A failing Oldham free school paid £383,787 to a company owned by its chief executive for services ranging from PE coaches to marketing. Collective Spirit, which opened in Chadderton in September, 2013, amid fierce opposition, made the payments to the now dissolved Collective Community Partnerships CIC, where Raja Miah was a director.
The firm also received £319,365 from Manchester Creative Studio. Both schools are state-funded and are run by Collective Spirit Multi Academy Trust whose chief executive is Mr Miah.
Collective Community Partnerships, dissolved last month, listed its principal activities as "supporting children, young people and families from disadvantaged backgrounds" and at those "at risk of exclusion and underachievement in the education system".
The payments are shown in the schools' financial statements for 2013/14 and 2014/15 and also include expenditure for office space rental, cleaning, security, auditing, caretaking, transport, recruitment and ICT.
