Downlands Community School
| Type | Secondary / Community school |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Dale Avenue Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8LP |
| Phone | 01273845892 |
| Reference Number | 126087 |
Downlands Community School is performing well overall, with a current rating of 'Good' across all inspected areas. This inspection is noted as the first routine assessment since the pandemic and follows a previous outstanding grade six years ago. The school has made significant improvements in its curriculum, focusing on ambitious goals for all students, including those with special educational needs. Additionally, strong relationships between pupils and staff contribute to a supportive and welcoming school environment, encouraging high attendance and active participation in school life.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1250 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 50.56%
Girls: 49.44% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 7.9% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 4.2% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 23.6 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 125 | 115 | 240 |
| 8 | 138 | 132 | 270 |
| 9 | 135 | 134 | 269 |
| 10 | 119 | 120 | 239 |
| 11 | 115 | 117 | 232 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 82.9% |
| Unclassified | 5.8% |
| White, Other | 5.2% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.9% |
| White & Asian | 1.2% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.8% |
| African | 0.3% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.2% |
| Irish | 0.2% |
| Asian, Other | 0.2% |
| Chinese | 0.1% |
| Indian | 0.1% |
| Caribbean | 0.1% |
| Pakistani | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| > Quality of education | Good |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Good |
| > Personal Development | Good |
| > Leadership & Management | Good |
| Last Report Date | 04 Oct 2022 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 04 Oct 2022 | School inspection: |
| 29 Nov 2016 | Full inspection: |
| 19 Jan 2012 | Full inspection: |
| 30 Jun 2010 | Interim assessment |
| 10 Feb 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 30 Nov 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 18 Mar 2002 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- High expectations for learning and behaviour among leaders and staff.
- Strong pastoral care and trusting relationships between pupils and staff.
- Ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum improving knowledge retention.
- Effective personal development programs preparing pupils for future challenges.
- Wide range of extracurricular clubs well-attended by students.
- Supportive environment fostering pupil participation and teamwork.
- Effective independent careers advice for older pupils.
Areas for Improvement
- Insufficient systems to support reading difficulties beyond Year 7.
- Safeguarding record keeping lacks organization and effectiveness.
- Inconsistent adaptations for some pupils with special educational needs.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 57.3 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 66.2% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 85.7% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 135 | 4 |
| Third Preference | 108 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 32 | 16 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
The Windmills Junior School
Dale Avenue, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 8LS |
0.08 miles |
|
Hassocks Infant School
Chancellors Park, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 8EY |
0.27 miles |
|
Ditchling St Margaret's Church of England Primary School
Lewes Road, Ditchling, East Sussex, BN6 8TU |
1.2 miles |
|
London Meed Community Primary School
Chanctonbury Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9YQ |
1.97 miles |
|
St Lawrence CofE Primary School
Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 9UY |
1.98 miles |
|
Birchwood Grove Community Primary School, Burgess Hill
Birchwood Grove Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 0DP |
2.16 miles |
|
St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School
School Close, Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9RJ |
2.34 miles |
|
Southway Junior School
Southway, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9SU |
2.61 miles |
|
The Gattons Infant School
Royal George Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9SL |
2.64 miles |
|
Albourne Church of England Primary School
The Street, Albourne, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 9DH |
3 miles |
|
Sheddingdean Community Primary School
Petworth Drive, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 8JT |
3.03 miles |
|
Oak Tree Primary School
Junction Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 0PZ |
3.09 miles |
|
Plumpton Primary School
Southdowns, Plumpton Green, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 3EB |
3.56 miles |
|
Wivelsfield Primary School
South Road, Wivelsfield Green, East Sussex, RH17 7QN |
3.98 miles |
|
Patcham Junior School
Ladies Mile Road, Patcham, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 8TA |
3.99 miles |
|
Carden Nursery and Primary School
County Oak Avenue, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 8LU |
4.03 miles |
|
Coldean Primary School
Kenwards, Coldean, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9EN |
4.09 miles |
|
Patcham Infant School
Highview Avenue South, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 8WW |
4.15 miles |
|
Westdene Primary School
Bankside, Westdene, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 5GN |
4.38 miles |
|
Twineham CofE Primary School
Church Lane, Twineham, Haywards Heath, Avon, RH17 5NR |
4.53 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Hurstpierpoint College
College Lane, Hassocks, BN6 9JS |
1.89 miles |
|
Woodlands Meed
Chanctonbury Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9EY |
2.05 miles |
|
The Burgess Hill Academy
Station Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9EA |
2.14 miles |
|
Burgess Hill Girls
Keymer Road, Burgess Hill, RH15 0EG |
2.16 miles |
|
Hambrook School
Marle Place, Leylands Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 8HY |
2.82 miles |
|
St Paul's Catholic College
Jane Murray Way, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 8GA |
3.19 miles |
|
Plumpton College
Ditchling Road, Plumpton, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 3AE |
3.26 miles |
|
LVS Hassocks
London Road, Sayers Common, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 9HT |
3.52 miles |
|
Patcham High School
Ladies Mile Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 8PB |
4.08 miles |
|
Brighton Aldridge Community Academy
Lewes Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9PW |
4.8 miles |
|
Varndean College
Surrenden Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 6WQ |
4.82 miles |
|
Varndean School
Balfour Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 6NP |
4.91 miles |