Our Lady's RC Primary School Wigan: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £345k in reserve, 25% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Wigan · Primary · 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 | £947k | £881k | +£66k | £161k | 199 |
2019-20 | £1.0m | £956k | +£91k | £252k | 204 |
2020-21 | £1.0m | £1.0m | -£1k | £251k | 201 |
2021-22 | £1.1m | £1.1m | -£24k | £227k | 211 |
2022-23 | £1.2m | £1.2m | +£41k | £268k | 210 |
2023-24 | £1.3m | £1.3m | +£8k | £276k | 205 |
2024-25 | £1.3m | £1.3m | +£8k | £284k | 207 |
2025-26 | £1.4m | £1.3m | +£61k | £345k | 208 |
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 93% of them. It spends £6,357 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,633.
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 | £2,587 | £3,082 | £2,897–£3,387 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,136 | £1,281 | £981–£1,763 |
Supply staff | £341 | £90 | £23–£191 |
Admin and clerical | £178 | £357 | £291–£424 |
Premises | £443 | £357 | £310–£413 |
Energy | £71 | £108 | £93–£151 |
Learning resources & ICT | £366 | £272 | £202–£333 |
Bought-in services | £410 | £184 | £104–£285 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- The Humberston Church of England Primary School Large reserves
- St Anne's CofE Primary School Large reserves
- Thorn Grove Primary School Healthy
- St Peter's Catholic Primary School Healthy
- Tenterfields Primary Academy Healthy
- English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- Ellington Primary School Healthy
- Manorfield Infant and Nursery School Heading for deficit
- Gulval School Large reserves
- Lum Head Primary School In deficit
- St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School In deficit
- Widewell Primary Academy Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.3m | £6,135 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £33k | £156 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £71k | £342 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £107k | £514 |
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 £341 a pupil, against a typical £90 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on bought-in services is £410 a pupil, against a typical £184 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £366 a pupil, against a typical £272 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 Our Lady's RC Primary School Wigan · All Wigan school finances