Castle Mead School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £282k in reserve, 9% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2024-25, as a academy (accounts return, September–August). Wiltshire · Primary · Academy sponsor led.
Academies in a trust don't hold money on their own: EQUA MEAD 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 | £1.9m | £1.7m | +£178k | £52k | 332 |
2019-20 | £2.1m | £1.9m | +£215k | £42k | 356 |
2020-21 | £2.4m | £2.0m | +£452k | £101k | 370 |
2021-22 | £2.6m | £2.3m | +£303k | £232k | 371 |
2022-23 | £3.0m | £2.8m | +£158k | £272k | 358 |
2024-25 | £3.1m | £2.9m | +£219k | £282k | 362 |
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 60% of them. It spends £8,030 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,996.
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 | £3,867 | £3,261 | £3,035–£3,404 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,936 | £1,282 | £1,004–£1,605 |
Supply staff | £99 | £108 | £56–£176 |
Admin and clerical | £431 | £259 | £201–£330 |
Premises | £423 | £374 | £286–£415 |
Energy | £88 | £92 | £58–£119 |
Learning resources & ICT | £204 | £295 | £238–£393 |
Bought-in services | £146 | £114 | £60–£183 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Horbury St Peter's and Clifton CofE (VC) Primary School Tight
- Haymoor Junior School Large reserves
- Willingham Primary School Large reserves
- Fawcett Primary School Healthy
- Hungerford Primary Academy Large reserves
- Upton Junior School In deficit
- Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary School Healthy
- Creswick Academy Large reserves
- Marlborough St Mary's CE Primary School Tight
- Holy Trinity Primary School, A Church of England Academy Heading for deficit
- Olympic Primary Large reserves
- Shotton Hall Primary School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2024-25
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £3.0m | £8,320 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £446k | £1,232 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £118k | £326 |
Money raised by parents
FRIENDS OF CASTLE MEAD SCHOOL (charity 1181944, Registered) raised £2k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2026-08 | £2k | £3k |
2025-08 | £6k | £9k |
2024-08 | £7k | £3k |
2023-08 | £8k | £8k |
2022-08 | £6k | £3k |
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 admin and clerical is £431 a pupil, against a typical £259 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £1,936 a pupil, against a typical £1,282 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on teachers is £3,867 a pupil, against a typical £3,261 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 Castle Mead School · All Wiltshire school finances