THE chairman of an academy trust has stressed a financial deficit will not impact on the children’s education and has hit out at “inflammatory comments” over its age-change plan.

The Department for Education has also failed to answer our query on whether an investigation has been launched into Avonreach Academy Trust’s (AAT) financial situation.

The precariousness of the trust's finances recently came to light after the release of its latest financial statement.

Earlier this month, we reported how a reduction in sixth form funding and unfunded costs imposed by the government had drained the reserves of one of the trust’s schools, Pershore High School.

The statement said that the reserves of AAT, which also includes Cherry Orchard First in Pershore, Inkberrow and Norton Juxta Kempsey first schools, had now been “exhausted” with the trust’s financial position being “a risk.”

Parents expressed concerns at the statement, that covers the period between August 2017 and 2018, and some also speculated that AAT’s age-change plan – with first schools taking on year 5 and 6 pupils and Pershore High squeezing middle schools in the other direction by taking on year 7 pupils – had been introduced as a way to raise cash.

In the latest AAT newsletter, Andrew Longdon, chairman of the trust, said trustees had been “well aware” of the deficit situation for some time and it was not uncommon. He said: “The main cause, besides the well-publicised low levels of government funding in education generally, is a temporary fall in pupil numbers currently in the secondary phase year groups within the high school. This is not an uncommon situation.

“Members of the trust finance team have been working with the Department for Education for many months on a plan to cover this period, with an in-year surplus position expected during the academic year 2019/20.

“This plan, which quite clearly affects the high school only, endeavours to ensure that this does not impact on the education of the children within all of the Avonreach schools.

“A recovery in pupil numbers is very firmly forecast and the financial future for the high school, and the Trust as a whole, beyond this current short term situation is very positive.”

On the age-change rumours, Mr Longden added: “Unfortunately, due to ill-informed and/or inflammatory comments from various groups, we need to stress, again, the age-range change was not financially motivated.”

Following speculation the schools commissioner had launched an investigation into AAT’s financial situation, we asked the Department of Education to confirm or deny this.

The DfE failed to answer but said: “We trust academies to manage their own budgets and the vast majority are operating with a cumulative surplus, with only a small percentage having a deficit.

“Where an academy trust requires additional support, the Education and Skills Funding Agency will work with the Trust to build its capacity.”

READ MORE: Parents raise concerns over Avonreach Academy Trust's finances