First Base Bury St Edmunds: school finances
Heading for deficit
Has spent more than it received for 4 years running; at that rate its £154k reserve runs out in about 3 years.
Latest full year 2024-25, as a academy (accounts return, September–August). Suffolk · Not applicable · Academy alternative provision converter.
Academies in a trust don't hold money on their own: RAEDWALD 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, 2019-20 to 2024-25
Income and spending, 2019-20 to 2024-25
Income Spending
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Income | Spending | Balance | Reserve | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019-20 | £401k | £299k | +£102k | £0 | 7 |
2020-21 | £324k | £216k | +£108k | £1k | 5 |
2021-22 | £163k | £195k | -£32k | £0 | 5 |
2022-23 | £166k | £192k | -£26k | £0 | — |
2023-24 | £197k | £247k | -£50k | £0 | — |
2024-25 | £166k | £266k | -£100k | £154k | 5 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 alternative-provision 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 97% of them. It spends £53,200 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £40,788.
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 | £24,400 | £25,197 | £18,766–£30,569 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £10,800 | £5,330 | £2,963–£9,405 |
Supply staff | £0 | £32 | £0–£1,777 |
Admin and clerical | £4,600 | £2,485 | £1,120–£4,084 |
Premises | £5,000 | £975 | £44–£2,160 |
Energy | £1,200 | £312 | £0–£614 |
Learning resources & ICT | £1,600 | £1,431 | £858–£2,129 |
Bought-in services | £1,000 | £962 | £486–£1,915 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- First Base Ipswich Academy Large reserves
- Devon Hospitals' Short Stay School Tight
- CAMHS Phoenix School Large reserves
- The Albany Large reserves
- Poplar Adolescent Unit Large reserves
- The Surrey Teaching Centre Large reserves
- The St Aubyn Centre Education Department Large reserves
- Triple Crown Centre Large reserves
- Birchwood Large reserves
- St Christopher's Academy Large reserves
- Merit Hospital School and Medical Pupil Referral Unit In deficit
- Great Park School Large reserves
Where the money comes from, 2024-25
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £166k | £33,200 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £74k | £14,800 |
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 29% since 2019-20. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on premises is £5,000 a pupil, against a typical £975 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on energy is £1,200 a pupil, against a typical £312 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on support staff (e.g. tas) is £10,800 a pupil, against a typical £5,330 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £4,600 a pupil, against a typical £2,485 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 First Base Bury St Edmunds · All Suffolk school finances