The former Alsager Multi Academy Trust balanced its books and saw all of its schools rated at least good by Ofsted, its annual report has confirmed.
The Cornovii Trust, in its report for the year ending 31st August, said total expenditure of £30,948,452 — including £2m of depreciation — was met through recurrent Department for Education grant funding and other income totalling £29,425,261.
The trust said this was in line with its strategy to build and maintain adequate reserves to support future improvements and development of the organisation and its infrastructure. It reported an in-year surplus of £267,833 across general and unrestricted funds.
The report said Government delays to implementing the national funding formula “continue to cause concern and uncertainty”, with funding for 2025–26 still being allocated to local authorities first.
Cheshire East is one of the lowest-funded authorities in the country, meaning the trust’s overall funding is “considerably lower” than almost all other areas and below that of several neighbouring authorities.
The trust highlighted strong academic outcomes in 2025, including 76% of pupils achieving grade four or above in GCSE English and maths, 53% achieving grade five or above, 53% achieving the EBacc, and A-level pass rates of 99% A*–E and 85% A*–C. It said it achieved “a very strong set of external exam outcomes” at both primary and secondary level compared with regional and national data.
The trust oversaw the transition of Pear Tree Primary and Stapeley Broad Lane CofE Primary into the organisation during 2024–25, and supported Pear Tree Primary through “significant” leadership challenges.
All schools in the trust remained rated at least good by Ofsted, following Stapeley Broad Lane’s inspection in January 2025.
The trust said it had further developed its central team supporting finance, governance, HR and estates, and introduced strategic local governor links in several schools, which it said had reduced workload and strengthened governance.
Permanent headteachers were appointed at Brine Leas School and Pear Tree Primary, and a pre-school for three-year-olds was funded and opened at Alsager Highfields primary school. The trust also continued to lead the Cheshire and Wirral Maths Hub, providing professional development to teachers across 380 schools.
The trust employs 513 staff — 240 teachers, 263 support staff and 10 in management — with a total wage bill of £16,842,563. Supply teacher costs were £396,598 and staff restructuring cost £44,791, with six severance payments made during the year. Alsager School cost £11.3m to run, followed by Brine Leas at £10m. Among the primary schools, Weston was the most expensive at £1.5m, with Alsager Highfields at £1.3m.
The Cornovii Trust was formed when Alsager Multi Academy Trust merged with Brine Multi Academy Trust on 1st September 2022. Two further schools joined in 2024–25: Pear Tree Primary on 1st September 2024 and Stapeley Broad Lane CofE Primary on 1st January 2025. The trust now operates two secondary and five primary academies in the Alsager and Nantwich areas. Pupil capacity rose from 3,926 in September 2024 to 4,136 when Stapeley Broad Lane joined, and the summer 2025 census recorded 4,003 pupils on roll.
The trust is also working with another secondary school in Nantwich, expected to join this year, as it continued its ambition to expand.
