A troubled academy trust saddled with an over £8 million deficit is set to be carved up in one of the largest-ever MAT closures.
Schools Week previously revealed how the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP) had racked up seven-figure losses after purchasing iPads as part of an initiative to provide 11,000 devices for all pupils and staff.
Staff walkouts across 20 of its schools over planned redundancies and the resignation of the trust’s CEO later followed.
But today, interim boss Lee Miller revealed education secretary Bridget Phillipson has decided all the trust’s academies “should transition to a small number of high-performing, regionally based” chains.
“This is intended to ensure schools continue to benefit from strong regional expertise, local understanding and ongoing support,” he said.
“While this decision ultimately rests with the secretary of state, we believe this approach provides the strongest opportunity to support ongoing school improvement, long-term stability and the very best educational outcomes.”
iPad scheme changes
In 2024, Arthur Terry was issued with a notice to improve by the Department for Education on financial grounds after being offered a £1.5 million government loan and posting an almost £4 million deficit.
But 2024-25 accounts, published last month, show the MAT received more cash as it slipped to an £8.4 million deficit.
In all, it has been loaned £3.5 million, all of which “had been drawn down by the year end”.
Trust chiefs struck an agreement in principle with officials for “an additional £1 million of repayable funding”.
The DfE has also “agreed to provide a non-recoverable fund to cover the costs associated with restructuring”, Arthur Terry recently confirmed.
The trust also consulted on the next phase of its controversial use of iPads, having bought 5,500 devices and leased 5,500 more, which created “an ongoing annual commitment of over £1 million”.
It has since decided to stop issuing the tech “on a universal one-to-one basis” and return the leased tablets when their agreements end in July.
Leaders “will decide how best to deploy devices” from September.
Financial ‘progress’
Speaking this afternoon, Miller stressed the trust has “continued to make progress in strengthening governance and improving the trust’s financial position” since his arrival in January.
He said discussions over the trusts his schools will move to and the timescales “remain ongoing”.
“Throughout this period, ATLP will continue to operate fully, maintaining its focus on school improvement and operational stability whilst supporting schools, staff and pupils,” Miller added.
The last high-profile case of a trust of a similar size being wound up came in 2017. The Wakefield City Academies Trust gave up all 21 of its schools.
This followed financial scandals and Ofsted pressure to turn around its schools after two were put into special measures in the space of three months.