St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £356k in reserve, 24% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Milton Keynes · 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 | £1.3m | -£67k | £119k | 301 |
2019-20 | £1.3m | £1.2m | +£95k | £214k | 298 |
2020-21 | £1.4m | £1.3m | +£12k | £226k | 298 |
2021-22 | £1.3m | £1.3m | +£82k | £308k | 267 |
2022-23 | £1.3m | £1.3m | +£49k | £357k | 264 |
2023-24 | £1.4m | £1.5m | -£8k | £349k | 262 |
2024-25 | £1.5m | £1.5m | -£5k | £344k | 230 |
2025-26 | £1.5m | £1.5m | +£12k | £356k | 200 |
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 97% of them. It spends £7,255 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,506.
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 | £3,755 | £3,096 | £2,821–£3,242 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,585 | £1,191 | £964–£1,544 |
Supply staff | £0 | £89 | £41–£229 |
Admin and clerical | £417 | £328 | £219–£363 |
Premises | £511 | £369 | £311–£431 |
Energy | £71 | £97 | £78–£114 |
Learning resources & ICT | £311 | £323 | £244–£378 |
Bought-in services | £143 | £186 | £102–£255 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Colebrook Junior School Large reserves
- Rowlands Gill Community Primary School In deficit
- Grendon Underwood School Large reserves
- St John's Church of England Primary School Healthy
- St Anne's Catholic Primary School In deficit
- Middlestown Primary Academy Large reserves
- Cotford St Luke Primary School Large reserves
- St Giles' Church of England Primary School Healthy
- St Christopher's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Large reserves
- Hazel Wood Infant School Healthy
- Carlton Miniott Primary Academy Large reserves
- Hellingly Community Primary School In deficit
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.4m | £7,197 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £17k | £84 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £51k | £257 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £24k | £120 |
Money raised by parents
ST THOMAS AQUINAS SCHOOL PTA (charity 1099885, Registered) raised £11k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £11k | £13k |
2024-08 | £8k | £5k |
2023-08 | £11k | £5k |
2022-08 | £6k | £7k |
2021-09 | £1k | £4k |
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 34% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on premises is £511 a pupil, against a typical £369 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £417 a pupil, against a typical £328 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on teachers is £3,755 a pupil, against a typical £3,096 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 Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School · All Milton Keynes school finances