Nottingham Alternative Provision Academy Under Fire Over £36k Trip and Alcohol Spend

Key Findings of the DfE Investigation

The official investigation report highlighted several key areas where the academy failed to meet expected standards for managing public money:

• Overbudget New York Trip: During the 2022–2023 academic year, six pupils took part in a trip to New York as an "enrichment and reward activity." While originally budgeted at £10,000 and later revised to £16,000, the final bill soared to £36,156. The report noted that the academy could not produce a clear audit trail or prove value for money and proper approvals.

• Prohibited Alcohol Spend: Concerns were first raised during the academy’s 10th anniversary event, which cost £8,500 in total. Of that amount, £1,200 was spent on alcohol—a direct breach of DfE guidelines prohibiting the use of school funds for alcohol.

• Unscrutinised Pay Rise: The investigation found that a former headteacher was awarded a 13.7% pay increase without clear rationale, proper documentation, or independent oversight.

Actions Taken and Leadership Response

The financial red flags were originally reported to the DfE by members within the trust itself. Following the conclusion of the 18-month investigation in March 2026, a brand-new board of trustees took over governance of the school.

Chris Manze, founder of the Stone Soup Project and now acting as part-time principal and accounting officer, confirmed that the former trustees and accounting officer responsible for the decisions are no longer with the trust. They commented, "We accept the DfE's findings and recommendations in full and apologise that historic decisions did not meet the standards expected for the stewardship of public funds," Manze stated. "We were naturally devastated that the reputation of our outstanding school was tarnished in this way."

To ensure full compliance going forward, the academy has implemented several key changes:

• Strengthened Financial Controls: Strict authorisation processes have been introduced to prevent unauthorised expenditure.

• New Leadership: A new Chief Financial Officer from a local multi-academy trust has been appointed with DfE approval.

• Governance Review: An external review by the National Governance Association (NGA) was commissioned to overhaul oversight practices.

Despite the governance controversy, Stone Soup Academy has maintained its "Outstanding" Ofsted rating, which it has held since 2014. The DfE is currently deciding on further official responses to ensure long-term stability and compliance.

A school in Nottingham has made headlines after a Department for Education (DfE) investigation revealed major breaches of financial rules, including spending over £36,000 on a trip to New York and using £1,200 of public funds on alcohol.

Stone Soup Academy, an alternative provision school in Nottingham city centre catering for pupils outside mainstream education, was placed under formal investigation in 2025 following serious concerns raised about its financial management and governance.

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