Fordwater School, Chichester: school finances
Tight
Holds £135k in reserve, under 3% of a year's income: little room for surprises.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). West Sussex · Not applicable · Community 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 | £2.8m | £2.9m | -£68k | £150k | 122 |
2019-20 | £3.0m | £3.1m | -£35k | £115k | 134 |
2020-21 | £3.4m | £3.2m | +£118k | £233k | 136 |
2021-22 | £3.4m | £3.4m | -£64k | £169k | 140 |
2022-23 | £3.8m | £3.8m | -£41k | £128k | 152 |
2023-24 | £4.4m | £4.5m | -£129k | -£664 | 171 |
2024-25 | £5.6m | £5.5m | +£55k | £54k | 193 |
2025-26 | £6.4m | £6.4m | +£81k | £135k | 219 |
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 17% of them. It spends £29,075 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £29,842.
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 | £11,554 | £10,824 | £9,144–£11,798 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £11,118 | £11,447 | £9,158–£12,892 |
Supply staff | £203 | £284 | £10–£713 |
Admin and clerical | £1,578 | £1,323 | £880–£1,727 |
Premises | £1,907 | £1,425 | £1,173–£1,672 |
Energy | £310 | £357 | £269–£450 |
Learning resources & ICT | £918 | £923 | £574–£1,234 |
Bought-in services | £130 | £702 | £361–£2,209 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Rigby Hall Day Special School Large reserves
- Manor Green College Tight
- Daventry Hill School Large reserves
- Chiltern Wood School Tight
- The Castle School Large reserves
- The Avenue Special School Large reserves
- Palatine Primary School In deficit
- The Mendip School Large reserves
- Manor Mead School Large reserves
- Booker Park Community School Large reserves
- James Rennie School Large reserves
- Kennel Lane School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £6.4m | £29,330 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £3.7m | £16,913 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £74k | £336 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £25k | £115 |
Questions to ask the school
Useful for parents, governors and PTA committees.
- What would the school do if costs rose unexpectedly, such as energy or a pay award that isn't fully funded?
- Spending on premises is £1,907 a pupil, against a typical £1,425 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 Fordwater School, Chichester · All West Sussex school finances