School Chooser

Riverdale Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedAcademy179 pupilsNursery Free breakfast clubRedcarRedcar and Cleveland
School Chooser Score
9
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 5 to 19
Out of 100. Better than 6% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedNeeds attention teachingOfsted report card, January 2026
Reached the expected level at 1143%England 63%
Attendance94.2%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families34%A bit more than most schools
Parents would recommend62%37 Parent View responses
Places57 spare179 pupils, 236 places

Riverdale Primary School is a converter academy in Redcar for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 179 pupils and room for 236. About 34 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit more than at most schools. We give it 9 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 6% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in January 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

Hambleton Avenue, Redcar, TS10 4HH01642 471298Rajvinder Kahlon headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 28 January 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
Needs attention
Achievement
Needs attention
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
As expected
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
As expected
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
As expected
Early years
As expected
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
30 September 2021UngradedSchool remains Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

23 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1143%
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 score102.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score102.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 63%63%20172018: 79%79%20182019: 82%82%20192023: 57%57%20232024: 65%65%20242025: 43%43%2025
Since 2017: -20%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017†Redcar and ClevelandEngland
Pupils tested233130283330
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths43%65%57%82%79%63%66%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%6%3%7%6%17%10%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score102.0104.0104.0107.0107.0106.0105.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score102.0102.0101.0106.0106.0104.0105.3104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0104.0103.0105.0107.0105.0105.5105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard57%74%70%96%94%77%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard61%77%60%96%85%70%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)61%81%57%82%91%77%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.0+1.2+1.9+5.1
Maths progressMaths progress score-2.8+0.8+2.3+3.4
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged38%62%44%83%62%56%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged50%67%71%81%90%71%

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 Riverdale Primary School, the school this one replaced in September 2017. 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. 2 of the 3 gaps are 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 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
38%50%
Gap 12 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
33%55%
Gap 22 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 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.

Plenty of spare places176 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
84% full

34 places were empty (16% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Redcar and Cleveland council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

What parents say

Would recommend the school62%England 87%
My child is happy here81%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe81%
Positive overall53%
My child is happy at this school
81%England 89%
My child feels safe at this school
81%England 90%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
57%England 83%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
32% yesEngland 18%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
42%England 50%
My child gets the right support to learn well
78%England 85%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
41% yesEngland 26%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
40%England 71%
The school communicates well with me
62%England 80%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
62%England 69%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
49%England 82%
I would recommend this school
62%England 87%
Overall view of the school is positive
53%England 82%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 37 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for primary schools with enough answers to publish.

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 roll179Census January 2026
Places23676% full
Pupils from low-income families31%34% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English3%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support26%46 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan1%2 pupils with a plan
Average class size21.67 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)31%£77,500 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls76 / 103
White British pupils93%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 24.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 21.3 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (13), Autistic spectrum disorder (11), Specific learning difficulty (10), language and communications needs (9), Moderate learning difficulty (2), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll179202203211201200
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals31%30%28%29%32%32%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language3%3%2%2%3%3%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support20%17%12%13%13%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans1%1%1%2%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.2%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school9.7%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils2.52024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission2.8%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.8%5.3%5.3%5.9%2.1%4.1%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.0%3.3%3.5%4.0%1.4%2.1%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.8%2.0%1.8%1.9%0.7%2.0%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence9.7%11.4%12.4%19.9%4.5%7.6%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate2.54.43.83.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers10.3full-time equivalent, 11 people
Pupils per teacher16.6Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers91%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants4.6full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£50,800
Teachers who left in the year22%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher10.12024/25

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£6,362England £7,128. Total £1.2m
Income per pupil£7,240England £7,587. Total £1.4m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,347England £3,405
Money in reserve18%A healthy amount put by: £262k, £1,335 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£172kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,362spent 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 m36212 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate132 per 1,000 people45% higher than the England average
Typical house price£165,000Redcar and Cleveland
Nearest bus stop120 mRushpool Close, 15 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
Green Gates Primary SchoolAcademy430 m248Good 202274Compare
Newcomen Primary SchoolCouncil840 m341No overall grade 2024100Compare
Lakes Primary SchoolAcademy870 m267Good 202216Compare
St Benedict's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles387Good 202353Compare
Dormanstown Primary AcademyAcademy0.9 miles274Good 202341Compare
Wheatlands Primary SchoolAcademy1.0 miles410Good 202289Compare
Coatham Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy1.2 miles201Good 202272Compare
Ings Farm Primary SchoolAcademy1.2 miles446Good 202455Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Riverdale Primary School with the 48 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 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats6%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the bottom of its group. Its score of 9 is 31 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 6 · middle 40 · highest 98100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Riverdale 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
Zetland Primary SchoolAcademy1.3 miles187Not inspected58Compare
Saint Gabriel's Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy5.1 miles194Good 202250Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 9 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 9% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 5 to 19. 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
-0.11
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 23 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well below
-0.29
Ofsted report card, 0.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%below
-0.07
DfE progress measure; 23 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%well below
-0.11
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
0.00
2024/25; 154 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.04
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 23 pupils
What parents say5%well below
-0.09
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 37 responses

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 Riverdale Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. Riverdale Primary School scores 9 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 6% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 5 to 19, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Riverdale Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 28 January 2026 it rated teaching as needs attention, achievement as needs attention, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as as expected.

How good are Riverdale Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 43% 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.

How many pupils does Riverdale Primary School have?

179 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 236 places, so it is 76% full.

Is Riverdale Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 34 places were empty in 2024/25 (16% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Riverdale Primary School?

Pupils were in school 94.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 10% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about Riverdale Primary School?

62% of the 37 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 81% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at Riverdale Primary School?

The average class had 21.6 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does Riverdale Primary School have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

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

Contact and details

Address
Hambleton Avenue, Redcar, TS10 4HH
Telephone
01642 471298
Headteacher
Rajvinder Kahlon
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Ironstone Academy Trust (6 schools)
Local authority
Redcar and Cleveland
Ward
Kirkleatham
Constituency
Redcar
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2017 (academy converter)
URN
145046 · LAESTAB 8072340 · UKPRN 10065165
Formerly
Riverdale Primary School

Where these figures come from