River Mill Primary School, Dartford
River Mill Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Dartford, part of Mosaic Schools Learning Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 25 schools in Dartford with published results, and 2,040th of 14,452 across England. It was 85% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Kent (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
River Mill Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at River Mill Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 87% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Kent and 77% and 75% across England.
Getting a place at River Mill Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 58 families put River Mill Primary School as their first choice and 155 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at River Mill Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to River Mill Primary School are Temple Hill Primary Academy (0.3 miles, Good, 80% reading, 78% maths); St Anselm's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 90% reading, 83% maths); Dartford Bridge Community Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 81% reading, 89% maths); and Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, Dartford (0.7 miles, Good, 76% reading, 65% maths).
River Mill Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Temple Hill Primary AcademySt Anselm's Catholic Primary SchoolDartford Bridge Community Primary SchoolHoly Trinity Church of England Primary School, Dartford
The trust
River Mill Primary School is one of 10 schools run by Mosaic Schools Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 82% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
11.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 42.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (34%), White British (23%) and Black (17%).
In 2026, 19 pupils (4.7%) received SEN support and 15 (3.7%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Dartford Rail Station, about 670 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Wellcome Avenue (adjacent), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 402 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Kent (101), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
River Mill Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to River Mill Primary School are Leigh UTC Dartford (0.5 miles), Dartford Grammar School (0.9 miles), Dartford Grammar School for Girls (1 mile) and Dartford Science & Technology College (1.1 miles).
Leigh UTC DartfordDartford Grammar SchoolDartford Grammar School for GirlsDartford Science & Technology College
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its December 2023 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Early years.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
11.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2024/25 academic year
Class Sizes
29.4
Avg class size
29.5
Infant (KS1)
29.3
KS2
13
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with River Mill Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near River Mill Primary School.
- Munchkin Sports River Mill Primary After School CareAt the school · Not yet graded
- Progressive Sports @ St Anselm's740m away · Not yet graded
- The Pass Masters780m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to River Mill Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. River Mill Primary School is in Kent; for families living there:
Apply to Kent for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 11
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 6 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at River Mill Primary School
Will you get a place at River Mill Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against River Mill Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for River Mill Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to River Mill Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Kent, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at River Mill Primary School for 2020 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Kent got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
85%
Available places
356 pupils
420 places
64 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Dartford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dartford
Across Kent council
Places available
18,893
Applications
16,593
Got 1st preference
89.7%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Kent council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
19
SEN Support
15
EHC Plans
8.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
407
Total Pupils
215
Boys
192
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
22.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,291
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,288
Per pupil
£2228k
Total funding
£53k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.9%
Overall absence
11.1%
Persistent absence
314
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about River Mill Primary School
What are SATs results like at River Mill Primary School?
Of the pupils at River Mill Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 90% reached the expected standard in reading and 87% did so in maths.
What is River Mill Primary School's Ofsted rating?
River Mill Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2023.
What is the catchment area for River Mill Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When River Mill Primary School is oversubscribed, Kent allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at River Mill Primary School?
River Mill Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 85% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at River Mill Primary School?
Classes at River Mill Primary School average 29.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to River Mill Primary School?
River Mill Primary School has around 407 pupils on roll. 12% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at River Mill Primary School?
4.9% of sessions were missed at River Mill Primary School in 2024/25. 11.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to River Mill Primary School?
Apply through Kent's coordinated admissions process, naming River Mill Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does River Mill Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Munchkin Sports River Mill Primary After School Care (registered, not yet graded). There are 2 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near River Mill Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 6 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Where is River Mill Primary School?
River Mill Primary School is at Central Road, Dartford, DA1 5XR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)