Woodlands Primary School: school finances
Healthy
Holds £261k in reserve, 7% of a year's income. It has spent more than it received for 2 years, so watch the trend.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Cheshire West and Chester · Primary · Community 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 | £2.9m | -£231k | £42k | 526 |
2019-20 | £2.5m | £2.6m | -£54k | -£13k | 510 |
2020-21 | £2.5m | £2.3m | +£180k | £167k | 520 |
2021-22 | £2.7m | £2.5m | +£148k | £315k | 506 |
2022-23 | £2.8m | £2.7m | +£84k | £399k | 500 |
2023-24 | £3.1m | £2.9m | +£135k | £534k | 489 |
2024-25 | £3.4m | £3.6m | -£141k | £392k | 499 |
2025-26 | £3.9m | £4.0m | -£131k | £261k | 509 |
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 60% of them. It spends £7,945 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,496.
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 | £3,109 | £3,088 | £2,747–£3,283 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,910 | £1,249 | £1,096–£1,552 |
Supply staff | £685 | £104 | £37–£172 |
Admin and clerical | £333 | £291 | £256–£344 |
Premises | £335 | £304 | £247–£350 |
Energy | £95 | £97 | £79–£130 |
Learning resources & ICT | £327 | £254 | £202–£316 |
Bought-in services | £129 | £106 | £73–£157 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- West Hill Primary Academy Healthy
- Thornhill Primary School Healthy
- Higher Lane Primary School Healthy
- Coundon Primary School Healthy
- Downs Junior School Tight
- Tudor Grange Primary Academy Langley Healthy
- Swalecliffe Community Primary School Tight
- Charford First School In deficit
- Claydon Primary School Large reserves
- Francis Baily Primary School Large reserves
- Southcote Primary School Healthy
- Wixams Tree Primary Academy Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £3.6m | £7,126 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £501k | £985 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £115k | £226 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £286k | £562 |
Money raised by parents
WOODLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL PTA (charity 1147631, Registered) raised £11k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2024-08 | £11k | £9k |
2023-08 | £5k | £2k |
2022-08 | £3k | £2k |
2021-08 | £5k | £2k |
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.
- Spending on supply staff is £685 a pupil, against a typical £104 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £1,910 a pupil, against a typical £1,249 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- How does the school decide what the money the parents' association raises is spent on?
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 Woodlands Primary School · All Cheshire West and Chester school finances