The secondary school served the Roman Catholic community of the towns of Irvine and Kilwinning and the villages of Beith, Kilbirnie and Dalry, which make up the Garnock Valley.

When St Michael's closed in 2007, a staff committee compiled a history of the 86 years, a paperback which sold out of 1000 copies in six months.

In 1920 the Sisters of the Cross and Passion purchased Williamfield Estate on Kilwinning Road in the town to act as a convent and school which they staffed.

The Second World War was soon to start leading to a period of deprivation and austerity which meant school building was now very low on the list of national priorities.

This set up with the wooden school huts becoming increasingly overcrowded was to remain until the 1960s when the College moved to new premises costing £453,000 built in the neighbouring town of Kilwinning.