Beaudesert Lower School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £164k in reserve, 9% 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 | £1.1m | £1.1m | -£59k | £173k | 242 |
2019-20 | £1.2m | £1.2m | -£14k | £158k | 264 |
2020-21 | £1.2m | £1.2m | +£55k | £213k | 260 |
2021-22 | £1.3m | £1.3m | -£223 | £213k | 271 |
2022-23 | £1.4m | £1.4m | +£14k | £227k | 282 |
2023-24 | £1.5m | £1.6m | -£76k | £151k | 284 |
2024-25 | £1.8m | £1.8m | +£28k | £179k | 283 |
2025-26 | £1.8m | £1.8m | -£15k | £164k | 278 |
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 60% of them. It spends £6,603 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,526.
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 | £3,161 | £3,160 | £2,859–£3,388 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,341 | £1,262 | £1,031–£1,528 |
Supply staff | £166 | £109 | £41–£186 |
Admin and clerical | £475 | £297 | £258–£355 |
Premises | £239 | £310 | £268–£421 |
Energy | £103 | £83 | £60–£108 |
Learning resources & ICT | £239 | £286 | £213–£349 |
Bought-in services | £80 | £138 | £91–£192 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Poulton-le-Fylde the Breck Primary School Healthy
- Templefield Lower School Healthy
- Bromet Primary School Large reserves
- Ramsey Manor Lower School In deficit
- St Edward's Catholic First School In deficit
- Perton First School Large reserves
- Langley First School In deficit
- The Colleton Primary School In deficit
- Cramlington Northburn Primary School In deficit
- Wychwood Church of England Primary School In deficit
- R A Butler Infant School Healthy
- St Bartholomew's Catholic Primary School Heading for deficit
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.7m | £6,287 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £86k | £308 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £58k | £208 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £77k | £275 |
Money raised by parents
BEAUDESERT LOWER SCHOOL PTA (charity 1042060, Registered) raised £8k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £8k | £5k |
2024-08 | £6k | £4k |
2023-08 | £5k | £2k |
2022-08 | £1k | £466 |
2021-08 | £1k | £3k |
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 admin and clerical is £475 a pupil, against a typical £297 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 Beaudesert Lower School · All Central Bedfordshire school finances