Cobham Free School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £761k in reserve, 10% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2024-25, as a academy (accounts return, September–August). Surrey · All-through · Free schools.
Academies in a trust don't hold money on their own: COBHAM FREE SCHOOL TRUST can move money between its schools. The reserve includes this school's per-pupil share of the trust's central reserve.
Reserve at the end of each year, 2018-19 to 2024-25
Income and spending, 2018-19 to 2024-25
Income Spending
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Income | Spending | Balance | Reserve | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018-19 | £4.1m | £4.2m | -£132k | £501k | 539 |
2019-20 | £4.5m | £4.4m | +£65k | £769k | 566 |
2020-21 | £4.2m | £4.3m | -£109k | £654k | 642 |
2021-22 | £5.2m | £5.6m | -£376k | £286k | 840 |
2022-23 | £6.4m | £6.1m | +£250k | £570k | 928 |
2023-24 | £6.6m | £6.6m | +£10k | £546k | 948 |
2024-25 | £7.5m | £7.3m | +£257k | £761k | 963 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 all-through 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 67% of them. It spends £7,546 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,857.
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 | £4,792 | £3,948 | £3,498–£4,179 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £667 | £843 | £651–£959 |
Supply staff | £13 | £71 | £34–£136 |
Admin and clerical | £394 | £409 | £305–£512 |
Premises | £413 | £356 | £283–£441 |
Energy | £191 | £143 | £114–£168 |
Learning resources & ICT | £536 | £462 | £318–£569 |
Bought-in services | £121 | £57 | £31–£107 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Chichester Free School Tight
- King James Academy Royston In deficit
- Royal Alexandra and Albert School In deficit
- Priory Academy Large reserves
- Glebe Farm School In deficit
- The King's (The Cathedral) School Large reserves
- Bohunt Horsham Large reserves
- Avanti Fields School Large reserves
- Seva School Large reserves
- Gildredge House Large reserves
- The Gatwick School Healthy
- Birkenhead High School Academy Healthy
Where the money comes from, 2024-25
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £6.8m | £7,066 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £460k | £478 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £719k | £747 |
Money raised by parents
FRIENDS OF COBHAM FREE SCHOOL (charity 1152171, Registered) raised £50k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £50k | £36k |
2024-08 | £47k | £39k |
2023-08 | £51k | £66k |
2022-08 | £42k | £31k |
2021-08 | £16k | £12k |
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.
- What are the reserves set aside for, and when will they be spent on current pupils?
- Spending on bought-in services is £121 a pupil, against a typical £57 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on energy is £191 a pupil, against a typical £143 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on teachers is £4,792 a pupil, against a typical £3,948 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 Cobham Free School · All Surrey school finances