Central Primary School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £483k in reserve, 16% 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 | £2.2m | £2.2m | +£34k | £86k | 447 |
2019-20 | £2.3m | £2.3m | +£10k | £96k | 451 |
2020-21 | £2.3m | £2.2m | +£96k | £193k | 433 |
2021-22 | £2.5m | £2.3m | +£132k | £325k | 428 |
2022-23 | £2.6m | £2.5m | +£32k | £357k | 403 |
2023-24 | £2.5m | £2.5m | -£26k | £331k | 415 |
2024-25 | £2.9m | £2.8m | +£127k | £458k | 406 |
2025-26 | £2.9m | £2.9m | +£26k | £483k | 390 |
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 93% of them. It spends £7,464 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,672.
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 | £3,436 | £3,156 | £2,846–£3,462 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,731 | £1,376 | £1,075–£1,547 |
Supply staff | £157 | £113 | £71–£215 |
Admin and clerical | £349 | £301 | £238–£386 |
Premises | £401 | £307 | £281–£354 |
Energy | £78 | £98 | £76–£116 |
Learning resources & ICT | £281 | £247 | £208–£350 |
Bought-in services | £227 | £104 | £46–£210 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Wantage Church of England Primary School Healthy
- St Andrew's Primary School Large reserves
- Peasedown St John Primary School Large reserves
- Ascot Road Primary School Large reserves
- Raddlebarn Primary School In deficit
- Barlows Primary School Large reserves
- Sir Edmund Hillary Academy Healthy
- Priory Primary School Large reserves
- St James' Church of England Primary School Blackburn Healthy
- Bushmead Primary School In deficit
- Abbotswood Primary School Healthy
- Whitley Abbey Primary School Tight
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £2.8m | £7,246 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £157k | £402 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £137k | £350 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £121k | £309 |
Questions to ask the school
Useful for parents, governors and PTA committees.
- What are the reserves set aside for, and when will they be spent on current pupils?
- Could any of the surplus be clawed back under the council's scheme for financing schools?
- Pupil numbers have fallen 13% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on premises is £401 a pupil, against a typical £307 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £1,731 a pupil, against a typical £1,376 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 Central Primary School · All Hertfordshire school finances