Birchwood High School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £625k in reserve, 5% of a year's income. It has been drawing on it for 4 years.
Latest full year 2024-25, as a academy (accounts return, September–August). Hertfordshire · Secondary · Academy converter.
Academies in a trust don't hold money on their own: BIRCHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL 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 | £8.4m | -£477k | £623k | 1,345 |
2019-20 | £7.9m | £7.7m | +£223k | £844k | 1,354 |
2020-21 | £8.4m | £8.1m | +£342k | £1.2m | 1,365 |
2021-22 | £8.9m | £9.0m | -£52k | £1.1m | 1,407 |
2022-23 | £10.0m | £10.2m | -£246k | £888k | 1,418 |
2023-24 | £10.4m | £10.5m | -£65k | £820k | 1,425 |
2024-25 | £11.4m | £11.6m | -£198k | £625k | 1,454 |
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 47% of them. It spends £7,952 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £7,311.
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 | £4,587 | £4,340 | £4,095–£4,597 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £681 | £684 | £628–£812 |
Supply staff | £218 | £76 | £28–£117 |
Admin and clerical | £385 | £464 | £410–£605 |
Premises | £360 | £364 | £291–£471 |
Energy | £118 | £140 | £122–£151 |
Learning resources & ICT | £530 | £501 | £393–£573 |
Bought-in services | £144 | £81 | £36–£112 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Cambourne Village College Tight
- Churchdown School Large reserves
- William Farr CofE Comprehensive School Large reserves
- Notre Dame High School Large reserves
- Hazel Grove High School Tight
- Priory Community School Large reserves
- Moulton School and Science College Large reserves
- Kingsmead School Large reserves
- The Winston Churchill School A Specialist Sports College Large reserves
- Boston Spa Academy Healthy
- North Leamington School Large reserves
- Queen Elizabeth's School Tight
Where the money comes from, 2024-25
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £10.3m | £7,061 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £295k | £203 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £1.2m | £848 |
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?
- Spending on supply staff is £218 a pupil, against a typical £76 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on bought-in services is £144 a pupil, against a typical £81 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 Birchwood High School · All Hertfordshire school finances