Polesden Lacey Infant Academy: school finances
Heading for deficit
Has spent more than it received for 4 years running; at that rate its £23k reserve runs out in about 2 years.
Latest full year 2024-25, as a council-run school (CFR return, April–March). Surrey · Primary · Academy converter.
Earlier years come from this school's return before it became an academy (a different DfE number).
A 2024-25 return is published too, but it covers part of a year or leaves out the income or reserve figure, so the latest complete year is shown.
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 | £524k | £482k | +£41k | £81k | 82 |
2019-20 | £526k | £556k | -£30k | £50k | 81 |
2020-21 | £525k | £507k | +£18k | £68k | 78 |
2021-22 | £561k | £566k | -£5k | £64k | 83 |
2022-23 | £603k | £621k | -£19k | £45k | 78 |
2023-24 | £607k | £621k | -£14k | £31k | 67 |
2024-25 | £610k | £618k | -£8k | £23k | 63 |
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 £9,817 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £9,474.
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 | £4,545 | £4,509 | £4,272–£5,211 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £1,755 | £1,406 | £1,097–£1,970 |
Supply staff | £69 | £217 | £110–£386 |
Admin and clerical | £826 | £512 | £401–£633 |
Premises | £638 | £420 | £347–£488 |
Energy | £196 | £146 | £114–£212 |
Learning resources & ICT | £143 | £445 | £395–£614 |
Bought-in services | £537 | £309 | £167–£394 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- St Margaret's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Toppesfield Large reserves
- Newton-on-Trent CofE Primary School Large reserves
- Bellingham Primary School Healthy
- Wray with Botton Endowed Primary School Large reserves
- Orchard Grove Primary School Large reserves
- Milton Abbot Primary School Healthy
- Woburn Lower School In deficit
- Norbury Primary School and Nursery Large reserves
- Birstwith Church of England Primary School Large reserves
- Masham CofE Primary School In deficit
- Peppard Church of England Primary School In deficit
- St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Langley Moor In deficit
Where the money comes from, 2024-25
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £564k | £8,950 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £22k | £355 |
Pupil premium (part of grants) | £11k | £182 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £47k | £740 |
Money raised by parents
The Friends of Polesden Lacey Infant Academy (charity 1111173, Registered) raised £6k in its latest year.
| Year ending | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
2025-08 | £6k | £5k |
2024-08 | £7k | £6k |
2023-08 | £6k | £3k |
2022-08 | £7k | £9k |
2021-08 | £6k | £6k |
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 23% since 2018-19. How is the school planning for fewer pupils, and the funding that goes with them?
- Spending on bought-in services is £537 a pupil, against a typical £309 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on admin and clerical is £826 a pupil, against a typical £512 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on premises is £638 a pupil, against a typical £420 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 Polesden Lacey Infant Academy · All Surrey school finances