School trust criticised over use of public funds
GoogleA school trust has been criticised for spending money on overseas trips for senior managers and how it recruited staff and bought services.
The Hull Collaborative Academy Trust, which runs 16 schools across Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire and one in North Yorkshire, has been issued with a Notice to Improve by the government's Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).
A report by the agency said "the trust was not able to show that public funds were used as intended by Parliament".
The trust said the review process began in 2024 and the notice related to "historic trust-level systems, processes and governance arrangements".
The report said: "The trust made payments to connected individuals and organisations without sufficient procurement controls, documentation or proper disclosure to the ESFA/DfE."
It highlighted more than £400,000 of "financial dealings with related organisations" and almost £70,000 spent on IT equipment.
Overseas travel by senior staff was also highlighted, which was "wholly or partly funded by a related party organisation".
"These trips created unmanaged conflicts of interest," the report said.
It added that "due to incomplete records, it was not possible to establish a total financial value of these trips", with the trust only able to provide documentation for £69,170 of travel costs.
The trust said the notice did not relate to the quality of education, teaching or care provided in its schools and that it had a new Board of Trustees.
A spokesperson added: "The trust has undertaken a significant programme of improvement across governance, finance, operations and organisational systems."
In 2023, a teaching union criticised the trust for spending more than £1,000 on flights to send its then chief executive, Estelle MacDonald, to an Apple conference in the US in the previous year.
Staff recruitment was also raised as a concern, with the ESFA saying "the trust was not transparent in relation to certain recruitment processes".
It said that "files reviewed for seven employees showed they had familial or other close connection to the trust".
Records on Companies House show MacDonald resigned as a director of the trust in June. According to the trust website, she left "by mutual agreement".
The schools run by the trust are:
- Bellfield Primary School, Hull
- Collingwood Primary School, Hull
- Dorchester Primary School, Hull
- Eastfield Primary School, Hull
- Gilberdyke Primary School, Gilberdyke
- Longhill Primary School, Hull
- Malton Primary School, Malton
- The Marvell College, Hull
- Pearson Primary School, Hull
- Stockwell Academy, Hul
- Sutton Park Primary School, Hull
- Thoresby Primary School, Hull
- Wansbeck Primary School, Hull
- Wescott Primary School, Hull
- Wheeler Primary School, Hull
- Withernsea Primary School, Hull
The BBC has contacted the Department for Education for a response.
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