Riversides School

Riversides School is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 16 with social, emotional and mental health needs, all of whom have an education, health and care plan. Following this full inspection under the renewed framework, the school is judged to be performing at the expected standard overall, with personal development and wellbeing rated as a clear strength. Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders have sustained steady improvement across the curriculum, inclusion, attendance and behaviour since joining the Central Learning Partnership Trust, and pupils benefit from calm, consistent routines and positive relationships that help them re-engage with learning.

Strengths

• Personal development and wellbeing provision is highly effective and a key strength of the school
• Pupils are taught how to express themselves, manage worries and build emotional resilience
• Careers education begins in Year 7 and includes personalised guidance and strong college partnerships
• Pupils feel welcomed, valued and safe due to warm, predictable relationships with staff
• Behaviour is managed through consistent, positive routines and well-trained staff
• Safeguarding is effective and prioritised, including strong systems for pupils off site
• Leaders and governors work constructively to improve the school and use evidence to refine priorities
• Pupils generally make meaningful progress from their starting points and gain qualifications for next steps
• Inclusion team works closely with families to personalise support and secure external help

Areas for Improvement

• Staff do not consistently check and identify gaps in pupils' understanding before moving learning on
• Some pupils, particularly in writing, need further support with handwriting and sentence construction
• Learning is not consistently adapted, supported and modelled to help all pupils access tasks and work independently
• Therapeutic support for the most vulnerable pupils is not sufficient to reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing
• Curriculum leaders are still developing subject oversight to ensure consistent teaching quality

In 2024–25 pupils at Riversides School attended 78.7% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 52.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

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, 18.8% of pupils at Riversides School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). 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 Riversides School had 4.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

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 Riversides School had 73 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: social, emotional and mental health.

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

In 2024–25 Riversides School received £36,121 and spent £34,233 for each of its 69 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £450,000 (£6,527 per pupil).

Across all 15 schools of Central Learning Partnership Trust, income was £11,097 and spending £11,085 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 Worcester · Worcestershire local authority: places and applications

Riversides School is part of Central Learning Partnership Trust, which runs 15 schools. The nearest others:

• Pitcheroak School Redditch
• Vale of Evesham School Evesham
• Kingfisher School Redditch
• Wolverhampton Vocational Training Centre Wolverhampton
• Moseley Park Bilston
• Broadmeadow Special School Wolverhampton
• Woden Primary School Wolverhampton
• Heath Park Wolverhampton
• D'Eyncourt Primary School Wolverhampton
• Coppice Performing Arts School Wolverhampton

What is Riversides School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Riversides School is Expected standard, from an inspection in March 2026.

When was Riversides School last inspected by Ofsted?

Riversides School was last inspected in March 2026.

How many pupils does Riversides School have?

Riversides School has 73 pupils on roll.

What age range does Riversides School cover?

Riversides School for pupils aged 7 to 16.

What are Riversides School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 12.5, and 0% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are Riversides School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Riversides School?

Riversides School is at Thorneloe Road, Barbourne, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR1 3HZ.