The Forum Centre: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £1.1m in reserve, 37% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Dorset · Not applicable · Pupil referral unit.
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 | £1.3m | £1.3m | +£66k | £182k | 56 |
2019-20 | £1.2m | £1.4m | -£218k | -£37k | 57 |
2020-21 | £1.4m | £1.4m | +£15k | -£407 | 60 |
2021-22 | £1.5m | £1.4m | +£49k | £49k | 62 |
2022-23 | £1.6m | £1.6m | +£35k | £84k | 62 |
2023-24 | £1.8m | £1.8m | +£60k | £144k | 67 |
2024-25 | £2.7m | £2.3m | +£463k | £607k | 81 |
2025-26 | £3.0m | £2.5m | +£501k | £1.1m | 80 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 alternative-provision 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 97% of them. It spends £31,518 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £29,944.
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 | £16,997 | £12,436 | £10,582–£16,002 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £4,030 | £5,872 | £3,853–£9,112 |
Supply staff | £1,317 | £1,231 | £144–£2,154 |
Admin and clerical | £3,183 | £1,600 | £1,172–£2,139 |
Premises | £794 | £1,355 | £927–£1,714 |
Energy | £325 | £379 | £232–£543 |
Learning resources & ICT | £979 | £1,434 | £867–£1,847 |
Bought-in services | £2,452 | £1,329 | £551–£2,730 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- West Cumbria Learning Centre Tight
- Willow Vale School In deficit
- iCollege Alternative Provision Healthy
- Rise Carr College Healthy
- Victory Park Academy Large reserves
- The Venn Boulevard Centre Healthy
- The Acorns School In deficit
- Titan St Georges Academy Large reserves
- Continu Plus Academy Healthy
- OA - Thurrock Large reserves
- Voyage Learning Campus Large reserves
- Trafford Alternative Education Provision Healthy
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £3.0m | £37,775 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £1.6m | £19,943 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £20k | £245 |
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 admin and clerical is £3,183 a pupil, against a typical £1,600 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 The Forum Centre · All Dorset school finances