Rivacre Valley Primary School

Rivacre Valley Primary School is performing well overall, with an overall effectiveness grade of good. Pupils enjoy attending the school and feel safe, supported, and respected by the staff. The leadership team has high aspirations for all students, and they have implemented a well-designed curriculum that motivates pupils and aids their academic and social achievement. The early years provision is particularly strong, with children achieving exceptionally well and being well-prepared for future learning. Notably, the school has effectively prioritized reading, ensuring that pupils develop a love for reading and receive proper support if they struggle.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy attending school and exhibit positive behavior.
• Leaders have a strong understanding of pupils' needs and community context.
• The curriculum is well-designed, promoting both academic and social skills.
• Early years provision is outstanding, with high achievement for all children.
• Strong support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Leaders prioritize reading, effectively training staff to deliver the reading curriculum.

Areas for Improvement

• In a small number of subjects, teachers are not clear about the specific knowledge pupils should learn.
• Some aspects of the personal development curriculum are not sufficiently covered, leaving gaps in pupils' knowledge about other cultures and religions.

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 Rivacre Valley Primary School attended 91.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 26.5% 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, 0.9% of pupils at Rivacre Valley Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Rivacre Valley Primary School had 18.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.8% 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, 15.9% of pupils at Rivacre Valley Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.5% 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 Rivacre Valley Primary School received £7,613 and spent £7,443 for each of its 339 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £35,000 (£103 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 Ellesmere Port · Cheshire West and Chester local authority: places and applications

What is Rivacre Valley Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Rivacre Valley Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2022.

When was Rivacre Valley Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Rivacre Valley Primary School was last inspected in November 2022.

How many pupils does Rivacre Valley Primary School have?

Rivacre Valley Primary School has 339 pupils on roll.

What age range does Rivacre Valley Primary School cover?

Rivacre Valley Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Rivacre Valley Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 58% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Rivacre Valley Primary School?

Rivacre Valley Primary School is at Rivacre Brow, Overpool, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH66 1LE.