Voluntary aided school · Essex

St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

4–11Ages
387Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
115157URN

Maple Avenue, Braintree, CM7 2NS · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Apr 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.0per place

0.4 below Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

84 applications for 43 places · 256th of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

52%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 29 April 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education	Good
Behaviour and attitudes	Good
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management		Requires improvement
Early years provision	Good

Inspection history

29 April 2025
Graded inspection, no overall grade
18 November 2021
Ungraded inspection: School remains Outstanding (Concerns)

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.0applications per place, Reception

0.4 below Essex median (2.4) 0.2 below England median (2.2)

84 applications · 43 places offered · 41 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.0; Essex median median 2.4
2025 1.8; Essex median median 2.4
2024 2.0; Essex median median 2.4
2023 2.4; Essex median median 2.4
2022 2.2; Essex median median 2.4
2021 2.7; Essex median median 2.3
2020 2.6; Essex median median 2.4
2019 3.1; Essex median median 2.5
2018 2.5; Essex median median 2.5
2017 3.6; Essex median median 2.6
2016 3.4; Essex median median 2.8
2015 3.1; Essex median median 2.7
2014 4.2; Essex median median 2.8

This school
Essex median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	43	84	2.0	41	0.95
Sep 2025	44	78	1.8	44	1.00
Sep 2024	50	101	2.0	48	0.96
Sep 2023	60	142	2.4	60	1.00
Sep 2022	59	130	2.2	57	0.97
Sep 2021	60	159	2.7	59	0.98
Sep 2020	60	157	2.6	57	0.95
Sep 2019	60	184	3.1	87	1.45
Sep 2018	60	150	2.5	58	0.97
Sep 2017	60	218	3.6	72	1.20
Sep 2016	60	205	3.4	77	1.28
Sep 2015	60	184	3.1	57	0.95
Sep 2014	59	248	4.2	82	1.39

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 67% · Writing 67% · Maths 66% → all three 52% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard52%305th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard67%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard22%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard67%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth10%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard66%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard22%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Essex median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	52%	9%	104	103
2023/24	61%	2%	106	106
2022/23	66%	15%	105	103

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.0applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
St Francis Catholic Primary School, Braintree
0.8 km · Essex

Good2024

1.9applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
John Bunyan Primary School and Nursery
1.0 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

1.4applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
Notley Green Primary School
1.5 km · Essex

Improved significantly2024

3.0applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
John Ray Junior School
1.6 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

62%met the SATs standard
John Ray Infant School
1.6 km · Essex

Remains Good2019

1.7applications per place
Great Bradfords Junior School
2.1 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

56%met the SATs standard
Great Bradfords Infant and Nursery School
2.1 km · Essex

Remains Good2022

2.0applications per place
White Court School
2.2 km · Essex

Good2022

2.0applications per place 64%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 115157 · 881/3440
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 420 pupils · 387 on roll
Free school meals: 19.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Maple Avenue, Braintree, CM7 2NS
Local authority: Essex · Braintree

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources