Smallwood Primary School and Language Unit: school finances
Heading for deficit
Has spent more than it received for 4 years running; at that rate its £1k reserve runs out in about 0 year.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Wandsworth · Primary · 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 | £3.3m | £3.4m | -£167k | £125k | 336 |
2019-20 | £3.1m | £3.0m | +£39k | £165k | 294 |
2020-21 | £3.0m | £2.8m | +£165k | £330k | 274 |
2021-22 | £2.9m | £2.7m | +£178k | £508k | 256 |
2022-23 | £3.0m | £3.2m | -£207k | £300k | 265 |
2023-24 | £3.1m | £3.1m | -£18k | £283k | 266 |
2024-25 | £3.3m | £3.4m | -£69k | £213k | 248 |
2025-26 | £3.3m | £3.5m | -£212k | £1k | 248 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 primary 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 20% of them. It spends £13,998 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £10,226.
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 | £5,053 | £4,378 | £3,801–£4,838 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £3,726 | £2,162 | £1,582–£2,459 |
Supply staff | £623 | £283 | £127–£544 |
Admin and clerical | £600 | £518 | £341–£611 |
Premises | £760 | £594 | £513–£699 |
Energy | £263 | £132 | £102–£172 |
Learning resources & ICT | £453 | £330 | £242–£470 |
Bought-in services | £1,086 | £386 | £240–£594 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Garfield Primary School In deficit
- Greenacres Primary School and Language Impairment Unit Large reserves
- St Francis RC Primary School Large reserves
- St Francis De Sales Catholic Junior School Healthy
- Goose Green Primary and Nursery School Healthy
- Allenby Primary School Large reserves
- Prior Weston Primary School and Children's Centre In deficit
- Haslemere Primary School In deficit
- Winterbourne Junior Girls' School Large reserves
- Swaffield School Tight
- St Helen's Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- William Morris Primary School Tight
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £3.1m | £12,420 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £663k | £2,668 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £118k | £476 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £180k | £724 |
Questions to ask the school
Useful for parents, governors and PTA committees.
- What is the plan to stop spending more than the school receives each year?
- Pupil numbers have fallen 26% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on bought-in services is £1,086 a pupil, against a typical £386 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on supply staff is £623 a pupil, against a typical £283 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on energy is £263 a pupil, against a typical £132 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £3,726 a pupil, against a typical £2,162 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 Smallwood Primary School and Language Unit · All Wandsworth school finances