Riverstone Academy, Carlin How
Riverstone Academy is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Carlin How.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Riverstone Academy in detail
Riverstone Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Riverstone Academy was created from a belief that some children need a different approach to education, one that places relationships, understanding and personalised learning at its heart. But a smaller environment, stronger relationships, greater flexibility and an education built around who they are. Children who feel safe enough to belong, confident enough to grow and empowered enough to thrive."
From the headteacher's welcome: "We support pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, including those with additional special educational needs. Our aim is for every child to feel safe, develop a sense of belonging and make meaningful progress. We understand that some children arrive having found school difficult."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Saltburn Rail Station, about 3.1 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is War Memorial (b), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Riverstone Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 month agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's September 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Riverstone Academy is specifically designed to support primary-age pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs in a calm, intimate environment. The school prioritises building secure foundations in reading, writing, communication and mathematics through personalised teaching, often in small groups or one-to-one. With experienced staff, carefully considered behaviour policies that support emotional regulation, and a sensory-aware environment, the school aims to help pupils catch up on missed learning and prepare them well for secondary school.
Key Strengths
- Small, nurturing setting designed so each child is known and valued by staff
- Experienced leadership team with extensive expertise in specialist education and SEND provision
- Well-developed curriculum with three flexible pathways tailored to individual EHC plans
- Strong focus on phonics and reading with staff training in effective teaching
- Comprehensive safeguarding policies and systems with designated leads who have received relevant training
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - the school has in-place policies aligned with current statutory guidance, trained designated safeguarding leads, staff training on safeguarding, and appropriate monitoring and recording systems.
Extracurricular Activities
School and local community events, trips, visitors to school
Riverstone Academy is a proposed independent specialist primary school designed to provide personalised education for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs and associated SEND. The school is likely to meet all independent school standards if registered.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Keep up with Riverstone Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 3 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
1 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
Area Demand Pressure - Carlin How
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Carlin How
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
Special educational needs provision
Riverstone Academy is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: Get Information about Schools (GIAS), Department for Education.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Riverstone Academy
Questions parents ask about Riverstone Academy
Does Riverstone Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Riverstone Academy is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Riverstone Academy?
Riverstone Academy is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Riverstone Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 3 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 1 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 Riverstone Academy?
Riverstone Academy is at Whiteclife Family Hub, Kilton Lane, Carlin How, TS13 4AD.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)