St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Upton: school finances
Heading for deficit
Has spent more than it received for 3 years running; at that rate its £140k reserve runs out in about 2 years.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Wirral · 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 | £1.2m | £1.2m | +£38k | £213k | 283 |
2019-20 | £1.3m | £1.2m | +£64k | £277k | 274 |
2020-21 | £1.3m | £1.3m | +£53k | £330k | 280 |
2021-22 | £1.4m | £1.4m | +£51k | £381k | 279 |
2022-23 | £1.6m | £1.6m | +£10k | £390k | 266 |
2023-24 | £1.7m | £1.7m | -£40k | £351k | 246 |
2024-25 | £1.6m | £1.8m | -£120k | £231k | 226 |
2025-26 | £1.6m | £1.7m | -£91k | £140k | 198 |
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 33% of them. It spends £8,779 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,910.
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 | £4,456 | £3,405 | £3,017–£3,627 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,978 | £1,298 | £1,099–£1,518 |
Supply staff | £91 | £177 | £62–£348 |
Admin and clerical | £383 | £325 | £230–£383 |
Premises | £400 | £339 | £243–£399 |
Energy | £112 | £124 | £83–£148 |
Learning resources & ICT | £300 | £314 | £241–£448 |
Bought-in services | £226 | £177 | £69–£331 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Brompton Community Primary School Large reserves
- St Philip's Church of England Controlled Primary School Large reserves
- Charter Primary School Healthy
- Kennet Valley Primary School In deficit
- de Vere Primary School Healthy
- Upwood Primary Academy Large reserves
- Micklehurst All Saints CofE Primary School Large reserves
- The Cathedral Catholic Primary School, Lancaster Healthy
- St John Bosco Catholic Primary School, Town End Farm, Sunderland Large reserves
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- Ellesmere Port Christ Church CofE Primary School Large reserves
- St Thomas Primary School Healthy
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.5m | £7,783 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £142k | £719 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £85k | £430 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £106k | £536 |
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 support staff (e.g. tas) is £1,978 a pupil, against a typical £1,298 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on teachers is £4,456 a pupil, against a typical £3,405 for similar schools. What's behind that?
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 Joseph's Catholic Primary School Upton · All Wirral school finances