Sauncey Wood Primary School: school finances
Healthy
Holds £77k in reserve, 5% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Hertfordshire · 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 | £1.3m | £1.2m | +£107k | £343k | 190 |
2019-20 | £1.2m | £1.2m | -£31 | £343k | 183 |
2020-21 | £1.3m | £1.3m | -£49k | £294k | 184 |
2021-22 | £1.3m | £1.4m | -£102k | £192k | 195 |
2022-23 | £1.4m | £1.5m | -£126k | £66k | 192 |
2023-24 | £1.7m | £1.7m | +£24k | £90k | 194 |
2024-25 | £1.8m | £1.8m | +£9k | £99k | 169 |
2025-26 | £1.7m | £1.7m | -£22k | £77k | 147 |
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 50% of them. It spends £11,406 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £7,716.
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 | £5,002 | £3,370 | £3,127–£4,208 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £3,371 | £1,321 | £1,090–£1,916 |
Supply staff | £190 | £217 | £131–£346 |
Admin and clerical | £461 | £327 | £277–£470 |
Premises | £342 | £435 | £310–£631 |
Energy | £107 | £127 | £98–£163 |
Learning resources & ICT | £509 | £331 | £247–£418 |
Bought-in services | £433 | £162 | £91–£234 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- All Saints' CofE School Healthy
- Park Street Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Large reserves
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary Academy Healthy
- Preston Primary School In deficit
- Anston Brook Primary School Large reserves
- Ashley Infant School In deficit
- Newton Primary School Healthy
- Burton Green Primary School Heading for deficit
- Barwell Infant School In deficit
- Whaley Bridge Primary School Large reserves
- Docking Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery Large reserves
- Woodgate Primary Academy Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.5m | £10,012 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £155k | £1,054 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £73k | £495 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £183k | £1,246 |
Money raised by parents
FRIENDS OF SAUNCEY WOOD SCHOOL (charity 290481, Registered) raised £8k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £8k | £6k |
2024-08 | £9k | £5k |
2023-08 | £10k | £12k |
2022-08 | £18k | £23k |
2021-08 | £10k | £3k |
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 23% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on bought-in services is £433 a pupil, against a typical £162 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £3,371 a pupil, against a typical £1,321 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £509 a pupil, against a typical £331 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on teachers is £5,002 a pupil, against a typical £3,370 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 Sauncey Wood Primary School · All Hertfordshire school finances