Free schools · Barking and Dagenham

Riverside School

11–19Ages
1,550Pupils
SecondaryPhase
Sixth formAges 16–18
139791URN

Renwick Road, Barking, IG11 0FU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2022 Previous framework

Outstanding

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.9per place

0.7 below Barking and Dagenham median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Barking and Dagenham

558 applications for 294 places · 12th of 12 in Barking and Dagenham

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

57.9of 90

Barking and Dagenham 47.4 England 46.0

1st of 12 in Barking and Dagenham

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Outstanding · 5 October 2022Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Sixth form provision	Outstanding

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, Year 7

0.7 below Barking and Dagenham median (2.6) 0.3 below England median (2.2)

558 applications · 294 places offered · 219 named it first

2026 1.9; Barking and Dagenham median median 2.6
2025 1.9; Barking and Dagenham median median 2.5
2024 2.0; Barking and Dagenham median median 2.5
2023 2.0; Barking and Dagenham median median 2.5
2022 2.0; Barking and Dagenham median median 2.5
2021 2.2; Barking and Dagenham median median 2.7
2020 2.1; Barking and Dagenham median median 2.8
2019 2.1; Barking and Dagenham median median 3.4
2018 2.1; Barking and Dagenham median median 3.4
2017 2.5; Barking and Dagenham median median 3.4
2016 3.3; Barking and Dagenham median median 3.3
2015 3.2; Barking and Dagenham median median 3.0
2014 2.7; Barking and Dagenham median median 2.7

More applications per place than the Barking and Dagenham median in 1 of 13 years.

This school
Barking and Dagenham median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

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	294	558	1.9	219	0.74
Sep 2025	273	526	1.9	239	0.88
Sep 2024	299	600	2.0	266	0.89
Sep 2023	228	448	2.0	191	0.84
Sep 2022	260	516	2.0	217	0.83
Sep 2021	249	546	2.2	206	0.83
Sep 2020	278	590	2.1	215	0.77
Sep 2019	247	527	2.1	194	0.79
Sep 2018	228	468	2.1	163	0.71
Sep 2017	137	347	2.5	112	0.82
Sep 2016	117	387	3.3	119	1.02
Sep 2015	120	380	3.2	127	1.06
Sep 2014	117	314	2.7	98	0.84

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

252 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)57.91st of 12 in Barking and Dagenham

Barking and Dagenham 47.4 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths64%1st of 12 in Barking and Dagenham

Barking and Dagenham 45% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths79%

Barking and Dagenham 69% England 66%

This school
Barking and Dagenham median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.78

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	252	57.9	64%	79%	–
2024/25	247	55.5	60%	83%	–
2023/24	240	54.4	56%	75%	+0.78
2022/23	227	55.5	60%	78%	+1.07

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

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

Riverside SchoolThis school
This school

Outstanding2022

1.9applications per place 57.9Attainment 8
Jo Richardson Community School
1.4 km · Barking and Dagenham

Outstanding2024

2.9applications per place 47.4Attainment 8
Goresbrook School
1.5 km · Barking and Dagenham

Graded · no overall grade2024

4.5applications per place 56.6Attainment 8
Woolwich Polytechnic School
2.1 km · Greenwich

Remains Good2024

0.9applications per place 45.2Attainment 8
Woolwich Polytechnic School for Girls
2.2 km · Greenwich

Good2023

1.6applications per place 48.3Attainment 8
Barking Abbey School, A Specialist Sports and Humanities College
2.6 km · Barking and Dagenham

Outstanding2024

3.1applications per place 48.7Attainment 8
Greatfields School
2.6 km · Barking and Dagenham

Standards maintained2024

2.2applications per place 45.8Attainment 8
Dagenham Park CofE School
3.0 km · Barking and Dagenham

Standards maintained2025

2.2applications per place 40.5Attainment 8
Eastbury Community School
3.0 km · Barking and Dagenham

Remains Good2024

2.6applications per place 47.0Attainment 8

School details

Type: Free schools
Phase: Secondary
URN · DfE number: 139791 · 301/4001
Trust: Partnership Learning
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,824 pupils · 1,550 on roll
Free school meals: 33.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 2 September 2013
Replaced: Barking Riverside School (URN 136940)
Address: Renwick Road, Barking, IG11 0FU
Local authority: Barking and Dagenham

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources