E-ACT (formerly EduTrust Academies Charitable Trust) is the sponsor of 24 academies and free schools in England. It describes itself as "a leading, independent academy sponsor whose principal purpose is to create centres of excellence for all by establishing, maintaining, managing and developing academies and Free Schools".
Until 2009 the Chief Executive of the Trust was Ian Comfort, who left his post alleging whistleblowing concerns, whilst the trust claimed "poor performance" issues. In March 2013 an audit by the UK Department for Education concluded that "boundaries between E-ACT and its subsidiary, E-ACT Enterprises Ltd (EEL) are blurred" (page 3), "activities undertaken by the subsidiary have been paid for with public funds and so appear irregular" (page 3), and "there has been a flow of public monies into EEL that cannot be said to directly benefit teaching and learning in E-ACT academies" (pages 12–13).
A 2011 Guardian article reported that in 2010 its director-general Sir Bruce Liddington had a salary package of £280,017. Sir Bruce Liddington resigned in 2013 after E-ACT received an official warning from the government regarding "financial mismanagement". The investigation report into E-ACT found that internal financial control were weak, there was a culture of extravagant expenses, governance procedures were unusual, and that payments were made to trustees in a manner unusual for the charitable sector.
E-ACT was registered as a charity in 2008 but is now shown by the Charity Commission as an "Exempt charity", removed from its register in 2011.
In 2014, the Department for Education removed E-ACT as sponsor from 10 academies after Ofsted inspectors raised serious concerns, noting extravagant spending on expenses and £393,000 of spending with "procedural irregularities" including on unapproved consultancy fees.
E-ACT Enterprises LTD was dissolved shortly after Sir Bruce Liddington's departure. In addition, E-ACT has made considerable changes to its previous administration practices (including reducing back office costs by 73%) as audited in its public accounts and the Salary of its new CEO has reduced significantly.
In January 2016 E-ACT announced that would abolish local governing bodies for its schools and replace them with centrally appointed advisory bodies.
E-ACT Blackley Academy
Chalfont Valley E-ACT Primary Academy
Denham Green E-ACT Primary Academy
Greenfield E-ACT Primary Academy
Ilminster Avenue E-ACT Academy
Mansfield Green E-ACT Primary Academy
Merritts Brook E-ACT Primary Academy
E-ACT Pathways Academy
Nechells Primary E-ACT Academy
Reedswood E-ACT Primary Academy
St Ursula’s E-ACT Academy
E-ACT Burnham Park Academy
City Heights E-ACT Academy
The Crest Academy
Heartlands Academy
North Birmingham Academy
The Oldham Academy North
The Parker E-ACT Academy
Parkwood E-ACT Academy
Shenley Academy
West Walsall E-ACT Academy
Willenhall E-ACT Academy
Danetre and Southbrook Learning Village
Aldborough E-ACT Free School (to 31 May 2014) (now sponsored by Loxford School Trust), with effect from 1 June 2014. The school is now known as Aldborough Primary School.
Hartsbrook E-ACT Free School (to 31 August 2014) (now sponsored by Lion Education Trust), with effect from 1 September 2014. The school was closed on 31 August 2014, and re-opened on 1 September 2014 as Brook House Primary School.
E-ACT Leeds East Academy (to 31 August 2014) (now sponsored by White Rose Academies Trust), with effect from 1 September 2014. The school is now known as Leeds East Academy.
Leeds West Academy (to 31 August 2014) (now sponsored by White Rose Academies Trust), with effect from 1 September 2014.
Forest E-ACT Academy (to 28 February 2015) (now sponsored by SGS Academy Trust, with effect from 1 March 2015. The school is now known as The Forest High School.
Sherwood E-ACT Academy (to 31 March 2015) (now sponsored by Redhill Academy Trust). E-ACT was the sponsor until the end of March 2015. The school is now known as Sherwood Academy. The Redhill Academy Trust will continue to sponsor the school until Summer 2016, when the school site is planning to close.
The Purston E-ACT Academy (to 31 August 2014) (now sponsored by The Rodillian Multi-Academy Trust), with effect from 1 September 2014. The school is now known as The Featherstone Academy.
Trent Valley Academy (to 31 May 2014) (now sponsored by The Lincoln College Group), with effect from 1 June 2014. The school is now known as The Gainsborough Academy.
The Winsford E-ACT Academy (to 31 August 2014) (now sponsored by The Fallibroome Multi-Academy Trust), with effect from 1 September 2014. The school is now known as The Winsford Academy.
Dartmouth Academy (to 31 August 2014) (now sponsored by Kingsbridge Academy Trust), with effect from 1 September 2014. Nick Hindmarsh, Principal has said that: "The name of the trust will change following a consultation exercise across the schools’ communities".
