Riverside School

About Riverside School

Riverside School's Progress 8 score of 0.78 places it well above the Barking and Dagenham local authority average of 0.23, making it one of the strongest performers in the borough. That gap is significant — the school is adding nearly eight months of extra progress per pupil compared with the national average, while the LA average sits at just over two months. It ranks second out of 13 secondary schools in the borough, and sits in the top 10 per cent nationally for Progress 8. The school is also one of six Outstanding-rated secondaries in Barking and Dagenham, having achieved that rating in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022. Across every inspected category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision — inspectors awarded the top grade. That's a clean sweep, and a notable upgrade from its previous Good rating in 2015.

Academically, the detail backs up the headline. At Key Stage 4, 74.6 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and 56.3 per cent reached the stronger grade 5 benchmark. The EBacc average point score sits at 5.29, and 86.3 per cent of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects — a high take-up that reflects the school's academic ambition. Progress in the EBacc subjects is particularly strong, with a Progress 8 score of 1.12, meaning pupils make over a grade more progress than similar students nationally. English and open subjects also show strong positive progress, while maths progress is more modest at 0.3. At Key Stage 5, the school's value-added score of 0.21 is rated above average, with pupils achieving an average of B- across their best three A-levels. The sixth form is relatively small, with 38 pupils in the data, but outcomes are solid.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 526 applications for 273 places, with 239 first-preference offers made. That's a ratio of nearly two applicants per place, so families need to be confident in their catchment position. Facilities include a swimming pool, astro turf, music rooms, a sixth-form centre, and an ICT suite. The extracurricular offer is broad, with clubs ranging from Model UN and Young Enterprise to gardening, coding, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. SEND provision covers eight categories, including dyslexia, autism, and speech and language needs. With 30.5 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, Riverside serves a diverse intake and achieves strong outcomes across the board. It suits families looking for a large, high-performing comprehensive with a genuine sixth form and a clear academic focus.

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