Ormiston Rivers Academy

Ormiston Rivers Academy continues to perform well, maintaining its status as a good school since its last inspection. Most pupils enjoy their time at the academy and benefit from a broad curriculum that prepares them for future educational and career opportunities. The school prioritizes reading and provides various support systems, particularly for those with special educational needs and disabilities. Leaders have successfully implemented a range of initiatives to enhance pupil behavior and engagement, creating a generally positive learning environment.

Strengths

• Pupils have the opportunity to develop confidence, resilience, and leadership skills.
• The school offers a wide range of academic and vocational courses.
• Teachers provide high-quality feedback that helps pupils improve their work.
• Pupils with SEND receive well-tailored support to access the curriculum.
• Comprehensive careers education and guidance is provided.
• Leaders support staff well with their well-being and workload.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers do not consistently check pupils' knowledge effectively.
• Occasional disruption in lessons occurs, particularly with temporary staff.
• Parental trust and confidence have been affected by recent leadership changes.

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 Ormiston Rivers Academy attended 89.0% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 32.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 11.3% of pupils at Ormiston Rivers Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 4 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 Ormiston Rivers Academy had 18.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 19.1% of pupils at Ormiston Rivers Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Ormiston Rivers Academy received £8,091 and spent £8,289 for each of its 1,078 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £814,000 (£755 per pupil).

Across all 40 schools of Ormiston Academies Trust, income was £8,888 and spending £8,698 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Maldon · Essex local authority: places and applications

Ormiston Rivers Academy is part of Ormiston Academies Trust, which runs 41 schools. The nearest others:

• Ormiston Sudbury Academy Sudbury
• Stoke High School - Ormiston Academy Ipswich
• Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy Ipswich
• Ormiston Endeavour Academy Ipswich
• Ormiston Kensington Queensmill Academy London
• Ormiston Queensmill Academy London
• City of Norwich School, An Ormiston Academy Norwich
• Ormiston Denes Academy Lowestoft
• Ormiston Victory Academy Norwich
• Ormiston Venture Academy Gorleston

What is Ormiston Rivers Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Ormiston Rivers Academy is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was Ormiston Rivers Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Ormiston Rivers Academy was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does Ormiston Rivers Academy have?

Ormiston Rivers Academy has 1,103 pupils on roll.

What age range does Ormiston Rivers Academy cover?

Ormiston Rivers Academy for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Ormiston Rivers Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 36.7, and 28% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Ormiston Rivers Academy?

Ormiston Rivers Academy is at Southminster Road, Brownhills, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, CM0 8QB.