Birstwith Church of England Primary School: school finances
Latest full year 2025-26, as a council-run school (CFR return, April to March). North Yorkshire · Primary · Voluntary controlled school
Large reserves
Holds £52k £851 per pupil in reserve, 9% of a year's income.
Status by year
- 2018-19 Tight reserve under 3% of a year's income
- 2019-20 Healthy reserve between 3% and 8% of a year's income
- 2020-21 Healthy same as the year before
- 2021-22 Healthy same as the year before
- 2022-23 Tight reserve under 3% of a year's income
- 2023-24 Healthy reserve between 3% and 8% of a year's income
- 2024-25 Healthy same as the year before
- 2025-26 Large reserves reserve 8% or more of a year's income
Government funding vs spending per pupil
In 2025-26, government funding was £515k £8,436 per pupil and spending £572k £9,373 per pupil. Spending was £57k £937 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 | 61.0 | £583k £9,553 per pupil | £572k £9,373 per pupil | +£11k +£180 per pupil | £52k £851 per pupil |
| 2024-25 | 68.0 | £542k £7,975 per pupil | £524k £7,709 per pupil | +£18k +£266 per pupil | £41k £601 per pupil |
| 2023-24 | 65.0 | £520k £8,004 per pupil | £509k £7,828 per pupil | +£11k +£176 per pupil | £23k £351 per pupil |
| 2022-23 | 70.0 | £533k £7,617 per pupil | £557k £7,963 per pupil | -£24k -£345 per pupil | £11k £162 per pupil |
| 2021-22 | 76.0 | £548k £7,215 per pupil | £540k £7,101 per pupil | +£9k +£114 per pupil | £35k £467 per pupil |
| 2020-21 | 93.0 | £529k £5,688 per pupil | £522k £5,612 per pupil | +£7k +£76 per pupil | £27k £288 per pupil |
| 2019-20 | 97.0 | £525k £5,412 per pupil | £519k £5,347 per pupil | +£6k +£65 per pupil | £20k £204 per pupil |
| 2018-19 | 93.0 | £515k £5,540 per pupil | £525k £5,645 per pupil | -£10k -£105 per pupil | £13k £145 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 | £583k £9,553 per pupil | +72% +32% real | £10k | |
| Government funding | £515k £8,436 per pupil | +67% +28% real | £9k | |
| Special needs (SEN) funding | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £523 | |
| Pupil premium | £6k £105 per pupil | -12% -33% real | £145 | |
| Money the school raised itself | £76k £1,252 per pupil | +153% +93% real | £595 | |
| Donations (day-to-day) | £9k £147 per pupil | +167% +104% real | £55 | |
| Donations for buildings and equipment | £8k £135 per pupil | £0 | ||
| Facilities and services | £37k £608 per pupil | +15100% +10033% real | £165 | |
| Catering income | £13k £215 per pupil | +10% -16% real | £119 | |
| Other DfE grants | £33k £543 per pupil | +60% +22% real | £451 |
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 | £572k £9,373 per pupil | +66% +27% real | £10k | |
| Teachers | £272k £4,460 per pupil | +89% +44% real | £5k | |
| Supply staff | £6k £106 per pupil | -71% -78% real | £84 | |
| Support staff | £69k £1,123 per pupil | +22% -7% real | £2k | |
| Office and admin staff | £30k £490 per pupil | +145% +87% real | £589 | |
| Premises staff | £0 £0 per pupil | £176 | ||
| Catering staff | £0 £0 per pupil | £0 | ||
| Other staff costs | £33k £538 per pupil | +142% +85% real | £323 | |
| All staff costs | £414k £6,789 per pupil | +65% +26% real | £8k | |
| Premises | £32k £531 per pupil | +133% +78% real | £391 | |
| Energy | £7k £113 per pupil | +113% +61% real | £129 | |
| Rates, water and other building costs | £52k £851 per pupil | +38% +5% real | £644 | |
| Catering | £32k £530 per pupil | +17% -11% real | £375 | |
| Learning resources | £29k £471 per pupil | +9% -17% real | £545 | |
| Supplies and services | £56k £919 per pupil | +33% +2% real | £1k | |
| Bought-in services | £19k £307 per pupil | +76% +35% real | £360 |
Staff costs were 72% 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 £572k £9,373 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 93.0
- 2019-20 97.0
- 2020-21 93.0
- 2021-22 76.0
- 2022-23 70.0
- 2023-24 65.0
- 2024-25 68.0
- 2025-26 61.0
Pupil numbers fell from 93.0 to 61.0 (34% 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)
Income that passed straight through
In 2025-26, this school's income rose by +£40k +£662 per pupil on the year before, and its staff costs by +£36k +£588 per pupil. Much of the extra money may have gone straight out again on higher pay, pension and National Insurance costs.
About £2.3 billion of the rise in school funding since 2019–20 was grants to cover higher employer pension and National Insurance costs, not extra spending power. (IFS, p. 50)
Money raised by parents
No registered parents' association found for Birstwith Church of England 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
- 8% of pupils eligible for free school meals (median school: council 15%, England 22%)
- Neighbourhood deprivation decile 7 of 10 (1 = most deprived)
- Income deprivation affecting children: decile 10 of 10 (1 = most deprived)
- 45% of adults nearby hold a degree-level qualification
- 81% of nearby homes are owner-occupied
- 2% of nearby homes are social rented
Intake band 1 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 £279k £4,566 per pupil
- Support staff £69k £1,123 per pupil
- Buildings and grounds £32k £531 per pupil
- Energy £7k £113 per pupil
- Learning resources £29k £471 per pupil
- Everything else £157k £2,569 per pupil
National context
- 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)
Questions to ask the school
Useful for parents, governors and PTFA committees.
- What is Birstwith Church of England Primary School's £52k £851 per pupil reserve being kept for, and is there a timetable to spend it?
- How many pupils does Birstwith Church of England 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?
- Is any of it already committed, for example to building work or to cover a planned overspend?
- Is the school planning to merge classes, share staff or work more closely with another school?
- How does Birstwith Church of England 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)
- Could some be spent on current pupils without putting future years at risk?
- 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.
- Masham CofE Primary School
- Peppard Church of England Primary School
- Tetsworth Primary School
- Armathwaite School
- Wray with Botton Endowed Primary School
Admissions and catchments for Birstwith Church of England Primary School on Schools in Reach · All North Yorkshire school finances · Schools in Skipton and Ripon
- 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)