Warden Park Secondary Academy: school finances
Tight
Holds £212k 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). West Sussex · Secondary · Academy converter.
Academies in a trust don't hold money on their own: SUSSEX LEARNING 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 | £7.9m | £7.8m | +£43k | £547k | 1,490 |
2019-20 | £8.4m | £8.5m | -£60k | £633k | 1,479 |
2020-21 | £8.8m | £8.5m | +£377k | £522k | 1,471 |
2021-22 | £9.2m | £8.7m | +£436k | £638k | 1,479 |
2022-23 | £9.9m | £9.1m | +£873k | £744k | 1,523 |
2023-24 | £10.6m | £10.5m | +£108k | £436k | 1,526 |
2024-25 | £11.5m | £11.4m | +£27k | £212k | 1,538 |
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 13% of them. It spends £7,431 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £7,133.
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 | £4,461 | £4,307 | £4,064–£4,587 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £542 | £649 | £539–£887 |
Supply staff | £0 | £65 | £28–£108 |
Admin and clerical | £704 | £404 | £305–£516 |
Premises | £365 | £375 | £274–£445 |
Energy | £117 | £116 | £102–£158 |
Learning resources & ICT | £557 | £509 | £406–£681 |
Bought-in services | £215 | £79 | £56–£114 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Ponteland High School Large reserves
- Imberhorne School Heading for deficit
- Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School Large reserves
- The Ashcombe School Large reserves
- Lutterworth College Healthy
- Ashlyns School Healthy
- Egglescliffe School Healthy
- Beauchamps High School Large reserves
- Hayesfield Girls School Large reserves
- Wellington School Large reserves
- Rainham Mark Grammar School Large reserves
- Leventhorpe Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2024-25
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £10.8m | £7,014 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £481k | £313 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £668k | £434 |
Money raised by parents
FRIENDS OF WARDEN PARK SCHOOL (charity 277224, Registered) raised £5k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £5k | £9k |
2024-08 | £3k | £153 |
2023-08 | £4k | £11k |
2022-08 | £6k | £11k |
2021-08 | £9k | £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.
- What would the school do if costs rose unexpectedly, such as energy or a pay award that isn't fully funded?
- Spending on bought-in services is £215 a pupil, against a typical £79 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £704 a pupil, against a typical £404 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 Warden Park Secondary Academy · All West Sussex school finances