Southway Primary School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £436k in reserve, 13% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2024-25, as a academy (accounts return, September–August). West Sussex · Primary · Academy sponsor led.
Academies in a trust don't hold money on their own: UNITED LEARNING 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 | £2.8m | £2.8m | -£43k | £0 | 604 |
2019-20 | £2.8m | £2.8m | +£25k | £0 | 591 |
2020-21 | £2.8m | £3.0m | -£154k | £0 | 572 |
2021-22 | £2.9m | £3.0m | -£128k | £0 | 538 |
2022-23 | £2.8m | £2.8m | +£39k | £0 | 547 |
2023-24 | £3.1m | £2.9m | +£196k | £0 | 517 |
2024-25 | £3.2m | £3.0m | +£210k | £436k | 488 |
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 63% of them. It spends £6,217 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,638.
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 | £3,055 | £3,086 | £2,759–£3,315 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,270 | £1,343 | £1,155–£1,538 |
Supply staff | £96 | £138 | £54–£251 |
Admin and clerical | £422 | £287 | £194–£377 |
Premises | £428 | £332 | £291–£392 |
Energy | £92 | £98 | £74–£114 |
Learning resources & ICT | £496 | £264 | £210–£318 |
Bought-in services | £8 | £112 | £23–£229 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Crossley Fields Junior and Infant School Healthy
- Trevithick Learning Academy Tight
- Calton Primary School Heading for deficit
- Chapel-en-le-Frith CofE VC Primary School Large reserves
- Hill View Primary School Large reserves
- Uplands Junior L.E.A.D. Academy Healthy
- Bishop Bridgeman CofE Primary School Large reserves
- Craneswater Junior School Large reserves
- Ormiston Cliff Park Primary Academy Large reserves
- Colmore Junior School Healthy
- Lime Tree Primary Academy In deficit
- Grovelands Primary School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2024-25
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £3.2m | £6,531 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £132k | £270 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £57k | £117 |
Money raised by parents
THE FRIENDS OF SOUTHWAY SCHOOL (charity 1091794, Registered) raised £7k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £7k | £5k |
2024-08 | £6k | £3k |
2023-08 | £4k | £3k |
2022-08 | £5k | £3k |
2021-08 | £2k | £4k |
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?
- Pupil numbers have fallen 19% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £496 a pupil, against a typical £264 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £422 a pupil, against a typical £287 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 Southway Primary School · All West Sussex school finances