Academy chain whose schools have been facing job cuts nearly doubled its “topslice” in two years

Analysis by this website shows the 19-school Initio Learning Trust increased its “topslice,” as a proportion of its schools’ core funding from 3.9 to 7.5 per cent between 2022-23 and 2024-25.

 

A multi-academy trust which has put forward highly contentious cuts to classroom staffing nearly doubled the “topslice” it charged its schools for centrally-organised services in just two years, analysis by Education Uncovered has revealed.

The Initio Learning Trust, which runs 19 academies in Dorset and Bournemouth, saw the total amount it charged its schools for central services jump from 3.9 per cent of their core funding from government in 2022-23 to 7.5 per cent in 2024-25.

The overall amount it charged schools rose from £1.2 million in 2022-23 to £3.2 million last year, with increasing spending on the trust’s central management team provoking particular disquiet among critical parents.

This analysis comes with the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers having been poised to begin strike action tomorrow against proposed job cuts at Initio, and with the National Education Union also having reportedly balloted on strikes. The NASUWT paused its strike action earlier this week, however, amid continuing negotiations.

The development may also draw more attention to “topslicing,” in which centralised decision-making by academy trusts can have serious implications for schools. Last term, controversy over the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership’s huge apparent central charges may have contributed to a change of leadership at that trust, with that trust announcing this week an apparent reduction in its central charges. 

In response, Initio told Education Uncovered that government funding had not kept pace with its rising costs.