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Multi-academy trust in charge of string of Staffordshire schools told to improve after failing to balance budget

A multi-academy trust which runs a string of Staffordshire schools has been handed a notice to improve by the government after failing to balance its budget.

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The Department for Education and Education (DfE) and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) wrote to the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership earlier this month and told it to "improve on financial grounds".

In the letter, chair of trustees John Vickers was told the trust needed to improve after it had been unable to approve a balanced budget for 2023/24, despite being given "exceptional financial support".

It set out a number of requirements along with a timescale and said if the trust fails to meet them, it will be deemed a "funding agreement breach" and could lead to "termination".

Anna Sewards Primary School in Lichfield, which is run by the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership

Among these requirements, the trust must continue to review its financial management and submit a budget forecast by a deadline set by the ESFA.

The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership is formed of more than 20 schools, a number of which are based in Staffordshire.

These include Anna Seward Primary School, Scotch Orchard Primary School, St Michael's Church of England Primary School, The Bridge Academy, Nether Stowe School, all in Lichfield, Greysbroke Primary School in Shenstone and The Arthur Terry School in Sutton Coldfield.