Resigned Nov 2021

Catherine Baxendale

Member schools (13)

13 schools|12 with risk flags|9 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Buntingford First School	149748	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Dunstable Icknield Lower School	151210	Primary	high staff costsofsted concernworkforce pressure
Harpenden Academy	143648	Primary	workforce pressure
Longdean School	137110	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Nazeing Primary School	151971	Primary	in year deficithigh absencehigh staff costs
Oakleaf Primary	151385	Primary	high staff costsin year deficit
Priory Academy	138181	All-through	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Robert Barclay Academy	143131	Secondary	workforce pressurehigh absence
Samuel Ryder Academy	138582	All-through	workforce pressure
Sir John Lawes School	137270	Secondary	—
The Hemel Hempstead School	149500	Secondary	high absenceworkforce pressure
The Highfield School	150217	Secondary	high absenceofsted concernin year deficit
Watling Lower School	151796	Primary	workforce pressurehigh absencehigh staff costsin year deficit