The PRIDE Academy

The PRIDE Academy is a special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, all of whom have an education, health and care plan. This was its first section 5 inspection, and inspectors found a highly ambitious, inclusive school where strong relationships and high expectations help pupils feel safe and achieve. Leadership, behaviour and personal development are outstanding, while the quality of education and sixth-form provision are good; safeguarding is effective. The school has improved quickly under current leadership and trust support, with well-trained staff, a broad and tailored curriculum, strong reading support and an extensive careers and enrichment offer.

Strengths

• High ambition and strong relationships support pupils' confidence and achievement
• Broad, highly tailored curriculum prepares pupils well for future learning
• Well-trained staff adapt learning effectively to pupils' individual needs
• Strong reading provision improves pupils' fluency, comprehension and vocabulary
• Exemplary behaviour management and emotional support, with significantly fewer suspensions
• Extensive personal development and careers provision prepares pupils for next steps
• Leaders and trustees have acted quickly to bring about significant improvements
• Effective safeguarding arrangements

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment is not used with consistent precision, so some pupils are not well supported to secure key knowledge
• Attendance remains a priority for some families despite the school's efforts

In 2024–25 pupils at The PRIDE Academy attended 64.0% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 75.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 20.5% of pupils at The PRIDE Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 The PRIDE Academy had 7.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 32.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 The PRIDE Academy had 126 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; autistic spectrum disorder.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 The PRIDE Academy received £43,848 and spent £40,326 for each of its 117 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £998,000 (£8,527 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust, income was £39,932 and spending £38,950 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Hillingdon · Hillingdon local authority: places and applications

The PRIDE Academy is part of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust, which runs 12 schools. The nearest others:

• Arbour Vale School Slough
• Bedelsford School Kingston Upon Thames
• Dysart School Surbiton
• St Philip's School Chessington
• Nightingale Community Academy London
• The Link School Croydon
• Carew Academy Wallington
• Unified Academy Dorking
• Addington Valley Academy Croydon
• St Dominic's School Godalming

What is The PRIDE Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The PRIDE Academy is Good, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was The PRIDE Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

The PRIDE Academy was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does The PRIDE Academy have?

The PRIDE Academy has 126 pupils on roll.

What age range does The PRIDE Academy cover?

The PRIDE Academy for pupils aged 11 to 19.

What are The PRIDE Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 10.4, and 0% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is The PRIDE Academy?

The PRIDE Academy is at Falling Lane, Yiewsley, West Drayton, Middlesex, UB7 8AB.