Results are beginning to improve and the school is planning a satellite in nearby Aylesbury

The school: St Michael’s is a mixed school of over 1,100 pupils aged three to 18. The majority are white British but others come from Eastern Europe and further afield, with double the average number of pupils whose first language is not English. The number of pupils on free school meals (for children from poorer backgrounds) is below average and the number of pupils with a statement of special needs is above average. Catholic and other Christian pupils represent 76 per cent of students. Until 2011 St Michael’s was a secondary school. It expanded to form a primary and then a nursery.
 
Growth spurt: A proposal to open a satellite school in nearby Aylesbury, which has no Catholic secondary, is under consultation. A bulge in the birth rate, combined with plans for 45,000 new homes, when there is already a high demand for places in Catholic schools, means the need is great. The new school, planned to open in 2018, would have four forms of entry, increasing over time to six (180 pupils per year).