JUST two of Monmouthshire’s schools were in deficit at the end of the 2020/21 financial year, compared with 17 the year before.

Only Llandogo Primary School and Chepstow School remain in deficit at the end of the financial year.

At the end of 2019/2020 all schools in Monmouthshire had a combined deficit of £435,000, now this has been converted into a £3.4 million surplus.

Much of this can be accounted for by coronavirus savings. With schools largely closed during parts of the 2020/21 financial year because of the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, spending on areas such as staff cover, premises, supplies and examination fees were significantly reduced.

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A council report says the individual schools budget saved around £2 million as a result.

Schools in Monmouthshire also received a combined £1.77 million in Welsh Government grants to support themselves and the pupils through the pandemic during an “unprecedented” year.

The Welsh Government grants allowed schools to compensate for coronavirus costs including personal protective equipment, staff cover due to self-isolation and enhanced cleaning.

Income totalling £1.24 million lost from the pandemic was also recuperated from the Welsh Government.

School reserves, which is money retained for future use, also increased by £3.85 million during the last financial year.

Monmouthshire council requires all schools carrying a significant surplus to provide investment plans setting out how the money will be spent – for primary schools this is £50,000 and for secondary schools it is £100,000.

In total 22 primary schools have a surplus of more than £50,000, while three secondary schools have a surplus of more than £100,000.

All schools which were in a deficit at the start of the 2020/21 financial year would have had budget recovery plans.

A report on the impact of this says: “In particular and in specific relation to Chepstow Comprehensive, when the windfall Welsh Government grants are disregarded, it masks a significant in-year budget deficit that has been brought about significantly due to the curtailing of any staff redundancies during the pandemic and that were pivotal to their recovery plans.

“This leaves the school in a comparably weaker position than they would have been in if they had executed their recovery plans as intended, and where they do not now have the level of surplus balances that the other three comprehensive schools now have to strategically invest over the medium term.

“It is also clear that the inherent structural budget deficits that have led to a situation of 17 schools being in deficit at the start of the year remain and require resolution irrespective of additional funding received.”

Schools still in deficit:

  • Chepstow School – £86,801
  • Llandogo Primary School – £86,830

Schools with a surplus:

  • Caldicot School – £229,564
  • King Henry VIII Comprehensive – £197,496
  • Monmouth Comprehensive – £214,192
  • Cross Ash Primary School – £82,470
  • Durand Primary School – £77,884
  • Gilwern Primary School – £166,851
  • Goytre Fawr Primary School – £91,539
  • Llantilio Pertholey CiW Primary School – £67,215
  • Llanvihangel Crucorney Primary School – £104,670
  • Magor CiW Primary School – £117,202
  • Overmonnow Primary School – £41,104
  • Raglan CiW Primary School – £108,877
  • Rogiet Primary School – £78,095
  • Shirenewton Primary School – £176,246
  • St Mary’s RC Primary School – £20,860
  • The Dell Primary School – £48,410
  • Thornwell Primary School – £64,887
  • Trellech Primary School – £115,691
  • Undy Primary School – £6,370
  • Usk CiW Primary School – £143,055
  • Ysgol Gymraeg Y Fenni – £34,367
  • Archbishop Rowan Williams CiW Primary School – £206,396
  • Ysgol Gymraeg Y Ffin – £15,638
  • Deri View Primary School – £148,109
  • Cantref Primary School – £199,797
  • Osbaston CiW Primary School – £40,609
  • Dewstow Primary School – £237,811
  • Our Lady & St Michael’s RC Primary School – £54,393
  • Pembroke Primary School – £125,507
  • Kymin View Primary School – £135,305
  • Llanfoist Fawr Primary School – £93,433
  • Castle Park Primary School – £121,853
  • Pupil Referral Unit – £26,012