The Firs Lower School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £387k in reserve, 19% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2024-25, as a academy (accounts return, September–August). Central Bedfordshire · Primary · Academy converter.
Academies in a trust don't hold money on their own: THE FIRS LOWER 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 | £1.3m | £1.2m | +£92k | £200k | 297 |
2019-20 | £1.3m | £1.3m | +£66k | £243k | 297 |
2020-21 | £1.4m | £1.4m | -£40k | £216k | 285 |
2021-22 | £1.4m | £1.6m | -£235k | £263k | 282 |
2022-23 | £1.6m | £1.6m | +£50k | £320k | 303 |
2023-24 | £1.8m | £1.7m | +£169k | £358k | 300 |
2024-25 | £2.0m | £2.0m | +£67k | £387k | 316 |
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 90% of them. It spends £6,237 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,328.
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 | £2,487 | £3,120 | £2,985–£3,388 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £2,231 | £1,089 | £797–£1,356 |
Supply staff | £146 | £119 | £54–£173 |
Admin and clerical | £218 | £297 | £219–£347 |
Premises | £247 | £312 | £281–£396 |
Energy | £73 | £77 | £63–£92 |
Learning resources & ICT | £231 | £248 | £193–£296 |
Bought-in services | £139 | £142 | £73–£200 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Theydon Bois Primary School Tight
- St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wigan Tight
- St Martin & St Mary Church of England Primary School In deficit
- Church of the Ascension CofE Primary School Healthy
- Whittington Primary and Nursery School Large reserves
- Langho and Billington St Leonards Church of England Primary School Healthy
- Recreation Road Infant School Heading for deficit
- St Richard's Catholic Primary School Healthy
- Davenham CofE Primary School Large reserves
- South Wellfield First School Large reserves
- Markland Hill Primary School In deficit
- South Gosforth First School In deficit
Where the money comes from, 2024-25
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.8m | £5,623 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £96k | £304 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £261k | £826 |
Money raised by parents
FIRS SCHOOL PARENT TEACHERS ASSOCIATION (charity 1053803, Registered) raised £19k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £19k | £24k |
2024-08 | £23k | £22k |
2023-08 | £7k | £6k |
2022-08 | £45k | £37k |
2021-08 | £6k | £7k |
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 are the reserves set aside for, and when will they be spent on current pupils?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £2,231 a pupil, against a typical £1,089 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 The Firs Lower School · All Central Bedfordshire school finances