Ofsted

At Charles Warren Academy, children are happy, confident and inspired to achieve their best. They live our values of kindness, bravery and ambition, while enjoying a rich curriculum and exciting opportunities. Every child is known, cared for and supported to flourish in a safe, inclusive and welcoming school community.

Inspection of Charles Warren Academy 

Old Groveway, Simpson, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK6 3AZ 

Inspection dates: 8 and 9 July 2025 

The quality of education Good 

Behaviour and attitudes Good 

Personal development Outstanding 

Leadership and management Good 

Early years provision Outstanding 

Previous inspection grade Good 

The principal of this school is Danielle Barnes. This school is part of Lift Schools multi academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running  the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Rebecca Boomer Clark,  and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Alastair Da Costa CBE.

What is it like to attend this school? 

Pupils embody the school’s values of being big hearted, unusually brave, pushing the  limits and discovering what is possible. Pupils follow the rules and routines of the school  from Reception Year onwards. Social times are joyous times of the day. Pupils  demonstrate high levels of respect and kindness to each other at breaktime and  lunchtime. They appreciate the range of activities they are provided with and share and  play well together. 

Pupils at this school are enthusiastic, resilient and confident learners. Pupils value the  high expectations that the school has for their learning and conduct. They constantly  strive to meet these expectations and do so well. Pupils know how to stay healthy and  safe. Staff know and care for all pupils well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or  disabilities (SEND) are supported by the school effectively. Pupils and their families are  well known and benefit from the positive and nurturing relationships they have with the  school.  

All pupils benefit from a rich offer of wider activities both in school and the wider  community. Pupils are proud of the various leadership roles that they have. As eco warriors, reading champions and school councillors, pupils make a tangible contribution to  their school community. 

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better? 

The school has an ambitious curriculum that is well matched to the needs and context of  the pupils who attend here. The curriculum is well sequenced from Reception Year  through to Year 6. The school has considered carefully the knowledge pupils need to learn  and in what order.  

A small number of non-core subjects are still being refined and improved by the school. In  these areas, the school has not yet made sure that staff have the knowledge to check  pupils’ understanding or put in place effective activities to help pupils build knowledge  over time. However, in most of the curriculum, particularly in the core curriculum areas,  staff exhibit secure subject knowledge. They make regular checks on how well pupils are  learning. They use information from these checks well to inform future ambitious learning  activities.  

Children in Reception Year benefit from the high-quality provision in place for them.  Expert early years practitioners know the children and their needs well. Staff put in place  effective activities in the classroom. These ensure that children secure the foundational  knowledge required to be ready for learning in key stage 1. This is most evident to see  through the expert teaching of phonics, which begins as soon as children start at the  school. Daily checks are made on how well pupils are learning to read. When staff spot  that a pupil is falling behind with their reading, they put in place effective extra activities  to help close gaps in knowledge. This enables all pupils, including those with SEND, to  build reading fluency as quickly as possible.

The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND rapidly and effectively. All staff have a  thorough understanding of the needs of the pupils they teach. Well-trained staff provide  precise support that meets the needs of these pupils well. They make careful adaptations  to activities so that all pupils can access the same ambitious learning. The highly inclusive  approach ensures that all pupils achieve well.  

The school has a calm and purposeful environment. Staff know and consistently apply the  school’s behaviour management approach. They build positive and trusting relationships  with pupils. Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. In classrooms, they engage  consistently well with their learning. Low-level disruptions are very rare and do not impact  on how well pupils learn the intended curriculum.  

There is an exceptional personal development offer at the school. Pupils have access to a  broad range of activities. This offer has been carefully designed by the school to ensure  that it meets the individual talents and interests of pupils. Pupils are very well prepared  for life beyond school. The school’s work to develop character is a strength. The  curriculum of ‘50 things to do’ before leaving the school encourages pupils to access activities such as present to an audience or visit a library. The school’s personal, social,  health and economic education curriculum teaches pupils how to stay safe both online  and in their community. They understand diversity and democracy and understand how  their actions can impact others. This work to prepare pupils for their next steps is  impressive. 

Leaders at all levels are focused on providing an excellent education for all pupils. Those  responsible for governance know the school well. They provide support and challenge  effectively. Staff feel well supported. They value the focus school leaders have had on  their well-being and workload. Leaders ensure that all pupils have opportunities to flourish  with a high-quality education and rich experiences. 

Safeguarding 

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 

What does the school need to do to improve? 

(Information for the school and appropriate authority) 

◼ The school has not refined the curriculum in some foundation subject areas. As a  result, pupils do not learn as well as they could in these areas. The school should  support teachers to have the knowledge and understanding to plan precise and  purposeful activities and check for understanding in those subject areas.