St Chad's Academies Trust

UID 4652·Companies House 08526973·Incorporated May 2013·Compare

Schools

Flags

22 high severity

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

Total income

£36.4m

5,215 pupils

Avg staff costs

74.2%

of income

Avg reserves

5.9%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

29.8%

free school meals

Capacity

91%

5,215 / 5,721 places

Total admin cost

£1.9m

£369 per pupil

Trust overview

4 of 19 schools report staff costs above the DfE's 78% review point. Staffing ratios reflect phase mix, curriculum and local context as much as efficiency.

4 of 19 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 7 percentage points over two years of published returns.

7 of 19 schools spent more than their income in the latest year. Single-year deficits are common around growth, building works or falling rolls; multi-year patterns matter more than one snapshot.

Absence is at or below the national average in 13 of 19 schools.

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

18 of 19 inspected schools meet the expected standard or above.

2 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

95%meeting standard or above

Across 19 graded schools, including 2 under the new Report Card framework. The two frameworks are not directly comparable.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

92% Good+

Good 11RI 1

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 11

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 11

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Good 19

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

60.1%

-0.9pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressC/O Birchills Ce Community Academy, Walsall, WS2 8NF

Companies House08526973

Incorporated13 May 2013

Report Card inspections (new framework)

About these grades

Grade distribution across 2 schoolsinspected under Ofsted's 5-point scale (from November 2025). Not directly comparable with the earlier 1–4 sub-judgements above.

Curriculum & teaching

Expected standard 2

Achievement

Strong standard 1Expected standard 1

Inclusion

Strong standard 2

Attendance & behaviour

Expected standard 2

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	19	5,297	£28.8m	£27.7m	74.2%	16.4%
2022/23	19	5,259	£32.4m	£31.8m	75.1%	11.3%
2023/24	19	5,261	£33.4m	£32.0m	76.1%	7.2%
2024/25partial	19	5,215	£36.4m	£36.8m	74.2%	5.9%
2025/26	19	5,281	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

3.7%

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

£1,418,000

CS staff costs

£1,139,000

CS income

-£48,000

Admin & clerical£1,113,000

Teaching staff£0

ICT£29,000

Premises£0

Legal & professional£27,000

Auditor costs£2,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

6 current directors · Average tenure: 4.2 years · 1 change in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (6)

Michael Rauh

director·1 year

Samuel Lawrence

director·2 years

Gregory Austin David The Revd Canon Dr Platten

director·3 years

Anthony Douglas Orlik

director·4 years

Harry Hormuz Azima

director·5 years

Michelle Painter

director·6 years

Company Secretary

Chloe Norton

secretary·1 year

22 former officers — most recent departure: May 2026

Paul Miner

director·1 year·Resigned May 2026

Helen Steel

secretary·2 years·Resigned May 2025

Lydia Graley

secretary·2 years·Resigned Apr 2024

Joanna Helen Revd Prebendary Farnworth

director·3 years·Resigned Mar 2023

Stephen Read

director·3 years·Resigned Aug 2023

Gareth James Leverton

Member schools (19)

19 schools|18 with risk flags|17 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
All Saints National Academy	141410	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressurein year deficit
Birchills Church of England Community Academy	139435	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Bishop Lonsdale Church of England Primary Academy	143351	Primary	workforce pressure
Brewood Middle CofE Academy	145176	Middle deemed secondary	workforce pressurein year deficit
Christ Church CofE Primary Academy	146155	Primary	high staff costsin year deficitperformance decline
Churchfield CofE Primary Academy	144386	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costs
Dawley Church of England Primary Academy	142785	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Havergal CofE (c) Primary School	140858	Primary	high absencehigh staff costsin year deficitworkforce pressure
Holy Trinity Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery	144460	Primary	workforce pressure
Mereside Church of England Primary Academy	147106	Primary	workforce pressure
St James Church of England Primary Academy	143347	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
St John's Church of England Primary Academy	140856	Primary	workforce pressurehigh absencehigh staff costsin year deficit
St John's CofE Primary Academy	143348	Primary	—
St Jude's Church of England Primary Academy	140355	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficit
St Mary's CofE First Academy	146427	Primary	workforce pressure
St Matthews Church of England Academy	140299	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
St Peter's Bratton Church of England Academy	148716	Primary	workforce pressureofsted concern
St Peter's Church of England Primary Academy	142982	Primary	workforce pressure
Trinity CofE Primary Academy	145288	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficit