River Mead School
Primary · Academy sponsor led · Ages 2–11 · Melksham, Wiltshire
Last distance offered · Reception 2026
7.245 miles
Published by Wiltshire Council · offers on 16 April 2026
Nearby schools' earlier years 🔒
River Mead School is a primary school in Melksham, Wiltshire for ages 2–11 (academy sponsor led). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Not judged, from the inspection on 1 October 2024. Wiltshire has published a last distance offered for this school for Reception 2026 entry.
River Mead School catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Reception 2026 | 7.245 mi |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- In 2024/25, 38% met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 62%), the lowest of 9 schools: this one and the 8 nearest primary schools in Wiltshire.
- Reception 2026's last distance offered was 7.245 miles, 31st longest of the 192 Wiltshire primary schools with a published Reception 2026 last distance; the middle figure was 3.68 miles.
- For Reception 2026 there were 23 first-choice applications for 23 offers, and every first-choice family was offered a place.
- 42.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, with 12.4 pupils per teacher; the middle figures across the 8 nearest primary schools in Wiltshire are 16.4% and 19.7.
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Wiltshire schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- Lowbourne, Melksham, SN12 7ED
- Type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase
- Primary
- Ages
- 2–11
- Council
- Wiltshire
- Pupils on roll
- 261 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 42.1% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 12.4
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Not judged Inspected 1 October 2024
Strengths
- “River Mead School is a very special place.”
- “This is because the whole school team goes above and beyond to support pupils to flourish.”
- “Parents describe the school as knowing their children ‘inside out’ and ‘caring about my children just as much as I do’.”
To improve
- “Following COVID-19, some pupils found it difficult to attend school regularly.”
- “This resulted in gaps in their knowledge.”
- “However, the school’s published outcomes from 2023 do not accurately reflect the quality of learning of current pupils.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 20 November 2024 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| Key stage 2 · reading, writing and maths, expected standard (2024/25) | 38% | 62% |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Reception entry: 23 first-preference applications, 23 offers in total, 23 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby primary schools
Straight-line distance, in Wiltshire.
- The Manor CofE VC Primary School 0.3 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Aloeric Primary School 0.7 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Forest and Sandridge Church of England Primary School 0.8 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Shaw CE Primary School 1.5 mi Good Last distance published
- Bowerhill Primary School 1.5 mi Good Last distance published
- St Mary's Broughton Gifford Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary School 1.9 mi Good Last distance published
- St George's Church of England Primary School, Semington 2.5 mi Good Last distance published
- Lacock Church of England Primary School 2.6 mi Good Last distance published