St Matthew's High Brooms Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £255k in reserve, 11% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Kent · Primary · Voluntary controlled 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 | £2.0m | £1.8m | +£136k | £182k | 407 |
2019-20 | £1.9m | £1.8m | +£12k | £194k | 374 |
2020-21 | £1.9m | £1.9m | +£29k | £222k | 354 |
2021-22 | £1.9m | £2.0m | -£121k | £102k | 353 |
2022-23 | £2.0m | £2.1m | -£50k | £52k | 354 |
2023-24 | £2.3m | £2.2m | +£81k | £133k | 358 |
2024-25 | £2.5m | £2.5m | +£6k | £139k | 332 |
2025-26 | £2.4m | £2.3m | +£115k | £255k | 293 |
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 £7,880 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £7,540.
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 | £3,757 | £3,545 | £3,152–£3,880 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,406 | £1,424 | £1,244–£1,825 |
Supply staff | £228 | £203 | £79–£409 |
Admin and clerical | £307 | £303 | £240–£405 |
Premises | £371 | £401 | £378–£529 |
Energy | £129 | £138 | £97–£179 |
Learning resources & ICT | £263 | £339 | £215–£446 |
Bought-in services | £373 | £204 | £40–£289 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Tilery Primary School Healthy
- Oldfleet Primary School Healthy
- Mulberry Baird Primary Heading for deficit
- Dene House Primary School Large reserves
- Salisbury Primary School Large reserves
- Meanwood Community Nursery and Primary School Healthy
- Haslam Park Primary School Large reserves
- Elaine Primary School Tight
- Knowle Primary School Large reserves
- Grendon Primary School Large reserves
- English Martyrs' Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- Brandon Primary Academy Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £2.4m | £8,145 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £133k | £454 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £246k | £841 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £41k | £139 |
Money raised by parents
ST MATTHEWS HIGH BROOMS PFA (charity 1136118, Registered) raised £8k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £8k | £4k |
2024-08 | £4k | £14k |
2023-07 | £4k | £842 |
2022-07 | £3k | £0 |
2021-07 | £0 | £941 |
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 28% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on bought-in services is £373 a pupil, against a typical £204 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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