Helsby High School: school finances
Healthy
Holds £345k in reserve, 3% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Cheshire West and Chester · Secondary · 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 | £7.2m | £7.2m | -£83k | £172k | 1,322 |
2019-20 | £7.5m | £7.3m | +£196k | £368k | 1,376 |
2020-21 | £7.9m | £7.4m | +£460k | £828k | 1,372 |
2021-22 | £8.4m | £8.3m | +£107k | £935k | 1,354 |
2022-23 | £8.9m | £9.3m | -£435k | £499k | 1,338 |
2023-24 | £9.3m | £9.4m | -£97k | £402k | 1,294 |
2024-25 | £9.8m | £9.7m | +£167k | £569k | 1,235 |
2025-26 | £9.9m | £10.2m | -£224k | £345k | 1,211 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 secondary 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 30% of them. It spends £8,387 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £7,231.
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 | £4,878 | £4,230 | £4,057–£4,469 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £851 | £716 | £546–£840 |
Supply staff | £129 | £57 | £34–£130 |
Admin and clerical | £347 | £506 | £333–£600 |
Premises | £464 | £397 | £348–£459 |
Energy | £148 | £124 | £106–£141 |
Learning resources & ICT | £427 | £478 | £340–£599 |
Bought-in services | £28 | £82 | £41–£144 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- St Birinus School In deficit
- Wolverhampton Girls' High School Large reserves
- Chew Valley School Large reserves
- Congleton High School In deficit
- Sawston Village College Tight
- Woldgate School and Sixth Form College In deficit
- The Bishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School Large reserves
- Abbey Park School Large reserves
- St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford Large reserves
- St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield Healthy
- Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls Large reserves
- The Cottesloe School Tight
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £9.1m | £7,529 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £250k | £207 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £234k | £193 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £816k | £674 |
Money raised by parents
HELSBY HIGH SCHOOL PARENTS' SOCIETY (charity 1000507, Registered) raised £264 in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £264 | £5k |
2024-08 | £324 | £758 |
2023-08 | £374 | £656 |
2022-08 | £704 | £6k |
2021-08 | £919 | £123 |
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.
- Pupil numbers have fallen 8% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- 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 Helsby High School · All Cheshire West and Chester school finances