The Rissington School, Cheltenham
The Rissington School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Cheltenham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 8th-highest of the 40 schools in Cheltenham with published results, and 2,629th of 14,452 across England. It was 79% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Gloucestershire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Rissington School in detail
Results
In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils at The Rissington School reached the expected standard in reading and 87% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 75% in Gloucestershire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 92% in reading and 92% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at The Rissington School
For September 2026 entry, 29 families put The Rissington School as their first choice and 41 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at The Rissington School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Rissington School are Sherborne Church of England Primary School (2.4 miles); Bourton-on-the-Water Primary School (3.1 miles, Good, 74% reading, 68% maths); Burford Primary School (4.4 miles, Good, 63% reading, 50% maths); and Bledington Primary School (4.4 miles, Good, 100% reading, 89% maths).
The Rissington School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Sherborne Church of England Primary SchoolBourton-on-the-Water Primary SchoolBurford Primary SchoolBledington Primary School
Who goes there
8.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 5.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of The Rissington School.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lamb Inn (opposite), 110 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Rissington School issued 5 suspensions, 2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
8.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 92% to 87% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 92% to 87% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 80% to 85% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.5
Avg class size
27.0
Infant (KS1)
11.0
KS2
8
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The Rissington School
Term dates
The Rissington School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Gloucestershire. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Rissington School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Rissington School is in Gloucestershire; for families living there:
Apply to Gloucestershire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 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
Your chances of a place at The Rissington School
Will you get a place at The Rissington School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Rissington School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Rissington School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Rissington School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Gloucestershire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Rissington School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Gloucestershire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
79%
Available places
248 pupils
315 places
67 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Cheltenham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Cheltenham
Across Gloucestershire council
Places available
7,250
Applications
6,016
Got 1st preference
91.6%
Got preferred school
98.1%
All primary applications across Gloucestershire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
43
SEN Support
13
EHC Plans
21.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
256
Total Pupils
121
Boys
135
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
17.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,510
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,491
Per pupil
£1506k
Total funding
£33k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.1%
Overall absence
11.4%
Persistent absence
228
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about The Rissington School
What are SATs results like at The Rissington School?
Of the pupils at The Rissington School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 87% reached the expected standard in reading and 87% did so in maths.
What is The Rissington School's Ofsted rating?
The Rissington School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2011 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Rissington School?
No fixed boundary. When The Rissington School is oversubscribed, Gloucestershire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Rissington School?
The Rissington School was not full in 2025: it ran at 79% of its 315 places.
How big are the classes at The Rissington School?
Classes at The Rissington School average 25.5 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to The Rissington School?
The Rissington School has around 256 pupils on roll. 8% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Rissington School?
4.1% of sessions were missed at The Rissington School in 2024/25. 11.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Rissington School?
Apply through Gloucestershire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Rissington School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
What are The Rissington School's term dates?
The Rissington School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Gloucestershire. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027).
How many road collisions happen near The Rissington School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Gloucestershire is 5 (the median across 338 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Rissington School?
The Rissington School is at Mitchell Way, Upper Rissington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL54 2PL.
Sources: Gloucestershire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)