Heron Way Primary School: school finances
Healthy
Holds £188k in reserve, 8% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). West Sussex · 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 | £1.6m | £1.5m | +£37k | £144k | 409 |
2019-20 | £1.7m | £1.7m | +£17k | £161k | 418 |
2020-21 | £1.9m | £1.8m | +£76k | £237k | 418 |
2021-22 | £2.0m | £1.9m | +£65k | £302k | 413 |
2022-23 | £2.0m | £2.1m | -£31k | £271k | 412 |
2023-24 | £2.1m | £2.2m | -£116k | £155k | 418 |
2024-25 | £2.3m | £2.3m | -£25k | £130k | 418 |
2025-26 | £2.4m | £2.4m | +£58k | £188k | 417 |
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 47% of them. It spends £5,704 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,056.
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 | £3,095 | £2,905 | £2,798–£3,088 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £844 | £1,149 | £965–£1,352 |
Supply staff | £144 | £60 | £8–£122 |
Admin and clerical | £263 | £262 | £206–£342 |
Premises | £294 | £278 | £241–£335 |
Energy | £31 | £83 | £62–£94 |
Learning resources & ICT | £235 | £240 | £198–£298 |
Bought-in services | £193 | £106 | £62–£148 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Highfield Primary School Healthy
- St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Buckhurst Hill Large reserves
- Silverhill Primary School Healthy
- St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- Samuel Lucas Primary School Tight
- St Peter's Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- St Peter's Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- Great Kingshill Church of England Combined School Large reserves
- The Croft Primary School Large reserves
- The Marist Catholic Primary School Healthy
- Maney Hill Primary School Large reserves
- Krishna Avanti Primary School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £2.4m | £5,729 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £96k | £231 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £39k | £94 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £48k | £115 |
Money raised by parents
THE HERON WAY COUNTY PRIMARY SCHOOL PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (charity 295493, Registered) raised £38k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £38k | £34k |
2024-08 | £36k | £36k |
2023-08 | £37k | £37k |
2022-08 | £26k | £15k |
2021-08 | £5k | £4k |
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.
- Spending on supply staff is £144 a pupil, against a typical £60 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on bought-in services is £193 a pupil, against a typical £106 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 Heron Way Primary School · All West Sussex school finances