River Tees Academy Grangetown, Middlesbrough
River Tees Academy Grangetown is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 19 in Middlesbrough, part of River Tees Multi-Academy Trust.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
River Tees Academy Grangetown in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to River Tees Academy Grangetown are Priory Woods School (1 mile, Outstanding); Holmwood School (1.2 miles, Good); Hollis Academy (1.4 miles, Good); and Beverley School (1.4 miles, Good).
Priory Woods SchoolHolmwood SchoolHollis AcademyBeverley School
The trust
River Tees Academy Grangetown is one of 5 schools run by River Tees Multi-Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
12 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about River Tees Academy Grangetown (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (92%).
Who goes there
74.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 1.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (91%) and Mixed (5%).
Almost every pupil at River Tees Academy Grangetown has an education, health and care plan (58 of 58 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is James Cook Rail Station, about 590 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Frampton Green (a), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood River Tees Academy Grangetown stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 587 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Redcar and Cleveland (174), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, River Tees Academy Grangetown issued 6 suspensions, 11.5 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
River Tees Academy provides exceptional care and support in a warm, family-like environment where pupils thrive. Staff have high expectations for pupil achievement and behaviour, and the school excels at developing well-rounded young people prepared for adulthood through strong focus on reading, career awareness and personal development. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the support and education their children receive.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional behaviour and conduct - pupils are polite, courteous and respectful with a strong focus on positive relationships
- Outstanding personal development woven through the curriculum with the school values of currency, character and community (the 3 Cs)
- Strong emphasis on reading with phonics teaching, matched books, and regular class reader sessions to develop fluency and love of reading
- Well-designed Key Stage 4 curriculum with academic and vocational courses linked to career pathways and local job market needs
- High attendance rates supported by a highly effective system to promote school attendance
Areas for Improvement
- Some information from pupils' Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans is not being used effectively to inform individual targets and support provided
- Support for pupils' needs beyond their social, emotional and mental health needs could be more precise and consistent
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports, sign language, theatre trips, junior leadership team, work experience opportunities
River Tees Academy Grangetown is a special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. Pupils are proud to attend and enjoy a supportive, aspirational culture where they achieve well and behave exceptionally.
At a Glance
74.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
12 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with River Tees Academy Grangetown
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to River Tees Academy Grangetown from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. River Tees Academy Grangetown is in Redcar and Cleveland; for families living there:
Apply to Redcar and Cleveland for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 10
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 5 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
3 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 Redcar and Cleveland is 8 (the median across 66 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
58%
Available places
58 pupils
100 places
42 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Middlesbrough
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Middlesbrough
Across Redcar and Cleveland council
Places available
1,672
Applications
1,452
Got 1st preference
93.0%
Got preferred school
97.5%
All secondary applications across Redcar and Cleveland council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
58
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
58
Total Pupils
45
Boys
13
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
4.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,057
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
12.6%
Overall absence
32.8%
Persistent absence
58
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
River Tees Academy Grangetown
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about River Tees Academy Grangetown
What are GCSE results like at River Tees Academy Grangetown?
In the 2026 results, pupils at River Tees Academy Grangetown achieved an Attainment 8 score of 24.6. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is the catchment area for River Tees Academy Grangetown?
No fixed boundary. When River Tees Academy Grangetown is oversubscribed, Redcar and Cleveland allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to River Tees Academy Grangetown?
River Tees Academy Grangetown has around 58 pupils on roll. 74% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at River Tees Academy Grangetown?
12.6% of sessions were missed at River Tees Academy Grangetown in 2024/25. 32.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to River Tees Academy Grangetown?
Apply through Redcar and Cleveland's coordinated admissions process, naming River Tees Academy Grangetown on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near River Tees Academy Grangetown?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 5 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 3 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 Redcar and Cleveland is 8 (the median across 66 schools, same distance and years).
Where is River Tees Academy Grangetown?
River Tees Academy Grangetown is at 170a Overdale Road, Middlesbrough, TS3 7EA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)