It is with great pride and excitement that I introduce myself as the founding headteacher of River Academy. 

River Academy, which is a member of the Maiden Erlegh Trust, opened to its first intake of Year 7 students in September 2024. This new state-of-the-art, purpose-built secondary school serves the need for additional school places in the Reading area. The buildings contain specialist teaching facilities in all areas of the curriculum including a wonderful hall, library, drama studio, sports hall and sports studio. 

Our intention is to make sure that River Academy students feel great pride in the school and implement the Trust values of Aim High, Be Inclusive, and Work Together into their daily lives.  

We believe that every child can succeed, and we insist on their success by setting the highest of standards: a commitment to work hard at all times, to learn from every opportunity, and to behave impeccably. We also know that children encounter barriers to their learning and we work with children and their families to overcome these. This combination of high expectations and kind support provides River Academy students with every opportunity to succeed. 

In the classroom, our students always adhere to the River Academy values of Excellence and Determination. If you visit us, you will see calm, quiet classrooms where all students participate through frequent checks for understanding, choral responses, mini whiteboard quizzes and all hands up participation. We are a school with high academic expectations and our mantra is to ensure no student is left behind. 

Character development is another of our foci. As a multicultural school that serves the heart of Reading, we are fortunate to have students from every corner of the globe and our wider co-curricular programme and values of Empathy, Respect and Community are focused binding the students together along with raising their awareness of their place in the world. Students have scheduled opportunities to develop oracy, teamwork and leadership skills through our family dining, electives and student leadership programme. We want our students to leave as well qualified, well-rounded students who have both the academic foundations and the transferable skills that employers are looking for.  

We know that children who love school will be able access the university and career of their choice. We have recruited an outstanding team of passionate and committed founding teachers who are experts in their fields and are determined to foster a love for their subject amongst our children. Our teachers know individual students’ strengths and areas for development and work tirelessly for their success. 

I invite you to look around the website where there is a wealth of information.  In addition, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have by emailing river@maidenerleghtrust.org 

Andrew Hartley

Headteacher