Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary School: school finances
Latest full year 2024-25, as an academy (accounts return, September to August). Dorset · Primary · Academy converter
In deficit
In deficit by £27k £80 per pupil, 1% 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 SHERBORNE AREA SCHOOLS' TRUST, 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 Large reserves reserve 8% or more of a year's income
- 2019-20 Healthy reserve between 3% and 8% of a year's income
- 2020-21 Tight reserve under 3% of a year's income
- 2021-22 Healthy reserve between 3% and 8% of a year's income
- 2022-23 Tight reserve under 3% of a year's income
- 2023-24 Tight same as the year before
- 2024-25 In deficit reserve below zero
Government funding vs spending per pupil
In 2024-25, government funding was £2.0m £6,006 per pupil and spending £0 £0 per pupil. Government funding was £2.0m £6,006 per pupil more than spending.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 338.5 | £2.0m £6,006 per pupil | £0 £0 per pupil | +£2.0m +£6,006 per pupil | £0 £0 per pupil |
| 2023-24 | 344.0 | £1.9m £5,564 per pupil | £0 £0 per pupil | +£1.9m +£5,564 per pupil | £0 £0 per pupil |
| 2022-23 | 360.0 | £1.8m £4,908 per pupil | £0 £0 per pupil | +£1.8m +£4,908 per pupil | £0 £0 per pupil |
| 2021-22 | 352.0 | £1.9m £5,284 per pupil | £1.7m £4,787 per pupil | +£175k +£497 per pupil | £108k £307 per pupil |
| 2020-21 | 346.0 | £1.7m £4,913 per pupil | £1.7m £4,980 per pupil | -£23k -£66 per pupil | £21k £61 per pupil |
| 2019-20 | 323.5 | £1.6m £4,807 per pupil | £1.7m £5,162 per pupil | -£115k -£355 per pupil | £100k £309 per pupil |
| 2018-19 | 325.5 | £1.5m £4,648 per pupil | £1.4m £4,273 per pupil | +£122k +£375 per pupil | £182k £559 per pupil |
Where the money comes from
| Line | 2024-25 | Trend per pupil | Change per pupil since 2018-19 | Similar schools (median per pupil) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total income | £2.0m £6,006 per pupil | +29% +2% real | £7k | |
| Government funding | £2.0m £6,006 per pupil | +43% +13% real | £6k | |
| Special needs (SEN) funding | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £287 | |
| Pupil premium | Not reported in academy accounts | |||
| Money the school raised itself | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £252 | |
| Donations (day-to-day) | £0 £0 per pupil recorded | -100% -100% real | £11 | |
| Donations for buildings and equipment | Not reported in academy accounts | |||
| Facilities and services | £0 £0 per pupil | £79 | ||
| Catering income | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £61 | |
| Other DfE grants | £0 £0 per pupil | £204 | ||
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)
Academy accounts don't report pupil premium as a separate line, so it is shown as not reported rather than as zero.
Where it goes
| Line | 2024-25 | Trend per pupil | Change per pupil since 2018-19 | Similar schools (median per pupil) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total spending | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £6k | |
| Teachers | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £3k | |
| Supply staff | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £116 | |
| Support staff | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £1k | |
| Office and admin staff | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £247 | |
| Premises staff | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £157 | |
| Catering staff | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £0 | |
| Other staff costs | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £180 | |
| All staff costs | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £5k | |
| Premises | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £309 | |
| Energy | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £93 | |
| Rates, water and other building costs | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £490 | |
| Catering | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £273 | |
| Learning resources | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £258 | |
| Supplies and services | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £473 | |
| Bought-in services | £0 £0 per pupil | -100% -100% real | £136 |
Across England, over 80% of schools' costs are staff costs. (IFS, p. 63)
In 2025-26 prices, this school spent £0 £0 per pupil in 2024-25. Across England, primary schools are expected to spend about £7,000 per pupil in 2025–26. (IFS, p. 7)
Academy figures exclude the trust's central spending on its schools, so they can look lower than a council-run school's. See the trust's central spending below.
Pupils by year
- 2018-19 325.5
- 2019-20 323.5
- 2020-21 346.0
- 2021-22 352.0
- 2022-23 360.0
- 2023-24 344.0
- 2024-25 338.5
Trust central spending
What SHERBORNE AREA SCHOOLS' TRUST spent centrally per pupil, on top of this school's own accounts:
- 2018-19 £247
- 2019-20 £307
- 2020-21 £335
- 2021-22 £540
- 2022-23 £6k
- 2023-24 £8k
- 2024-25 £8k
These are cash figures. The IFS average below is in 2025-26 prices.
On average, academy trusts spent £510 per pupil centrally in 2023–24, money that is not counted in their individual schools' own spending. (IFS, p. 56)
Money raised by parents
No registered parents' association found for Sherborne Abbey 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
- 25% of pupils eligible for free school meals (median school: council 18%, England 22%)
- Neighbourhood deprivation decile 8 of 10 (1 = most deprived)
- Income deprivation affecting children: decile 6 of 10 (1 = most deprived)
- 40% of adults nearby hold a degree-level qualification
- 73% of nearby homes are owner-occupied
- 15% of nearby homes are social rented
Intake band 3 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.
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)
Questions to ask the school
Useful for parents, governors and PTFA committees.
- What is the plan to get Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary School back into balance, and how many years will it take? Has SHERBORNE AREA SCHOOLS' TRUST agreed it?
- How much of Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary School's funding does SHERBORNE AREA SCHOOLS' TRUST keep centrally each year, and what does the school get for it? Why ask: Academy trusts spent £510 per pupil centrally in 2023–24 on average. (IFS, p. 56)
- 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)
- Does the school's reserve figure include its share of the trust's central reserves?
- How does Sherborne Abbey 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)
- Will the recovery plan change class sizes, the subjects on offer or the number of support staff?
- Can the trust move money between its schools, and has this school given or received any?
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.
- Houldsworth Valley Primary Academy
- Broomfields Junior School
- Westcliff Primary Academy
- St John's Church of England Primary School
- Swinton Queen Primary School
Admissions and catchments for Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary School on Schools in Reach · All Dorset school finances · Schools in West Dorset · SHERBORNE AREA SCHOOLS' TRUST
- 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)