St Michael's C of E Primary Highgate

We are a warm, friendly, and inclusive primary school in the heart of Highgate with four acres of outdoor green space for our school to enjoy. Our school values of Friendship, Forgiveness, Koinonia, Creation and Endurance underpin our vision to nurture and inspire our children to develop a love of learning in a supportive Christian community and become the best they can be.

We look forward to welcoming you to our wonderful school. As a Church school we are subject to two inspections, Ofsted and SIAMs, both are rigorous and rate the school with a grade.

St. Michael’s is very proud to announce that following our OFSTED inspection in June 2023 we have been judged to be outstanding in all categories and Ofsted affirms that there is an exceptional quality of education provided for children at St Michael’s School.

We place great importance on all of our school community understanding and living by our vision, mission and values. We believe our children’s future is created every day. Every moment counts.

Our mission: ‘To nurture and inspire our children to develop a love of learning in a supportive Christian community and become the best they can be.’

We provide a creative, challenging curriculum that encourages independent thought, problem solving and a love of learning.

Like all schools in England, we must follow the national curriculum, but it is the way we do so that sets us apart. We believe a child’s future is created every day and we aim to make every moment count. That is our vision for St Michael’s and it shapes and guides our daily work with the children.

In 1852, St. Michael’s opened as a Victorian Farm School with the ambition ‘to create an effective school for the poor’. This was both inspirational and ambitious – children did not have to go to school and many could not afford to do so.

The school’s mission was, ‘to render the Boys and Girls generally handy and industrious and they should be employed as much as possible in general work and jobbing in about the schools.’

The school has gone through many changes since then. In April 1972, the new junior building was finished. It was officially opened in June by Margaret Thatcher, then Secretary of State for Education. The opening was celebrated with a special opera performance. The Junior Hall continues to host many exciting plays, concerts, pantomimes, assemblies, fairs and workshops.

The infant children are still taught in the original buildings, which in 1979 were connected by another new hall. The Infant Hall is dedicated to Richard Grout, head teacher from 1968-1981, who instigated many of the modern additions to the buildings.

More recently, a room devoted to science and technology was created as well as a computing room, Green room and Art room. The Art room is dedicated to Barbara Smith, head teacher from 1997 until 2009. Plans are underway to convert a former teacher’s living quarters on the school grounds into a dedicated space for music.

Thanks to our beginnings as a farm school, we are situated on four acres of land – a unique feature for a London school. This legacy of space left by the pioneers of 1852 gives the children an enviable environment. They are surrounded by fields, trees, gardens and allotments, which are used daily for outdoor learning, sports, events – and of course, play.

At St. Michael’s School, we work within a Christian philosophy and positively promote our Christian ethos. We aim to provide the best possible education to prepare and equip children for life in our multi-faith and multi-cultural world.

We wish children to acquire a spirit of enquiry, positive attitudes, and a concern for others, within a caring community. Each child will be actively encouraged to develop his or her own capabilities to the full. We will recognise the worth and value of each child, and the importance of his or her self-esteem.

Protective Behaviours are taught across the school and every child is aware that they have the right to feel safe. They are also taught about freedom of speech and how to propose and oppose a motion in polite but direct way.

Children are valued for their differences and there is a wide variety of extra-curricular clubs to enable children to try new things, develop new skills and practice existing ones. Care is taken to provide equal opportunities for all genders such as a boys and girls football team. The children write and edit their own School Newspaper which reflects the issues that are important to them.

An Anti-Bullying week is held annually and highlighted throughout the year. During these sessions, children are taught to value differences in others and themselves and to respect others.

A consistent behaviour policy is in place and children take responsibility, with support when needed, to resolve conflict and repair relationships. Friendship benches in the playground give an opportunity for children to make new friends. Be the Best you can be is part of the PHSE and facilitates children in their journey to achieve their goals through the Olympic and Para-Olympic values, so encouraging children to value themselves and others.