St Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £228k in reserve, 12% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Merton · Primary · Voluntary aided 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 | £2.2m | £2.1m | +£99k | -£13k | 408 |
2019-20 | £2.3m | £2.3m | +£22k | £9k | 396 |
2020-21 | £2.5m | £2.4m | +£60k | £69k | 362 |
2021-22 | £2.4m | £2.4m | -£49k | £20k | 338 |
2022-23 | £2.3m | £2.3m | -£9k | £11k | 294 |
2023-24 | £2.2m | £2.0m | +£157k | £168k | 259 |
2024-25 | £2.1m | £2.0m | +£119k | £287k | 240 |
2025-26 | £2.0m | £2.0m | -£59k | £228k | 238 |
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 77% of them. It spends £8,549 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £8,728.
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 | £3,876 | £3,665 | £3,432–£4,396 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,618 | £1,580 | £1,156–£2,099 |
Supply staff | £249 | £227 | £76–£357 |
Admin and clerical | £636 | £439 | £377–£553 |
Premises | £473 | £556 | £459–£689 |
Energy | £137 | £137 | £105–£166 |
Learning resources & ICT | £480 | £338 | £256–£421 |
Bought-in services | £301 | £435 | £199–£713 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Streatham Wells Primary Healthy
- Livingstone Primary and Nursery School Large reserves
- Lowther Primary School In deficit
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- Our Lady of Grace Catholic Junior School Large reserves
- Chapel End Infant School and Early Years Centre In deficit
- Castilion Primary School Tight
- St. Mary's Catholic Junior School Large reserves
- Greenside Primary School Healthy
- Eleanor Palmer Primary School Tight
- The Aldgate School Healthy
- Ashmole Primary School Healthy
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.9m | £7,860 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £84k | £354 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £82k | £344 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £105k | £442 |
Money raised by parents
SS PETER & PAUL R C PRIMARY SCHOOL PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATON (charity 1097373, Registered) raised £11k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £11k | £7k |
2024-08 | £8k | £10k |
2023-08 | £8k | £6k |
2022-09 | £6k | £3k |
2021-09 | £548 | £1k |
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?
- Pupil numbers have fallen 41% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £636 a pupil, against a typical £439 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £480 a pupil, against a typical £338 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 St Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School · All Merton school finances