The Highcrest AcademySt Michael's Catholic School
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in High Wycombe.
Summary of the comparison
This page compares The Highcrest Academy and St Michael's Catholic School in High Wycombe.
The Highcrest Academy scores 51 out of 100 (grade D, below average) and St Michael's Catholic School scores 62 out of 100 (grade C, average). St Michael's Catholic School is ahead on our composite score.
The Highcrest Academy was judged Good and St Michael's Catholic School was judged the expected standard.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 42.0 for The Highcrest Academy and 48.7 for St Michael's Catholic School.
GCSE Attainment 8 has held broadly level at The Highcrest Academy (42.2 in 2021-22, 42.0 in 2025-26) and has held broadly level at St Michael's Catholic School (48.3 in 2023-24, 48.7 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | High WycombeThe Highcrest Academy | High WycombeSt Michael's Catholic School | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | D51/100 | C62/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 29th of 37 in Buckinghamshire | 19th of 37 in Buckinghamshire Stronger figure | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: Expected | |
| School type | Academy converter | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Secondary | All-through | |
| Age range | 11-18 | 3-19 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,045 | 2,414 | |
| Capacity | 1,069 | 2,220 | |
| Location | High Wycombe, HP13 7NQ | High Wycombe, HP11 1PW | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 42.0 | 48.7 Stronger figure | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 42.5% | 46.2% Stronger figure | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 67.8% | 71.0% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 174 | 366 | |
| Key Stage 2 (SATs) | |||
| Reading, writing & maths at expected standard | Not reported | 68.0% | 62.0% |
| At higher standard | Not reported | 13.0% | 8.0% |
| Reading average scaled score | Not reported | 109.0 | 106.0 |
| Maths average scaled score | Not reported | 107.0 | 105.0 |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 56 | 63 | |
| A-level average points | 27.7 Stronger figure | 19.7 | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | C- | D | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 27.8 Stronger figure | 22.0 | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 13.0% Stronger figure | 2.6% | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,072 | 2,355 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 35.6% | 17.3% | |
| English as an additional language | 26.0% | 35.5% | |
| SEN support | 10.1% | 13.0% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 5.0% | 2.9% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 9.9% | 6.8% Stronger figure | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 27.1% | 18.4% Stronger figure | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
A-level average points
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
The Highcrest Academy
St Michael's Catholic School
Full profiles: The Highcrest Academy · St Michael's Catholic School