Riverside Primary School: school finances
Heading for deficit
Has spent more than it received for 4 years running; at that rate its £547k reserve runs out in about 2 years.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Southwark · Primary · Community school.
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 | £2.3m | £2.2m | +£121k | £1.9m | 310 |
2019-20 | £2.3m | £2.3m | +£65k | £2.0m | 300 |
2020-21 | £2.3m | £2.3m | +£9k | £2.0m | 293 |
2021-22 | £2.4m | £2.3m | +£94k | £2.1m | 291 |
2022-23 | £1.9m | £2.6m | -£656k | £1.4m | 286 |
2023-24 | £2.6m | £2.6m | -£17k | £1.4m | 285 |
2024-25 | £2.6m | £2.7m | -£113k | £1.3m | 244 |
2025-26 | £1.8m | £2.6m | -£748k | £547k | 216 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 primary schools in London closest in size and in the share of pupils on free school meals. Its reserve, as a share of income, is higher than 100% of them. It spends £11,968 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £10,299.
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 | £6,241 | £4,240 | £3,886–£4,838 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,367 | £2,090 | £1,617–£2,616 |
Supply staff | £35 | £261 | £134–£658 |
Admin and clerical | £268 | £522 | £396–£628 |
Premises | £571 | £630 | £541–£765 |
Energy | £286 | £135 | £113–£170 |
Learning resources & ICT | £1,225 | £395 | £296–£487 |
Bought-in services | £299 | £476 | £311–£932 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- St Charles Catholic Primary School Healthy
- Deptford Park Primary School In deficit
- Mowlem Primary School In deficit
- St Mark's Primary School Large reserves
- Morden Primary School Healthy
- St Paul's Cray Church of England Primary School Large reserves
- St James the Great Roman Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- Kobi Nazrul Primary School Healthy
- Northview Junior and Infant School Large reserves
- Kentish Town Church of England Primary School Tight
- Viking Primary School Heading for deficit
- St Richard's Church of England Primary School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £2.2m | £10,336 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £83k | £386 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £155k | £715 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £176k | £815 |
Money raised by parents
FRIENDS OF RIVERSIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL (SOUTHWARK) (charity 1208215, Registered) raised £10k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-04 | £10k | £5k |
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 is the plan to stop spending more than the school receives each year?
- Pupil numbers have fallen 30% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £1,225 a pupil, against a typical £395 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on energy is £286 a pupil, against a typical £135 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on teachers is £6,241 a pupil, against a typical £4,240 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 Riverside Primary School · All Southwark school finances