Gastrells Community Primary School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £129k in reserve, 8% of a year's income. It has been drawing on it for 2 years.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Gloucestershire · 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 | £981k | £972k | +£9k | £85k | 168 |
2019-20 | £990k | £992k | -£2k | £83k | 171 |
2020-21 | £1.1m | £1.0m | +£17k | £100k | 176 |
2021-22 | £1.2m | £1.2m | +£2k | £101k | 177 |
2022-23 | £1.3m | £1.3m | +£8k | £109k | 186 |
2023-24 | £1.4m | £1.4m | +£61k | £169k | 175 |
2024-25 | £1.4m | £1.4m | -£10k | £160k | 179 |
2025-26 | £1.5m | £1.6m | -£31k | £129k | 172 |
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 £9,162 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,742.
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 | £3,749 | £3,237 | £3,045–£3,447 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £2,249 | £1,288 | £811–£1,524 |
Supply staff | £400 | £66 | £34–£156 |
Admin and clerical | £345 | £349 | £234–£440 |
Premises | £409 | £296 | £221–£375 |
Energy | £122 | £99 | £74–£123 |
Learning resources & ICT | £371 | £277 | £234–£446 |
Bought-in services | £477 | £115 | £87–£184 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Fairway Infant School, Copthorne Tight
- St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester Healthy
- Lightwater Village Infant School and Nursery Heading for deficit
- Oakwood Infant School Large reserves
- Chalfont St Peter Infant School Healthy
- Houghton Primary School In deficit
- Caton St Paul's Church of England Primary School Healthy
- St Andrew's CofE Primary School Large reserves
- Basildon C.E. Primary School Healthy
- Awbridge Primary School Large reserves
- St Roberts Catholic First School, Morpeth Large reserves
- Marlow Church of England Infant School Heading for deficit
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.5m | £8,561 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £279k | £1,623 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £30k | £177 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £73k | £422 |
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 £400 a pupil, against a typical £66 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on bought-in services is £477 a pupil, against a typical £115 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £2,249 a pupil, against a typical £1,288 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 Gastrells Community Primary School · All Gloucestershire school finances