School Chooser

Rivenhall Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademyChurch of England128 pupilsWithamEssex
School Chooser Score
34
Below
similar schools
Likely range 14 to 66, so it could be “in line”
Out of 100. Better than 41% of the 50 schools most like it. Getting better year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, February 2023
Reached the expected level at 1167%England 63%
Attendance93.8%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families19%A bit fewer than most schools
Places12 spare128 pupils, 140 places
Pupils per teacher20.0School workforce census

Rivenhall Church of England Primary School is a converter academy in Witham for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 128 pupils and room for 140. About 19 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 35 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 41% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Church Road, Rivenhall, Witham, CM8 3PQ01376 514509rivenhallprimary.co.ukMrs R More headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 8 February 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

15 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.

Reached the expected level at 1167%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 43%43%20172018: 47%47%20182019: 40%40%20192023: 47%47%20232024: 29%29%20242025: 67%67%2025
Since 2017: +24%Improving overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure20252024202320192018†2017†EssexEngland
Pupils tested15171710197
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths67%29%47%40%47%43%64%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%0%0%16%0%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0102.0102.0100.0105.0100.0105.9105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0101.0101.0103.0103.0101.0104.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0100.099.0103.0105.0102.0105.3105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard80%76%59%50%74%57%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard73%47%59%80%63%57%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)73%71%53%70%74%57%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.3-4.6+0.0-0.3
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.5-2.5-1.4-0.3
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged43%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged50%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

† These results are for Rivenhall Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, the school this one replaced in September 2018. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
89%33%
Gap 56 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Full122 pupils for 119 places, 2024/25
103% full

The school is full, with 3 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have grown by 6% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.

How places were given out for September 2026. The last place was given under this rule: Criterion 7.

EntryPlacesApplied at allHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary2071LA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll128Census January 2026
Places14091% full
Pupils from low-income families19%19% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English1%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support16%20 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan6%8 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.65 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)21%£40,300 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls61 / 67
White British pupils85%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 28.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 23.3 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (9), emotional and mental health (9), language and communications needs (6), Moderate learning difficulty (3), Specific learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll128123123121115110
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals19%15%17%17%16%15%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language1%1%0%0%0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support15%16%19%17%18%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans9%10%5%4%6%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.8% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.8%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school17.6%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils2.42024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.3%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.3%5.1%6.6%8.4%4.2%4.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence5.0%4.1%5.4%7.2%3.7%3.5%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.3%1.0%1.2%1.2%0.5%0.7%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence17.6%11.3%12.8%23.2%6.1%6.6%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate2.40.00.00.90.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers6.4full-time equivalent, 9 people
Pupils per teacher20.0Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants7.5full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£52,611
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher4.02024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,374England £7,128. Total £784k
Income per pupil£4,683England £7,587. Total £576k
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,537England £3,405
Money in reserve23%A lot put by: £134k, £1,093 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out-£208kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£6,374spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m1312 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate66 per 1,000 people27% lower than the England average
Typical house price£345,000Braintree
Nearest bus stop90 mShop, 4 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Elm Hall Primary SchoolAcademy0.9 miles228Good 202445Compare
Templars AcademyAcademy1.2 miles412Good 202411Compare
Silver End AcademyAcademy1.5 miles344Report card 202611Compare
Witham Oaks AcademyAcademy2.0 miles290Good 202345Compare
Acorn Infant AcademyAcademy2.0 miles196No overall grade 202436Compare
Kelvedon St Mary's Church of England Primary AcademyAcademy2.3 miles464Good 202465Compare
Howbridge Infant SchoolFoundation2.6 miles265Good 202339Compare
Howbridge Church of England Junior SchoolAcademy2.6 miles356Good 20238Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Rivenhall Church of England Primary School with the 49 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats41%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 35 is 8 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 43 · highest 98100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Rivenhall Church of England Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Great YeldhamAcademy13.8 miles139Good 202372Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 35 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 35% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 14 to 66. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%below
-0.10
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 15 pupils
Ofsted inspection19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.08
DfE progress measure; 15 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well above
+0.14
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.05
2024/25; 108 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.11
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 15 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Rivenhall Church of England Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Rivenhall Church of England Primary School scores 35 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 41% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 14 to 66, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been getting better over the last five years.

What is Rivenhall Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Rivenhall Church of England Primary School good at its last full inspection on 8 February 2023.

How good are Rivenhall Church of England Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 67% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.

How many pupils does Rivenhall Church of England Primary School have?

128 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 140 places, so it is 91% full.

Is Rivenhall Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably. The school was full in 2024/25, with 3 more pupils than places. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.

What is attendance like at Rivenhall Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 93.8% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 18% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Rivenhall Church of England Primary School?

The average class had 25.6 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Church Road, Rivenhall, Witham, CM8 3PQ
Telephone
01376 514509
Website
www.rivenhallprimary.co.uk
Headteacher
Mrs R More
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Chelmsford
Multi-academy trust
The Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust (21 schools)
Local authority
Essex
Ward
Silver End & Cressing
Constituency
Witham
Setting
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2018 (academy converter)
URN
146106 · LAESTAB 8813205 · UKPRN 10080956
Formerly
Rivenhall Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Where these figures come from