Three Rivers Academy

Three Rivers Academy is a good school that has maintained a clear focus on improvement since its previous inspection, despite the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This was its first routine inspection since the pandemic. Pupils are happy and safe, behaviour is calm and orderly, and the school’s values and high expectations are well understood. The sixth form is a notable strength, with students acting as strong role models and benefiting from a broad academic and vocational curriculum. The curriculum is broad and ambitious, and achievement is improving in most subjects. Reading is a priority, pupils who fall behind receive effective support, and pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced autism provision, are identified accurately and supported well. Personal development is a clear strength: pupils benefit from strong PSHE through ‘Aware’ lessons, extensive character-building and leadership opportunities, and comprehensive careers guidance. Governance and trust support are effective, staff feel valued, and safeguarding is effective. Leaders know what still needs to improve. In key stage 3, teaching and checks on learning are not as strong as in key stages 4 and 5, so some pupils do not learn and remember the curriculum as well as they could, particularly disadvantaged pupils. Attendance has improved overall, but too many disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND, are still absent too often and miss vital learning. Occasionally, staff do not maintain pupils’ full engagement, which can lead to lost learning time.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, safe and positive about their school.
• High expectations and the school’s values are evident consistently across classrooms.
• Sixth-form students are excellent role models and benefit from a broad academic and vocational curriculum.
• Personal development is prioritised through expert PSHE ‘Aware’ lessons and extensive character-building opportunities.
• Pupils have many opportunities to take on leadership roles and develop their talents.
• The curriculum is broad and ambitious, and achievement is improving in most subjects, particularly in the sixth form.
• Pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced autism provision, are identified accurately and learning is adapted to meet their needs.
• Reading is a priority, and pupils who fall behind receive expert support to catch up.
• Behaviour is positive and the school is calm and orderly.
• Strong well-being support and professional relationships help pupils flourish.
• Careers information, advice and guidance are detailed and help pupils plan next steps.
• Trustees and the trust have an accurate understanding of the school and provide valuable support and challenge.
• Staff feel valued, and professional development and workload are considered thoughtfully.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• In key stage 3, teaching and checks on learning are not as strong as in key stages 4 and 5, so some pupils do not learn the curriculum as well as they could.
• Not all teachers identify and address missing or insecure knowledge, skills and understanding, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.
• Too many disadvantaged pupils, including pupils with SEND, are still absent from school too often and miss vital learning.
• Occasionally, staff do not maintain pupils’ full engagement in learning, leading to lost learning time.

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 Three Rivers Academy attended 90.5% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 26.8% 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, 5.4% of pupils at Three Rivers Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 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 Three Rivers Academy had 17.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 18.9% 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, 11.9% of pupils at Three Rivers Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 6.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 23 pupils.

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 Three Rivers Academy received £8,714 and spent £8,627 for each of its 1,394 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £830,000 (£596 per pupil).

Across all 13 schools of The Howard Partnership Trust, income was £9,406 and spending £9,407 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 Walton-On-Thames · Surrey local authority: places and applications

Three Rivers Academy is part of The Howard Partnership Trust, which runs 14 schools. The nearest others:

• Sunbury Manor School Sunbury-On-Thames
• Kenyngton Manor Primary School Sunbury-On-Thames
• Meadhurst Primary School Ashford
• Fox Grove School Leatherhead
• West Hill School Leatherhead
• Thomas Knyvett College Ashford
• Linden Bridge School Worcester Park
• Eastwick Infant School Leatherhead
• Eastwick Junior School Leatherhead
• Cuddington Community Primary School Worcester Park

What is Three Rivers Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Three Rivers Academy is Good, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Three Rivers Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Three Rivers Academy was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Three Rivers Academy have?

Three Rivers Academy has 1,311 pupils on roll.

What age range does Three Rivers Academy cover?

Three Rivers Academy for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Three Rivers Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 42.6, and 41% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Three Rivers Academy?

Three Rivers Academy is at Bell Farm Way, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12 5EJ.