The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery)

The Pilgrim School is a Church of England primary with nursery in the Pilgrim Multi-Academy Trust. This was its first routine section 5 inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the school was judged outstanding in every area inspected: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. Under the current inspection framework, no overall effectiveness grade is awarded. The report describes a highly inclusive school with an ambitious, bespoke curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Reading is central to the curriculum, phonics teaching is strong, and pupils who fall behind receive tailored support. Pupils behave exceptionally well, achieve highly, and benefit from strong relationships, enrichment opportunities and a wider curriculum that develops character and community involvement. Leadership is a notable strength. Staff are well trained, supported and positive about working at the school, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. The school has a strong sense of community and purpose, with pupils describing themselves as ‘forever Pilgrim’. Inspectors identified no areas for improvement in the report.

Strengths

• Ambitious and highly inclusive curriculum tailored to pupils’ needs
• High-quality phonics teaching with effective support for pupils who fall behind
• Pupils achieve extremely well across the curriculum
• Exceptionally strong behaviour and positive relationships throughout the school
• Highly effective provision for pupils with SEND
• Strong early years provision with skilled adult interactions
• Wider curriculum builds character, diversity awareness and community contribution
• Staff are well supported, well trained and overwhelmingly positive
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective
• Pupils are confident, reflective and motivated learners

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery) attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.5% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 1.8% of pupils at The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery) were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 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 Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery) had 19.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 18.6% of pupils at The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery) were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery) received £6,562 and spent £6,548 for each of its 207 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £45,000 (£217 per pupil).

Across all 4 schools of The Pilgrim Multi Academy Trust, income was £7,077 and spending £6,915 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 Rochester · Medway local authority: places and applications

The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery) is part of The Pilgrim Multi Academy Trust, which runs 4 schools. The nearest others:

• St Margaret's at Troy Town CofE Voluntary Controlled Primary School Rochester
• Rochester Riverside Church of England Primary School Rochester
• St Mark's Church of England Primary School, Eccles Aylesford

What is The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery)'s Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery) is Outstanding, from an inspection in February 2025.

When was The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery) last inspected by Ofsted?

The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery) was last inspected in February 2025.

How many pupils does The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery) have?

The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery) has 237 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery) cover?

The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery) for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery)'s SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery)?

The Pilgrim School (A Church of England Primary With Nursery) is at Warwick Crescent, Borstal, Rochester, Kent, ME1 3LF.