Bow School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £970k in reserve, 7% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Tower Hamlets · Secondary · Community school.
Reserve at the end of each year, 2018-19 to 2025-26
Income and spending, 2018-19 to 2025-26
Income Spending
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Income | Spending | Balance | Reserve | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018-19 | £9.7m | £9.6m | +£19k | £189k | 1,126 |
2019-20 | £10.7m | £10.5m | +£240k | £429k | 1,241 |
2020-21 | £11.6m | £11.7m | -£159k | £270k | 1,234 |
2021-22 | £12.1m | £11.1m | +£1.0m | £1.3m | 1,205 |
2022-23 | £12.5m | £12.3m | +£173k | £1.4m | 1,264 |
2023-24 | £13.4m | £13.4m | -£320 | £1.4m | 1,267 |
2024-25 | £14.1m | £14.0m | +£120k | £1.6m | 1,173 |
2025-26 | £13.8m | £14.4m | -£599k | £970k | 1,126 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 secondary schools in London closest in size and in the share of pupils on free school meals. Its reserve, as a share of income, is higher than 30% of them. It spends £12,784 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £10,232.
This school Middle half of similar schools Similar schools’ median
Show the comparison as a table
| Spending per pupil | This school | Similar schools (median) | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|
Teachers | £6,695 | £5,613 | £5,098–£6,393 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,386 | £984 | £576–£1,235 |
Supply staff | £281 | £165 | £81–£385 |
Admin and clerical | £945 | £676 | £546–£808 |
Premises | £649 | £506 | £429–£752 |
Energy | £199 | £179 | £113–£215 |
Learning resources & ICT | £530 | £623 | £521–£733 |
Bought-in services | £384 | £169 | £64–£343 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Haberdashers' Knights Academy Large reserves
- Chelsea Academy Large reserves
- The St Thomas the Apostle College Large reserves
- Central Foundation Boys' School Tight
- Drapers' Academy Large reserves
- Southfields Academy Large reserves
- Haggerston School Large reserves
- Harris Lowe Academy Willesden Large reserves
- The UCL Academy Large reserves
- George Green's School Large reserves
- Hampstead School Heading for deficit
- Raynes Park High School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £13.7m | £12,208 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £423k | £376 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £637k | £566 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £340k | £302 |
Questions to ask the school
Useful for parents, governors and PTA committees.
- What are the reserves set aside for, and when will they be spent on current pupils?
- Could any of the surplus be clawed back under the council's scheme for financing schools?
- Spending on bought-in services is £384 a pupil, against a typical £169 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £1,386 a pupil, against a typical £984 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £945 a pupil, against a typical £676 for similar schools. What's behind that?
Check these figures
Every figure here comes from the school's published return to the DfE. Check it on the DfE benchmarking page for this school, and see how the status is worked out.
Admissions, Ofsted and results for Bow School · All Tower Hamlets school finances