Proud secondary school becomes the first in Milton Keynes to be rated outstanding in every area by Ofsted

A secondary school that only opened three years ago has been rated as outstanding in every single area by Ofsted inspectors.

Watling Academy on Whitehouse is the biggest school in Milton Keynes, with 1,800-pupils, and is part of the Denbigh Alliance Multi-Academy Trust.

It had its first Ofsted inspection in May and the report had just been published – and it could not be more complimentary.

The inspectors rated the school as ‘Outstanding’ in every area, as well as for its overall effectiveness as a school.

Today (Wednesday) headteacher Ian Bacon, wrote to parents to inform them of the good news and thank students, families and staff for all their hard work and support over the past three years.

He said: “Rightly, the Inspectors recognised the contribution of our students and families in ensuring our values of ‘Respect, Responsibility and Kindness’ are at the heart of the Watling community.

“The most important part of the process for me was that the Inspectors were able to clearly see and feedback on the aspects of the school that make Watling Academy a unique place to learn and work.

"We maintain our unwavering commitment to the highest quality of education, care and opportunity for every child at Watling Academy. You have my word that we will never become complacent, will relentlessly focus on improvement, learn from our mistakes and develop as we grow, and that we will continue to have the highest expectations and ambition for every child at Watling.”

The report said pupils “live and breathe” the school’s values every day, and relationships between pupils and staff are “exceptionally positive”, reflecting leaders’ aims that no pupil should be anonymous.

The leaders expertly thread themes [MK, STEM and Sustainability] through the curriculum, which help pupils to place their learning in a wider context, and teachers inspire pupils to think deeply and achieve highly.

Safeguarding is a strength of the school, said the report, stating: "It has a very high priority and there is a tangible culture of vigilance and care.”

Finally it said: “Pupils are proud of the school’s inclusive nature, where diversity is cherished.”

The report will not be published on the Ofsted website until next week.