Lower Park School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £188k in reserve, 12% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2023-24, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Cheshire East · Primary · Academy converter.
Earlier years come from this school's return before it became an academy (a different DfE number).
A 2024-25 return is published too, but it covers part of a year or leaves out the income or reserve figure, so the latest complete year is shown.
Reserve at the end of each year, 2018-19 to 2023-24
Income and spending, 2018-19 to 2023-24
Income Spending
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Income | Spending | Balance | Reserve | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018-19 | £1.2m | £1.2m | +£7k | £71k | 277 |
2019-20 | £1.3m | £1.3m | -£19k | £52k | 279 |
2020-21 | £1.3m | £1.3m | +£48k | £100k | 283 |
2021-22 | £1.4m | £1.4m | +£50k | £150k | 285 |
2022-23 | £1.5m | £1.6m | -£15k | £135k | 280 |
2023-24 | £1.6m | £1.6m | +£51k | £188k | 277 |
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 70% of them. It spends £5,664 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,323.
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 | £2,830 | £3,123 | £2,899–£3,318 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £658 | £1,271 | £1,093–£1,473 |
Supply staff | £82 | £86 | £38–£161 |
Admin and clerical | £297 | £326 | £262–£392 |
Premises | £253 | £305 | £279–£366 |
Energy | £208 | £84 | £68–£99 |
Learning resources & ICT | £293 | £221 | £179–£284 |
Bought-in services | £22 | £116 | £97–£201 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Otterbourne Church of England Primary School Tight
- St Paul's Catholic Primary School Heading for deficit
- Ellison Boulters Church of England Primary School Large reserves
- West End Primary School Healthy
- Galley Hill Primary School Large reserves
- Dobcroft Nursery Infant School Heading for deficit
- St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School In deficit
- Charlton Kings Infants' School Large reserves
- Southwater Infant Academy Large reserves
- Booker Avenue Infant School Tight
- Heswall St Peter's CofE Primary School In deficit
- Penwortham, St Teresa's Catholic Primary School Healthy
Where the money comes from, 2023-24
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.4m | £5,212 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £53k | £190 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £12k | £43 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £176k | £635 |
Money raised by parents
LOWER PARK PARENT TEACHERS ASSOCIATION (charity 1099428, Registered) raised £18k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £18k | £38k |
2024-08 | £23k | £15k |
2023-08 | £11k | £14k |
2022-08 | £13k | £5k |
2021-08 | £2k | £638 |
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?
- Could any of the surplus be clawed back under the council's scheme for financing schools?
- Spending on energy is £208 a pupil, against a typical £84 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 Lower Park School · All Cheshire East school finances