Rochester Riverside Church of England Primary School, Rochester

Primary
Free schools
Mixed
Church of England
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~944m)Possible (~1.3km)Unlikely (~1.8km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Gregory Taylor
Pupils:298 / 446 capacity
LA:Medway
Phone:01634471697
Address:Gas House Road, Rochester, ME1 1US
Trust:THE PILGRIM MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2022

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Good

Early Years

Inspected 8 July 2025View full report
URN:149069
UKPRN:10090885
Constituency:Rochester and Strood
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Rochester Riverside provides a warm, nurturing environment where pupils feel safe and valued. The school prioritises reading and early mathematics, giving children a strong foundation for learning. Staff work closely together to support each pupil's individual needs and help them settle quickly into the school community.

Key Strengths

  • Strong start in early years with secure mathematical knowledge and effective staff support
  • Reading is a priority with pupils quickly developing phonics knowledge and enjoying well-resourced reading areas throughout the school
  • Calm behaviour and positive attitudes to learning, with warm and respectful relationships between pupils and staff
  • Effective identification and provision for pupils' special educational needs and disabilities
  • Leaders are ambitious and focused on continuous improvement with strong support from the trust

Areas for Improvement

  • In some subjects, the curriculum does not clearly identify the sequence of knowledge and skills pupils need to build deeper subject-specific understanding over time
  • Some pupils with SEND do not receive precise, tailored support to help them achieve as well as they could
  • Staff need further training and expertise to meet the specific needs of pupils with SEND as the school continues to grow

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Trust-wide sports events, digital leader roles, school council fundraising activities, creative week, reading balcony at playtimes, pastoral support 'the cove' at break times

Rochester Riverside Church of England Primary School is a newly formed primary school that opened in September 2022, currently serving pupils from Nursery through Year 4. The school has been rated Good across all key areas, with pupils showing pride in their school community and strong engagement with learning.

At a Glance

18.5%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

74 responses
Would recommend88%
Child is happy91%
Well taught89%
Good progress84%
Feels safe91%
Well behaved96%
Bullying dealt with8%
Kept informed87%
Handles concerns47%
Wider development84%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Class Sizes

26.6

Avg class size

25.3

Infant (KS1)

30.5

KS2

8

Total classes

1 class with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Rochester Rail Station (entrance)
264m · 4 min walk
Strood Rail Station (main entrance)
610m · 10 min walk

Bus Stops

Rochester Guildhall Museum (Stop P)
82m · 1 min walk
Railway Station (Stop O)
210m · 3 min walk
Castle Hill (opp)
256m · 4 min walk
Visitor Information Centre (adj)
300m · 5 min walk
Rochester Community Hub (Stop N)
467m · 8 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

67%

Available places

298 pupils

446 capacity

148 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Rochester

Medium pressure
New homes approved:2,108
Projected new pupils:527

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Rochester

Admissions Demand - Medway

Low demand0.83x oversubscription

Places available

3,805

Applications

3,151

Got 1st preference

95.6%

Got preferred school

99.4%

Primary admissions across Medway (2025/26)

Inspection History

8 July 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Early YearsGood

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.73754%

Overall absence

16.56442%

Persistent absence

163

Enrolments

Authorised4.07401%
Unauthorised1.66353%
Persistent (10%+)16.56442%
Severe (50%+)2.45399%

Absence trend

5.37739%
23/24
5.73754%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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