Riverside College Halton, Widnes
Riverside College Halton is a post-16 school for pupils aged 16 to 99 in Widnes. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2024.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Riverside College Halton in detail
Riverside College Halton in its own words
In its own words: "As a student at Riverside College you will be at the centre of everything we do. We want you to reach your full potential, whilst also enjoying an inclusive and supportive college community where you can thrive. We are exceptionally proud of the class of 2026 who have achieved outstanding results and progressed on to excellent apprenticeships, jobs and degrees."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, tennis and yoga.
Coming up: an open evening on Tuesday 17 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Halton
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Where pupils go next
Of the 1655 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 32% went on to university or other higher education, 9% to apprenticeships and 31% into work. 9% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Widnes Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Halton College, 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Riverside College Halton stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: DfE destination measures; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Contribution to meeting skills needs: Strong
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its April 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Special Measures
Sixth Form Performance (A-Level)
A-Level Results
B-
Average grade
35.6
Points per entry
B-
Best 3 A-Levels
13%
Achieving AAB+
Average
Value added
457
A-Level students
90%
Retention rate
2024/25 academic year
A-Level Subjects Offered
+ 9 more subjects
2024/25 academic year - entries by number of students
After A-Levels - Leaver Destinations
After A-Levels (Year 13) - 1,655 students
2023/24 data
University & Higher Education Destinations
9%
Top-third university
52%
Degree course
58%
Any L4+ destination
2%
Apprenticeships
Based on 1,192 students completing 16-18 study
2022/23 cohort - "Top-third" = most selective third of UK universities by student intake
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Latest from Riverside College Halton
Live Well: A New Short Course to Help You Improve Health & Wellbeing
11 Sep 2026
Returning Student Start Dates 2026
13 Aug 2026
Riverside College Celebrates Fantastic Results as Students Progress to Top Universities and Careers
13 Aug 2026
Riverside College Hairdressing Department Recognised with Employer Engagement Award
20 Jul 2026
Adult Course Enrolment 2026
10 Jul 2026
Results Day Information 2026
10 Jul 2026
From Riverside College Halton's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Riverside College Halton
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 28
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 28 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 20 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 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 Halton is 9.5 (the median across 70 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 - Widnes
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Widnes
Across Halton council
Places available
1,690
Applications
1,471
Got 1st preference
96.2%
Got preferred school
99.2%
All secondary applications across Halton council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(10)
Questions parents ask about Riverside College Halton
What is Riverside College Halton's Ofsted rating?
Riverside College Halton was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2024.
What is the catchment area for Riverside College Halton?
No fixed boundary. When Riverside College Halton is oversubscribed, Halton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How do I apply to Riverside College Halton?
Apply through Halton's coordinated admissions process, naming Riverside College Halton 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 Riverside College Halton?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 28 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 8 serious and 20 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 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 Halton is 9.5 (the median across 70 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Riverside College Halton?
Riverside College Halton is at Kingsway, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7QQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)