Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #269 in Essex public Top 78% UK

St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMr Andrew Cumpstey

location_onBraintree, CM7 2NS

language Visit Website phone 1376344866

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2025

groups

Students

416

school

Expected Standard

52%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

1.0x

summarize

St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a Voluntary aided school primary school in Braintree, serving ages 4-11. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Ranks in the top 78% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a voluntary aided school in Braintree, Essex, admitting pupils aged 4-11. The school has approximately 405 pupils on roll, of whom 22% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 52% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 9% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #269 of 387 primaries in Essex and #9,950 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2025. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 25.8:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 1.6 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

52%

LA 61%

Reading67% LA 74%

Writing67% LA 70%

Maths66% LA 72%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

61%

LA 60%England 61%

Reading86% LA 73% · Eng 74%

Writing65% LA 70% · Eng 72%

Maths86% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

106

GPS SS

105

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

66%

LA 59%England 60%

Reading76% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing80% LA 71% · Eng 71%

Maths76% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

-0.9

Read

LA -0.1

-2.6 to 0.7

2.8

Write

LA 0.0

1.3 to 4.4

-0.9

Maths

LA -0.3

-2.4 to 0.6

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

75%

LA 64%England 65%

Reading82% LA 73% · Eng 73%

Writing93% LA 77% · Eng 78%

Maths83% LA 77% · Eng 79%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

109

Progress (0 = national avg)

0.3

Read

LA -0.5

-1.3 to 1.8

1.9

Write

LA -0.2

0.4 to 3.3

-1.2

Maths

LA -0.6

-2.5 to 0.2

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

76%

LA 63%

Reading91% LA 75%

Writing88% LA 77%

Maths83% LA 73%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

106

Progress (0 = national avg)

0.4

Read

LA -0.3

-1.2 to 2

0.6

Write

LA -0.2

-0.9 to 2.1

-0.3

Maths

LA -0.6

-1.7 to 1.1

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

29 April 2025

Inspection Report

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06 December 2022

Inspection Report

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17 November 2021

Inspection Report

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15 December 2015

Inspection Report

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10 May 2012

Inspection Report

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18 June 2009

Inspection Report

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25 May 2006

Inspection Report

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20 November 2000

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

4 Evaluations

2025-04-29

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2022-12-06

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Requires improvement

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2015-12-15

Maintained Academy and School Short inspection Legacy

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

2012-05-10

None Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

1.5%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

1.0%(4 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 405 pupils. During this period, there were 6 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 1.5%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	405	6	1.5%	0.8%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	411	7	1.7%	0.9%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	416	2	0.5%	0.8%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	416	4	1.0%	0.7%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	417	0	0.0%	0.8%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	413	0	0.0%	0.7%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	416	1	0.2%	0.6%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	414	2	0.5%	0.6%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	407	1	0.2%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	410	1	0.2%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	410	5	1.2%	0.5%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	414	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	416	0	0.0%	0.1%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	417	1	0.2%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	419	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	419	2	0.5%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	419	0	0.0%	0.6%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	418	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	418	1	0.2%	0.5%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	419	0	0.0%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	418	2	0.5%	0.5%	1
2017/18 (Spring term)	421	2	0.5%	0.4%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	421	2	0.5%	0.5%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	419	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	423	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	421	0	0.0%	0.5%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Specific Learning Difficulty 23 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 19 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 18 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 8 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 8 pupils

Physical Disability 3 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 2 pupils

Hearing Impairment 1 pupils

Visual Impairment 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

89.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

87.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

9.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree21%

agree50%

disagree20%

strongly disagree6%

don't know3%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree33%

agree54%

disagree7%

strongly disagree4%

don't know1%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree10%

agree26%

disagree19%

strongly disagree17%

not applicable29%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes21%

no79%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree21%

agree16%

disagree42%

strongly disagree21%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree31%

agree38%

disagree18%

strongly disagree4%

don't know9%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree33%

agree49%

disagree11%

strongly disagree1%

don't know6%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree23%

agree38%

disagree26%

strongly disagree11%

don't know2%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree33%

agree46%

disagree7%

strongly disagree4%

don't know10%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree20%

agree48%

disagree18%

strongly disagree11%

don't know3%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree22%

agree36%

disagree21%

strongly disagree12%

don't know9%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes68%

no32%

Top Primary Schools in Essex

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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Outstanding

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Good

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Outstanding

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Lee Chapel Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Basildon, SS16 5RU

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Hereward Primary School

Outstanding

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Perryfields Junior School

Outstanding

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School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Church of England)

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Essex

Kingston Primary School

Lift Westerings

Quilters Junior School

Lee Chapel Primary School

Hereward Primary School

Perryfields Junior School