Ridgefield Primary School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £196k in reserve, 12% of a year's income. It has been drawing on it for 3 years.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Cambridgeshire · Primary · Foundation 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 | £1.1m | £1.1m | +£35k | £107k | 233 |
2019-20 | £1.2m | £1.1m | +£70k | £176k | 240 |
2020-21 | £1.2m | £1.2m | +£57k | £233k | 245 |
2021-22 | £1.2m | £1.3m | -£24k | £209k | 226 |
2022-23 | £1.4m | £1.4m | +£10k | £219k | 243 |
2023-24 | £1.5m | £1.5m | -£12k | £207k | 232 |
2024-25 | £1.5m | £1.5m | -£9k | £198k | 226 |
2025-26 | £1.6m | £1.6m | -£2k | £196k | 205 |
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 77% of them. It spends £7,777 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,891.
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 | £3,293 | £3,243 | £2,953–£3,541 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,642 | £1,277 | £1,059–£1,571 |
Supply staff | £33 | £120 | £44–£266 |
Admin and clerical | £211 | £312 | £276–£395 |
Premises | £270 | £373 | £291–£451 |
Energy | £127 | £110 | £88–£134 |
Learning resources & ICT | £345 | £291 | £260–£408 |
Bought-in services | £656 | £172 | £86–£263 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- St Peter and St Paul RC Junior and Infant School In deficit
- St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge Healthy
- Cherry Willingham Primary Academy Large reserves
- Bransty Primary School Large reserves
- St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- Carleton Park Junior and Infant School Large reserves
- Holy Spirit Catholic Primary Academy Large reserves
- Bottesford Church of England Primary School Large reserves
- Woodthorpe Junior and Infant School Healthy
- Amesbury Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School In deficit
- Holy Trinity Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Halstead Large reserves
- Leigh St John's CofE Primary Heading for deficit
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.5m | £7,416 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £113k | £550 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £78k | £380 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £79k | £385 |
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?
- Pupil numbers have fallen 12% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on bought-in services is £656 a pupil, against a typical £172 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 Ridgefield Primary School · All Cambridgeshire school finances