The Rissington School

The Rissington School has transitioned from its previous 'Outstanding' rating to a current 'Good' rating across all inspected areas, signifying a significant shift attributed to changing educational frameworks and the challenges posed by the pandemic. Despite these challenges, the school has maintained a supportive and nurturing environment, where pupils demonstrate kindness, respect, and pride in their work. The headteacher's efforts in fostering teamwork among staff have led to strong academic outcomes, and the school community exhibits a positive atmosphere that is noted by parents and carers alike. Noteworthy strengths include the school’s commitment to enhancing literacy through engaging reading programs and a newly implemented mathematics curriculum. However, there are areas that need attention, particularly in ensuring that all curriculum subjects provide a comparable depth of understanding and challenge for pupils. The school is aware of its areas for improvement and is actively working to enhance the curriculum for future successes.

Strengths

• Positive school culture with kindness and respect among pupils
• High expectations lead to motivated learners
• Effective communication and reading focus in early years
• Strong academic outcomes despite recent changes
• Wide-ranging opportunities for personal development

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum depth in some foundation subjects is lacking
• Some learning activities do not challenge pupils enough

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at The Rissington School attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.2% of pupils at The Rissington School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 The Rissington School had 21.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 16.8% of pupils at The Rissington School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 The Rissington School received £7,882 and spent £7,737 for each of its 256 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £177,000 (£693 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Cheltenham (Cotswold) · Gloucestershire local authority: places and applications

What is The Rissington School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Rissington School is Good, from an inspection in January 2024.

When was The Rissington School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Rissington School was last inspected in January 2024.

How many pupils does The Rissington School have?

The Rissington School has 256 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Rissington School cover?

The Rissington School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are The Rissington School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Rissington School?

The Rissington School is at Mitchell Way, Upper Rissington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL54 2PL.