What Makes Michaela Different?

Michaela Community School, Wembley

Head talking to students

Our Results are extraordinary.

Michaela’s last Progress 8 score placed us as the best school in the country.

More than 91% of our children receive passes in English and Maths GCSEs and more than half of our pupils achieved a grade 7 or above in 5 subjects. This means they were graded A or A*.

Our Sixth Form achieves remarkable results, with 82% of them securing a place at a Russell Group university, including Oxbridge, LSE and Imperial. Students were accepted on to a wide variety of courses including Medicine and Law. Last year, 1 in 3 A-Level exams were graded A* and 75% of exams were grades A* or A. In every subject, over 91% of exams were graded A* to B.

Our teaching is outstanding. Why?

Because our teachers lead the learning. Our desks are in rows and the teacher stands at the front of the class and leads the children to new and exciting destinations. This requires sharp explanations, checking for understanding, and a belief that the teacher is the authority in the classroom.

We do not have grouped desks where children are facing each other, or where children are leading the learning while the teacher is more a facilitator of learning.

This means that learning time is not wasted at Michaela. The learning is driven by the teacher and the pupils are able to access difficult concepts with ease.

We have high expectations of behaviour. Why?

Hands up in class
Children sharing knowledge

Because without excellent discipline, learning cannot take place. Pupils at Michaela feel they are treated fairly and justly. Thanks to our high expectations, it means that learning can flourish.

Visit any classroom at Michaela and you will see hands sky high, eager to answer the teacher’s questions with pupil engagement at its very best.

Children are polite and helpful, with a genuine interest in helping their peers. This can only happen in an environment that expects the very best of them.

We teach kindness and gratitude. Why?

Our motto is Work Hard, Be Kind. We value kindness at Michaela and expect the children to be kind. This involves encouraging children to be helpful to their classmates and then to be grateful to each other and to their families.​

Once a child joins Michaela, families comment on how their children’s characters change for the better, even at home.

At Michaela, children don’t just learn a lot, they become better people.