Free schools · Luton

River Bank Primary School

4–11Ages
793Pupils
PrimaryPhase
139782URN

Bath Road, Luton, LU3 1ES · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodOct 2019

Improved significantlyUngraded inspection · Jan 2025

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.9per place

close to Luton median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Luton

218 applications for 115 places · 26th of 38 in Luton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

78%met the expected standard

Luton 67% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodOct 2019

Improved significantlyUngraded inspection · Jan 2025

The graded inspection, 1 October 2019Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Inspection history

22 January 2025
Ungraded inspection: Improved significantly
1 October 2019
Graded inspection: Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.9applications per place, Reception

close to Luton median (2.0) 0.3 below England median (2.2)

218 applications · 115 places offered · 106 named it first

2026 1.9; Luton median median 2.0
2025 1.7; Luton median median 1.9
2024 1.9; Luton median median 2.0
2023 1.8; Luton median median 2.0
2022 2.1; Luton median median 2.1
2021 1.7; Luton median median 1.9
2020 2.2; Luton median median 2.1
2019 1.9; Luton median median 2.0
2018 2.0; Luton median median 2.0
2017 2.1; Luton median median 2.0
2016 1.7; Luton median median 2.3
2015 2.0; Luton median median 2.1
2014 2.3; Luton median median 2.3

This school
Luton median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	115	218	1.9	106	0.92
Sep 2025	112	188	1.7	83	0.74
Sep 2024	103	199	1.9	80	0.78
Sep 2023	103	182	1.8	82	0.80
Sep 2022	90	192	2.1	81	0.90
Sep 2021	92	153	1.7	86	0.93
Sep 2020	81	178	2.2	65	0.80
Sep 2019	96	181	1.9	75	0.78
Sep 2018	82	162	2.0	60	0.73
Sep 2017	72	151	2.1	56	0.78
Sep 2016	97	162	1.7	76	0.78
Sep 2015	80	162	2.0	53	0.66
Sep 2014	42	98	2.3	29	0.69

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 85% · Writing 82% · Maths 93% → all three 78% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard78%7th of 37 in Luton

Luton 67% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard85%

Luton 81% England 78%

Higher standard37%

Luton 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard82%

Luton 75% England 75%

Greater depth13%

Luton 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard93%

Luton 79% England 77%

Higher standard33%

Luton 29% England 24%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Luton median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	78%	7%	108	108
2023/24	77%	6%	107	106
2022/23	62%	3%	106	104

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

River Bank Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Improved significantly2025

1.9applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
Denbigh Primary School
0.8 km · Luton

Standards maintained2024

3.1applications per place 82%met the SATs standard
William Austin Junior School
0.9 km · Luton

Remains Good2022

71%met the SATs standard
William Austin Infant School
0.9 km · Luton

Standards maintained2024

2.0applications per place
Beech Hill Community Primary School
1.0 km · Luton

2026

2.3applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Maidenhall Primary School
1.2 km · Luton

2026

2.1applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
St Matthew's Primary School
1.2 km · Luton

Good2023

1.7applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Dallow Primary School
1.4 km · Luton

Remains Good2023

2.5applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Bushmead Primary & Nursery School
1.5 km · Luton

Good2023

2.0applications per place 60%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Free schools
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 139782 · 821/2008
Trust: Active Education Academy Trust
Capacity: 840 pupils · 793 on roll
Free school meals: 23.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2013
Address: Bath Road, Luton, LU3 1ES
Local authority: Luton

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources