The Vale Academy: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £551k in reserve, 13% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2024-25, as a academy (accounts return, September–August). Central Bedfordshire · Primary · Academy converter.
Academies in a trust don't hold money on their own: ADVANTAGE SCHOOLS 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 | £2.0m | £2.0m | +£5k | £0 | 448 |
2019-20 | £2.1m | £2.0m | +£73k | £0 | 476 |
2020-21 | £2.4m | £2.3m | +£81k | £0 | 512 |
2021-22 | £2.7m | £2.6m | +£169k | £0 | 550 |
2022-23 | £3.3m | £3.1m | +£175k | £0 | 584 |
2023-24 | £3.8m | £3.7m | +£159k | £0 | 596 |
2024-25 | £4.1m | £3.8m | +£316k | £551k | 574 |
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 £6,646 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,026.
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 | £2,670 | £3,151 | £2,856–£3,364 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £2,413 | £1,159 | £944–£1,391 |
Supply staff | £96 | £75 | £13–£165 |
Admin and clerical | £153 | £277 | £231–£317 |
Premises | £355 | £280 | £235–£339 |
Energy | £80 | £76 | £59–£89 |
Learning resources & ICT | £406 | £272 | £196–£334 |
Bought-in services | £50 | £61 | £21–£192 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- E-ACT St Ursula's Academy Large reserves
- Fair Oak Junior School Large reserves
- Lyons Hall School Large reserves
- Abbots Green Primary Academy Healthy
- Maidenbower Junior School Heading for deficit
- Barrow Hall Orchard Church of England Primary School Large reserves
- Haydonleigh Primary School Healthy
- Mortimer Primary School Tight
- St Edmund's Catholic Primary School Heading for deficit
- Holymead Primary School Healthy
- Five Ways Primary School Tight
- Billingshurst Primary Academy In deficit
Where the money comes from, 2024-25
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £4.0m | £7,048 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £85k | £148 |
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 support staff (e.g. tas) is £2,413 a pupil, against a typical £1,159 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £406 a pupil, against a typical £272 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 The Vale Academy · All Central Bedfordshire school finances