The Woodlands: school finances
Tight
Holds £0 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). County Durham · Not applicable · Pupil referral unit.
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 | £5.1m | £5.1m | £0 | £0 | 205 |
2019-20 | £6.2m | £6.2m | £0 | £0 | 236 |
2020-21 | £6.6m | £6.6m | £0 | £0 | 192 |
2021-22 | £7.5m | £7.5m | £0 | £0 | 362 |
2022-23 | £9.7m | £9.5m | +£192k | £192k | 426 |
2023-24 | £10.4m | £10.6m | -£192k | £0 | 417 |
2024-25 | £13.7m | £13.6m | +£45k | £45k | 433 |
2025-26 | £15.9m | £15.9m | -£45k | £0 | 499 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 alternative-provision 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 17% of them. It spends £31,941 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £25,826.
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 | £6,731 | £10,580 | £8,173–£13,472 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £4,451 | £5,501 | £4,558–£8,081 |
Supply staff | £1,712 | £1,320 | £342–£2,440 |
Admin and clerical | £794 | £1,201 | £814–£1,885 |
Premises | £588 | £1,089 | £706–£1,382 |
Energy | £128 | £289 | £215–£437 |
Learning resources & ICT | £5,511 | £1,041 | £647–£1,943 |
Bought-in services | £10,775 | £792 | £193–£2,172 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- City of Birmingham School Healthy
- Moorbridge In deficit
- Esteem North Academy Large reserves
- UET Pathfinder Academy Large reserves
- Sheffield Inclusion Centre Large reserves
- West Sussex Alternative Provision College Healthy
- Unity Academy Healthy
- Manchester Secondary PRU In deficit
- Everton Free School & Football College Large reserves
- Educational Diversity Large reserves
- Meadow Park School Large reserves
- Highfields College In deficit
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £15.3m | £30,595 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £310k | £621 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £626k | £1,255 |
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 bought-in services is £10,775 a pupil, against a typical £792 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £5,511 a pupil, against a typical £1,041 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 Woodlands · All County Durham school finances