At St Michael’s, we aim to show love, care, and kindness to all in our community. We value what we have and share with others, and we aim to enable everyone to achieve their full potential. In 2023, Ofsted again judged our school to be ‘Good’, particularly at a time when the benchmark for ‘Good’ is at the highest level it has ever been. I am delighted that the hard work undertaken by Governors and school leaders, at all levels, has been recognised, including the comments regarding our high expectations, Christian ethos, culture of mutual respect, provision for students’ wider personal development, PSCE, and prioritisation of reading strategies to ensure students catch-up and safeguarding provision.
The impact of the quality of education is underpinned by an ambitious and effectively structured curriculum. Ofsted recognised that lessons are structured effectively. Teachers model tasks skilfully, and they are adept in the way they implement the curriculum. They make good use of different forms of assessment to check what students know and understand. As a result, teachers quickly spot where students may need additional help.
In 2019, our Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist School visit resulted in the highest judgement of Excellent for ‘The impact of collective worship’; ‘The effectiveness of Religious Education’ and the Overall Judgement: ‘How effective is the school’s distinctive Christian vision, established and promoted by leadership at all levels, in enabling students and adults to flourish?’ This outcome was a very prestigious, highly valued honour.
Academic success at St Michael’s has gone from strength to strength; there has been a significant improvement in examination results, culminating in years of exceptional student progress with many subjects and cohorts exceeding national figures for attainment and progress. In 2023, our Year 11 cohort achieved the third highest attainment in the whole of Sandwell. We are exceptionally proud of our students and combined with exemplary provision for personal development, we ensure students leave St Michael’s as well-rounded individuals who are ready to contribute positively to society.
During the height of the pandemic, our school community donated food, gifts, aprons, and goggles, and we manufactured and donated visors to hospitals, surgeries, care homes, hospices, and schools during lockdown. Whilst COVID-19 has forced changes upon us, our children have adapted, continued to flourish, and proven their resilience.
Our award-winning Student Voice programme is open to all students who are passionate advocates and agents of change. Our children work tirelessly for the benefit of others: highlighting the problems faced by 21st Century children; liaising with local agencies to tackle environmental and social issues; supporting our local and global community, and raising money for charity. In 2023, Student Voice was the recipient of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS). The KAVS is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work in their own communities and is equivalent to an MBE.
Our Junior Leadership Team and Wellbeing Champions are pioneers within school; through collaborative working partnerships, they help inform strategies and help shape curriculum design. St Michael’s achieved the ‘gold standard’ with the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools Award.
As Headteacher, I look forward to working in conjunction with you to ensure that high standards and expectations are upheld, in relation to school attendance (97% or above), behaviour, student conduct, and academic rigour. Through working in partnership, we can ensure that all students are able to flourish with the curriculum and beyond.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your support, and I look forward to working with you over the coming years.
With kindest regards,
Mrs Christina Handy-Rivett (MA; NPQH)
Headteacher
