Riverdale Primary School, Redcar

Ofsted's report card from its 28 January 2026 inspection grades Riverdale Primary School on 7 areas: 5 expected standard and 2 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders place a high priority on regular school attendance."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children feel safe, calm and ready to learn."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders quickly identify pupils' additional needs and respond thoughtfully."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders accurately identify specific areas to improve."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders place pupils' wellbeing and personal growth at the centre of school life."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Pupils' progress in key stage 2 is not secure."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "The quality of teaching is inconsistent across the school, particularly in key stage 2."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue their work to strengthen the consistency in curriculum delivery, especially in reading, writing and mathematics, to help pupils remember and know more consistently over time"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers' checks on learning consistently identify and address pupils' errors/misconceptions, so that gaps in pupils' knowledge close quickly"; "Leaders at all levels should continue to check and ensure that their improvement strategies are having the desired impact".

From the headteacher's welcome: "Riverdale Primary School is a proud member of the Ironstone Academy Trust. The trust has six schools within it who we work closely with - Normanby Primary School, Nunthorpe Primary Academy, Ormesby Primary School, Overfields Primary School and Zetland Primary School. Riverdale Primary School is an inclusive and caring school which offers a broad curriculum to all pupils."

In 2025, 57% of Year 6 pupils at Riverdale Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 61% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 78% in Redcar and Cleveland and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 74% in reading and 77% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 18 families put Riverdale Primary School as their first choice and 27 named it as one of their preferences, for 18 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Riverdale Primary School are Green Gates Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 88% reading, 88% maths); Newcomen Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 100% reading, 100% maths); Lakes Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 66% reading, 66% maths); and St Benedict's Catholic Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 87% reading, 87% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Riverdale Primary School.

Riverdale Primary School is one of 6 schools run by Ironstone Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 61% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

37 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Riverdale Primary School (as of April 2026): 62% would recommend the school, 81% say their child is happy there and 46% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (81%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (46%).

3.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 46 pupils (25.7%) received SEN support and 2 (1.1%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

Riverdale Primary School had 11 teachers in 2026, one for every 16 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Redcar Central Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Rushpool Close (a), 120 metres away.

In 2024/25, Riverdale Primary School issued 5 suspensions, 2.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Riverdale Primary School are Outwood Academy Redcar (0.4 miles), Rye Hills Academy (0.9 miles) and Sacred Heart Catholic Secondary (0.9 miles).