Denbigh SchoolWatling Academy
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Milton Keynes.
Summary of the comparison
Denbigh School and Watling Academy are secondary schools in Milton Keynes.
Denbigh School scores 66 out of 100 (grade C, average) and Watling Academy scores 72 out of 100 (grade B, strong). Watling Academy is ahead on our composite score.
Denbigh School was judged Good and Watling Academy was judged Outstanding.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 56.2 for Denbigh School and 49.1 for Watling Academy.
GCSE Attainment 8 has risen at Denbigh School (54.0 in 2021-22, 56.2 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | Milton KeynesDenbigh School | Milton KeynesWatling Academy | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C66/100 | B72/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 1st of 15 in Milton Keynes Stronger figure | 11th of 15 in Milton Keynes | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: OutstandingStronger figure | |
| School type | Academy converter | Free schools | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-19 | 11-18 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,778 | 1,767 | |
| Capacity | 1,700 | 2,250 | |
| Location | Milton Keynes, MK5 6EX | Milton Keynes, MK8 1EP | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 56.2 Stronger figure | 49.1 | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 64.0% Stronger figure | 52.8% | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 78.3% Stronger figure | 71.2% | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 258 | 299 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 223 | Not reported | |
| A-level average points | 32.8 | Not reported | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | C+ | Not reported | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 34.2 | Not reported | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 17.0% | Not reported | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,784 | 1,500 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 19.3% | 23.9% | |
| English as an additional language | 22.0% | 25.3% | |
| SEN support | 9.0% | 9.9% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 1.8% | 2.7% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 6.4% Stronger figure | 7.9% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 14.3% Stronger figure | 22.3% | 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
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.
Denbigh School
Watling Academy
Full profiles: Denbigh School · Watling Academy