River Mill Primary School

River Mill Primary School has received a good overall rating in its first inspection since opening, demonstrating notable strengths in behaviour and personal development, which are deemed outstanding. Pupils thrive in a positive environment that encourages hard work, respect, and inclusivity. The school has successfully established a supportive culture among staff, fostering a collaborative approach towards high educational standards. However, some areas in the curriculum require more precision to ensure all subjects are taught effectively, suggesting potential for further improvement in pupil achievement across certain disciplines.

Strengths

• Outstanding behaviour and attitudes from pupils.
• Exceptional personal development and welfare support.
• Strong relationships between staff and pupils.
• Ambitious and well-structured curriculum.
• Effective support for pupils with SEND.
• Pupils demonstrate a love for learning and reading.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum planning lacks precision in a couple of subjects.

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 River Mill Primary School attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.1% 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, 0.0% of pupils at River Mill 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 River Mill Primary School had 23.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.3% 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, 4.7% of pupils at River Mill Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.7% 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 River Mill Primary School received £7,392 and spent £7,675 for each of its 358 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £189,000 (£527 per pupil).

Across all 10 schools of Mosaic Schools Learning Trust, income was £6,868 and spending £6,990 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 Dartford · Kent local authority: places and applications

River Mill Primary School is part of Mosaic Schools Learning Trust, which runs 10 schools. The nearest others:

• Crofton Infant School Orpington
• Crofton Junior School Orpington
• Raglan Primary School Bromley
• Valley Primary School Bromley
• Wickham Common Primary School West Wickham
• Unicorn Primary School Beckenham
• Oak Lodge Primary School West Wickham
• Marian Vian Primary School Beckenham
• Cage Green Primary School Tonbridge

What is River Mill Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for River Mill Primary School is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.

When was River Mill Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

River Mill Primary School was last inspected in March 2024.

How many pupils does River Mill Primary School have?

River Mill Primary School has 407 pupils on roll.

What age range does River Mill Primary School cover?

River Mill Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are River Mill Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is River Mill Primary School?

River Mill Primary School is at Central Road, Dartford, DA1 5XR.