Great Bentley Primary School: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £145k in reserve, 8% of a year's income. It has been drawing on it for 2 years.
Latest full year 2024-25, as a academy (accounts return, September–August). Essex · Primary · Academy converter.
Academies in a trust don't hold money on their own: PENROSE LEARNING TRUST can move money between its schools. The reserve includes this school's per-pupil share of the trust's central reserve.
Earlier years come from this school's return before it became an academy (a different DfE number).
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 | £1.3m | +£67k | £294k | 211 |
2019-20 | £1.4m | £1.4m | -£54k | £240k | 213 |
2020-21 | £1.5m | £1.4m | +£73k | £313k | 212 |
2021-22 | £1.5m | £1.4m | +£51k | £364k | 210 |
2022-23 | £1.6m | £1.5m | +£39k | £403k | 215 |
2023-24 | £1.5m | £1.6m | -£69k | £201k | 215 |
2024-25 | £1.7m | £1.7m | -£36k | £145k | 244 |
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 53% of them. It spends £7,127 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £6,511.
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 | £2,766 | £3,029 | £2,695–£3,339 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,512 | £1,471 | £1,224–£1,755 |
Supply staff | £49 | £101 | £43–£207 |
Admin and clerical | £275 | £305 | £229–£364 |
Premises | £1,377 | £360 | £301–£446 |
Energy | £127 | £95 | £81–£126 |
Learning resources & ICT | £283 | £306 | £237–£366 |
Bought-in services | £143 | £176 | £92–£218 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Uffculme Primary School Healthy
- Larkfields Junior School Healthy
- Marton Manor Primary School Large reserves
- Temple Mill Primary School Large reserves
- Anton Junior School Heading for deficit
- St Chad's Catholic Primary School Large reserves
- Hardingstone Academy Healthy
- St Teresa's RC Primary School a Voluntary Academy Large reserves
- Staining Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Healthy
- Goxhill Primary School In deficit
- St Andrew the Apostle Catholic Primary School In deficit
- Christ Church Ainsworth Church of England Primary School In deficit
Where the money comes from, 2024-25
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £1.7m | £6,947 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £109k | £447 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £47k | £193 |
Money raised by parents
THE FRIENDS OF GREAT BENTLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL (charity 1059640, Registered) raised £10k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-07 | £10k | £5k |
2024-07 | £10k | £5k |
2023-07 | £14k | £10k |
2022-07 | £9k | £11k |
2021-07 | £1k | £2k |
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 premises is £1,377 a pupil, against a typical £360 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 Great Bentley Primary School · All Essex school finances