Riverside Academy

About Riverside Academy

Riverside Academy is a popular choice among local families, with 87 applications for just 30 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.9. Of those, 25 offers went to first-preference applicants, suggesting strong demand from parents who know the school well. While the school doesn't publish a formal parent recommendation percentage, the high level of competition for places is a clear signal of its standing in the community. Headteacher Rebecca Payne leads a mixed primary for ages 3 to 11, with a nursery on site. The school currently has 238 pupils on roll, slightly above its official capacity of 210, which further reflects its draw. Ofsted inspectors, who visited in June 2024, rated the school Outstanding across every category, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision. That's a jump from its previous Good rating in 2014, so the school has clearly built on its strengths.

Academically, Riverside Academy performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 81% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Warwickshire average of 62%. The school ranks 3rd out of 28 primary schools in the Rugby local authority area, placing it in the top 11% nationally. Average scores in reading (107) and maths (105) are both above the national benchmark of 100, and a higher-than-average proportion of pupils achieved the higher standard in reading (39%) and maths (32%). The school's overall ranking score of 81 puts it in the top 25% of schools across the West Midlands. While progress scores aren't available in the data, the strong attainment figures suggest pupils are well supported to meet or exceed expectations. The school also has a notably high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 27.5%, making these results particularly impressive.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a sensory room, music rooms, an ICT suite and art studios, plus a broad sports programme covering football, gymnastics, dance, cross country, cricket, netball and swimming. Clubs include gardening, drama and book club, giving children plenty of options beyond the classroom. Riverside Academy has a well-developed SEND provision, supporting pupils with moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, physical disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder. This makes it a strong option for families whose children need additional support within a mainstream setting. Given its oversubscription, parents should definitely apply as a first preference to maximise their chances. The school suits families who value strong academic outcomes in a supportive, well-resourced environment, and who are happy to be part of a school that's clearly in high demand locally.

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