Pilgrims' Way Primary School

Pilgrims' Way Primary School is performing well overall, reflecting a positive school environment where pupils feel safe and supported. The headteacher, appointed in 2018, has effectively addressed prior weaknesses to create a community that values respect and resilience, resulting in a vibrant and happy atmosphere for both learning and personal development. The school's early years provision is particularly outstanding, ensuring children receive an excellent start to their education. Teachers are skilled in building relationships with pupils and focus on encouraging their achievements and well-being.

Strengths

• Welcoming and supportive school environment
• Outstanding early years provision
• Effective support for pupils with SEND
• Ambitious and engaging curriculum
• Strong emphasis on reading and vocabulary development
• High-quality relationships between pupils and staff
• Positive behaviour and well-attended extracurricular activities

Areas for Improvement

• Key knowledge and skills not well defined in some subjects

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 Pilgrims' Way Primary School attended 91.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 30.0% 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, 3.2% of pupils at Pilgrims' Way Primary School 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 Pilgrims' Way Primary School had 19.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.7% 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, 16.6% of pupils at Pilgrims' Way Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.2% 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 Pilgrims' Way Primary School received £7,708 and spent £7,178 for each of its 412 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £102,000 (£249 per pupil).

Across all 3 schools of Veritas Multi Academy Trust, income was £7,643 and spending £7,349 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 Canterbury · Kent local authority: places and applications

Pilgrims' Way Primary School is part of Veritas Multi Academy Trust, which runs 3 schools. The nearest others:

• Warden House Primary School Deal
• Mundella Primary School Folkestone

What is Pilgrims' Way Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Pilgrims' Way Primary School is Good, from an inspection in October 2022.

When was Pilgrims' Way Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Pilgrims' Way Primary School was last inspected in October 2022.

How many pupils does Pilgrims' Way Primary School have?

Pilgrims' Way Primary School has 404 pupils on roll.

What age range does Pilgrims' Way Primary School cover?

Pilgrims' Way Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Pilgrims' Way Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 44% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Pilgrims' Way Primary School?

Pilgrims' Way Primary School is at Pilgrims Way, Canterbury, CT1 1XU.