Bower Grove School: school finances
Healthy
Holds £331k in reserve, 5% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Kent · Not applicable · Foundation special 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 | £4.0m | £4.1m | -£53k | £91k | 227 |
2019-20 | £4.0m | £4.1m | -£45k | £46k | 225 |
2020-21 | £4.3m | £4.3m | +£60k | £107k | 231 |
2021-22 | £5.1m | £4.8m | +£270k | £377k | 232 |
2022-23 | £5.3m | £5.2m | +£132k | £508k | 238 |
2023-24 | £5.7m | £5.8m | -£138k | £371k | 241 |
2024-25 | £6.0m | £6.2m | -£123k | £248k | 239 |
2025-26 | £6.3m | £6.3m | +£83k | £331k | 246 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 special 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 20% of them. It spends £25,445 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £26,066.
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 | £11,567 | £9,574 | £8,739–£11,086 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £9,012 | £8,574 | £7,265–£11,667 |
Supply staff | £108 | £671 | £167–£1,438 |
Admin and clerical | £1,170 | £914 | £648–£1,462 |
Premises | £982 | £1,571 | £1,077–£1,856 |
Energy | £229 | £341 | £246–£489 |
Learning resources & ICT | £442 | £648 | £465–£1,071 |
Bought-in services | £814 | £433 | £177–£1,242 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Catcote Academy Large reserves
- Abbot's Lea School Healthy
- Grange School Large reserves
- Beechcliffe Special School Large reserves
- Hope Wood Academy Large reserves
- Mayfield School Large reserves
- Springwell School Large reserves
- Epinay Business and Enterprise School Large reserves
- The Dales School In deficit
- Park Community Academy Large reserves
- Lexden Springs School Large reserves
- Lancasterian School Healthy
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £6.3m | £25,548 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £2.8m | £11,459 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £231k | £940 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £71k | £289 |
Money raised by parents
ASSOCIATION OF PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF BOWER GROVE SCHOOL (charity 258057, Registered) raised £87k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £87k | £98k |
2024-08 | £37k | £39k |
2023-08 | £43k | £33k |
2022-08 | £85k | £81k |
2021-08 | £10k | £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.
- 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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