University of Chester academy trust to be wound up

The trust runs seven schools including University Church of England Academy in Ellesmere Port

A trust which runs seven academies in Cheshire and Staffordshire is to close because it "cannot continue to operate financially", its chairman has said.

University of Chester Academies Trust (UCAT) had faced criticism over its finances and teaching standards.

Chairman David Wootton said its schools would be "re-brokered" to new owners and the trust would work to "make the transition as smooth as possible".

The Department for Education (DfE) said it would "support" the move.

Mr Wootton said that "given the situation, the board has reached a view that the trust cannot continue".

A UCAT spokesman added it would work with the Department for Education "to ensure that a new trust is found as quickly as possible for each of the seven schools".

Pupils 'most important'

Managers announced the trust intended to offload four schools in Northwich and Kidsgrove to new operators in May, after the government served the organisation with a "financial notice to improve" due to a £3m deficit.

UCAT had intended to continue running three schools - the University Church of England Academy in Ellesmere Port, University Academy Warrington and the University Church Free School in Chester.

However, Education Minister Nick Gibb said the Ellesmere Port academy would be removed from the trust, after it was decided "the leadership of the trust was not taking sufficient action" to address a recent "inadequate" Ofsted rating.

The trust announced that as a result, it would "formally wind up its activities", because it "cannot continue to operate financially and provide the education we would wish with only two schools".

The Department for Education said it would continue to "support and challenge" the trust until all of its schools are under the control of new trusts.

Weaver Vale MP Mike Amesbury, whose constituency includes one of the schools in Northwich, said the "most important people in all of this are the pupils".

"It's crucial now that this situation is resolved in a way that minimises any disruption to their education," he added.