EXPLAINED: How the trust behind two Ilkeston schools found itself at the centre of a financial crisis

The resignation of a chief executive rarely becomes front-page news.

But when Kevin Gritton stepped down with immediate effect this week as chief executive of St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, it marked the latest chapter in a story that has been quietly unfolding for almost three years.

For many parents in Ilkeston, the story first came to public attention through strike action at Saint John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy. For others, it was the announcement of redundancies, reports of a growing financial deficit, or concerns raised by unions, governors and politicians.

Yet the resignation has prompted a wider question: how did one of the country’s largest Catholic academy trusts end up in this position?

The trust behind two Ilkeston schools

St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust runs 25 schools across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire.

In Ilkeston, it is responsible for Saint John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy and St Thomas Catholic Voluntary Academy.

Across the Trust, thousands of children are educated every day and more than 1,000 staff are employed. For many families, the Trust operates largely in the background, with parents naturally focusing on their child’s individual school rather than the organisation sitting above it.

However, decisions made at Trust level ultimately affect staffing, budgets, educational provision and long-term planning across every school within the group.

A financial problem years in the making

The roots of the current crisis stretch back several years.

In 2023, the Department for Education issued the Trust with a Notice to Improve following concerns relating to financial management, governance and compliance. Such notices are relatively rare and indicate that government officials have identified significant concerns requiring intervention.

Rather than improving, however, the Trust’s financial position appears to have deteriorated further.

Published accounts showed a deficit of approximately £5.9 million in 2023/24. By August 2025, that figure had increased to around £9.2 million. National education publications reported that this represented the largest revenue reserve deficit recorded by any academy trust in England.

Earlier this year, the Department for Education issued a second Notice to Improve. The notice referred to the Trust’s weak financial position and ongoing concerns relating to financial management and governance.

The Department also instructed the Trust to appoint new independent trustees with appropriate skills and experience while accelerating its financial recovery plans.

Loans, support and overdue invoices

As financial pressures increased, the Trust received additional support in order to maintain cashflow.

Published accounts show it received approximately £468,000 in government cash-flow loans. A further £200,000 loan was also provided by the Diocese of Nottingham.

Auditors stated that the Trust’s ability to continue operating was dependent upon additional funding and cash-flow support being available.

The scale of the financial pressures became clearer in recent weeks when governors were informed there were overdue invoices across the Trust.

According to correspondence reported by Education Uncovered, the Trust’s chief financial officer told governors that unpaid invoices were a direct consequence of the Trust’s deficit position. Governors were told the Trust was prioritising payments linked directly to the day-to-day running of schools while balancing cashflow and payroll obligations.

The Trust said essential services had not been withdrawn. Nevertheless, the revelations fuelled concern among parents, governors and staff about the seriousness of the situation.

Redundancies and industrial action

The Trust’s efforts to recover financially have centred on reducing costs, with staffing forming a major part of those plans.

Earlier restructuring proposals placed 67 roles at risk across the organisation. While Trust leaders have since said that number has been reduced, around 40 compulsory redundancies are still expected across the Trust.

The proposals have prompted strong opposition from trade unions, which argue that reducing frontline staffing risks damaging educational provision, particularly for vulnerable pupils and those with additional needs. Concerns have also been raised about proposed reductions in chaplaincy services, teaching assistant support and other roles which many families regard as essential to the day-to-day life of schools.

The dispute has led to sustained industrial action across several schools within the Trust. Unions maintain that the action is not simply about protecting jobs, but about preserving the level of support available to children in classrooms. Trust leaders, meanwhile, have argued that difficult decisions are unavoidable if the organisation is to return to a balanced financial position and secure its long-term future.

As negotiations have continued, neither side has yet been able to reach an agreement capable of ending the dispute, leaving further strike action scheduled and uncertainty continuing for schools, staff and families alike.

When the dispute reached the classroom

For many parents, however, the story is no longer primarily about deficits, governance arrangements or restructuring plans. It is about what has happened inside schools.

At Saint John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy in Ilkeston, parents have reported that all year groups except Year 11 have, at times, only been attending school in person on Mondays and Fridays because of strike action linked to the dispute.

The consequences have been felt far beyond the school gates. Parents have had to rearrange working patterns, organise childcare and supervise children learning from home, often at short notice. Pupils have faced weeks of disruption to their normal routines, uncertainty over timetables and concerns about lost learning time.

Yet many families who have spoken publicly about the dispute have also expressed support for the industrial action despite the difficulties it has created. Their concern is that the proposed cuts could have a more lasting impact on children’s education than the temporary disruption caused by strikes.

Particular anxiety has centred on the potential loss of support staff, teaching assistants and chaplaincy provision. Parents and unions alike have argued that these roles often provide crucial support for children who may be struggling academically, emotionally or socially, and that any reduction in staffing could be felt most keenly by those who need help the most.

The result is a situation in which many families find themselves torn between frustration at the disruption and concern about what schools might look like if the proposed changes go ahead. While the financial crisis may have begun in boardrooms and budget spreadsheets, its consequences are now being felt in classrooms across the Trust.

Growing criticism

As the dispute has continued, criticism has emerged from multiple directions.

Parents have raised concerns about the impact on their children’s education. Governors have questioned aspects of the Trust’s leadership and financial management, while two chairs of governors have publicly expressed no confidence in the Trust’s leadership and called for greater scrutiny of decision-making and governance.

Nine Labour MPs whose constituencies contain St Ralph Sherwin schools have also written to the Trust expressing concerns about the proposed restructuring and its potential impact on pupils. The MPs questioned whether reductions in frontline staffing could affect educational provision and support for children with additional needs.

A petition calling for changes in leadership attracted more than 1,000 signatures, while national reporting has highlighted wider questions about governance arrangements and whether sufficient changes have been made following repeated government intervention.

At the same time, the Trust has insisted it is working to secure its long-term future and continues to negotiate with trade unions.

The resignation

Against this backdrop came the announcement that chief executive Kevin Gritton had resigned with immediate effect.

Mr Gritton had led the Trust since 2022 after previously serving as a headteacher within the organisation. The Trust has not publicly provided a reason for his departure.

In a brief statement, chair of trustees Sarah Noon confirmed the resignation and said interim leadership arrangements would be announced.

Whether the resignation represents a turning point remains unclear, but it is undoubtedly one of the most significant developments since the Trust first came under Department for Education scrutiny almost three years ago.

What happens next?

That question is now being asked by parents, staff, governors, unions, politicians and, increasingly, the Department for Education.

The Trust remains under a Notice to Improve. Its financial recovery plan remains in place. Planned redundancies have not disappeared. Strike action is still scheduled. The near-£10 million deficit has not suddenly been erased by a change in leadership.

What has changed is that the person who led the Trust through much of this period is no longer in post.

For some, that raises difficult questions about accountability.

The Trust has been under government scrutiny since 2023. During that period, its financial position deteriorated significantly, industrial relations broke down, governors publicly raised concerns, MPs intervened and confidence among some parents and staff appears to have been severely damaged.

The challenge for whoever takes over next will not simply be balancing the books.

It will be rebuilding trust.

That means convincing parents that their children’s education will not suffer. Convincing staff that schools have a sustainable future. Convincing governors that lessons have been learned. And convincing the Department for Education that the organisation is capable of turning itself around.

For some parents, the story is no longer about trust governance, board structures or financial recovery plans. It is about children who have spent weeks receiving a reduced school experience and families trying to navigate the uncertainty that comes with it.

The longer the dispute continues, the more difficult it becomes to separate the financial crisis from its impact on the classroom.

While accountants, trustees, unions and government officials debate the future of the Trust, thousands of children will continue turning up to school expecting stability, support and a good education.

Ultimately, that is the measure by which any recovery will be judged.