Downs Infant School

About Downs Infant School

Downs Infant School, a state primary in Brighton and Hove for children aged 5 to 7, was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2024. This is a notable shift from its previous inspection in 2013, when it was judged Outstanding across the board. The school now holds Good ratings for all individual categories inspected: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. While the overall effectiveness was not formally judged this time, the consistent Good grades across every area suggest a solid, reliable setting. The most telling academic metric for a school this young is the parent view, and here the data is striking. Of the 201 parents who responded, 99% would recommend the school to other parents. On the question of whether their child does well at the school, 69% strongly agreed and 27% agreed, with zero disagreement. That level of parental confidence is a powerful indicator of day-to-day academic experience.

Because Downs Infant School covers only Key Stage 1, there are no published KS2 SATs results or a Progress 8 score to compare against the local authority average of 59. Instead, the school’s academic story is best told through its Ofsted breakdown and parent feedback. The inspection report noted that the quality of education is Good, and the early years provision — which sets the foundation for all later learning — is also Good. Parents overwhelmingly feel the school has high expectations for their child: 46% strongly agreed and 44% agreed, with only 4% disagreeing. On communication about learning, 47% strongly agreed that the school makes them aware of what their child will learn, and 42% agreed. For a school that only has children for three years, this strong partnership between home and school is crucial, and the data suggests it is working well for the vast majority of families.

The school is clearly popular. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, it received 260 applications for 89 places, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 2.92 applicants per place. Of the 103 first-preference applications, 83 were offered a spot. The school has a range of facilities including a sports hall, art studios, music rooms, a sensory room, and playing fields, plus a chapel. Sports on offer include football, cricket, netball, dance, swimming, athletics, and rounders, with clubs in coding, drama, and art. SEND provisions cover social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication, hearing impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 11.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. This is a school that suits families who want a strong start in a well-regarded, oversubscribed infant setting with excellent parent satisfaction and a clear focus on early years development.

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