Meadowhead Community Infant School and Nursery: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £144k in reserve, 10% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Blackburn with Darwen · 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 | £1.2m | -£77k | -£62k | 166 |
2019-20 | £1.1m | £1.1m | -£23k | -£85k | 172 |
2020-21 | £1.2m | £1.0m | +£150k | £65k | 154 |
2021-22 | £1.1m | £1.1m | +£82k | £147k | 140 |
2022-23 | £1.1m | £1.1m | +£17k | £164k | 154 |
2023-24 | £1.3m | £1.3m | -£23k | £140k | 154 |
2024-25 | £1.4m | £1.3m | +£55k | £196k | 146 |
2025-26 | £1.4m | £1.5m | -£51k | £144k | 154 |
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 70% of them. It spends £9,602 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £8,203.
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 | £4,300 | £3,827 | £3,410–£4,033 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £2,134 | £1,814 | £1,169–£2,072 |
Supply staff | £429 | £217 | £69–£406 |
Admin and clerical | £518 | £355 | £268–£463 |
Premises | £536 | £461 | £326–£503 |
Energy | £102 | £134 | £116–£160 |
Learning resources & ICT | £378 | £314 | £267–£412 |
Bought-in services | £267 | £193 | £79–£447 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Ladycross Infant School Large reserves
- Brookfield Park Primary School Large reserves
- Woodlands Park Primary School In deficit
- St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Morecambe Heading for deficit
- Marshland Primary Academy In deficit
- Padstow School Healthy
- Aldercar Infant School Healthy
- Thornton Primary School In deficit
- Wootey Junior School Large reserves
- Totnes St John's Church of England Primary School Healthy
- Dedworth Green First School Large reserves
- Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Academy Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.4m | £8,869 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £189k | £1,226 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £83k | £539 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £62k | £400 |
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 admin and clerical is £518 a pupil, against a typical £355 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 Meadowhead Community Infant School and Nursery · All Blackburn with Darwen school finances