St Michaels Church of England Academy
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St Michaels Church of England Academy is a sponsored academy in Crosby for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. It has 547 pupils and room for 684. About 43 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 0 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 2% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inadequate, back in 2024.
St Michaels Road, Crosby, L23 7UL0151 924 6778stmichaelshigh.comMr Roy Bellmon headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 19 June 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Inadequate overall.
Ofsted has serious worries about this school. It is in special measures.
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
114 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England. These are the results of St Michael's Church of England High School, the school this one replaced.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025† | 2024† | 2023† | 2022† | 2019† | 2018† | Sefton | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 114 | 119 | 109 | 131 | 94 | 128 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 40.1 | 36.6 | 37.8 | 42.7 | 42.7 | 42.9 | 43.3 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | -0.89 | -0.88 | -0.38 | -0.27 | -0.32 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 25% | 22% | 24% | 32% | 34% | 33% | 39% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 54% | 49% | 52% | 59% | 60% | 61% | 60% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 3.33 | 3.04 | 3.13 | 3.63 | 3.68 | 3.70 | 3.74 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 18% | 3% | 27% | 50% | 40% | 22% | 39% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 31.9 | 30.4 | 29.4 | 33.9 | 38.0 | 38.7 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 44.4 | 39.9 | 42.9 | 47.4 | 45.3 | 45.3 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 27.7 | 20.1 | 30.3 | 24.6 | 28.7 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 51.2 | 56.4 | 64.0 | 58.2 | 53.5 | – | – |
† These results are for St Michael's Church of England High School, the school this one replaced in April 2025. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 3 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At GCSE, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
293 places were empty (31% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Sefton council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) and SEN unit with 18 pupils and a SEN unit with 10 pupils, for autism, specific learning difficulties.
To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Sefton with autism provision.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (58), language and communications needs (47), Specific learning difficulty (46), Autistic spectrum disorder (42), Moderate learning difficulty (19), Physical disability (5).
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 86.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24† | 2022/23† | 2021/22† | 2020/21† | 2018/19† | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 13.5% | 11.4% | 12.7% | 10.5% | 8.6% | 5.6% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 7.1% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 6.3% | 6.2% | 3.7% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 6.4% | 4.4% | 5.2% | 4.3% | 2.4% | 1.9% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 36.5% | 38.0% | 40.7% | 37.0% | 30.4% | 13.6% | 23.9% |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
† These attendance figures are for St Michael's Church of England High School, the school this one replaced in April 2025. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacred Heart Catholic Academy | Academy | 0.9 miles | 613 | No overall grade 2024 | 9 | Compare |
| Holy Family Catholic High School | Roman Catholic | 1.1 miles | 1,012 | Not inspected | 33 | Compare |
| Chesterfield High School | Academy | 1.3 miles | 1,692 | Good 2023 | 52 | Compare |
| Litherland High School | Academy | 2.3 miles | 761 | Good 2024 | 19 | Compare |
| The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco | Academy | 2.9 miles | 575 | Report card 2026 | 7 | Compare |
| King's Leadership Academy Hawthornes | Free school | 3.2 miles | 708 | Good 2023 | 11 | Compare |
| Maghull High School | Academy | 3.5 miles | 1,098 | Report card 2026 | 5 | Compare |
| Range High School | Academy | 3.8 miles | 979 | Good 2022 | 32 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares St Michaels Church of England Academy with the 48 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Michaels Church of England Academy, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Academy | Academy | 13.8 miles | 549 | No overall grade 2024 | 49 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 0 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 0% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 0 to 0. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 0% | no data | – | |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | well below | -2.00 | Ofsted grade, 2.2 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 0% | no data | – | |
| Direction of travel over five years | 0% | no data | – | |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | well below | -0.56 | 2024/25; 576 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 0% | no data | – | |
| What pupils do next | 0% | no data | – | |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is St Michaels Church of England Academy a good school?
The figures are weak. St Michaels Church of England Academy scores 0 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 2% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 0 to 0, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is St Michaels Church of England Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated St Michaels Church of England Academy inadequate at its last full inspection on 19 June 2024.
How good are St Michaels Church of England Academy's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 25% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 40.1, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished most of a grade behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How many pupils does St Michaels Church of England Academy have?
547 pupils aged 11 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 684 places, so it is 80% full.
Is St Michaels Church of England Academy oversubscribed?
Probably not. 293 places were empty in 2024/25 (31% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at St Michaels Church of England Academy?
Pupils were in school 86.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 36% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at St Michaels Church of England Academy?
The average class had 19.8 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 9% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does St Michaels Church of England Academy have specialist SEND provision?
Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) and sen unit for autism, specific learning difficulties. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.
Does St Michaels Church of England Academy have a sixth form?
Yes.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- St Michaels Road, Crosby, L23 7UL
- Telephone
- 0151 924 6778
- Website
- www.stmichaelshigh.com
- Headteacher
- Mr Roy Bellmon
- Type of school
- Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
- Phase
- Secondary school, ages 11-18, with sixth form
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England, Diocese of Liverpool
- Multi-academy trust
- The Liverpool Joint Catholic and Church of England Academies Trust (11 schools)
- Local authority
- Sefton
- Ward
- Blundellsands
- Constituency
- Sefton Central
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 April 2025 (fresh start)
- URN
- 151777 · LAESTAB 3434011 · UKPRN 10097845
- Formerly
- St Michael's Church of England High School
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.