Booker Park Community School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £1.6m in reserve, 18% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Buckinghamshire · Not applicable · Community special 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 | £6.0m | £6.2m | -£149k | £134k | 235 |
2019-20 | £6.2m | £6.2m | -£69k | £64k | 226 |
2020-21 | £6.1m | £6.2m | -£158k | -£94k | 227 |
2021-22 | £6.2m | £6.1m | +£85k | -£8k | 226 |
2022-23 | £6.5m | £6.5m | +£327 | -£8k | 238 |
2023-24 | £7.3m | £6.6m | +£684k | £1.1m | 239 |
2024-25 | £8.0m | £7.4m | +£542k | £1.6m | 243 |
2025-26 | £8.9m | £8.9m | -£14k | £1.6m | 241 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 special 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 67% of them. It spends £37,092 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £28,767.
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 | £8,882 | £10,699 | £9,213–£11,567 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £16,463 | £10,711 | £8,375–£12,055 |
Supply staff | £296 | £215 | £75–£605 |
Admin and clerical | £2,239 | £1,154 | £926–£1,558 |
Premises | £2,375 | £1,312 | £1,186–£1,613 |
Energy | £538 | £338 | £280–£426 |
Learning resources & ICT | £1,816 | £788 | £571–£1,022 |
Bought-in services | £1,996 | £689 | £384–£1,608 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Manor Mead School Large reserves
- The Avenue Special School Large reserves
- The Castle School Large reserves
- Rigby Hall Day Special School Large reserves
- Winchelsea School Large reserves
- The Mendip School Large reserves
- Slated Row School Large reserves
- The Edith Borthwick School Healthy
- Lady Zia Wernher School Large reserves
- Fordwater School, Chichester Tight
- Alderman Knight School Large reserves
- The Springfields Academy Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £8.8m | £36,453 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £5.4m | £22,285 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £134k | £556 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £140k | £583 |
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?
- Spending on bought-in services is £1,996 a pupil, against a typical £689 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £1,816 a pupil, against a typical £788 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £2,239 a pupil, against a typical £1,154 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on premises is £2,375 a pupil, against a typical £1,312 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 Booker Park Community School · All Buckinghamshire school finances