Cherry Hinton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School: school finances
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April to March). Cambridgeshire · Primary · Voluntary controlled school
In deficit
In deficit by £109k £615 per pupil, 8% of a year's income: it has spent more over the years than it received.
Why schools go into deficit. Most of a school's money goes on people: over 80% of schools' costs are staff costs. So when pay and other costs rise faster than funding, or a school loses pupils and the money that comes with each one, the budget is squeezed quickly and staffing is the only big thing left to cut. In 2024–25 and 2025–26, mainstream school funding per pupil grew by 2 percentage points less than school costs, partly because rising special needs costs took a large share of the extra money. A deficit usually comes from several of these pressures at once, not one bad decision. (IFS, pp. 62–63)
What helps. Schools in this position usually agree a recovery plan with the council, often over two or three years, and governors check progress against it each term. The questions further down are a good way to start that conversation.
Status by year
- 2018-19 Healthy reserve between 3% and 8% of a year's income
- 2019-20 Heading for deficit spending more than it received, reserve running down
- 2020-21 Heading for deficit same as the year before
- 2021-22 In deficit reserve below zero
- 2022-23 In deficit same as the year before
- 2023-24 In deficit same as the year before
- 2024-25 In deficit same as the year before
- 2025-26 In deficit same as the year before
Government funding vs spending per pupil
In 2025-26, government funding was £1.2m £7,038 per pupil and spending £1.4m £7,860 per pupil. Spending was £145k £822 per pupil more than government funding; the difference came from other income, such as lettings, catering or donations, or from the school's reserve.
Funding is the money a school receives; spending is what it pays out. The two differ when a school adds to or draws on its savings, and because some money is spent on its pupils by someone else: the council (for example special needs top-ups and transport) or, for academies, the trust's central team. (IFS, pp. 7, 10, 46, 52, 54)
Government funding is the academy accounts line "grant funding from government" in academy (AAR) years and the CFR grant funding total in council-run years. The two are not strictly comparable: CFR line I07 can include some money that is not from government.
Real terms: in 2025-26 prices (HM Treasury GDP deflator, October 2026).
Reserve per pupil by year
Real terms: in 2025-26 prices (HM Treasury GDP deflator, October 2026).
| Year | Pupils | Income | Spending | In-year balance | Reserve at year end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 177.0 | £1.3m £7,347 per pupil | £1.4m £7,860 per pupil | -£91k -£513 per pupil | -£109k -£615 per pupil |
| 2024-25 | 183.0 | £1.4m £7,505 per pupil | £1.4m £7,485 per pupil | +£4k +£19 per pupil | -£18k -£98 per pupil |
| 2023-24 | 184.0 | £1.3m £6,917 per pupil | £1.3m £6,958 per pupil | -£7k -£41 per pupil | -£21k -£117 per pupil |
| 2022-23 | 193.0 | £1.3m £6,707 per pupil | £1.3m £6,561 per pupil | +£28k +£146 per pupil | -£14k -£72 per pupil |
| 2021-22 | 204.0 | £1.2m £5,840 per pupil | £1.3m £6,191 per pupil | -£72k -£351 per pupil | -£42k -£206 per pupil |
| 2020-21 | 200.5 | £1.1m £5,656 per pupil | £1.1m £5,688 per pupil | -£6k -£31 per pupil | £29k £143 per pupil |
| 2019-20 | 212.5 | £1.1m £5,326 per pupil | £1.1m £5,355 per pupil | -£6k -£30 per pupil | £35k £165 per pupil |
| 2018-19 | 205.5 | £1.1m £5,574 per pupil | £1.2m £5,660 per pupil | -£18k -£86 per pupil | £41k £201 per pupil |
Where the money comes from
| Line | 2025-26 | Trend per pupil | Change per pupil since 2018-19 | Similar schools (median per pupil) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total income | £1.3m £7,347 per pupil | +32% +1% real | £8k | |
| Government funding | £1.2m £7,038 per pupil | +33% +1% real | £7k | |
| Special needs (SEN) funding | £65k £365 per pupil | +14% -13% real | £425 | |
| Pupil premium | £60k £340 per pupil | +25% -4% real | £378 | |
| Money the school raised itself | £56k £318 per pupil | +16% -11% real | £382 | |
| Donations (day-to-day) | £2k £13 per pupil | +160% +117% real | £19 | |
| Donations for buildings and equipment | £0 £0 per pupil | £0 | ||
| Facilities and services | £14k £82 per pupil | +41% +9% real | £194 | |
| Catering income | £17k £99 per pupil | -2% -25% real | £56 | |
| Other DfE grants | £46k £260 per pupil | +18% -10% real | £267 |
Other DfE grants is a container line. It includes the grants that cover higher employer pension and National Insurance costs, which cannot be separated out, so no figure is shown for them on their own. Not every rise in a school's income is extra spending power. When the government raised what schools pay as employers into staff pensions and National Insurance, it gave schools grants to cover the bill. The IFS describes this as extra money to pay for extra outgoings, with no change in real resources. About £2.3 billion of the growth in school funding between 2019–20 and 2025–26 was this kind of grant. So when a school's income jumps, check whether its staff costs jumped by the same amount: the money may simply have passed through. (IFS, p. 50)
Where it goes
| Line | 2025-26 | Trend per pupil | Change per pupil since 2018-19 | Similar schools (median per pupil) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total spending | £1.4m £7,860 per pupil | +39% +6% real | £8k | |
| Teachers | £638k £3,607 per pupil | +60% +22% real | £3k | |
| Supply staff | £8k £44 per pupil | -70% -77% real | £104 | |
| Support staff | £335k £1,891 per pupil | +33% +1% real | £1k | |
| Office and admin staff | £93k £527 per pupil | +131% +76% real | £352 | |
| Premises staff | £39k £219 per pupil | +22% -6% real | £209 | |
| Catering staff | £0 £0 per pupil | £0 | ||
| Other staff costs | £15k £84 per pupil | -65% -73% real | £291 | |
| All staff costs | £1.1m £6,178 per pupil | +43% +9% real | £6k | |
| Premises | £52k £291 per pupil | +7% -19% real | £410 | |
| Energy | £23k £128 per pupil | +100% +52% real | £102 | |
| Rates, water and other building costs | £140k £793 per pupil | +33% +1% real | £604 | |
| Catering | £58k £328 per pupil | +11% -15% real | £358 | |
| Learning resources | £59k £331 per pupil | +50% +15% real | £250 | |
| Supplies and services | £106k £598 per pupil | +27% -3% real | £596 | |
| Bought-in services | £34k £190 per pupil | -5% -27% real | £243 |
Staff costs were 79% of this school's spending in 2025-26. Across England, over 80% of schools' costs are staff costs. (IFS, p. 63)
In 2025-26 prices, this school spent £1.4m £7,860 per pupil in 2025-26. Across England, primary schools are expected to spend about £7,000 per pupil in 2025–26. (IFS, p. 7)
Pupils by year
- 2018-19 205.5
- 2019-20 212.5
- 2020-21 200.5
- 2021-22 204.0
- 2022-23 193.0
- 2023-24 184.0
- 2024-25 183.0
- 2025-26 177.0
Pupil numbers fell from 205.5 to 177.0 (14% fewer) over the years shown.
Schools are mostly funded per pupil, so fewer pupils means less money. Costs do not fall in step: a class with a few fewer pupils still needs a teacher. Primary schools in England have already lost about 100,000 pupils (3%) between 2019–20 and 2024–25, and are expected to lose over 300,000 more (about 8%) by 2030–31. Secondary numbers are expected to start falling from about 2026–27. The IFS points out that money is only saved if schools actually reduce what they spend, such as staff or the number of schools. That is why a well-run school with falling numbers can still find its budget under pressure. (IFS, pp. 19, 64)
Money raised by parents
No registered parents' association found for Cherry Hinton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School. Charities with an income of £5,000 or less a year don't have to register with the Charity Commission, so many schools have an active PTA or friends' group that isn't on the register.
Across England, the typical registered parents' association raised £50 per pupil in 2025-26.
Intake and area
- 23% of pupils eligible for free school meals (median school: council 18%, England 22%)
- Neighbourhood deprivation decile 10 of 10 (1 = most deprived)
- Income deprivation affecting children: decile 10 of 10 (1 = most deprived)
- 53% of adults nearby hold a degree-level qualification
- 79% of nearby homes are owner-occupied
- 2% of nearby homes are social rented
Intake band 2 of 5 nationally, combining free-school-meal eligibility and the deprivation of the school's neighbourhood (1 = least disadvantaged, 5 = most).
Context, not a judgement: schools with different intakes get different funding and face different costs.
How my school's money is split
For pupils: out of every pound the school spent in 2025-26, here is roughly where it went, with the amount for each pupil.
- Teachers £646k £3,651 per pupil
- Support staff £335k £1,891 per pupil
- Buildings and grounds £52k £291 per pupil
- Energy £23k £128 per pupil
- Learning resources £59k £331 per pupil
- Everything else £277k £1,568 per pupil
National context
- In 2024–25 and 2025–26, mainstream school funding per pupil grew by 2 percentage points less than school costs nationally. (IFS, p. 62)
- Primary pupil numbers in England are expected to fall by over 300,000 (about 8%) between 2024–25 and 2030–31. (IFS, p. 19)
- Council-run primary schools spend about £400 (6%) more per pupil than primary academies, and council-run secondaries about £300 (4%) more, partly because trusts spend some money centrally. (IFS, p. 56)
- Pupil premium is £1,515 a year per eligible primary pupil and £1,075 per eligible secondary pupil, over 16% lower in real terms than in 2015–16. (IFS, p. 51)
- Mainstream schools are expected to fund the first £6,000 a year of extra support for a pupil with special needs from their own budget. (IFS, p. 46)
Questions to ask the school
Useful for parents, governors and PTFA committees.
- What is the plan to get Cherry Hinton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School back into balance, and how many years will it take? Has the council agreed it?
- How many pupils does Cherry Hinton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School expect in each year group over the next three years? Why ask: Primary pupil numbers in England are expected to fall by over 300,000 (about 8%) by 2030–31. (IFS, p. 19)
- How much does the PTA (or friends' association) raise each year, and what does it pay for?
- What is driving the deficit: falling pupil numbers, staff costs, special needs support, or something else? Why ask: Over 80% of schools' costs are staff costs. (IFS, p. 63)
- Is the school planning to merge classes, share staff or work more closely with another school?
- How does Cherry Hinton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School's spending per pupil compare with similar schools, and why? Why ask: Nationally, primaries spend about £7,000 and secondaries about £7,800 per pupil in 2025–26. (IFS, p. 7)
- Will the recovery plan change class sizes, the subjects on offer or the number of support staff?
- Has the council talked about reducing places, merging or closing schools in this area? Why ask: The IFS notes savings from falling numbers only come if staff or the number of schools are reduced. (IFS, p. 64)
Check at source
Every figure here comes from the school's published return. Check it on the DfE benchmarking page for this school, and see how the figures are worked out.
Similar schools: the closest in phase, size and share of pupils on free school meals.
- Pinewood Infant and Nursery School
- Elsecar Holy Trinity CofE Primary Academy
- Brookfield Infant School
- Hilltop First School
- Calmore Infant School
Admissions and catchments for Cherry Hinton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School on Schools in Reach · All Cambridgeshire school finances · Schools in South Cambridgeshire
- DfE Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool data: CFR returns for council-run schools (April to March) and academy accounts returns (September to August), Open Government Licence v3.0
- Get Information about Schools, Open Government Licence v3.0
- National context: IFS, Annual report on education spending in England: 2025–26 (January 2026); IFS figures are in 2025-26 prices (HM Treasury GDP deflator, November 2025)
- Real-terms figures on this page: in 2025-26 prices (HM Treasury GDP deflator, October 2026)