Birchwood: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £130k in reserve, 13% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Kent · 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 | £864k | £1.1m | -£226k | £27k | 23 |
2019-20 | £751k | £741k | +£10k | £37k | 22 |
2020-21 | £730k | £593k | +£137k | £174k | 24 |
2021-22 | £782k | £793k | -£12k | £163k | 31 |
2022-23 | £837k | £881k | -£45k | £118k | 20 |
2023-24 | £987k | £962k | +£25k | £143k | 29 |
2024-25 | £1.0m | £984k | +£24k | £167k | 31 |
2025-26 | £990k | £1.0m | -£36k | £130k | 24 |
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 27% of them. It spends £42,748 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £36,760.
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 | £21,068 | £20,103 | £14,219–£26,439 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £2,978 | £4,232 | £2,550–£8,260 |
Supply staff | £2,516 | £144 | £0–£1,696 |
Admin and clerical | £1,224 | £1,914 | £838–£3,364 |
Premises | £1,095 | £917 | £174–£1,607 |
Energy | £257 | £328 | £0–£614 |
Learning resources & ICT | £1,879 | £1,210 | £860–£1,956 |
Bought-in services | £3,794 | £730 | £342–£1,260 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- St Christopher's Academy Large reserves
- Merit Hospital School and Medical Pupil Referral Unit In deficit
- Great Park School Large reserves
- The Hope Service Tight
- The St Aubyn Centre Education Department Large reserves
- Triple Crown Centre Large reserves
- Southampton Hospital School Large reserves
- Consilium Evolve Tight
- OA Tunbridge Wells Healthy
- The Surrey Teaching Centre Large reserves
- King's Leadership Phoenix Academy Tight
- Horizon School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £733k | £30,524 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £226k | £9,397 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £1k | £42 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £291k | £12,124 |
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 supply staff is £2,516 a pupil, against a typical £144 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on bought-in services is £3,794 a pupil, against a typical £730 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 Birchwood · All Kent school finances