Riverside School, London
Riverside School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in London. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2026, ended in a report card: 2 strong standard, 4 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Before that it was rated Good at its last graded inspection, in March 2022.
- Ofsted report card
- 1 area need attention
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Riverside School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 15 April 2026 inspection grades Riverside School on 7 areas: 2 strong standard, 4 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Pupils attend school very well, despite the barriers that they may sometimes face."
Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders have created a personal development curriculum that enables pupils to feel valued, demonstrate confidence and have pride in their achievements."
Achievement - Expected standard. "Leaders check on pupils' foundational knowledge when they join the school in order to organise and provide a curriculum tailored to the individual needs of each pupil."
Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have secure systems in place to identify the needs of all pupils in the school."
Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "New leadership has accurately identified the school's strengths and the areas requiring further development."
Post 16 provision - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths in the 16 to 19 study programme and the areas that require further development, including, for example, the need to embed greater consistency in sixth-form teaching."
Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Teaching across the curriculum is inconsistent."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills needed to implement the school's curriculum as intended, and that this is done consistently by all staff"; "Leaders should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills they require to consistently deliver the school's systematic synthetic phonics programme as it is intended, so that pupils become accurate and fluent readers in line with their individual goals for learning".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Riverside School are The Brook Special Primary School (0.8 miles, Outstanding); Area 51 Education Ltd (0.9 miles, Good); The Grove (0.9 miles, Outstanding); and Vale School (1.6 miles, Good).
The Brook Special Primary SchoolArea 51 Education LtdThe GroveVale School
Where pupils go next
Of the 24 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 96% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 67% to a further education college.
Who goes there
66.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 54.7% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (37%), Mixed (11%) and Asian (9%).
Almost every pupil at Riverside School has an education, health and care plan (172 of 172 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Riverside School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest Underground station is Wood Green Underground Station, about 930 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Paisley Road, 210 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Riverside School issued 30 suspensions, 17.3 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 6 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- InclusionExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- Post 16 provisionExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Riverside School
Pupils look forward to coming to school because they feel safe and well cared for here. Pupils are greeted warmly by leaders and staff when they arrive in the morning, whether this be by organised transport or with parents and carers. Parents and transport escorts share any important information about pupils with staff to aid a smooth transition into the school day. Pupils form secure, caring, professional relationships with staff. Staff know pupils very well. Teachers and teaching assistants are quick to pick up on any factors that may affect the emotional wellbeing of pupils and they address these. This helps pupils to attend school well. Pupils play an active role in decisions that are made in their school. This may be through, for example, participation in the school council, as an ambassador, or as the head boy or girl. Pupils are keen to take on these responsibilities and are proud when they receive recognition for their achievements, for instance in the school's celebration assembly. During social times, pupils enjoy playing games or cycling with their friends. Staff supervise these activities effectively, while also helping pupils to become increasingly independent in managing their own emotions or socialising with one another. Pupils behave well throughout the school day. Bullying is very rare here, but when it does occur, it is dealt with swiftly and effectively. Pupils enjoy their learning in lessons and in the many activities the school organises to engage them in their local community. Pupils also get to enjoy additional workshops from visitors to the school, for example from the National Portrait Gallery. Teachers know pupils' learning needs well. Overall, teachers adapt their teaching so that pupils make progress in their learning from their starting points and are ready for the next steps in their education. However, while pupils generally achieve well, there are times when teaching does not match the school's expectations for pupils' learning. This leads to variation and inconsistencies in pupils' experience of teaching.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills needed to implement the school's curriculum as intended, and that this is done consistently by all staff.
- Leaders should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills they require to consistently deliver the school's systematic synthetic phonics programme as it is intended, so that pupils become accurate and fluent readers in line with their individual goals for learning.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 15 April 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Riverside School excels at creating a welcoming, inclusive environment where pupils feel safe and valued. The school's strong pastoral systems and positive staff relationships mean pupils are eager to attend, while the ambitious curriculum and extensive enrichment programme prepare them exceptionally well for adulthood. Leaders and staff are actively addressing areas for improvement, with clear support for pupils' complex needs.
Key Strengths
- Excellent attendance rates with highly effective support for pupils who were previously absent
- Strong behaviour and positive relationships between pupils and staff, with pupils demonstrating respect and self-regulation
- Comprehensive personal development curriculum including PSHE, British values, and online safety
- Wide range of enrichment activities with high take-up, including educational and residential visits
- Effective support systems for identifying and meeting individual pupil needs, including disadvantaged and looked-after children
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistency in teaching quality across the curriculum, particularly in phonics and reading instruction
- Need to embed greater consistency in sixth-form teaching
- Variation in how well teaching meets school expectations for developing pupils' learning over time
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed.
Extracurricular Activities
Team spirit enrichment activities, educational visits to museums, residential trips including Slovenia, work experience, sports, music, art, food technology, computing activities, local community activities
Riverside School is a special school that has established strong safeguarding practices and excellent attendance and behaviour standards. Leaders have recently implemented improvements across the school, with staff and parents responding positively to these changes.
At a Glance
66.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SpLD, Vision, Other +9
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Riverside School
From Riverside School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Riverside School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Riverside School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Riverside School is in Haringey; for families living there:
Apply to Haringey for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 69
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 69 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 63 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
13 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 Haringey is 119 (the median across 97 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
95%
Near capacity
172 pupils
182 places
10 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Haringey council
Places available
2,574
Applications
2,285
Got 1st preference
76.8%
Got preferred school
96.9%
All secondary applications across Haringey council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
172
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Riverside School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
172
Total Pupils
130
Boys
42
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
38
Teachers
4.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£60,322
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
12.1%
Overall absence
39.6%
Persistent absence
144
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
Riverside School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Riverside School
What is Riverside School's Ofsted rating?
Riverside School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2022, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Riverside School?
No fixed boundary. When Riverside School is oversubscribed, Haringey allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Riverside School?
Riverside School has around 172 pupils on roll. 67% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Riverside School have specialist SEN provision?
Riverside School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, social, emotional and mental health needs, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Riverside School?
12.1% of sessions were missed at Riverside School in 2024/25. 39.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Riverside School?
Apply through Haringey's coordinated admissions process, naming Riverside 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.
How many road collisions happen near Riverside School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 69 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 63 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 13 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 Haringey is 119 (the median across 97 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Riverside School?
Riverside School is at White Hart Lane, Wood Green, London, N22 5QJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)