Merefield School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £547k in reserve, 15% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2024-25, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Sefton · Not applicable · Academy special converter.
Earlier years come from this school's return before it became an academy (a different DfE number).
A 2025-26 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 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 | £2.5m | £2.6m | -£5k | £275k | 100 |
2019-20 | £2.7m | £2.6m | +£4k | £279k | 104 |
2020-21 | £2.7m | £2.5m | +£134k | £412k | 104 |
2021-22 | £2.9m | £2.7m | +£162k | £574k | 106 |
2022-23 | £2.8m | £3.0m | -£240k | £334k | 104 |
2023-24 | £3.2m | £3.2m | -£53k | £281k | 103 |
2024-25 | £3.7m | £3.4m | +£266k | £547k | 110 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 special 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 53% of them. It spends £31,282 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £28,703.
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 | £9,917 | £10,101 | £9,213–£12,884 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £11,459 | £8,505 | £6,879–£10,170 |
Supply staff | £565 | £952 | £353–£1,535 |
Admin and clerical | £897 | £1,271 | £1,076–£1,575 |
Premises | £2,426 | £1,497 | £1,059–£1,861 |
Energy | £1,133 | £344 | £273–£500 |
Learning resources & ICT | £376 | £1,016 | £612–£1,320 |
Bought-in services | £2,167 | £815 | £374–£1,982 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Longspee Academy Tight
- Brook Green Centre for Learning Healthy
- Courtlands School Healthy
- St Nicholas School Large reserves
- The Cavendish High Academy Large reserves
- Meadowside School In deficit
- Springhead School Healthy
- Hope High School Tight
- Cherry Oak School Large reserves
- Springfield House Community Special School In deficit
- The Ropemakers' Academy In deficit
- Great Arley School Healthy
Where the money comes from, 2024-25
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £3.6m | £33,144 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £1.7m | £15,280 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £52k | £473 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £62k | £560 |
Money raised by parents
FRIENDS OF MEREFIELD SCHOOL (charity 1136501, Registered) raised £5k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2021-04 | £5k | £69 |
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 £1,133 a pupil, against a typical £344 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on premises is £2,426 a pupil, against a typical £1,497 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £11,459 a pupil, against a typical £8,505 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 Merefield School · All Sefton school finances