What is going on here

[frootito]

My sisters kids attend a large academy run primary in a nice part of Surrey. She is part of the PTA and says the schools finances are dire. They are being asked to fundraise for basics like pens, books etc.

My DD attends a large primary in zone 2 London where there is a mix of real wealth and extreme deprivation. Our school appears to be rolling in money. They subsidise school trips, just opened a music and arts centre and thePTA is never asked to fundraise for basics. There appears to be an abundance of the necessities they just bought a load of new phonics books for example.

why would this difference occur?

Large number of pupil premium at your DDs school perhaps?

There are significant differences in the funding formula for different areas - London schools get more money. Also, schools are funded per pupil, so unless every class in the school is full, it’s harder to cover staff costs. The age and state of the buildings will also be relevant. One broken boiler, leaky roof or drainage issue will wipe out budgets for any “optional” extras.

Looking at the most recent figures, our above average pupil premium school got approx £150k and £20k for PE - but I don't know what the average is

https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-funding-statistics

Some kind of answer might be in there somewhere? (I can't open the data file in any meaningful format on my phone).

Until recently I was chair of the finance committee for a primary school. Our finances were in good shape, even though pupil premium numbers weren't particularly high, mainly due to an extremely competent bursar who was really on top of expenditure (eg looking for the best deal for reprographics and insurance, ending pricey subscriptions that were lightly used by the teachers, deputy head stepping in to cover brief staff absences rather than paying high rates for cover staff).

My DDs school seems rolling in money...

• it hires out the school hall and grounds after school and weekends
• solar panels so less electricity costs
• it used to be an RAF school so historically had better funding
• very competent PTA

We are in an old building (which they are renovating) and the Surrey kids in a new building.

Could be pupil premium?

It's bad that there is a disparity

maybe the second school has fewer teachers? Or younger, less experienced teachers?

alternatively, the second school could be a newly converted academy, there are massive financial incentives to convert, exemption from council tax, for example

I think this is common for schools in wealthier areas.

My DC attended primary school in a very deprived part of London where just under half of pupils qualified for FSM. They went on truly incredible school trips and parents were never asked to pay a single penny. If the PTA set up a fundraiser with a target of say £1000 the school would pitch in and they’d always surpass their target. The school honestly seemed awash with money and I guess the high amount of pupil premium money helped.

Last year we moved to an affluent area. Less than 5% of kids qualify for FSM. The amount of money I’ve had to pay for school trips is eye-opening and the PTA struggle to fund things. Unlike the previous school there are no culturally rich trips to ballet, theatre etc. I don’t know if the assumption is most children will be able to go with their parents.
It’s intriguing to me that in a school where parents pull up at the gates in £50k cars there is constant under funding.