Secondary school

Downlands Community School

  • Community School
  • ages 11–16
  • Mixed
  • West Sussex
  • BN6 8LP
  • No sixth form
Ofsted Good · inspected Oct 2022

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 350 of 3,280 secondaries in England · top 11%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 18%18%2016/17: top 20%2017/18: top 14%2018/19: top 21%2021/22: top 16%2022/23: top 14%2023/24: top 16%2024/25: top 11%No exams

Against South EastArrows: South East rank change since 2021/22

Attainment 857.3 · South East 469/10 Top 20%+5.7 pts
Grade 5+ English and maths66.2% · South East 44.8%9/10 Top 20%
EBacc point score5.33 · South East 4.039/10 Top 20%
Progress 8 · 2023/24+0.53 · South East +0.019/10 Top 20%
Show exam results by year

No exams 2019/20–21

Attainment 8
2015/16: 55.9 · 208 pupils · South East 50.92016/17: 52.2 · 180 pupils · South East 46.72017/18: 54.7 · 204 pupils · South East 46.72018/19: 52.7 · 206 pupils · South East 47.12021/22: 57.2 · 237 pupils · South East 49.12022/23: 56 · 234 pupils · South East 46.52023/24: 54.9 · 238 pupils · South East 46.22024/25: 57.3 · 231 pupils · South East 4657.352.2No exams
Grade 5+ English and maths
2016/17: 65% · 180 pupils · South East 43%2017/18: 59% · 204 pupils · South East 43.5%2018/19: 61% · 206 pupils · South East 43%2021/22: 66% · 237 pupils · South East 51%2022/23: 62% · 234 pupils · South East 45%2023/24: 58% · 238 pupils · South East 45.9%2024/25: 66.2% · 231 pupils · South East 44.8%66.2%58%No exams

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in89.1%
229 of 257 who put it first2014 · 89.2%2026 · 89.1%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st257229
2nd15210
3rd842

Last distance offered: London only

Inspections · 2006–2022

  1. 2006Good
  2. 2012Good
  3. 2016Outstanding
  4. 2022Good

4 strong areas

  • Personal development
  • Quality of education
  • Behaviour and attitudes
  • Effectiveness of leadership and management

0 weak areas

4 areas graded · safeguarding effective

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 20261,250
Free school meals (past 6 years)8.3%
First language not English4.0%
SEN support20.6%
EHC plan2.0%
Absence (sessions missed)7.6%
Persistently absent pupils19.1%

Girls 49.4%Boys 50.6%

104.2% full · 1,200 places

Parent View

Not published for this school

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher17.2
Pupils per adult11.6
  • Classroom teachers 62.7
  • Leadership 9.8
  • Teaching assistants 15.2
  • Other support 38.6

Teachers 72.5 FTE · Whole workforce 126.3 · 176 people

Financials · 2025/26

Income per pupil£7,884
Spend per pupil£8,003
Staff spend per pupil£6,119
Reserve per pupil£154
  • +£192,630revenue reserve
  • −£148,830in-year balance

Grants £6,993 · self-generated £926 · premises £327 per pupil

Destinations · 2023/24 leavers

After Year 11

238 students, followed through 2024/25 · Provisional

  • Sustained95%
  • Education90.8%
  • Apprenticeship2.5%
  • Employment1.7%
  • Not sustained2.5%
  • Unknown2.5%