Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School: school finances
Tight
Holds £4k in reserve, under 3% of a year's income: little room for surprises.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Dorset · 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 | £379k | £391k | -£11k | -£27k | 57 |
2019-20 | £419k | £407k | +£12k | -£15k | 60 |
2020-21 | £445k | £424k | +£21k | £6k | 68 |
2021-22 | £493k | £463k | +£30k | £36k | 75 |
2022-23 | £536k | £549k | -£13k | £23k | 73 |
2023-24 | £554k | £569k | -£15k | £7k | 73 |
2024-25 | £636k | £636k | +£774 | £8k | 81 |
2025-26 | £686k | £691k | -£5k | £4k | 74 |
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 23% of them. It spends £9,398 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £8,203.
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 | £4,124 | £4,076 | £3,678–£4,433 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,241 | £1,327 | £1,003–£1,795 |
Supply staff | £69 | £164 | £38–£427 |
Admin and clerical | £955 | £442 | £301–£515 |
Premises | £501 | £414 | £379–£572 |
Energy | £167 | £124 | £94–£173 |
Learning resources & ICT | £349 | £438 | £285–£520 |
Bought-in services | £312 | £222 | £145–£338 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Swainswick Church School In deficit
- St Michael's Primary School Large reserves
- Coberley Church of England Primary School Heading for deficit
- Godolphin Primary School Heading for deficit
- Kirkbride Primary School In deficit
- Oulton CofE First School Healthy
- Glapthorn Church of England Primary School Large reserves
- St Peter's Catholic Primary School In deficit
- Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Large reserves
- Hale Primary School Large reserves
- Whitley Village School Large reserves
- Gulworthy Primary Academy Healthy
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £627k | £8,526 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £34k | £464 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £13k | £180 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £59k | £808 |
Questions to ask the school
Useful for parents, governors and PTA committees.
- What would the school do if costs rose unexpectedly, such as energy or a pay award that isn't fully funded?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £955 a pupil, against a typical £442 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 Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School · All Dorset school finances