Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School: school finances
Healthy
Holds £57k in reserve, 7% of a year's income. It has spent more than it received for 4 years, so watch the trend.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Essex · 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 | £744k | £733k | +£11k | £137k | 151 |
2019-20 | £748k | £736k | +£11k | £148k | 147 |
2020-21 | £713k | £748k | -£35k | £113k | 145 |
2021-22 | £756k | £743k | +£13k | £126k | 143 |
2022-23 | £757k | £778k | -£21k | £105k | 133 |
2023-24 | £789k | £794k | -£4k | £101k | 119 |
2024-25 | £803k | £832k | -£29k | £72k | 131 |
2025-26 | £859k | £874k | -£15k | £57k | 124 |
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 63% of them. It spends £7,051 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £7,642.
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 | £3,247 | £3,481 | £3,291–£3,692 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £865 | £1,227 | £924–£1,571 |
Supply staff | £57 | £194 | £62–£351 |
Admin and clerical | £638 | £395 | £318–£520 |
Premises | £517 | £373 | £323–£461 |
Energy | £133 | £129 | £101–£143 |
Learning resources & ICT | £336 | £398 | £259–£544 |
Bought-in services | £372 | £156 | £117–£249 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Moretonhampstead Primary School Healthy
- St Margaret's, Collier Street Church of England Voluntary Controlled School Healthy
- Broughton CofE Primary and Nursery School Heading for deficit
- Churchfields, the Village School Healthy
- Skirlaugh Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School In deficit
- Tewin Cowper Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Large reserves
- Blackawton Primary School Large reserves
- Fittleworth CofE Village School Heading for deficit
- Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School In deficit
- Milton-on-Stour Church of England Primary School Healthy
- Hemingbrough Community Primary School Tight
- Barns Green Primary School Healthy
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £809k | £6,523 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £568 | £5 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £27k | £214 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £51k | £411 |
Money raised by parents
BIRCH SCHOOL PARENTS AND FRIENDS ASSOCIATION (charity 1040912, Registered) raised £3k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2026-08 | £3k | £6k |
2025-08 | £7k | £4k |
2024-08 | £6k | £9k |
2023-08 | £5k | £3k |
2022-08 | £1k | £754 |
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.
- Pupil numbers have fallen 18% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on bought-in services is £372 a pupil, against a typical £156 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £638 a pupil, against a typical £395 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on premises is £517 a pupil, against a typical £373 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- How does the school decide what the money the parents' association raises is spent on?
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 Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School · All Essex school finances