Sandfield Park School: school finances
Heading for deficit
Has spent more than it received for 3 years running; at that rate its £420k reserve runs out in about 3 years.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Liverpool · 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 | £2.6m | £2.6m | +£63k | £229k | 79 |
2019-20 | £2.7m | £2.6m | +£77k | £305k | 78 |
2020-21 | £2.9m | £2.6m | +£278k | £584k | 82 |
2021-22 | £3.0m | £2.9m | +£143k | £727k | 79 |
2022-23 | £3.5m | £3.3m | +£144k | £870k | 91 |
2023-24 | £3.9m | £3.9m | -£8k | £862k | 90 |
2024-25 | £4.2m | £4.4m | -£194k | £668k | 88 |
2025-26 | £4.8m | £5.1m | -£247k | £420k | 87 |
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 47% of them. It spends £58,225 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £29,767.
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 | £27,358 | £11,848 | £10,317–£13,610 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £12,794 | £8,398 | £5,958–£9,524 |
Supply staff | £3,186 | £812 | £525–£1,690 |
Admin and clerical | £2,360 | £1,188 | £844–£1,716 |
Premises | £6,002 | £1,497 | £1,033–£2,088 |
Energy | £345 | £377 | £279–£500 |
Learning resources & ICT | £2,940 | £994 | £690–£1,359 |
Bought-in services | £999 | £705 | £136–£2,662 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Beaufort School In deficit
- Littlegreen Academy Large reserves
- Moorbrook School Tight
- Chesnut Lodge Special School Large reserves
- Cuckmere House School Heading for deficit
- Longford Park School Healthy
- Orrets Meadow School Large reserves
- Greenfields Academy Tight
- North View Academy Large reserves
- Fortuna School Large reserves
- Lift Wishmore Large reserves
- The Bridge School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £4.8m | £55,125 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £3.4m | £39,549 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £37k | £420 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £22k | £256 |
Money raised by parents
THE FRIENDS OF SANDFIELD PARK SCHOOL, LIVERPOOL (charity 1068867, Registered) raised £6k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £6k | £12k |
2024-08 | £4k | £17k |
2023-08 | £3k | £23k |
2022-09 | £0 | £45 |
2021-09 | £10k | £10k |
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 is the plan to stop spending more than the school receives each year?
- Spending on premises is £6,002 a pupil, against a typical £1,497 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on supply staff is £3,186 a pupil, against a typical £812 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £2,940 a pupil, against a typical £994 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on teachers is £27,358 a pupil, against a typical £11,848 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £2,360 a pupil, against a typical £1,188 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 Sandfield Park School · All Liverpool school finances