Pilgrim Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Pilgrim Academy Allerton Drive, Immingham, Lincolnshire DN40 2HP

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Outcome

Pilgrim Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The Principal of this school is Janine King. This school is part of Lincolnshire Gateway Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Martin Brown, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Phillip Bond.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe in this caring school. Relationships across the school are warm and respectful, reflecting the school’s values of courage, kindness and respect. As one pupil said, ‘Everyone and every emotion is welcome in our school.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is aspirational for what it wants pupils to learn, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils develop secure knowledge and skills in reading, writing and mathematics and achieve well by the end of Year 6.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their learning, for instance, about other religions and cultures in the world. They understand and respect how people are different. Pupils learn how to keep safe in their local area and what it means to be responsible citizens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school, and their attendance is slowly improving. If bullying happens, pupils know that the school will help them effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils participate in a range of school clubs, including choir and gymnastics. These clubs are popular and well attended. Pupils are proud to hold positions of responsibility as house captains or school councillors. In these roles, pupils work to improve the school, including the enhancement of the playtime equipment and fundraising for improving the books in the school library. 10 and 11 June 2025

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Reading is a priority. Staff have benefited from training and confidently teach pupils to read. Pupils are taught phonics using a well-thought-out programme. They read books that ensure that they gain a secure knowledge of the letters and sounds they need to learn. Any pupils who need further help with reading are identified and supported. Staff think carefully about the books they use to teach pupils to read. The school exposes pupils to a wide variety of texts to develop their love of reading. Over time, pupils achieve well in phonics, despite an uncharacteristic drop in 2024 outcomes. The school knows why this happened and has taken swift action to ensure that current pupils read well.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils achieve well. This is because the school has thought carefully about the knowledge to teach pupils and when. The school designs lessons to build logically on what pupils already know. Teachers are clear on how to teach pupils what they need to learn. Staff ensure that pupils understand and use important words, such as when they consider the texture and mood in their seascape paintings in art. This helps pupils to explain their thinking as well as use the subject-specific skills that they gain.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Children in the early years make a positive start to their education. Engaging activities ensure children benefit from activities they take part in. For example, children choose resources from around the setting to help them write a calculation. They then use their mathematical learning to work out the answer.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and are proud of the work they produce. The school has set high expectations for how work is presented. Pupils write legibly and convey their views and ideas clearly.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school works closely with other agencies, parents and carers to understand pupils’ needs. It makes sure that, where needed, staff adapt their delivery of subject content. The school ensures that staff provide the effective individual support that pupils need. Consequently, pupils with SEND make good progress through the school’s curriculum. They achieve well. Where relevant, this includes the confidence and skills to work independently.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has set high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and how pupils treat others. When pupils make behaviour choices that are not in line with expectations, including at play and lunchtime, staff give pupils reminders to manage their behaviour so that it does not become overly competitive. Despite these reminders, pupils do not always do what adults have told them.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school promotes the importance of positive and regular attendance. Despite this, too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough, and there are some who are frequently absent. Consequently, they miss out on valuable learning.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils’ personal development is well thought out and is woven into the life of the school. Pupils are taught to value difference and understand the importance of treating others equally. They are proud to have raised funds for a national charity chosen democratically 10 and 11 June 2025

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by the school. Pupils build the understanding they need to lead happy and healthy lives. They talk enthusiastically about trips and visitors to the school that help with their learning. Pupils are proud to represent the school in events, including ‘Young Voices’.

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The trust has provided strong support to the school. It has an accurate view of the school’s strengths and also the areas on which to improve. Staff are committed and want the best for all pupils. Teachers at all stages of their careers are well supported. They value the support the school and trust give them around managing their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The behaviour of some pupils is not meeting the high expectations the school has set. At times, their poor behaviour disrupts learning for others and at play and lunchtime their behaviour upsets pupils. The school must ensure that staff are clear about its expectations of pupils’ behaviour and that staff support pupils to manage their behaviour.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in January 2020. 10 and 11 June 2025

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 10 and 11 June 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 January, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The current principal was appointed in January 2025.  The school is a member of the Lincolnshire Gateway Academies Trust.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school offers breakfast club provision for pupils who attend the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector reviewed documents on the school’s website, as well as published information about the school’s performance. 10 and 11 June 2025

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 The inspector met with the principal, the vice principal, assistant principals and subject leaders. The inspector also spoke with representatives of the trust.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning, looked at samples of pupils’ work and spoke to staff.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour, including at breaktimes, lunchtimes and in lessons. The inspector also spoke to pupils about behaviour and after-school clubs. The inspector spoke with leaders, teachers and pupils about the school’s approach to personal development.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector considered the responses from parents and carers to the online survey,

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Ofsted Parent View. This included the comments submitted via the free-text facility. The inspector also spoke to parents at the school at the start of the school day. The inspection also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey and the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Nicola Shipman, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 June 2025

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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