On July 12 2022 Pilgrim Pathways School was inspected by Ofsted. The outcome of this inspection was that the school continues to be Outstanding.
This was a short inspection (Section 8) as the school was judged to be Outstanding at the previous inspection in November 2016. The purpose of a short inspection is to determine whether the school continues to provide a good standard of education and whether safeguarding is effective. We expect to be reinspected in the next 12 months.
"Pupils and school staff build positive, trusting relationships. Pupils feel safe. They are treated with kindness, dignity and respect and reflect this in how they behave towards staff."
"Leaders place a high priority on the teaching of reading. Younger pupils read books that let them practise the sounds that they know and have been taught. This helps them read with accuracy and understanding. Any pupils who struggle with reading are expertly taught by knowledgeable staff."
"School staff work closely with medical staff to ensure that the education provided supports pupils’ recovery. Staff are highly ambitious for pupils. They challenge pupils to fulfil their potential."
"School staff work closely with other professionals in the hospitals to construct individual programmes which support each pupil’s personal development. There is a strong focus on developing relationships and helping pupils look after their mental health. This builds pupils’ resilience, independence and social and emotional development. This is a notable strength."
"Safeguarding is at the centre of staff’s work with pupils. Staff are well trained. They are highly alert to the signs of risk and vulnerabilities of pupils. Concerns are acted upon appropriately and quickly."
Nadine Gooding-Hébert, headteacher at Pilgrim Pathways School, said: "To maintain an 'Outstanding' grade against a backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and the challenges this has brought to those working in NHS settings is great testament to the entire team at Pilgrim Pathways.
"We are delighted Ofsted has recognised the hard work our staff put into building strong relationships with the students and developing individual learning plans to meet their needs, as well as the positive, welcoming environment we have created for pupils. The areas for improvement identified by Ofsted are those that we were aware of and which feature in our School Development Plan.
"I would like to thank all staff at the Pilgrim Pathways School for their efforts before, during and after the inspection and all of our partners who have helped us so much. And finally, a huge thank you to our students who were exceptionally forthcoming and welcoming."
