Bridgelea Pupil Referral Unit: school finances
Healthy
Holds £355k in reserve, 7% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Manchester · 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 | £2.8m | £2.7m | +£13k | -£19k | 80 |
2019-20 | £2.8m | £2.6m | +£197k | £179k | 74 |
2020-21 | £2.9m | £2.7m | +£187k | £365k | 79 |
2021-22 | £2.9m | £2.8m | +£61k | £426k | 86 |
2022-23 | £3.3m | £3.5m | -£207k | £219k | 100 |
2023-24 | £3.9m | £3.9m | -£20k | £199k | 116 |
2024-25 | £4.6m | £4.4m | +£196k | £395k | 124 |
2025-26 | £5.0m | £5.0m | -£41k | £355k | 125 |
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 47% of them. It spends £40,147 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £27,019.
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 | £12,830 | £10,502 | £8,510–£14,938 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £10,747 | £5,431 | £3,548–£7,046 |
Supply staff | £6,579 | £981 | £494–£2,147 |
Admin and clerical | £2,236 | £1,292 | £992–£2,015 |
Premises | £2,318 | £1,111 | £976–£1,376 |
Energy | £493 | £379 | £212–£521 |
Learning resources & ICT | £1,548 | £1,185 | £750–£2,548 |
Bought-in services | £1,088 | £844 | £258–£2,828 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- The Elland Academy Large reserves
- Denewood Academy Large reserves
- The Horizon School, Hartlepool Tight
- Central Hub Brighton Healthy
- Meadow Park School Large reserves
- Alternative Education Service - The Beacon Centre In deficit
- Rotherham Aspire Tight
- Larches High School Healthy
- Educational Diversity Large reserves
- Coventry Alternative Provision Academy Large reserves
- Richard Barnes Academy In deficit
- Sandwell Community School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £4.9m | £39,418 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £1.8m | £14,635 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £181k | £1,445 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £116k | £929 |
Questions to ask the school
Useful for parents, governors and PTA committees.
- Spending on supply staff is £6,579 a pupil, against a typical £981 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on premises is £2,318 a pupil, against a typical £1,111 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £10,747 a pupil, against a typical £5,431 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £2,236 a pupil, against a typical £1,292 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 Bridgelea Pupil Referral Unit · All Manchester school finances