Swallowfield Primary: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £303k in reserve, 11% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Central Bedfordshire · 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 | £1.4m | £1.4m | -£4k | £21k | 318 |
2019-20 | £1.4m | £1.4m | +£7k | £28k | 320 |
2020-21 | £1.5m | £1.5m | +£24k | £52k | 317 |
2021-22 | £1.6m | £1.5m | +£119k | £172k | 326 |
2022-23 | £1.9m | £1.9m | +£28k | £200k | 378 |
2023-24 | £2.3m | £2.2m | +£67k | £267k | 430 |
2024-25 | £2.5m | £2.5m | +£14k | £282k | 428 |
2025-26 | £2.6m | £2.6m | +£22k | £303k | 434 |
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 70% of them. It spends £6,056 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,214.
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 | £2,814 | £3,000 | £2,839–£3,194 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,532 | £1,208 | £986–£1,459 |
Supply staff | £41 | £76 | £39–£126 |
Admin and clerical | £269 | £258 | £205–£284 |
Premises | £322 | £305 | £262–£339 |
Energy | £171 | £77 | £68–£95 |
Learning resources & ICT | £248 | £270 | £184–£353 |
Bought-in services | £41 | £125 | £84–£187 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Holystone Primary School In deficit
- St Peter's Catholic Primary School, Waterlooville Healthy
- Orrell Newfold Community Primary School Large reserves
- Woodlesford Primary School Healthy
- Offley Primary Academy Large reserves
- Kempston Rural Primary School Large reserves
- Bengeo Primary School Large reserves
- Webheath Academy Primary School Large reserves
- Rickleton Primary School Large reserves
- Northowram Primary School Healthy
- Lacey Green Primary Academy Large reserves
- St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill Tight
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £2.5m | £5,814 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £58k | £134 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £92k | £212 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £149k | £344 |
Money raised by parents
SWALLOWFIELD PRIMARY PTFA CHARITY (charity 1220352, Registered)
SWALLOWFIELD LOWER SCHOOL PTFA (charity 1082952, Registered) raised £17k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £17k | £16k |
2024-08 | £15k | £17k |
2023-08 | £23k | £42k |
2022-08 | £23k | £15k |
2021-08 | £30k | £15k |
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 energy is £171 a pupil, against a typical £77 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 Swallowfield Primary · All Central Bedfordshire school finances