Blackfell Primary School: school finances
Healthy
Holds £79k in reserve, 6% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Sunderland · 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 | £1.0m | £997k | +£9k | £178k | 202 |
2019-20 | £1.0m | £1.1m | -£49k | £129k | 198 |
2020-21 | £1.1m | £1.1m | -£9k | £120k | 190 |
2021-22 | £1.2m | £1.1m | +£42k | £162k | 189 |
2022-23 | £1.2m | £1.2m | -£23k | £140k | 175 |
2023-24 | £1.2m | £1.2m | -£57k | £82k | 164 |
2024-25 | £1.2m | £1.3m | -£66k | £17k | 144 |
2025-26 | £1.2m | £1.2m | +£63k | £79k | 138 |
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 50% of them. It spends £8,595 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £8,233.
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 | £3,423 | £3,722 | £3,383–£4,173 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,058 | £1,702 | £1,336–£2,003 |
Supply staff | £562 | £265 | £100–£417 |
Admin and clerical | £657 | £371 | £268–£445 |
Premises | £732 | £470 | £351–£557 |
Energy | £247 | £134 | £112–£175 |
Learning resources & ICT | £423 | £389 | £305–£491 |
Bought-in services | £334 | £293 | £126–£473 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- St Mary's Catholic Primary School (Maltby) Healthy
- Over St John's CofE Primary School Tight
- Cambois Primary School In deficit
- Sandbach Primary Academy Large reserves
- Windermere Primary School Large reserves
- Standish Lower Ground St Anne's CofE Primary School Tight
- Grindon Infant School Heading for deficit
- Burradon Community Primary School In deficit
- Bickershaw CofE Primary School Healthy
- New Penshaw Academy Large reserves
- Copeland Road Primary School Large reserves
- Rosherville Church of England Academy Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.2m | £8,446 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £32k | £234 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £86k | £621 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £83k | £602 |
Questions to ask the school
Useful for parents, governors and PTA committees.
- Pupil numbers have fallen 32% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on supply staff is £562 a pupil, against a typical £265 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on energy is £247 a pupil, against a typical £134 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £657 a pupil, against a typical £371 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on premises is £732 a pupil, against a typical £470 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 Blackfell Primary School · All Sunderland school finances