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Education Probe Finds 7 Handbook Breaches at Stone Soup

By Drooid · Sep 22, 2026, 10:14 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Department for Education investigation found seven breaches of the Academy Trust Handbook at Stone Soup.
The academy spent £36,156 on a New York trip, breaching finance rules.
It spent £1,200 on alcohol for an £8,500 anniversary event, a prohibited trust-fund use.
A head teacher received a 13.7% pay rise without proper scrutiny, breaching the handbook.
Founder Chris Manze returned as principal as the trust hired CFO and commissioned a governance review.

History

Historical Context

The 2002 Education Act, passed under Prime Minister Tony Blair, introduced academy schools in England, granting them greater financial autonomy. By 2005, 203 academies operated under the new framework, and the Department for Education allocated £1 billion in start-up funding. Today's breach findings at Stone Soup Academy, where the Department for Education identified £36,156 spent on a New York trip and a 13.7% unchecked pay rise, echo the early concerns about unchecked autonomy. If oversight mechanisms remain weak, the original intent of improving standards may be undermined, prompting stricter governance reforms and possible legislative revisions.

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Story summary

Department for Education investigation found seven breaches of the Academy Trust Handbook at Stone Soup.
The academy spent £36,156 on a New York trip, breaching finance rules.
It spent £1,200 on alcohol for an £8,500 anniversary event, a prohibited trust-fund use.
A head teacher received a 13.7% pay rise without proper scrutiny, breaching the handbook.
Founder Chris Manze returned as principal as the trust hired CFO and commissioned a governance review.

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