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Secondary schools that spend the most per pupil

The typical secondary school spends about £7,790 per pupil.

Star Radcliffe Academy in Bury is ranked first, on £16,725. The list spans 46 local authorities, and Tower Hamlets has the most schools in it (11).

The school in 100th place recorded £10,970, against a typical figure of £7,790 across all 3,267 schools that meet the rules. By region, the top 100 breaks down as London 71, North West 9 and South West 5, with every region represented.

How this ranking works

The measure is total expenditure divided by pupil numbers, from the 2024/25 finance returns. Schools with fewer than 100 pupils, and values above £20,000, are left out. Small schools have higher costs per pupil, so a high figure does not always mean more money reaches each classroom.

100 of the 3,267 schools that meet these rules are shown below. A rank with "=" is shared with another school on the same figure. Tap any school to see its full results, Ofsted grades, admissions and nearby alternatives.

The top 100

  1. 1Star Radcliffe AcademyBury · 149 pupils£16,725
  2. 2Ark Evelyn Grace AcademyLambeth · 348 pupils£15,977
  3. 3Mulberry Academy London DockTower Hamlets · 127 pupils£15,669
  4. 4Wapping High SchoolTower Hamlets · 294 pupils£15,514
  5. 5Hockerill Anglo-European CollegeHertfordshire · 926 pupils£14,378
  6. 6Harefield SchoolHillingdon · 254 pupils£14,370
  7. 7The Five Islands AcademyIsles Of Scilly · 251 pupils£14,347
  8. 8Eastlea Community SchoolNewham · 689 pupils£13,791
  9. 9The JCB AcademyStaffordshire · 788 pupils£13,743
  10. 10Haverstock SchoolCamden · 909 pupils£13,737
  11. 11The Urswick School - A Church of England Secondary SchoolHackney · 803 pupils£13,592
  12. 12Harris Science Academy East LondonNewham · 441 pupils£13,336
  13. 13London Enterprise AcademyTower Hamlets · 415 pupils£13,306
  14. 14Lammas SchoolWaltham Forest · 574 pupils£13,221
  15. 15The UCL AcademyCamden · 1,015 pupils£13,165
  16. 16Winton AcademyBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole · 906 pupils£13,105
  17. 17Holyport CollegeWindsor and Maidenhead · 640 pupils£12,989
  18. 18Sutton Community AcademyNottinghamshire · 800 pupils£12,974
  19. 19La Sainte Union Catholic Secondary SchoolCamden · 586 pupils£12,955
  20. 20Paddington AcademyWestminster · 1,259 pupils£12,909
  21. 21Dorset Studio SchoolDorset · 325 pupils£12,868
  22. 22Hasmonean High School for BoysBarnet · 772 pupils£12,832
  23. 23Saint Gabriel's CollegeLambeth · 594 pupils£12,826
  24. 24Hasmonean High School for GirlsBarnet · 585 pupils£12,806
  25. 25Rokeby SchoolNewham · 588 pupils£12,793
  26. 26Arts and Media School IslingtonIslington · 595 pupils£12,737
  27. 27Stowupland High SchoolSuffolk · 897 pupils£12,644
  28. 28The Catholic High School, ChesterCheshire West and Chester · 808 pupils£12,580
  29. 29Beacon Hill Community SchoolCumberland · 137 pupils£12,576
  30. 30Hewens CollegeHillingdon · 412 pupils£12,417
  31. 31Ark All Saints AcademySouthwark · 581 pupils£12,380
  32. 32Solway Community SchoolCumberland · 146 pupils£12,315
  33. 33Conisborough CollegeLewisham · 757 pupils£12,269
  34. 34Lilian Baylis Technology SchoolLambeth · 836 pupils£12,237
  35. 35Kensington Aldridge AcademyKensington and Chelsea · 1,224 pupils£12,175
  36. =36Regent High SchoolCamden · 1,086 pupils£12,145
  37. =36St Saviour's and St Olave's Church of England SchoolSouthwark · 660 pupils£12,145
  38. 38Bishop Challoner Catholic SchoolTower Hamlets · 1,034 pupils£12,112
  39. 39John Smeaton AcademyLeeds · 610 pupils£12,106
  40. 40Wymondham CollegeNorfolk · 1,441 pupils£12,042
  41. 41Brook Sixth Form and AcademyBarking and Dagenham · 237 pupils£12,021
  42. 42All Saints Catholic High SchoolHackney · 499 pupils£12,015
  43. 43Bacon's CollegeSouthwark · 1,002 pupils£12,006
  44. 44City of London Academy Highbury GroveIslington · 1,010 pupils£12,005
  45. 45The London Oratory SchoolHammersmith and Fulham · 1,398 pupils£11,979
  46. 46Harris Academy OrpingtonBromley · 501 pupils£11,970
  47. 47Bow SchoolTower Hamlets · 1,173 pupils£11,950
  48. 48EKC Sheppey SecondaryKent · 405 pupils£11,904
  49. 49Canary Wharf College CrossharbourTower Hamlets · 462 pupils£11,868
  50. 50Cranbrook SchoolKent · 918 pupils£11,863
  51. 51Addey and Stanhope SchoolLewisham · 600 pupils£11,805
  52. 52Islip Manor High SchoolEaling · 858 pupils£11,780
  53. 53Saint John Bosco CollegeWandsworth · 828 pupils£11,758
  54. 54Waterside AcademyHackney · 374 pupils£11,728
  55. 55Ark Burlington Danes AcademyHammersmith and Fulham · 819 pupils£11,699
  56. 56St Mark's CofE SchoolBath and North East Somerset · 253 pupils£11,660
  57. 57Harris Academy PeckhamSouthwark · 537 pupils£11,651
  58. 58Jo Richardson Community SchoolBarking and Dagenham · 1,686 pupils£11,631
  59. 59St Paul's Way Trust SchoolTower Hamlets · 1,884 pupils£11,600
  60. 60City Heights E-ACT AcademyLambeth · 473 pupils£11,592
  61. 61Sir John Hunt Community Sports CollegePlymouth · 767 pupils£11,577
  62. 62Oaklands SchoolTower Hamlets · 880 pupils£11,574
  63. 63South Shore AcademyBlackpool · 576 pupils£11,570
  64. 64William Ellis SchoolCamden · 817 pupils£11,546
  65. 65Highbury Fields SchoolIslington · 729 pupils£11,530
  66. 66Walsall Studio SchoolWalsall · 185 pupils£11,524
  67. 67Eastbrook SchoolBarking and Dagenham · 1,198 pupils£11,521
  68. 68Ark Putney AcademyWandsworth · 784 pupils£11,504
  69. 69Laurel Park SchoolEnfield · 539 pupils£11,492
  70. 70Friern Barnet SchoolBarnet · 641 pupils£11,457
  71. 71George Green's SchoolTower Hamlets · 1,261 pupils£11,448
  72. 72Outwood Academy NormanbyRedcar and Cleveland · 765 pupils£11,442
  73. 73Hornsey School for GirlsHaringey · 663 pupils£11,432
  74. 74Langdon Park Community SchoolTower Hamlets · 1,061 pupils£11,420
  75. 75Deptford Green SchoolLewisham · 881 pupils£11,414
  76. 76Old Swinford HospitalDudley · 947 pupils£11,392
  77. 77Elizabeth Garrett Anderson SchoolIslington · 880 pupils£11,370
  78. 78Beccles High SchoolSuffolk · 238 pupils£11,364
  79. 79The Bridge AcademyHackney · 1,099 pupils£11,361
  80. 80Highams Park SchoolWaltham Forest · 1,547 pupils£11,323
  81. 81Maria Fidelis Catholic School FCJCamden · 812 pupils£11,310
  82. 82Frederick Bremer SchoolWaltham Forest · 881 pupils£11,300
  83. 83Plumstead Manor SchoolGreenwich · 1,454 pupils£11,280
  84. 84Park View SchoolHaringey · 1,041 pupils£11,265
  85. 85Haggerston SchoolHackney · 1,007 pupils£11,253
  86. 86Ark Acton AcademyEaling · 804 pupils£11,240
  87. 87Southfields AcademyWandsworth · 1,179 pupils£11,237
  88. 88River AcademyReading · 186 pupils£11,226
  89. 89Lancaster High SchoolLancashire · 591 pupils£11,209
  90. 90City of London Academy, Shoreditch ParkHackney · 861 pupils£11,206
  91. 91Lostock High SchoolTrafford · 522 pupils£11,187
  92. 92Ark Walworth AcademySouthwark · 971 pupils£11,121
  93. 93Shuttleworth CollegeLancashire · 1,079 pupils£11,071
  94. 94City of London Academy, Highgate HillIslington · 642 pupils£11,066
  95. 95Samuel King's SchoolWestmorland and Furness · 107 pupils£11,064
  96. 96Cardinal Pole Catholic SchoolHackney · 1,052 pupils£11,023
  97. 97Charles Read AcademyLincolnshire · 267 pupils£11,022
  98. 98Morpeth SchoolTower Hamlets · 1,513 pupils£11,011
  99. 99Gladesmore Community SchoolHaringey · 1,236 pupils£10,976
  100. 100Harris Academy ClaphamLambeth · 891 pupils£10,970

Things to bear in mind

Small secondary schools cost more per pupil because fixed costs such as buildings and leadership are spread across fewer students. Sixth forms and specialist units also add cost. The figures cover one year, so a one-off building project can lift a school up the list.

Source: DfE consistent financial reporting (CFR) and academies accounts return, 2024/25. Published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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