Istead Rise Primary School: school finances
Heading for deficit
Has spent more than it received for 4 years running; at that rate its £85k reserve runs out in about 1 year.
Latest full year 2024-25, as a academy (accounts return, September–August). Kent · Primary · Academy sponsor led.
Academies in a trust don't hold money on their own: SWALE ACADEMIES 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 | £1.4m | £1.5m | -£68k | -£377k | 306 |
2019-20 | £1.4m | £1.4m | -£1k | -£448k | 288 |
2020-21 | £1.4m | £1.3m | +£4k | £8k | 248 |
2021-22 | £1.3m | £1.4m | -£87k | £4k | 242 |
2022-23 | £1.3m | £1.4m | -£91k | £1k | 243 |
2023-24 | £1.3m | £1.4m | -£94k | £0 | 208 |
2024-25 | £1.3m | £1.4m | -£148k | £85k | 208 |
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 23% of them. It spends £6,827 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,783.
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 | £3,197 | £3,151 | £3,006–£3,281 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,111 | £1,228 | £1,134–£1,307 |
Supply staff | £0 | £76 | £36–£127 |
Admin and clerical | £346 | £354 | £290–£400 |
Premises | £601 | £338 | £292–£427 |
Energy | £226 | £105 | £82–£116 |
Learning resources & ICT | £389 | £317 | £265–£431 |
Bought-in services | £10 | £194 | £88–£244 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- St Philip's Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- Tendring Primary School Large reserves
- St Wilfrid's CofE Primary School Large reserves
- Badsworth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant School Healthy
- Potten End CofE Primary School Large reserves
- Audenshaw Primary School Healthy
- Dormansland Primary School Tight
- Cookham Rise Primary School Large reserves
- Tregoze Primary School Large reserves
- Immaculate Conception Catholic Primary Large reserves
- Chipping Ongar Primary School Large reserves
- Gilthill Primary School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2024-25
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.2m | £5,861 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £38k | £183 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £53k | £255 |
Money raised by parents
FRIENDS OF ISTEAD RISE PRIMARY SCHOOL (charity 1005108, Registered) raised £6k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-09 | £6k | £7k |
2024-09 | £10k | £6k |
2023-09 | £7k | £8k |
2022-09 | £5k | £7k |
2021-09 | £3k | £4k |
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 is the plan to stop spending more than the school receives each year?
- Pupil numbers have fallen 32% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on energy is £226 a pupil, against a typical £105 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on premises is £601 a pupil, against a typical £338 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 Istead Rise Primary School · All Kent school finances