St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Braintree
St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Braintree. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 16th-highest of the 16 schools in Braintree with published results, and 11,486th of 14,452 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Essex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 66% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 86% in reading and 86% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 41 families put St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School as their first choice and 84 named it as one of their preferences, for 43 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School are St Francis Catholic Primary School, Braintree (0.5 miles, Good, 93% reading, 90% maths); John Bunyan Primary School and Nursery (0.6 miles, Good, 71% reading, 65% maths); Notley Green Primary School (1 mile, Good, 80% reading, 81% maths); and John Ray Junior School (1 mile, Good, 76% reading, 72% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School.
St Francis Catholic Primary School, BraintreeJohn Bunyan Primary School and NurseryNotley Green Primary SchoolJohn Ray Junior School
What parents say
175 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (as of September 2025): 60% would recommend the school, 87% say their child is happy there and 39% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (89%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (39%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Braintree Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lidl (opposite), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 185 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Essex (97), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School issued 14 suspensions, 3.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School are Tabor Academy (0.5 miles), Notley High School and Sixth Form (1 mile) and Alec Hunter Academy (1.6 miles).
Tabor AcademyNotley High School and Sixth FormAlec Hunter 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; 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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Michael's is a happy, welcoming place where pupils thrive. The school has excellent reading provision with a strong phonics programme and skilled teachers who help every child progress. Reception Year children get a fantastic start through play-based learning, and the school offers many enrichment opportunities including clubs, trips and residential visits that broaden pupils' experiences.
Key Strengths
- Reading is a high priority with a consistent phonics programme and skilled teaching that builds fluency and comprehension
- Well-structured teaching in English, mathematics and science deepens pupils' understanding
- Reception Year provision is strong with children learning through play in well-resourced classrooms and outdoor spaces
- Pupils behave well, are polite and kind, with high expectations clearly met
- Wide range of enrichment including trips, residential visits, clubs (guitar, art, yoga) and leadership roles
Areas for Improvement
- Leadership does not have sufficiently robust checks on how well the curriculum is being implemented and its impact on pupil progress
- Some other subjects remain in earlier stages of curriculum development compared to English, mathematics and science
- Communication with staff and parents about school priorities and pupils' learning is not always clear or consistent
- Governance arrangements are temporary and more stable arrangements need to be secured
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with safeguarding put at the centre of the school's work.
Extracurricular Activities
Guitar club, art club, yoga club, school council, librarian roles, reading champions, author visits, trips, residential visits, themed days such as Language Day, breakfast club
St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in Braintree provides a good quality of education with strong behaviour and personal development. Recent changes to governance have stabilised leadership, though permanent governing arrangements remain a priority.
At a Glance
19.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
175 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 declined from 86% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 86% to 66% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 67% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.6
Avg class size
26.0
Infant (KS1)
28.9
KS2
14
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School.
- Camp 4 Champs - St Michael'sAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is in Essex; for families living there:
- Essex's school travel policy: Education Transport Policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 16
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
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, 3 serious and 13 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
2 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 Essex is 9 (the median across 614 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 Voluntary Aided Primary School
Will you get a place at St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Essex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Essex 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
98%
Near capacity
402 pupils
409 places
7 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Braintree
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Braintree
Across Essex council
Places available
17,932
Applications
15,737
Got 1st preference
90.3%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Essex council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(8)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
69
SEN Support
14
EHC Plans
21.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
387
Total Pupils
201
Boys
186
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
20.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,184
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,973
Per pupil
£2288k
Total funding
£127k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.1%
Overall absence
9.9%
Persistent absence
372
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 Voluntary Aided Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 67% reached the expected standard in reading and 66% did so in maths.
What is St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is oversubscribed, Essex 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 Voluntary Aided Primary School?
St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Classes at St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School average 27.6 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have 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 Voluntary Aided Primary School?
St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School has around 387 pupils on roll. 20% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
4.1% of sessions were missed at St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in 2024/25. 9.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 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 Voluntary Aided Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Camp 4 Champs - St Michael's (registered, not yet graded). 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 Voluntary Aided Primary School?
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, 3 serious and 13 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 2 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 Essex is 9 (the median across 614 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is at Maple Avenue, Braintree, Essex, CM7 2NS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)