Summerhill Primary School: school finances
Heading for deficit
Has spent more than it received for 2 years running; at that rate its £15k reserve runs out in about 1 year.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Sefton · 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 | £1.0m | £1.1m | -£52k | £60k | 205 |
2019-20 | £1.1m | £1.1m | +£345 | £61k | 207 |
2020-21 | £1.0m | £1.0m | -£4k | £57k | 208 |
2021-22 | £1.1m | £1.1m | +£34k | £92k | 209 |
2022-23 | £1.2m | £1.2m | -£6k | £85k | 210 |
2023-24 | £1.3m | £1.3m | +£4k | £90k | 209 |
2024-25 | £1.4m | £1.4m | -£35k | £55k | 211 |
2025-26 | £1.4m | £1.5m | -£40k | £15k | 215 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 primary schools outside London closest in size and in the share of pupils on free school meals. Its reserve, as a share of income, is higher than 40% of them. It spends £6,900 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,844.
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 | £3,089 | £3,167 | £2,935–£3,493 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,415 | £1,187 | £1,080–£1,554 |
Supply staff | £86 | £131 | £79–£242 |
Admin and clerical | £255 | £320 | £296–£356 |
Premises | £348 | £334 | £221–£397 |
Energy | £144 | £94 | £72–£114 |
Learning resources & ICT | £337 | £333 | £228–£418 |
Bought-in services | £350 | £217 | £118–£257 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Mundford Church of England Primary Academy Tight
- Frodsham Manor House Primary School Tight
- Westgate Primary School In deficit
- St Vigor & St John Church School Large reserves
- St Francis Church of England Aided Primary School and Nursery In deficit
- Durrington Infant School Large reserves
- Watton-at-Stone Primary and Nursery School Large reserves
- St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, Rochdale Heading for deficit
- St Lawrence CofE Primary School Tight
- How Wood Primary and Nursery School In deficit
- Carrington Primary and Nursery School Tight
- Shakespeare Infant School Healthy
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.4m | £6,332 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £140k | £652 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £31k | £142 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £83k | £384 |
Money raised by parents
FRIENDS OF SUMMERHILL SCHOOL ASSOCIATION (charity 1003191, Registered) raised £4k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £4k | £6k |
2024-08 | £7k | £17k |
2023-08 | £12k | £5k |
2022-08 | £11k | £10k |
2021-08 | £2k | £2k |
Matched to this school by name and postcode from the Charity Commission register. Parent associations' money isn't in the school's accounts above.
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?
- Spending on bought-in services is £350 a pupil, against a typical £217 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on energy is £144 a pupil, against a typical £94 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- How does the school decide what the money the parents' association raises is spent on?
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 Summerhill Primary School · All Sefton school finances