Coombe Road Primary School: school finances
In deficit
In deficit by £9k, 1% of a year's income: it has spent more over the years than it received.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Brighton and Hove · Primary · Academy converter.
Earlier years come from this school's return before it became an academy (a different DfE number).
Reserve at the end of each year, 2018-19 to 2025-26
Income and spending, 2018-19 to 2025-26
Income Spending
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Income | Spending | Balance | Reserve | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018-19 | £1.2m | £1.2m | -£14k | £35k | 170 |
2019-20 | £1.1m | £1.1m | -£32k | £3k | 164 |
2020-21 | £1.1m | £1.1m | +£15k | £18k | 160 |
2021-22 | £1.2m | £1.2m | +£11k | £29k | 157 |
2022-23 | £1.2m | £1.3m | -£52k | -£24k | 166 |
2023-24 | £1.3m | £1.3m | -£30k | -£54k | 159 |
2024-25 | £1.3m | £1.3m | -£72k | -£125k | 175 |
2025-26 | £1.5m | £1.4m | +£116k | -£9k | 192 |
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 17% of them. It spends £7,290 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £8,014.
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 | £4,056 | £3,673 | £3,266–£3,940 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £932 | £1,938 | £1,559–£2,138 |
Supply staff | £13 | £135 | £89–£208 |
Admin and clerical | £584 | £352 | £283–£458 |
Premises | £351 | £468 | £316–£579 |
Energy | £165 | £122 | £101–£158 |
Learning resources & ICT | £326 | £320 | £257–£382 |
Bought-in services | £218 | £172 | £84–£322 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Whipton Barton Junior School Large reserves
- Redhill Primary School In deficit
- Gurney Pease Academy Large reserves
- Richardson Dees Primary School Healthy
- CofE School of the Resurrection Healthy
- Beechcroft St Paul's CofE Primary School Tight
- The Gainsborough Charles Baines Community Primary School Large reserves
- St Patrick's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Large reserves
- Lache Primary School Heading for deficit
- Christ Church Church of England Academy Healthy
- Highwoods Academy Large reserves
- Handale Primary School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.4m | £7,521 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £55k | £286 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £147k | £767 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £72k | £374 |
Money raised by parents
COOMBE ROAD SCHOOL PTA (charity 1172007, Registered) raised £7k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-03 | £7k | £4k |
2024-03 | £3k | £6k |
2023-03 | £7k | £7k |
2022-03 | £13k | £17k |
2021-03 | £8k | £3k |
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.
- Is there a deficit recovery plan agreed with the council, and when does the school expect to be back in balance?
- What has been cut or changed to close the gap, and how does that affect classes and support staff?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £584 a pupil, against a typical £352 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 Coombe Road Primary School · All Brighton and Hove school finances