St Paul's CofE Primary School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £309k in reserve, 13% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Sunderland · Primary · Voluntary controlled 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 | £1.1m | £1.1m | -£3k | £85k | 237 |
2019-20 | £1.2m | £1.1m | +£44k | £128k | 242 |
2020-21 | £1.2m | £1.2m | -£3k | £125k | 241 |
2021-22 | £1.4m | £1.4m | -£44k | £81k | 256 |
2022-23 | £1.5m | £1.5m | +£6k | £87k | 281 |
2023-24 | £1.8m | £1.7m | +£77k | £165k | 294 |
2024-25 | £1.9m | £1.9m | -£50k | £115k | 309 |
2025-26 | £2.3m | £2.1m | +£194k | £309k | 326 |
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 77% of them. It spends £6,537 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,319.
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 | £2,873 | £3,086 | £2,812–£3,438 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,333 | £1,364 | £1,027–£1,570 |
Supply staff | £139 | £87 | £52–£176 |
Admin and clerical | £388 | £293 | £220–£342 |
Premises | £365 | £336 | £267–£390 |
Energy | £80 | £85 | £70–£97 |
Learning resources & ICT | £338 | £255 | £201–£320 |
Bought-in services | £269 | £149 | £101–£200 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Southwold Primary School Large reserves
- Rufford Park Primary School In deficit
- Strawberry Fields Primary School In deficit
- Heatherley Primary School Large reserves
- Willesborough Infant School Tight
- Ossett Holy Trinity CofE VA Primary School Healthy
- Great Glen St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School Healthy
- Wootton Primary School Large reserves
- Mapplewell Primary School Large reserves
- Hanham Abbots Junior School Healthy
- Lanchester Primary School In deficit
- Cheddar First School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £2.1m | £6,418 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £110k | £337 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £98k | £299 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £233k | £713 |
Money raised by parents
FRIENDS OF ST. PAUL'S C.E. PRIMARY SCHOOL (charity 1092310, Registered) raised £14k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2026-08 | £14k | £17k |
2025-08 | £10k | £7k |
2024-08 | £7k | £5k |
2023-10 | £6k | £4k |
2022-10 | £0 | £0 |
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 bought-in services is £269 a pupil, against a typical £149 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £388 a pupil, against a typical £293 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 St Paul's CofE Primary School · All Sunderland school finances