St Mary's Infants' School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £212k in reserve, 23% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Hertfordshire · Primary · Voluntary controlled 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 | £905k | £935k | -£30k | £55k | 179 |
2019-20 | £914k | £908k | +£7k | £62k | 168 |
2020-21 | £908k | £818k | +£90k | £152k | 154 |
2021-22 | £897k | £841k | +£56k | £208k | 133 |
2022-23 | £906k | £923k | -£17k | £190k | 136 |
2023-24 | £943k | £946k | -£3k | £187k | 115 |
2024-25 | £905k | £872k | +£33k | £220k | 104 |
2025-26 | £929k | £938k | -£8k | £212k | 82 |
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 93% of them. It spends £11,434 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £8,500.
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 | £5,817 | £4,183 | £3,759–£4,485 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,321 | £1,380 | £1,041–£1,788 |
Supply staff | £242 | £182 | £66–£381 |
Admin and clerical | £587 | £485 | £363–£563 |
Premises | £781 | £520 | £351–£577 |
Energy | £172 | £121 | £82–£201 |
Learning resources & ICT | £516 | £370 | £303–£461 |
Bought-in services | £920 | £313 | £103–£461 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Cockwood Primary School Tight
- Everton Heath Primary School Tight
- Westhouses Primary School Large reserves
- Binsted Church of England Primary School Large reserves
- Foxton Primary School Large reserves
- North Cockerington Church of England Primary School Heading for deficit
- St Pius Xth Catholic Primary School, Consett In deficit
- Purley CofE Primary School In deficit
- St John the Baptist Roman Catholic Primary School, Dartmouth Large reserves
- St Mary's Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- Blewbury Church of England Primary School Large reserves
- Burton Agnes Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School In deficit
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £926k | £11,290 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £104k | £1,262 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £44k | £531 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £31k | £372 |
Money raised by parents
ST MARY'S SCHOOLS PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (charity 271174, Registered) raised £0 in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2024-09 | £0 | £0 |
2023-09 | £0 | £0 |
2022-09 | £49k | £48k |
2021-09 | £10k | £10k |
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 54% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on bought-in services is £920 a pupil, against a typical £313 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on premises is £781 a pupil, against a typical £520 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on learning resources & ict is £516 a pupil, against a typical £370 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 Mary's Infants' School · All Hertfordshire school finances