St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge

St Michael’s CofE Primary School has shown overall effectiveness as 'Good' in its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic. The school maintains a positive environment where pupils feel happy, safe, and well-supported. It boasts a well-structured curriculum that helps students achieve notably in reading and build a solid foundation of knowledge. Additionally, the school has established a good rapport with parents, ensuring that they are informed and involved in their children's education. Despite its strengths, there are areas for improvement related to writing and cultural diversity in the curriculum.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate strong support and care for one another.
• Teachers effectively address misconceptions and gaps in learning.
• Early years provision helps children settle well and grow in confidence.
• Reading is prioritized, and pupils are encouraged to develop fluency and comprehension.
• Strong relationships with parents enhance the school's community engagement.

Areas for Improvement

• Some children do not learn correct letter formation in early years, hindering writing skills.
• Insufficient clarity for teachers on promoting understanding of cultural diversity.

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 St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.6% 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, 0.0% of pupils at St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge 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 St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge had 25.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 55.6% 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, 15.9% of pupils at St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.3% 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 2025–26 St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge received £6,480 and spent £6,156 for each of its 207 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £87,000 (£422 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).

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What is St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge is Good, from an inspection in December 2023.

When was St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge last inspected by Ofsted?

St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge was last inspected in December 2023.

How many pupils does St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge have?

St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge has 207 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge cover?

St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge?

St Michael's CofE Primary School, Howe Bridge is at Leigh Road, Atherton, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, M46 0PA.