St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy, Exeter
St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Exeter, part of St Christopher's C of E (primary) Multi Academy Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 15th-highest of the 48 schools in Exeter with published results, and 5,071st of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2015)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Devon (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy in detail
St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "If you are looking at the school as a possible school for your child, we hope this will give a taster of what we have to offer at St Michael's. We are a large primary school with the capacity for 420 pupils, however, we have a village school feel with close links with the community, parents, and other organisations."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, choir, orchestra, chess, gardening and forest school.
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 4 November 2026, an open day on Tuesday 10 November 2026, an open day on Monday 16 November 2026 at 2pm and an open day on Thursday 19 November 2026 at 10am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 88% of Year 6 pupils at St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 73% in Devon and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (83% in reading, 76% in maths).
Getting a place at St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 64 families put St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy as their first choice and 136 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 5 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy are Ladysmith Infant & Nursery School (0.3 miles); Ladysmith Junior School (0.4 miles); Newtown Primary School (0.7 miles, 88% reading, 88% maths); and Whipton Barton Infants and Nursery School (0.7 miles, Good).
Ladysmith Infant & Nursery SchoolLadysmith Junior SchoolNewtown Primary SchoolWhipton Barton Infants and Nursery School
The trust
St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy is one of 21 schools run by St Christopher's C of E (primary) Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
All 21 schools in St Christopher's C of E (primary) Multi Academy Trust
What parents say
159 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy (as of September 2025): 95% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 78% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (78%).
Who goes there
7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Polsloe Bridge Rail Station, about 850 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is South Lawn Terrace (e-bound), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 383 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Devon (16), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy issued 40 suspensions, 9.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy are Atkinson Secure Children's Home (0.9 miles), St Peter's Church of England Aided School (1 mile), St James School (1.1 miles) and Isca Academy (1.1 miles).
Atkinson Secure Children's HomeSt Peter's Church of England Aided SchoolSt James SchoolIsca Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from July 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Michael's excels at creating a supportive, inclusive environment where children develop strong bonds with staff and a genuine love of learning. The school uses imaginative curriculum design and local connections to make learning come alive, and offers excellent opportunities for personal growth through leadership roles, diverse cultural experiences, and enriching trips. Parents can be confident their child will be safe, emotionally supported, and challenged academically.
Key Strengths
- Strong curriculum design that builds knowledge and skills from early years to Year 6, using local history to engage pupils
- Excellent early reading provision with daily phonics and prompt support for children who fall behind
- Provision for personal development is a strength, including diversity celebrations and enriching trips
- Safe, calm school environment with high attendance rates
- Most pupils with SEND are supported to learn the same rich curriculum as their peers
Areas for Improvement
- New behaviour policy not fully understood by all staff and pupils, leading to inconsistent management of poor behaviour
- Support for pupils with more significant SEND needs is not effective enough, limiting their independence and achievement
- Need to ensure consistent application of high behaviour expectations across all staff
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong pastoral care and accessible staff support for pupils with concerns.
Extracurricular Activities
netball, drama, chess, residential trips with rock climbing, sports leaders, house captains, eco-leaders, wildlife champions, diversity day celebrations
St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy is a well-loved school in the heart of the community where pupils are safe and supported both academically and emotionally. The school has been rated Good across all key areas of its inspection.
At a Glance
7.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
159 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 83% to 88% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 75% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 71% to 77% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.5
Avg class size
29.8
Infant (KS1)
29.4
KS2
13
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy.
- Premier Wraparound @ St Michael'sAt the school · Not yet graded
- Laser Adventure Holidays Limited730m away · Not yet graded
- Sporty Stars - St Luke's Campus880m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy is in Devon; for families living there:
- Devon's school travel policy: Free school transport
- How to apply: Apply for free school transport
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 16
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 16 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
9 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Devon is 3 (the median across 426 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy
Will you get a place at St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Devon, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Devon got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
99%
Near capacity
416 pupils
420 places
4 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Exeter
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Exeter
Across Devon council
Places available
9,014
Applications
6,494
Got 1st preference
96.5%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Devon council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
66
SEN Support
15
EHC Plans
17.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
455
Total Pupils
237
Boys
218
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
20.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,336
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£2233k
Total funding
£39k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.2%
Overall absence
7.1%
Persistent absence
364
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy
Questions parents ask about St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy
What are SATs results like at St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
Of the pupils at St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 88% reached the expected standard in reading and 75% did so in maths.
What is St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?
St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2015, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy is oversubscribed, Devon allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
Classes at St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy average 29.5 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy has around 455 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
4.2% of sessions were missed at St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy in 2024/25. 7.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
Apply through Devon's coordinated admissions process, naming St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Premier Wraparound @ St Michael's (registered, not yet graded). There are 2 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 16 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 9 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Devon is 3 (the median across 426 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy?
St Michael's Church of England Primary Academy is at South Lawn Terrace, Heavitree, Exeter, Devon, EX1 2SN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)