River Primary School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £229k in reserve, 9% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Kent · 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 | £1.9m | £1.9m | -£26k | £161k | 424 |
2019-20 | £1.9m | £1.9m | +£37k | £198k | 419 |
2020-21 | £2.1m | £2.0m | +£93k | £291k | 413 |
2021-22 | £2.3m | £2.3m | -£14k | £277k | 415 |
2022-23 | £2.3m | £2.4m | -£43k | £235k | 413 |
2023-24 | £2.4m | £2.4m | -£1k | £233k | 408 |
2024-25 | £2.6m | £2.6m | -£6k | £228k | 394 |
2025-26 | £2.6m | £2.6m | +£2k | £229k | 384 |
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 47% of them. It spends £6,708 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,270.
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 | £3,565 | £3,113 | £2,991–£3,291 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,139 | £1,273 | £1,083–£1,565 |
Supply staff | £16 | £119 | £45–£207 |
Admin and clerical | £351 | £288 | £208–£329 |
Premises | £419 | £294 | £239–£349 |
Energy | £56 | £96 | £79–£109 |
Learning resources & ICT | £386 | £235 | £169–£278 |
Bought-in services | £95 | £91 | £48–£173 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Sir Henry Fermor Church of England Primary School Large reserves
- Colmore Infant and Nursery School Tight
- Cedars Primary School Large reserves
- Lower Darwen Primary School Healthy
- Trimley St Mary Primary School Large reserves
- St Georges CofE (Aided) Primary School Large reserves
- Sunnyside Primary Academy Large reserves
- Finberry Primary School Healthy
- Wincanton Primary School Tight
- Potton Primary School Heading for deficit
- Hawkinge Primary School Large reserves
- Puss Bank School and Nursery Healthy
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £2.5m | £6,449 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £119k | £310 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £140k | £364 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £104k | £270 |
Money raised by parents
RIVER PRIMARY SCHOOL PARENT, TEACHER AND FRIENDS ASSOCIATION (PTFA) (charity 1136149, Registered) raised £9k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £9k | £10k |
2024-08 | £6k | £12k |
2023-08 | £9k | £6k |
2022-08 | £7k | £2k |
2021-08 | £3k | £997 |
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 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 9% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £386 a pupil, against a typical £235 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on premises is £419 a pupil, against a typical £294 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.
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