Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Church: school finances
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April to March). Lancashire · Primary · Voluntary aided school
Tight
Holds £42k £222 per pupil in reserve, under 3% of a year's income: little room for surprises.
Status by year
- 2018-19 Healthy reserve between 3% and 8% of a year's income
- 2019-20 Healthy same as the year before
- 2020-21 Large reserves reserve 8% or more of a year's income
- 2021-22 Healthy reserve between 3% and 8% of a year's income
- 2022-23 Heading for deficit spending more than it received, reserve running down
- 2023-24 In deficit reserve below zero
- 2024-25 In deficit same as the year before
- 2025-26 Tight reserve under 3% of a year's income
Government funding vs spending per pupil
In 2025-26, government funding was £1.7m £8,773 per pupil and spending £1.7m £8,828 per pupil. Spending was £10k £55 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 | 189.0 | £1.7m £9,205 per pupil | £1.7m £8,828 per pupil | +£71k +£376 per pupil | £42k £222 per pupil |
| 2024-25 | 191.0 | £1.6m £8,462 per pupil | £1.6m £8,299 per pupil | +£31k +£163 per pupil | -£29k -£153 per pupil |
| 2023-24 | 200.0 | £1.4m £7,008 per pupil | £1.5m £7,386 per pupil | -£76k -£379 per pupil | -£60k -£301 per pupil |
| 2022-23 | 181.0 | £1.3m £7,336 per pupil | £1.4m £7,651 per pupil | -£57k -£316 per pupil | £16k £86 per pupil |
| 2021-22 | 195.0 | £1.3m £6,449 per pupil | £1.3m £6,832 per pupil | -£75k -£383 per pupil | £73k £373 per pupil |
| 2020-21 | 185.0 | £1.2m £6,534 per pupil | £1.1m £6,163 per pupil | +£69k +£371 per pupil | £147k £797 per pupil |
| 2019-20 | 213.0 | £1.2m £5,732 per pupil | £1.2m £5,796 per pupil | -£14k -£64 per pupil | £79k £370 per pupil |
| 2018-19 | 218.5 | £1.2m £5,333 per pupil | £1.1m £5,242 per pupil | +£20k +£92 per pupil | £92k £423 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 | £1.7m £9,205 per pupil | +73% +32% real | £9k | |
| Government funding | £1.7m £8,773 per pupil | +69% +29% real | £8k | |
| Special needs (SEN) funding | £152k £806 per pupil | +3124% +2342% real | £650 | |
| Pupil premium | £129k £683 per pupil | +71% +30% real | £692 | |
| Money the school raised itself | £82k £432 per pupil | +206% +135% real | £305 | |
| Donations (day-to-day) | £3k £15 per pupil | -58% -69% real | £10 | |
| Donations for buildings and equipment | £0 £0 per pupil | £0 | ||
| Facilities and services | £61k £324 per pupil | +1057% +776% real | £116 | |
| Catering income | £7k £38 per pupil | -12% -33% real | £51 | |
| Other DfE grants | £37k £197 per pupil | -12% -33% real | £306 |
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 | £1.7m £8,828 per pupil | +68% +28% real | £8k | |
| Teachers | £585k £3,096 per pupil | +39% +6% real | £4k | |
| Supply staff | £83k £439 per pupil | +796% +586% real | £99 | |
| Support staff | £299k £1,584 per pupil | +19% -10% real | £2k | |
| Office and admin staff | £88k £464 per pupil | +132% +77% real | £377 | |
| Premises staff | £37k £194 per pupil | +60% +22% real | £206 | |
| Catering staff | £0 £0 per pupil | £0 | ||
| Other staff costs | £62k £328 per pupil | +147% +87% real | £225 | |
| All staff costs | £1.1m £5,981 per pupil | +49% +14% real | £6k | |
| Premises | £71k £375 per pupil | +60% +22% real | £481 | |
| Energy | £21k £111 per pupil | +41% +7% real | £132 | |
| Rates, water and other building costs | £99k £524 per pupil | +20% -8% real | £744 | |
| Catering | £63k £335 per pupil | +25% -5% real | £417 | |
| Learning resources | £65k £346 per pupil | +139% +82% real | £331 | |
| Supplies and services | £368k £1,947 per pupil | +245% +163% real | £864 | |
| Bought-in services | £290k £1,533 per pupil | +490% +350% real | £417 |
Staff costs were 68% 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 £1.7m £8,828 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
- 2018-19 218.5
- 2019-20 213.0
- 2020-21 185.0
- 2021-22 195.0
- 2022-23 181.0
- 2023-24 200.0
- 2024-25 191.0
- 2025-26 189.0
Pupil numbers fell from 218.5 to 189.0 (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 Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Church. 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
- 41% of pupils eligible for free school meals (median school: council 21%, England 22%)
- Neighbourhood deprivation decile 1 of 10 (1 = most deprived)
- Income deprivation affecting children: decile 3 of 10 (1 = most deprived)
- 23% of adults nearby hold a degree-level qualification
- 51% of nearby homes are owner-occupied
- 25% of nearby homes are social rented
Intake band 5 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 £668k £3,535 per pupil
- Support staff £299k £1,584 per pupil
- Buildings and grounds £71k £375 per pupil
- Energy £21k £111 per pupil
- Learning resources £65k £346 per pupil
- Everything else £544k £2,877 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.
- With £42k £222 per pupil in reserve, what would happen if costs rose faster than expected next year? Why ask: Pay awards are set each year by the government after independent advice; the IFS says the picture is tight for schools if they follow forecast earnings growth. (IFS, p. 63)
- How many pupils does Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Church 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 many pupils at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Church have an EHCP or need extra support, and how is support above the first £6,000 a year funded? Why ask: Mainstream schools are expected to fund the first £6,000 a year per pupil from their core budget. (IFS, p. 46)
- How much does the PTA (or friends' association) raise each year, and what does it pay for?
- Which costs does Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Church expect to rise most next year?
- Is the school planning to merge classes, share staff or work more closely with another school?
- Does the council's top-up money arrive on time and cover what the support actually costs?
- How does Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Church'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)
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.
- St Peter's CofE Primary Academy, Mansfield
- Countess Wear Primary School
- East Whitby Primary Academy
- St James Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
- The Canon Peter Hall CofE Primary School
Admissions and catchments for Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Church on Schools in Reach · All Lancashire school finances · Schools in Hyndburn
- 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)