Rivermead School, Gillingham
Rivermead School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 16 in Gillingham, part of Rivermead Inclusive Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Rivermead School in detail
Rivermead School in its own words
In its own words: "Rivermead is a special school and part of a multi academy trust, providing education for young people aged 11 to 19 years with a wide range of complex needs. Our specialism is in Autism and in speech, language and communication needs, as well as associated conditions. We have strong provision for young people with speech and language disorders."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Rivermead School are Alchemy School (1 mile, Good); Danecourt School (1.5 miles, Good); Blue Skies School (2.1 miles, Good); and Ripplevale School Rochester (2.2 miles).
Alchemy SchoolDanecourt SchoolBlue Skies SchoolRipplevale School Rochester
The trust
Rivermead School is one of 6 schools run by Rivermead Inclusive Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 22 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 73% to a further education college.
Who goes there
52.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (83%) and Mixed (7%).
Almost every pupil at Rivermead School has an education, health and care plan (160 of 163 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Rivermead School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs and physical disability: 180 places, 143 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gillingham (Kent) Rail Station, about 920 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Church Street Shops (opposite), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Rivermead School 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 478 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 Medway (250), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Rivermead School issued 11 suspensions, 7.9 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; 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 · 3 years agoThis judgement is from September 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its September 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
52.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEN unit: Speech and language, Autism, SEMH +1
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Rivermead School
Before and after school care
Rivermead School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Medway
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Rivermead School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Rivermead School is in Medway; for families living there:
Apply to Medway for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 40
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 12
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 36 slight.
12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 10 in a vehicle or otherwise.
9 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 Medway is 25 (the median across 117 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
Area Demand Pressure - Gillingham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Gillingham
Across Medway council
Places available
3,844
Applications
3,586
Got 1st preference
80.4%
Got preferred school
96.8%
All secondary applications across Medway council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
3
SEN Support
160
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Rivermead School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs and physical disability: 180 places, 143 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
163
Total Pupils
116
Boys
47
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
6.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,400
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
14.5%
Overall absence
34.2%
Persistent absence
146
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
Rivermead School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Rivermead School
What are GCSE results like at Rivermead School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Rivermead School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 14. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Rivermead School's Ofsted rating?
Rivermead School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Rivermead School?
No fixed boundary. When Rivermead School is oversubscribed, Medway allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Rivermead School?
Rivermead School has around 163 pupils on roll. 53% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Rivermead School have specialist SEN provision?
Rivermead School has a SEN unit for speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs and physical disability: 180 places, 143 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Rivermead School?
14.5% of sessions were missed at Rivermead School in 2024/25. 34.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Rivermead School?
Apply through Medway's coordinated admissions process, naming Rivermead School 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.
Does Rivermead School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Rivermead School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Rivermead School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 36 slight. 12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 10 in a vehicle or otherwise. 9 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 Medway is 25 (the median across 117 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Rivermead School?
Rivermead School is at Forge Lane, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1UG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)