Mersham Primary School: school finances
Healthy
Holds £63k in reserve, 6% of a year's income. It has spent more than it received for 2 years, so watch the trend.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Kent · Primary · Foundation 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 | £843k | £819k | +£24k | £72k | 191 |
2019-20 | £882k | £878k | +£4k | £76k | 194 |
2020-21 | £916k | £917k | -£941 | £75k | 183 |
2021-22 | £984k | £973k | +£12k | £87k | 178 |
2022-23 | £998k | £989k | +£9k | £96k | 181 |
2023-24 | £1.1m | £1.1m | +£29k | £125k | 178 |
2024-25 | £1.1m | £1.1m | -£48k | £76k | 171 |
2025-26 | £1.1m | £1.1m | -£13k | £63k | 140 |
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 57% of them. It spends £7,947 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £8,297.
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 | £4,109 | £3,794 | £3,092–£4,036 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,444 | £1,607 | £1,282–£1,934 |
Supply staff | £12 | £206 | £118–£522 |
Admin and clerical | £360 | £398 | £293–£506 |
Premises | £407 | £424 | £356–£555 |
Energy | £185 | £139 | £116–£175 |
Learning resources & ICT | £262 | £275 | £244–£407 |
Bought-in services | £365 | £159 | £76–£303 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- East Crompton St George's CofE School Healthy
- St Mary Immaculate Catholic Primary Academy In deficit
- Lambourn CofE Primary School Healthy
- Ixworth Church of England Primary School Large reserves
- Albany Infant and Nursery School Healthy
- St Michael and All Angels Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- Westfield Primary School Heading for deficit
- Troon Community Primary School Tight
- St John the Evangelist Catholic Primary School Healthy
- Manor Field Infant School Heading for deficit
- Biscovey Nursery and Infants' Academy Healthy
- Alfred Lord Tennyson School In deficit
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.1m | £7,597 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £4k | £28 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £60k | £431 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £40k | £289 |
Money raised by parents
MERSHAM CP SCHOOL PTA (charity 1075073, Registered) raised £11k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £11k | £15k |
2024-08 | £11k | £7k |
2023-08 | £9k | £10k |
2022-08 | £9k | £18k |
2021-08 | £6k | £2k |
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 27% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on bought-in services is £365 a pupil, against a typical £159 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 Mersham Primary School · All Kent school finances