Bridgewater Primary School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £711k in reserve, 16% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). West Northamptonshire · 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 | £2.7m | £2.7m | +£13k | £353k | 661 |
2019-20 | £3.1m | £3.0m | +£49k | £353k | 665 |
2020-21 | £3.2m | £3.2m | +£47k | £400k | 663 |
2021-22 | £3.4m | £3.4m | +£43k | £443k | 652 |
2022-23 | £3.5m | £3.5m | +£32k | £475k | 666 |
2023-24 | £3.8m | £3.8m | -£11k | £463k | 663 |
2024-25 | £4.1m | £4.1m | +£73k | £536k | 658 |
2025-26 | £4.4m | £4.2m | +£174k | £711k | 650 |
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 80% of them. It spends £6,519 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £5,951.
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 | £2,735 | £2,939 | £2,812–£3,101 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,550 | £1,057 | £941–£1,259 |
Supply staff | £25 | £67 | £4–£127 |
Admin and clerical | £306 | £309 | £243–£373 |
Premises | £523 | £293 | £247–£370 |
Energy | £77 | £79 | £71–£94 |
Learning resources & ICT | £263 | £272 | £183–£356 |
Bought-in services | £86 | £88 | £39–£121 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Fairview Community Primary School Healthy
- Heymann Primary and Nursery School Tight
- Barrow Hall Community Primary School Healthy
- Boxgrove Primary School Large reserves
- Highcliffe St Mark Primary School Heading for deficit
- Blackwood School Healthy
- Bowdon CofE Primary School Large reserves
- Dorridge Primary School Large reserves
- Kingswood Parks Primary School Large reserves
- Middleton Primary School Large reserves
- St Thomas' Church of England Primary School Heaton Chapel Heading for deficit
- Lindfield Primary Academy Tight
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £4.1m | £6,304 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £220k | £339 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £68k | £105 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £369k | £568 |
Money raised by parents
FRIENDS OF BRIDGEWATER PRIMARY SCHOOL (charity 1120544, Registered) raised £19k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £19k | £20k |
2024-08 | £17k | £21k |
2023-08 | £22k | £14k |
2022-08 | £10k | £13k |
2021-08 | £2k | £5k |
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?
- Spending on premises is £523 a pupil, against a typical £293 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £1,550 a pupil, against a typical £1,057 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 Bridgewater Primary School · All West Northamptonshire school finances