Pilgrim Primary Academy

About Pilgrim Primary Academy

Pilgrim Primary Academy is a mixed state primary in Plymouth with 376 pupils on roll, operating below its capacity of 420. The school serves a community with significantly higher-than-average levels of disadvantage: 41% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared with the national primary average of around 23%. Demand for places is strong — for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 73 applications for 47 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.55. All 45 first-preference applicants were offered a place, meaning families who put Pilgrim first were successful, but the overall competition suggests it is a popular choice locally. The school has no religious character and is led by headteacher Rachael Saim. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2025 judged the school Good overall, with personal development rated Outstanding — a notable strength that parents appear to recognise.

Academically, Pilgrim sits in the bottom half of Plymouth primaries, ranking 47th out of 65 schools on the key stage 2 expected standard measure. In the 2023/24 assessments, 55% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — below the Plymouth local authority average of 63%. Only 4% achieved the higher standard across all three subjects. Individual subject results show stronger performance in writing (76% expected) and maths (71% expected) than in reading (59% expected). Average scaled scores were 103 in both reading and maths, in line with the national average of 100. Progress scores are not available, so it is unclear how much value the school adds relative to starting points. The school’s Ofsted breakdown notes that behaviour and attitudes, quality of education, and early years provision are all Good, while leadership and management is also Good.

The school offers a range of facilities including a forest school, ICT suite, library, playing fields and a chapel. Sports provision covers netball, football, tennis and swimming, while clubs include drama, art, science, gardening, choir and film club. SEND support is a clear strength: the school lists provisions for seven areas including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. In the Parent View survey, 87% of the 62 respondents said they would recommend the school, and 91% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy. Notably, 60% strongly agreed that SEND children get the support they need, with no parents disagreeing. This suggests Pilgrim is a particularly good fit for families whose children have additional needs, especially given its strong personal development rating. The school is oversubscribed but first-preference applicants have a good chance of securing a place.

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