SNAP inspections at two schools whose top leaders have been suspended cost nearly £14,500.

Ofsted made an unscheduled visit to Colne Community School and College, Brightlingsea, in January, two months before Nardeep Sharma and Catherine Hutley were mysteriously suspended.

Inspectors visited the school, one of two belonging to the Thrive Partnership Academy Trust, in response to parents’ safeguarding concerns.

While it found safeguarding was effective it revealed some parents and pupils had lost trust and confidence in the school and felt “disenfranchised”.

The school retained its outstanding rating.

However, last month Ofsted visit the trust’s other school, Philip Morant, in Colchester, for a full inspection.

The findings are yet to be published but an Ofsted spokesman said: “Some Good schools will be subject to a full section 5 inspection instead of a short inspection, for example where a school has undergone significant change, such as changing its age range, or where the quality of provision may have deteriorated significantly.”

He said each inspection cost on average £7,200.

The Gazette obtained the figures after the Thrive trust confirmed the schools are to enter a re-brokering process, meaning they will be taken over.

The Regional Schools Commissioner’s Office was asked by the Gazette to provide an estimated cost for the re-brokering process but it declined.

It confirmed the re-brokering process has been voluntarily instigated by the trust’s new board who were brought in to help after Ms Hutley and Mr Sharma were suspended in March.

Following reviews of both schools and feedback from concerned parents, the Regional Schools Commissioner’s Office, has invited a number of suitable Multi-Academy Trusts to express an interest in taking on the schools.

However, it confirmed the re-brokering process was instigated by the trustees.

A spokesman added: “In the meantime, Regional Schools Commissioner Sue Baldwin is working closely with the trust to minimise disruption for pupils and staff.”

Ms Hutley is executive principal of the trust.

The re-brokering process is set to conclude over the summer.

Typically the underlying reason for the re-brokerage will be as a result of concerns about performance at one or more of the trust’s academies.

'Five-school plan never went ahead' 

NARDEEP Sharma, chief executive of the Thrive trust, shortly had before its inception in 2016, said he intended for it to open three new schools in Colchester in the next few years.

These included a third north Essex secondary school, a brand new free school on the outskirts of Colchester and an Additional Provision School for pupils with complex behavioural needs within the town.

But Neil Jones, Chair of Trustees, said: "The Thrive trust has not taken on any more schools since its inception and there were no active plans to take on any more schools when the Board resolved to re-broker the schools.

"We cannot provide an exact timescale for resolving the investigation following the suspensions, but efforts are underway to conclude the process as quickly as possible for all concerned."

Essex County Council said it hadn't been involved in the academy opening the three new schools and if these had not materialised this would not impact on the county's need for school places.