Rivenhall Church of England Primary School

Rivenhall Church of England Primary School has demonstrated a good overall performance in its first inspection since becoming an academy. The school fosters a positive environment where pupils enjoy learning and feel safe. Leaders have implemented an ambitious curriculum that is effectively delivered, assisting pupils to achieve well, particularly in reading. There are good systems in place for supporting pupils with special educational needs, and the school promotes inclusive values while maintaining strong relationships with parents and the community.

Strengths

• Pupils have a strong enjoyment of learning and work well together.
• Effective teaching strategies help pupils understand challenging topics.
• The curriculum is ambitious and well-organized, facilitating effective learning.
• Leaders provide strong support for pupils with special educational needs.
• The school promotes a culture of inclusion and values diversity.
• Positive relationships exist between staff, pupils, and parents.

Areas for Improvement

• In some subjects, the curriculum lacks clarity on what knowledge must be taught and in what order.

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 Rivenhall Church of England Primary School attended 93.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 17.6% 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, 0.8% of pupils at Rivenhall Church of England Primary 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 Rivenhall Church of England Primary School had 20.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 15.6% of pupils at Rivenhall Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.2% 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 2024–25 Rivenhall Church of England Primary School received £4,712 and spent £6,982 for each of its 123 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £134,000 (£1,093 per pupil).

Across all 21 schools of The Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust, income was £7,530 and spending £7,249 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 Witham · Essex local authority: places and applications

Rivenhall Church of England Primary School is part of The Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust, which runs 21 schools. The nearest others:

• Howbridge Church of England Junior School Witham
• Colne Engaine Church of England Primary School
• Christchurch Church of England Primary School Chelmsford
• St James the Great Church of England Primary School Colchester
• St Cedd's Church of England Primary School Southminster
• St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Tillingham Southminster
• St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Great Yeldham Halstead
• St Leonard's Church of England Primary School Southminster
• Ridgewell Church of England Primary School Halstead
• Belchamp St Paul Church of England Primary School Sudbury

What is Rivenhall Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Rivenhall Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was Rivenhall Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Rivenhall Church of England Primary School was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does Rivenhall Church of England Primary School have?

Rivenhall Church of England Primary School has 128 pupils on roll.

What age range does Rivenhall Church of England Primary School cover?

Rivenhall Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Rivenhall Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Rivenhall Church of England Primary School?

Rivenhall Church of England Primary School is at Church Road, Rivenhall, Witham, Essex, CM8 3PQ.