St Michael's Church of England Combined School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £127k in reserve, 10% of a year's income. It has been drawing on it for 2 years.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Buckinghamshire · 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 | £923k | £936k | -£13k | £83k | 225 |
2019-20 | £1.0m | £1.0m | +£29k | £112k | 205 |
2020-21 | £975k | £991k | -£17k | £95k | 206 |
2021-22 | £1.1m | £984k | +£67k | £163k | 190 |
2022-23 | £1.1m | £1.1m | -£1k | £162k | 196 |
2023-24 | £1.2m | £1.2m | +£19k | £181k | 199 |
2024-25 | £1.3m | £1.3m | -£33k | £148k | 202 |
2025-26 | £1.3m | £1.4m | -£21k | £127k | 203 |
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 63% of them. It spends £6,680 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,544.
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 | £3,307 | £3,115 | £2,988–£3,269 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,384 | £1,295 | £976–£1,479 |
Supply staff | £48 | £67 | £35–£112 |
Admin and clerical | £311 | £331 | £255–£446 |
Premises | £214 | £349 | £248–£399 |
Energy | £145 | £91 | £77–£120 |
Learning resources & ICT | £409 | £298 | £263–£368 |
Bought-in services | £104 | £176 | £99–£231 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Hughenden Primary School Large reserves
- Our Lady and St Kenelm RC School Healthy
- Saint Bernadette Voluntary Catholic Primary Academy Large reserves
- East Bierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Healthy
- Albert Village Primary School Healthy
- Loughton Manor First School Healthy
- Heritage Park Primary School Healthy
- Saint Albert the Great Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Healthy
- Newton Bluecoat Church of England Primary School In deficit
- St Helen's Church of England School In deficit
- Carswell Community Primary School Heading for deficit
- Victoria Academy Tight
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.2m | £6,041 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £30k | £148 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £48k | £237 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £109k | £535 |
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 10% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on energy is £145 a pupil, against a typical £91 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £409 a pupil, against a typical £298 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 St Michael's Church of England Combined School · All Buckinghamshire school finances