Classpot

Downend School

South Gloucestershire, BS16 6XASecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Oct 2024
Progress 8
+0.10
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.5×
Oversubscribed
336 1st-choice / 230 places
Ranking
#1,308
of 3,141 nationally

About Downend School

Downend School is a mixed state secondary in South Gloucestershire, a local authority where no school currently holds an Outstanding Ofsted rating. It ranks 5th out of 16 schools of the same type in the area, placing it in the top third locally. The top-performing peers in the authority are John Cabot Academy, Bradley Stoke Community School, and The Castle School, all of which sit above Downend on the Progress 8 measure. The school is led by headteacher Rachael Corns and is significantly oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 619 applications for 230 places, with 336 families listing it as their first preference. That level of demand suggests strong local reputation, and 88% of parents who responded to the Ofsted Parent View survey would recommend the school to others.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressWesterleigh Road, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, BS16 6XA
HeadteacherRachael Corns
Local AuthoritySouth Gloucestershire
Number of Pupils1,429
Free School Meals (FSM)11.0%
School Capacity1,429 / 1,425 (100% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

What 220 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

23 Oct 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Latest monitoring visit (23 Oct 2024): Standards maintained

Source: Ofsted, 22 Oct 2014. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

10
Swimming PoolICT SuiteScience LabsTheatreMusic RoomsGymnasiumDining HallArt StudiosChapelSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

16

Sports

FootballHockeyRowingRugbyCross CountryGymnasticsTennisAthleticsSwimming

Clubs & Activities

Science ClubCodingChessFilm ClubDuke of EdinburghBook ClubYoung Enterprise

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyMulti-SensoryOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:05

Source: downend.com. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Downend School

Downend School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.