Hartford Church of England High School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £687k in reserve, 8% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Cheshire West and Chester · Secondary · Voluntary aided 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 | £5.6m | £5.5m | +£65k | £332k | 1,010 |
2019-20 | £5.9m | £5.8m | +£133k | £465k | 1,044 |
2020-21 | £6.2m | £5.9m | +£243k | £708k | 1,061 |
2021-22 | £6.5m | £6.4m | +£99k | £808k | 1,056 |
2022-23 | £6.9m | £6.9m | -£95k | £712k | 1,076 |
2023-24 | £7.7m | £7.6m | +£78k | £790k | 1,088 |
2024-25 | £8.0m | £7.9m | +£94k | £866k | 1,070 |
2025-26 | £8.3m | £8.5m | -£179k | £687k | 1,105 |
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 60% of them. It spends £7,667 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £7,580.
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 | £4,522 | £4,300 | £4,157–£4,547 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £655 | £698 | £578–£900 |
Supply staff | £146 | £102 | £41–£134 |
Admin and clerical | £507 | £466 | £366–£594 |
Premises | £570 | £435 | £361–£511 |
Energy | £55 | £114 | £103–£142 |
Learning resources & ICT | £407 | £519 | £395–£627 |
Bought-in services | £189 | £82 | £36–£208 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Hanley Castle High School Large reserves
- Elizabeth Woodville School In deficit
- Hagley Catholic High School Large reserves
- Crofton School In deficit
- John F Kennedy Catholic School Large reserves
- Wyedean School and Sixth Form Centre Healthy
- The Eastwood Academy Large reserves
- The King's School Large reserves
- Queensbury Academy Healthy
- Thamesmead School Large reserves
- The Stonehenge School Large reserves
- BBG Academy Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2025-26
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £8.0m | £7,239 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £213k | £193 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £295k | £267 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £294k | £266 |
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?
- Could any of the surplus be clawed back under the council's scheme for financing schools?
- Spending on premises is £570 a pupil, against a typical £435 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 Hartford Church of England High School · All Cheshire West and Chester school finances