The Aspire Educational Trust

UID 5594·Companies House 08689696·Incorporated September 2013·Compare

Schools

Flags

6 high severity

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

Total income

£27.7m

4,037 pupils

Avg staff costs

75.8%

of income

Avg reserves

6.5%

of income

Avg absence

More metrics

Avg FSM

26.8%

free school meals

Capacity

93%

4,037 / 4,337 places

Total admin cost

£1.1m

£262 per pupil

Trust overview

2 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.

2 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.

Trust-average reserves have fallen about 3 percentage points over two years of published returns.

Absence is at or below the national average in 11 of 13 schools.

All 13 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.

At a glance

9 schools with workforce pressure6 schools with staff costs above 78%5 schools in deficit2 schools with declining results5 schools with absence above 8%

Ofsted & results

Ofsted

100%meeting standard or above

Across 13 graded schools.

Sub-judgements — earlier framework

Quality of education

100% Good+

Outst. 1Good 6

Behaviour & attitudes

100% Good+

Outst. 2Good 5

Personal development

100% Good+

Outst. 3Good 4

Leadership & management

100% Good+

Outst. 2Good 11

Performance (trust avg)

Key Stage 2

Expected standard (RWM)

59.5%

-1.5pp

vs national

National averages: 2023/24

Trust details

AddressAsh Grove Academy, Macclesfield, SK11 7TF

Companies House08689696

Incorporated13 September 2013

Growth

Year	Schools	Pupils	Total income	Total expenditure	Avg staff costs %	Avg reserves %
2021/22	12	3,925	£21.9m	£20.4m	73.1%	13.9%
2022/23	12	3,889	£24.7m	£23.3m	73.6%	13.1%
2023/24	12	3,852	£25.6m	£24.9m	75.8%	10.1%
2024/25partial	13	4,037	£27.7m	£27.3m	75.8%	6.5%
2025/26	13	3,994	—	—	—	—

Central services

2024/25

Centralisation

2.0%

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

£566,000

CS staff costs

£1,212,000

CS income

£14,000

Admin & clerical£249,000

Teaching staff£882,000

ICT£1,000

Premises£7,000

Legal & professional£40,000

Auditor costs£51,000

Governance

Source: Companies House

Board of trustees

Accounts to Aug 2025

7 current directors · Average tenure: 4.7 years · 1 change in last 12 months

Directors / Trustees (7)

Lynn Treadway

director·1 year

Robert Mark Carr

director·1 year

Kathryn Louise Davies

director·3 years

Helen Clare Marsh

director·3 years

Carol Ann Sharples

director·3 years

Jane Felicity Jane Tomlinson

director·5 years

Kevin Simpson

director·12 years

27 former officers — most recent departure: Jul 2025

Martin Elliott

director·7 years·Resigned Dec 2022

Ann Alcock Harris

director·8 years·Resigned Dec 2018

Paula Anne Hewer

director·8 years·Resigned May 2018

Paul Stoddard

director·8 years·Resigned Dec 2018

Timothy Robert Hailwood

director·8 years·Resigned Dec 2018

Debra Dr Charnley

Member schools (13)

13 schools|13 with risk flags|6 high severity

School	URN	Phase	Risk flags
Ash Grove Academy	140444	Primary	workforce pressure
Hollinhey Primary School	146430	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Holmes Chapel Primary School	140083	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costs
Hurdsfield Community Primary School and Nursery	151612	Primary	high absencehigh staff costsin year deficit
Ivy Bank Primary School	141792	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficit
Parkroyal Community School	140438	Primary	high staff costs
Peover Superior Endowed Primary School	141653	Primary	workforce pressurein year deficitperformance decline
Puss Bank School and Nursery	145248	Primary	workforce pressurehigh staff costsin year deficit
Sandbach Primary Academy	141809	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressure
The Wilmslow Academy	143156	Primary	high absence
Underwood West Academy	143153	Primary	workforce pressureperformance decline
Victoria Road Primary School	143164	Primary	high absenceworkforce pressure
Wilbraham Primary School	145439	Primary	high absencehigh staff costs