St Joseph's RC High School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £650k in reserve, 9% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Bolton · Secondary · Voluntary aided 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 | £4.7m | £4.8m | -£90k | £83k | 877 |
2019-20 | £5.3m | £5.1m | +£176k | £260k | 922 |
2020-21 | £5.6m | £5.4m | +£233k | £493k | 957 |
2021-22 | £5.9m | £5.7m | +£182k | £675k | 1,005 |
2022-23 | £6.7m | £6.2m | +£476k | £1.2m | 1,034 |
2023-24 | £7.2m | £7.0m | +£116k | £1.3m | 1,048 |
2024-25 | £7.7m | £7.6m | +£99k | £1.4m | 1,051 |
2025-26 | £7.2m | £7.9m | -£716k | £650k | 1,051 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 secondary 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 67% of them. It spends £7,560 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £7,513.
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 | £4,079 | £4,387 | £4,090–£4,633 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,146 | £836 | £595–£972 |
Supply staff | £236 | £116 | £44–£188 |
Admin and clerical | £398 | £421 | £353–£478 |
Premises | £539 | £387 | £312–£448 |
Energy | £122 | £135 | £123–£170 |
Learning resources & ICT | £712 | £485 | £415–£531 |
Bought-in services | £132 | £97 | £42–£242 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Sale High School Large reserves
- St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn Large reserves
- Greenbank High School Healthy
- Teign School Tight
- Chilwell School Large reserves
- Kineton High School In deficit
- Codsall Community High School Healthy
- Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School Large reserves
- The Elton High School Tight
- Therfield School Large reserves
- Noadswood School Large reserves
- Reepham High School and College In deficit
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £7.9m | £7,507 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £238k | £227 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £268k | £255 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £272k | £259 |
Money raised by parents
ST JOSEPH'S PARENT-STAFF ASSOCIATION (MANCHESTER) (charity 1075680, Registered) raised £889 in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2026-07 | £889 | £2k |
2025-07 | £4k | £12k |
2024-07 | £9k | £2k |
2023-07 | £7k | £1k |
2022-07 | £1k | £1k |
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 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 supply staff is £236 a pupil, against a typical £116 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £712 a pupil, against a typical £485 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on premises is £539 a pupil, against a typical £387 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £1,146 a pupil, against a typical £836 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 St Joseph's RC High School · All Bolton school finances