Wakefield City Academies Trust police probe closed

A police spokesperson said no crimes had been reported

A police investigation into the financial running of a collapsed academy chain has found that no crimes were committed.

Wakefield City Academies Trust (WCAT) announced in September last year it was giving up its 21 schools because it could not rapidly improve them.

A police spokesperson said: "No crimes have been recorded."

A WCAT spokesperson said: "We are pleased to hear the police inquiry has ended."

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During Bradford and Wakefield council meetings in 2017 it was claimed the trust moved millions of pounds of school reserves into its centralised accounts prior to collapse.

Councillors had called for a police investigation.

Wakefield Police said it had completed a review of information passed to officers over the collapse.

"No crimes have been recorded and relevant authorities have been made aware", it said.

The trust said: "This follows confirmation from the Department for Education of a clean audit of our accounts and that there have been no regulatory issues at the trust.

"We will continue working towards the successful transition of all our academies to new sponsors."

New sponsors were announced for 11 of the schools run by the academy chain in January.

The trust ran 14 primary and seven secondary establishments across West, South and East Yorkshire, providing education to about 8,500 children.

Affected academies

West Yorkshire: Barkerend Academy, Bell Lane Academy, Havercroft Academy, Heathview Academy, Hemsworth Arts and Community Academy, High Crags Academy, Thornbury Academy, Wakefield Community Academy, Kinsley Academy, Morley Place Academy, The Freeston Academy, West End Academy.

South Yorkshire: Balby Carr Academy, Brookfield Academy, Carr Lodge Academy, Mexborough Academy, Montagu Academy, Waverley Academy, Willow Academy, Yewlands Academy.

East Yorkshire: Goole High School Academy.