Plumpton Primary School: school finances
Heading for deficit
Has spent more than it received for 5 years running; at that rate its £196k reserve runs out in about 3 years.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). East Sussex · 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 | £518k | £515k | +£4k | £17k | 100 |
2019-20 | £568k | £546k | +£21k | £39k | 111 |
2020-21 | £618k | £587k | +£31k | £70k | 118 |
2021-22 | £659k | £678k | -£18k | £51k | 124 |
2022-23 | £2.2m | £2.2m | -£13k | £145k | 127 |
2023-24 | £3.3m | £3.3m | -£44k | £374k | 534 |
2024-25 | £3.7m | £3.7m | -£40k | £334k | 532 |
2025-26 | £3.9m | £4.0m | -£138k | £196k | 550 |
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 £7,282 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,099.
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 | £3,544 | £3,019 | £2,811–£3,195 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,050 | £1,165 | £979–£1,400 |
Supply staff | £193 | £60 | £20–£107 |
Admin and clerical | £406 | £286 | £205–£370 |
Premises | £312 | £284 | £229–£329 |
Energy | £81 | £85 | £69–£106 |
Learning resources & ICT | £290 | £270 | £176–£348 |
Bought-in services | £284 | £83 | £42–£162 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Lammack Primary School Healthy
- West Leigh Junior School Large reserves
- St Philip (Westbrook) CofE Primary School Large reserves
- Stokenham Area Primary School Large reserves
- Stivichall Primary School Healthy
- Thorpe Hesley Primary School Healthy
- Hawkedon Primary School Large reserves
- Waverley Primary Academy Large reserves
- Loddon Primary School In deficit
- Broke Hall Community Primary School Large reserves
- Holy Trinity, Guildford, CofE Aided Junior School Large reserves
- Vale School, Worthing Heading for deficit
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £3.7m | £6,712 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £178k | £324 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £117k | £213 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £175k | £318 |
Money raised by parents
PLUMPTON PARENTS TEACHERS AND FRIENDS ASSOCIATION (charity 1004535, Registered) raised £8k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £8k | £14k |
2024-08 | £14k | £10k |
2023-08 | £14k | £19k |
2022-08 | £20k | £10k |
2021-08 | £8k | £6k |
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.
- What is the plan to stop spending more than the school receives each year?
- Spending on bought-in services is £284 a pupil, against a typical £83 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on supply staff is £193 a pupil, against a typical £60 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on teachers is £3,544 a pupil, against a typical £3,019 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 Plumpton Primary School · All East Sussex school finances