The Meads Primary School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £709k in reserve, 20% of a year's income. It has been drawing on it for 3 years.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Luton · 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 | £2.9m | £2.9m | -£25k | £389k | 562 |
2019-20 | £3.2m | £3.1m | +£97k | £486k | 550 |
2020-21 | £3.2m | £3.1m | +£171k | £657k | 536 |
2021-22 | £3.3m | £3.3m | +£78k | £735k | 563 |
2022-23 | £3.7m | £3.4m | +£292k | £1.0m | 536 |
2023-24 | £3.3m | £3.4m | -£121k | £906k | 515 |
2024-25 | £3.4m | £3.4m | -£68k | £838k | 506 |
2025-26 | £3.5m | £3.6m | -£129k | £709k | 513 |
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 90% of them. It spends £7,086 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,578.
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 | £2,924 | £3,084 | £2,719–£3,420 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,771 | £1,282 | £1,135–£1,507 |
Supply staff | £153 | £143 | £61–£235 |
Admin and clerical | £357 | £301 | £196–£361 |
Premises | £388 | £329 | £291–£421 |
Energy | £69 | £101 | £73–£116 |
Learning resources & ICT | £408 | £271 | £243–£356 |
Bought-in services | £220 | £123 | £72–£163 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Lever Edge Primary Academy Healthy
- Winsford High Street Community Primary School Large reserves
- William Austin Junior School Large reserves
- Driffield Junior School Large reserves
- Coppice Primary Academy In deficit
- Springfield Primary School Large reserves
- Spalding Parish Church of England Day School Large reserves
- St Katherine's School & Nursery Large reserves
- Headfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School Large reserves
- Orchards Junior School Large reserves
- Byron Primary School Tight
- Boughton Leigh Junior School Heading for deficit
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £3.4m | £6,534 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £192k | £375 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £222k | £433 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £155k | £301 |
Money raised by parents
THE MEADS PRIMARY SCHOOL PTA (charity 1154711, Registered) raised £6k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £6k | £18k |
2024-08 | £11k | £8k |
2023-08 | £12k | £13k |
2022-08 | £17k | £12k |
2021-08 | £8k | £5k |
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?
- Pupil numbers have fallen 9% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on bought-in services is £220 a pupil, against a typical £123 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £408 a pupil, against a typical £271 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £1,771 a pupil, against a typical £1,282 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 The Meads Primary School · All Luton school finances