The Pilgrim School - overcoming adversity

It educates and supports pupils aged 4-16 referred due to various medical needs, including autism, extreme anxiety, life limiting illnesses and victims of abuse.

The school was recently rated good with outstanding aspects by Ofsted. Staff are dedicated, patient, empathetic and work really hard to support the pupils. The pupils demonstrate amazing resilience in the face of adversity and work hard to overcome their individual issues to achieve the best they can.

The pupils and staff have been through a ‘turbulent time’, setting up a dedicated Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) centre and most recently a large influx of new pupils with varying scales of very challenging need. Pupils’ behaviour and engagement can vary greatly from day to day.

Staff have stepped up to the challenge and pupils are being taught different subjects at different levels within the same classroom.

In July 2017 the first pupils referred to the ASD centre achieved really positive GCSE results, despite having been referred with little hope.