The Sutton Academy: school finances
Tight
Holds £304k in reserve, under 3% of a year's income: little room for surprises.
Latest full year 2024-25, as a academy (accounts return, September–August). St. Helens · Secondary · Academy sponsor led.
Academies in a trust don't hold money on their own: THE CHALLENGE ACADEMY TRUST can move money between its schools. The reserve includes this school's per-pupil share of the trust's central reserve.
Reserve at the end of each year, 2018-19 to 2024-25
Income and spending, 2018-19 to 2024-25
Income Spending
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Income | Spending | Balance | Reserve | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018-19 | £7.4m | £6.8m | +£594k | £183k | 1,188 |
2019-20 | £7.9m | £7.6m | +£360k | £190k | 1,244 |
2020-21 | £8.6m | £8.2m | +£341k | £591k | 1,336 |
2021-22 | £9.6m | £8.8m | +£809k | £665k | 1,387 |
2022-23 | £10.4m | £10.1m | +£298k | £969k | 1,414 |
2023-24 | £11.4m | £11.3m | +£80k | £562k | 1,457 |
2024-25 | £12.2m | £11.9m | +£291k | £304k | 1,452 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 secondary 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 3% of them. It spends £8,213 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £7,993.
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 | £4,721 | £4,472 | £4,092–£4,757 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £983 | £994 | £792–£1,156 |
Supply staff | £187 | £148 | £87–£288 |
Admin and clerical | £593 | £390 | £304–£437 |
Premises | £259 | £409 | £339–£726 |
Energy | £117 | £157 | £117–£182 |
Learning resources & ICT | £623 | £509 | £402–£570 |
Bought-in services | £77 | £119 | £38–£260 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Sirius Academy West Large reserves
- Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School Large reserves
- Fullhurst Community College Large reserves
- English Martyrs Catholic School and Sixth Form College Large reserves
- The King's Academy Healthy
- Brompton Academy Large reserves
- George Salter Academy Large reserves
- The Stockwood Park Academy Large reserves
- Outwood Academy Shafton Large reserves
- Stantonbury School Large reserves
- Denton Community Academy Large reserves
- St Thomas More Catholic School, Willenhall Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2024-25
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £12.2m | £8,375 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £214k | £147 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £62k | £43 |
Questions to ask the school
Useful for parents, governors and PTA committees.
- What would the school do if costs rose unexpectedly, such as energy or a pay award that isn't fully funded?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £593 a pupil, against a typical £390 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 The Sutton Academy · All St. Helens school finances