St Michael's Church of England Academy
Fisher Street, Paignton, TQ4 5EW
- Phase
- Primary
- School type
- Free schools
- Ages
- 2 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Trust
- LEARNING ACADEMY PARTNERSHIP (SOUTH WEST)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Julie Edwards
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Diocese
- Diocese of Exeter
- Nursery provision
- Has Nursery Classes
- Sponsor
- Learning Academy Partnership
- Constituency
- Torbay
- Setting
- Urban: Further from a major town or city
- Capacity
- 210
- Pupils on roll
- 101
- URN
- 147851
- Local authority
- Torbay
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 01803500971
About this school
St Michael's Church of England Academy is a Church of England primary academy in Paignton. It teaches children aged 2 to 11 and has 101 pupils on roll.
You can read Ofsted's latest judgement for the school below. Where the Department for Education has published them, its results and pupil characteristics appear below. Numbers and a report only go so far, so visit in person before you apply.
Ofsted judgement
Overall judgement at the last full inspection
This inspection took place under the previous framework, which gave a single overall grade. Ofsted now publishes report cards instead, so newer inspections of other schools will look different. How Ofsted report cards work
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Effective
Trends over time
How St Michael's Church of England Academy has moved over recent years against the local and national picture. Every figure is shown in the table beneath its chart.
| Year | This school | England average |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 7.7% | 6.8% |
| 2023/24 | 5.8% | 6.6% |
| 2024/25 | 3.9% | 6.2% |
Department for Education pupil absence data.
| Year | This school |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 48 |
| 2023/24 | 63 |
| 2024/25 | 85 |
School census, spring count each academic year.
How St Michael's Church of England Academy compares
Its absence rate was lower than 87% of England schools in 2024/25.
| School | KS2 RWM (2024/25) | Absence | FSM (6 years) | Pupils | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This school | — | 3.9% | 14.5% | 101 | — |
| Curledge Street Academy | 62% | 5.3% | 41.6% | 439 | 0.1 miles |
| Hayes School | 79% | 7.1% | 41.4% | 340 | 0.3 miles |
| Sacred Heart Catholic School | 55% | 4.3% | 25.5% | 208 | 0.6 miles |
| Oldway Primary School | 66% | 5.4% | 19% | 598 | 0.7 miles |
| Roselands Primary School | 57% | 4.9% | 22.4% | 315 | 0.9 miles |
Results reflect each school's cohort as much as its teaching, and free school meals share is context, not a judgement. Small gaps between neighbouring schools are rarely meaningful on their own.
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 14.49%
- English as an additional language
- 9.4%
- Overall absence
- 3.86%
- Persistent absence
- 7.14%
Location
Nearby schools
-
Curledge Street Academy0.1 miles
Primary · Paignton
-
Hayes School0.3 miles
Primary · Paignton
-
Sacred Heart Catholic School0.6 miles
Primary · Paignton
-
Oldway Primary School0.7 miles
Primary · Paignton
-
Roselands Primary School0.9 miles
Primary · Paignton
Other schools in Paignton
- Collaton St Mary Church of England Primary School Primary
- Curledge Street Academy Primary
- Hayes School Primary
- Kings Ash Academy Primary
- Marldon Church of England Primary School Primary
- Oldway Primary School Primary
- Roselands Primary School Primary
- Sacred Heart Catholic School Primary
- White Rock Primary School Primary
- Paignton Academy Secondary
- South Devon College 16 plus
- Brunel School Academies
Common questions
- What year groups does St Michael's Church of England Academy teach?
- St Michael's Church of England Academy teaches children aged 2 to 11. It is a primary school in Paignton.
- Who is the headteacher of St Michael's Church of England Academy?
- The headteacher of St Michael's Church of England Academy is Mrs Julie Edwards, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- When was St Michael's Church of England Academy last inspected?
- Ofsted has inspected St Michael's Church of England Academy, and its latest judgement is set out in the inspection section on this page, with the framework and the date it was made.
- How big is St Michael's Church of England Academy?
- St Michael's Church of England Academy has 101 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 2 to 11.
- Is St Michael's Church of England Academy full?
- St Michael's Church of England Academy has capacity for 210 pupils and 101 on roll (48%), so it has space against its published capacity. Places are allocated through the local authority's admissions process, so capacity alone does not tell you whether a place is available.
- Is St Michael's Church of England Academy a faith school?
- Yes. St Michael's Church of England Academy is designated Church of England, in the Diocese of Exeter.
- Is St Michael's Church of England Academy a selective school?
- No. St Michael's Church of England Academy is recorded as non-selective in the schools register.
- Does St Michael's Church of England Academy have a nursery?
- Yes. The schools register records St Michael's Church of England Academy as having nursery classes.
- Who runs St Michael's Church of England Academy?
- St Michael's Church of England Academy is part of LEARNING ACADEMY PARTNERSHIP (SOUTH WEST). Schools in a trust or federation share leadership and governance, but each keeps its own inspection record and results.
- What is St Michael's Church of England Academy's absence rate?
- St Michael's Church of England Academy's overall absence rate is 3.9% in the latest published census, at or below the England average of 6.2%.
- Does St Michael's Church of England Academy publish exam results?
- OfferDay shows exam results for a school only where the Department for Education has published them, and none are shown for St Michael's Church of England Academy. That is usual for infant, nursery, special and independent schools, and for schools without recent published results.
School details come from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register. Inspection outcomes come from Ofsted, and exam results from the Department for Education's school performance service. This page was last updated on 10 July 2026.