Willowbrook Primary School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £145k in reserve, 10% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Essex · 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 | £1.1m | £1.1m | -£10k | £195k | 210 |
2019-20 | £1.1m | £1.1m | -£34k | £162k | 212 |
2020-21 | £1.2m | £1.1m | +£67k | £229k | 214 |
2021-22 | £1.2m | £1.1m | +£40k | £269k | 214 |
2022-23 | £1.2m | £1.3m | -£22k | £247k | 214 |
2023-24 | £1.4m | £1.4m | -£47k | £200k | 213 |
2024-25 | £1.4m | £1.5m | -£58k | £142k | 209 |
2025-26 | £1.5m | £1.5m | +£3k | £145k | 209 |
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 60% of them. It spends £7,175 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,845.
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 | £2,943 | £3,266 | £2,983–£3,543 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,092 | £1,345 | £1,132–£1,653 |
Supply staff | £394 | £78 | £26–£193 |
Admin and clerical | £506 | £307 | £245–£385 |
Premises | £376 | £345 | £282–£398 |
Energy | £166 | £103 | £86–£119 |
Learning resources & ICT | £236 | £311 | £249–£424 |
Bought-in services | £306 | £187 | £119–£278 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Lydney Church of England Community School Large reserves
- Woodthorpe Junior and Infant School Healthy
- Holy Spirit Catholic Primary Academy Large reserves
- The Vale Primary Academy Large reserves
- Swallownest Primary School Healthy
- St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- Holy Trinity Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Halstead Large reserves
- Leigh St John's CofE Primary Heading for deficit
- Cradley CofE Primary School In deficit
- St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge Healthy
- Langmoor Primary School Oadby Large reserves
- Medmerry Primary School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.4m | £6,727 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £52k | £251 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £80k | £382 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £102k | £487 |
Money raised by parents
WILLOWBROOK PRIMARY SCHOOL PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (charity 1046576, Registered) raised £12k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £12k | £10k |
2024-08 | £10k | £12k |
2023-08 | £14k | £16k |
2022-08 | £12k | £6k |
2021-08 | £6k | £7k |
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?
- Spending on supply staff is £394 a pupil, against a typical £78 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £506 a pupil, against a typical £307 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on bought-in services is £306 a pupil, against a typical £187 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on energy is £166 a pupil, against a typical £103 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 Willowbrook Primary School · All Essex school finances