Downs Infant School: school finances
Healthy
Holds £73k in reserve, 3% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Brighton and Hove · 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 | £1.5m | £1.5m | -£5k | £69k | 356 |
2019-20 | £1.5m | £1.5m | -£16k | £54k | 357 |
2020-21 | £1.6m | £1.6m | +£11k | £65k | 359 |
2021-22 | £1.7m | £1.7m | +£49k | £113k | 353 |
2022-23 | £1.9m | £1.9m | -£21k | £92k | 344 |
2023-24 | £1.9m | £1.9m | -£40k | £51k | 345 |
2024-25 | £2.2m | £2.2m | +£44k | £95k | 322 |
2025-26 | £2.2m | £2.2m | -£23k | £73k | 289 |
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 40% of them. It spends £7,612 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,247.
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 | £3,256 | £3,017 | £2,753–£3,336 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £2,559 | £1,265 | £1,102–£1,464 |
Supply staff | £91 | £93 | £51–£156 |
Admin and clerical | £316 | £305 | £247–£378 |
Premises | £352 | £298 | £267–£382 |
Energy | £78 | £95 | £79–£110 |
Learning resources & ICT | £251 | £238 | £187–£345 |
Bought-in services | £213 | £104 | £50–£190 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Turnfurlong Infant School Heading for deficit
- Letchmore Infants' and Nursery School Healthy
- Wheatfields Primary School In deficit
- Verwood Church of England First School Healthy
- St Robert's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy Tight
- Ilchester Community School Healthy
- Fairfield Infant School Heading for deficit
- Trinity Church of England First School Large reserves
- St Margaret's Infant School Healthy
- Rodings Primary School Large reserves
- Lee-On-the-Solent Infant and Nursery School Heading for deficit
- Greenfield Primary School In deficit
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £2.0m | £6,801 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £111k | £384 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £71k | £247 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £212k | £733 |
Money raised by parents
FRIENDS OF DOWNS INFANT SCHOOL (FODIS) (charity 1146527, Registered) raised £20k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-09 | £20k | £15k |
2024-09 | £19k | £25k |
2023-09 | £22k | £33k |
2022-09 | £14k | £5k |
2021-09 | £16k | £4k |
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 19% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on bought-in services is £213 a pupil, against a typical £104 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £2,559 a pupil, against a typical £1,265 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- 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 Downs Infant School · All Brighton and Hove school finances