Lilac Sky: Final Chapter

The Trust's closure was forced in 2016, when government tired of its activities, having provided it with extensive additional funding including £122,414 from the ESFA to stabilise its finances, with one of its nine primary schools in Kent and Sussex, being awarded a grant of an additional £507,546 in financial support.  None of this helped, and the verdict from the Trust's own August 2016  Annual Report and Financial Statements was that: 'The Lilac Sky Schools Trust is carrying a net deficit of £1,329,631 on these funds because: The Trust incurred extortionate and expensive Founder/ substantive CEO consultancy  costs for 232 days at a net cost of £217,500 along with other high cost support services, central  Trust  staffing  costs that  were far higher than average,  the cost of  settlement  agreements  (contractual  and non-contractual) paid to staff who were immediately appointed as consultants by the company and recharged to the Trust, minimal value for money procedures and a lack of competitive tendering'. Now look back at the justification by Mr Beeson (the Averre comes and goes) of those actions in the light of these facts and those below. Mr Beeson's explanation suggests he is not aware of the condemnation of financial activity produced by the new management of the Trust after he left/was forced out. 

You will find my analysis below of the 'progress' of the four companies at the heart of the Lilac Sky empire. 

My recording of the sins of LSSAT began when it came apparent that  with the open support of KCC it was financially ripping off a troubled school sending it spiralling further downwards. One of the key articles was here, which provided powerful evidence that LSSAT was failing its schools, financially benefitting to a  gross extent, all being championed by KCC and its Head of Education, who accused me of making false allegations, but although when challenged for evidence never replied or withdrew the false accusations. 

I can find nowhere any acknowledgement by KCC or LSSAT of their failures to show due care for the children under their care, who are always the victims of such abuse of power. For those who think the failures are now dead and buried, look at the subsequent fates of some of these schools, such as Knockhall Academy, Martello Primary and  Morehall Primary!  The Lilac Sky Companies appear to have hoovered up money from LSSAT and other sources, so it should be a surprise to learn that they have all financially failed, unless the money has somehow been extracted from them. LSSAT was uniquely identified in the Department for Education Annual Report  for 2016-17 as accounting for nearly half of the cash losses to schools nationally at £537,000. Mr Averre Beeson is quoted in the TES some years ago, as being in favour of 'run for profit' schools. 

I do not propose to reiterate my exposé of the sins of Lilac Sky further as they are covered in great detail elsewhere (follow the links), except to mention the sad story of Virgo Fidelis Preparatory School, a small flourishing private girls primary school which had the misfortune to come into contact with Lilac Sky who bought it out. Needing to get way from the by then toxic Lilac Sky brand, its name and the that of the company were changed to trade on the virtues of Henriette Le Forestier, a Frenchwoman who founded a Catholic movement dedicated to the shelter and education of orphan girls, some way removed from the aims of Lilac Sky! You will find details of the the Employment Tribunal that awarded large sums  to employees of the school after it went bust seven months following its take over by Lilac Sky here.  Presumably as the company had been dissolved, the taxpayer became responsible for their losses.   

LS is short for Lilac Sky throughout

* but also traded as Education 101 Outstanding Services from 1st September 2016, not a registered company, and whose website has now disappeared. 

Most recent Abbreviated Unaudited Accounts for Lilac Sky Schools Ltd, August 2015 show dividends of £76,500 paid to Mr Averre Beeson (£200,430 in 2014), and the company was owed £150,740 by Mr Averre-Beeeson (£148, 531 in 2014). No subsequent accounts were lodged.  

Liquidators of Henriette Le Forestiere Statement of Affairs to April 2017 shows unpaid creditors totalling £917,000, including back pay for employees.

Most recent Abbreviated Unaudited Accounts  for Lilac Sky Outstanding Services in 2015 show a loan to Mr Averre-Beeson of £180,521.  No subsequent accounts were lodged. 

 *Most recent Unaudited Financial Statements August 2016  show an advance to Mr Averre-Beeson of £245,438 sole director, which was more than the total assets at that time, but there is no record of them being repaid.. 

 Education 101 Ltd, set up in November 2017, and dissolved in February this year never filed accounts, although very active. Its website has now been taken over by the Trevor Beeson site, with much of the same outdated information and news, together with linked email addresses.