Lift Columbus: school finances
Large reserves
Holds £851k in reserve, 12% of a year's income.
Latest full year 2024-25, as a academy (accounts return, September–August). Essex · Not applicable · Academy special converter.
Academies in a trust don't hold money on their own: THE BRIDGE MAT LTD 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 | £5.1m | £4.4m | +£738k | £0 | 232 |
2019-20 | £5.5m | £4.7m | +£756k | £0 | 248 |
2020-21 | £5.3m | £4.7m | +£588k | £0 | 257 |
2021-22 | £5.6m | £5.1m | +£529k | £0 | 263 |
2022-23 | £5.9m | £5.8m | +£74k | £0 | 275 |
2023-24 | £6.7m | £6.6m | +£81k | £0 | 283 |
2024-25 | £7.1m | £7.1m | -£63k | £851k | 287 |
Compared with similar schools
Similar schools are the 30 special 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 £24,871 a pupil in total; similar schools typically spend £28,271.
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 | £8,230 | £9,775 | £8,857–£11,078 |
Support staff (e.g. TAs) | £6,983 | £10,297 | £8,375–£12,552 |
Supply staff | £4,035 | £94 | £18–£698 |
Admin and clerical | £777 | £1,251 | £882–£1,804 |
Premises | £2,310 | £1,402 | £1,278–£1,777 |
Energy | £1,017 | £411 | £295–£479 |
Learning resources & ICT | £488 | £824 | £519–£1,154 |
Bought-in services | £115 | £708 | £439–£2,330 |
Compare side by side with the 3 most similar schools
Which schools are these?
- Woodlands Meed Healthy
- Leigh Academy Snowfields Tight
- Glenwood School Tight
- Beaucroft Foundation School Healthy
- Exhall Grange Specialist School Large reserves
- Evergreen School Large reserves
- Lady Zia Wernher School Large reserves
- Richmond Hill School Large reserves
- Wigston Birkett House Community Special School Large reserves
- Addington School Large reserves
- Alderman Knight School Large reserves
- Freemantles School Healthy
Where the money comes from, 2024-25
| Source | Amount | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|
Government grants | £7.0m | £24,314 |
SEN funding (part of grants) | £3.0m | £10,551 |
Self-generated (lettings, catering, donations) | £97k | £338 |
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 supply staff is £4,035 a pupil, against a typical £94 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on energy is £1,017 a pupil, against a typical £411 for similar schools. What's behind that?
- Spending on premises is £2,310 a pupil, against a typical £1,402 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.
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