St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School

St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School has demonstrated a strong performance overall, achieving a 'Good' rating in overall effectiveness, with notable strengths in behaviour and attitudes, as well as personal development which were rated as 'Outstanding'. Pupils thrive in a supportive environment, feeling happy and safe while achieving well academically. The school’s leadership is committed to delivering a high-quality education and personal development for all students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This inspection marked the school's first inspection since converting to an academy in 2019, highlighting the positive progress made since then.

Strengths

• Pupils exhibit exemplary behaviour and positive attitudes towards learning.
• The school has successfully implemented a new curriculum enhancing educational quality.
• Pupils, including those with SEND, are well-supported and achieve well.
• Pupils are actively involved in decision-making and have numerous leadership roles.
• Leaders prioritize mental health and provide mindfulness sessions for pupils.
• High staff morale and a supportive work environment contribute to effective teaching.

Areas for Improvement

• Opportunities for pupils to recap and recall earlier learning are insufficient in some subjects.

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 with St Thomas CE Primary School attended 95.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.9% 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, 2.8% of pupils at St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School 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 with St Thomas CE Primary School had 20.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 33.3% 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, 35.3% of pupils at St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.0% 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 2024–25 St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School received £8,745 and spent £8,533 for each of its 178 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £76,000 (-£430 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of The Three Saints Academy Trust, income was £8,264 and spending £8,305 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Widnes · Halton local authority: places and applications

St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School is part of The Three Saints Academy Trust, which runs 5 schools. The nearest others:

• St Ann's Church of England Primary School Prescot
• Willow Tree Primary School St Helens
• St Mary & St Thomas CofE Primary School St Helens
• Blackmoor Park Infants' School Liverpool

What is St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2023.

When was St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School was last inspected in September 2023.

How many pupils does St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School have?

St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School has 167 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School cover?

St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School?

St Michael with St Thomas CE Primary School is at Spinney Avenue, Hough Green, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 8LD.