St Michael's Church of England Academy

St Michael's Church of England Academy has received a 'Good' rating in its first inspection since opening in 2021. The school is characterized by a welcoming atmosphere where pupils demonstrate exemplary behavior and strong engagement in their learning. With an ambitious curriculum designed to revisit knowledge and solidify understanding, students are adequately prepared for their educational journeys ahead, supported by a strong partnership with parents and a commitment to the community. The school faced challenges due to its location in temporary accommodation during ongoing building works, yet maintains a focus on delivering quality education.

Strengths

• Pupils exhibit exemplary behavior and conduct in lessons.
• The curriculum is ambitious and designed to reinforce learning over time.
• Strong partnership with parents enhances student support.
• Effective measures in place for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Personal, social, and health education is integrated throughout school life.

Areas for Improvement

• Some subjects lack precise identification of required knowledge.
• Assessment approaches in a few foundation subjects are not fully developed.

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 Church of England Academy attended 96.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.1% 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 Church of England Academy 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 Church of England Academy had 21.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 15.8% of pupils at St Michael's Church of England Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.0% 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's Church of England Academy received £9,153 and spent £7,638 for each of its 76 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £37,000 (£487 per pupil).

Across all 21 schools of Learning Academy Partnership (South West), income was £7,538 and spending £7,364 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 Paignton · Torbay local authority: places and applications

St Michael's Church of England Academy is part of Learning Academy Partnership (South West), which runs 22 schools. The nearest others:

• Ellacombe Church of England Academy Torquay
• Warberry CofE Academy Torquay
• Ilsham Church of England Academy Torquay
• Dartington Church of England Academy Totnes
• All Saints Marsh CofE Academy Newton Abbot
• Bovey Tracey Academy Newton Abbot
• Charleton Church of England Academy Kingsbridge
• West Alvington Church of England Academy Kingsbridge
• Thurlestone All Saints Church of England Academy Kingsbridge
• Dunsford Community Academy Exeter

What is St Michael's Church of England Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Michael's Church of England Academy is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was St Michael's Church of England Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

St Michael's Church of England Academy was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does St Michael's Church of England Academy have?

St Michael's Church of England Academy has 101 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Michael's Church of England Academy cover?

St Michael's Church of England Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

Where is St Michael's Church of England Academy?

St Michael's Church of England Academy is at Fisher Street, Paignton, TQ4 5EW.