River Academy receives seven national awards for student, parent and staff experience

The awards are based on Edurio's national survey data collected during the 2025/26 academic year. 

River received awards based on feedback from all three groups surveyed: students, parents and staff. 

Students' feedback resulted in two national awards. The Pupil Engagement Award Secondary recognises responses to whether students find what they learn at school interesting, while the Pupil Feedback in Action Award Secondary reflects how valued students feel pupil opinion is within their school. 

Parents' feedback resulted in three further awards. River was nationally recognised for parents recommending the school to others, seeing their feedback have an impact and being satisfied with the school's efforts to engage them. 

Staff feedback resulted in two awards, recognising colleagues seeing their feedback to leadership have an impact and workload balance. 

Together, the seven awards provide recognition from three different perspectives on school life: students' experience of learning and being heard, parents' experience of their relationship with the school, and colleagues' experience of working at River. 

Edurio also singled out River Academy in its national announcement as one of two schools to receive seven awards this year. 

Andy Hartley, Headteacher at River Academy, said: 

“These awards mean a great deal because they reflect what our students, families and colleagues have told Edurio about their own experiences of River. 

“To receive national recognition across all three groups is particularly meaningful. Thank you to our students, families and colleagues for the contribution they make to River every day.” 

Listening to our school community 

A common thread runs through several of River's awards: people feeling that their views matter and that feedback leads to action. 

Students placed River among the top ten secondary schools nationally for feeling that pupil opinion is valued. Parents placed the school in the top ten for seeing their feedback have an impact. Staff did the same when asked about feedback to leadership. 

The results continue River Academy's recognition in the Edurio Awards, following its national Pupil Feedback in Action Award in 2025. 

The 2026 Edurio Awards recognise ten schools nationally in each category. During 2025/26, nearly 2,200 schools took part in Edurio's staff experience survey and more than 700 took part in its parent and pupil experience surveys.