Rivertree Free School
Rivertree Free School is a free schools special in Bedford for pupils aged 2 to 19. It has 126 pupils on roll.
| Type | Special School / Free schools special |
| Age Range | 2-19 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Hillgrounds Road Kempston Bedford Bedfordshire MK42 8QP |
| Phone | 01234745200 |
| Reference Number | 150792 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 126 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 73.81%
Girls: 26.19% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 34.9% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 30.2% |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 4 | 16 |
| 2 | 31 | 7 | 38 |
| 3 | 12 | 7 | 19 |
| 4 | 14 | 1 | 15 |
| 5 | 11 | 5 | 16 |
| 6 | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| 7 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 8 | Unknown | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 10 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 11 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 12 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 13 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 38.9% |
| White, Other | 11.1% |
| Indian | 7.1% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 6.3% |
| Pakistani | 5.6% |
| Mixed, Other | 4.8% |
| Asian, Other | 4.8% |
| African | 4% |
| White & Asian | 2.4% |
| Unclassified | 2.4% |
| White & Black (African) | 2.4% |
| Caribbean | 2.4% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | |
| Last Report Date | This school has not had an inspection yet. |
| Date | Report |
|---|
In 2024–25 pupils at Rivertree Free School attended 92.5% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 24.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 5.8% |
| Unauthorised absence | 1.7% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.0% |
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 2025–26 Rivertree Free School had 9.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6).
Pupils per teacher
| 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 2.4 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | – |
| Sick days per teacher | – |
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 Rivertree Free School had 126 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).
It says it provides for: severe learning difficulty; autistic spectrum disorder.
Pupils by main type of need
| EHC plan | |
|---|---|
| Speech, language and communication needs | 64 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 34 |
| Severe learning difficulty | 14 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 7 |
| Down's syndrome | 2 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 2 |
| Profound and multiple learning difficulty | 2 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 1 |
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.
| Name | Distance |
|
Bedford Road Primary Academy
Hillgrounds Road, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 8QH |
0.17 miles |
|
Balliol Primary School
Balliol Road, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 7ER |
0.54 miles |
|
Camestone School
Jowitt Avenue, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 8NW |
0.66 miles |
|
Kempston Rural Primary School
Martell Drive, Kempston, Bedfordshire, MK42 7FJ |
0.74 miles |
|
Springfield Primary School
Orchard Street, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 7LJ |
0.77 miles |
|
Great Denham Primary School
Greenkeepers Road, Great Denham, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4GG |
0.83 miles |
|
Westfield Primary School
Chester Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4HW |
1.09 miles |
|
Queen's Park Academy
Chestnut Avenue, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4HA |
1.15 miles |
|
Cauldwell School
Edward Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 9DR |
1.2 miles |
|
Peter Pan Nursery School
Edward Road, Bedford, MK42 9DR |
1.22 miles |
|
St James' CofE Academy
Main Road, Biddenham, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4BD |
1.31 miles |
|
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School
Biddenham Turn, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4AT |
1.34 miles |
|
Cherry Trees Nursery School
Hawkins Road, Bedford, MK42 9LS |
1.6 miles |
|
Elstow School
Abbey Fields, Elstow, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 9GP |
1.61 miles |
|
Priory Primary School
Greyfriars, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 1JD |
1.65 miles |
|
Shackleton Primary School
Pearcey Road, Shackleton Primary School, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 9LZ |
1.65 miles |
|
Great Ouse Primary Academy
Seaforth Gardens, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4TJ |
1.72 miles |
|
Polam School
45 Lansdowne Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 2BU |
1.75 miles |
|
Livingstone Primary School
Clapham Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 7LG |
1.93 miles |
|
Wootton Primary School
Bedford Road, Wootton, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK43 9JT |
1.99 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Grange Academy
Halsey Road, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 8AU |
0.34 miles |
|
Daubeney Academy
Orchard Street, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 7PS |
0.77 miles |
|
Kempston Academy
Hill Rise, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 7EB |
0.77 miles |
|
Ridgeway School
Hill Rise, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 7EB |
0.85 miles |
|
St John's School
Austin Canons, Bedford Road, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 8AA |
0.88 miles |
|
Biddenham International School and Sports College
Biddenham Turn, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4AZ |
1.18 miles |
|
Bedford College
Cauldwell Street, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 9AH |
1.66 miles |
|
Bedford Free School
Cauldwell Street, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 9AD |
1.67 miles |
|
Bedford Girls' School
Cardington Road, Bedford, MK42 0BX |
1.88 miles |
|
Bedford Academy
Mile Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 9TR |
2.02 miles |
|
Bedford Modern School
Manton Lane, Bedford, MK41 7NT |
2.12 miles |
|
Bedford School
De Parys Avenue, Bedford, MK40 2TU |
2.17 miles |
|
Wootton Academy
Hall End Road, Wootton, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK43 9HT |
2.41 miles |
|
Castle Newnham School
Goldington Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 3EP |
2.41 miles |
|
Bedford Greenacre Independent School
Manton Lane, Bedford, MK41 7FZ |
2.58 miles |
|
Wixams Academy
Green Lane, Wixams, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 6BA |
2.61 miles |
|
KWS School
51 Brunel Road, Bedford, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 9TJ |
2.92 miles |
|
Goldington Academy
Haylands Way, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 9BX |
2.94 miles |
|
St Thomas More Catholic School
Tyne Crescent, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 7UL |
3.3 miles |
|
Kimberley 16 - 19 Stem College
Green Lane, Stewartby, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK43 9LY |
3.38 miles |
All schools in Bedford · Bedford local authority: places and applications
Rivertree Free School is part of Bedford Inclusive Learning and Training Trust, which runs 3 schools. The nearest others:
- Grange Academy Bedford
- St John's School Bedford
How many pupils does Rivertree Free School have?
Rivertree Free School has 126 pupils on roll.
What age range does Rivertree Free School cover?
Rivertree Free School for pupils aged 2 to 19.
Where is Rivertree Free School?
Rivertree Free School is at Hillgrounds Road, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 8QP.