Downend School
| Type | Secondary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 11-18 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Westerleigh Road Downend Bristol BS16 6XA |
| Phone | 01454862300 |
| Reference Number | 139345 |
Downend School continues to maintain strong standards since its last inspection, illustrating effective leadership under Headteacher Linda Ferris. The school promotes a supportive community atmosphere where pupils feel safe and valued, contributing positively to their educational experience. The curriculum is ambitious and well-structured, with most students achieving success in public examinations and being well-prepared for their future endeavors. The focus on diversity and equal treatment among pupils fosters a respectful environment with minimal bullying, and a range of extracurricular activities enriches student life. However, challenges remain, particularly regarding the attendance of disadvantaged pupils, which is noticeably higher than the national average. Efforts to improve attendance are ongoing but not yet fully effective. Additionally, while the curriculum is well-designed, there are gaps in addressing common misconceptions in students' understanding, indicating a need for further attention in teaching practices. Overall, the school exhibits many strengths but must address these areas to enhance its effectiveness.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1429 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 49.97%
Girls: 50.03% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 11% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 8.5% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 26.2 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 114 | 132 | 246 |
| 8 | 132 | 134 | 266 |
| 9 | 139 | 126 | 265 |
| 10 | 133 | 106 | 239 |
| 11 | 116 | 119 | 235 |
| 12 | 38 | 41 | 79 |
| 13 | 42 | 57 | 99 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 80.9% |
| White, Other | 4.8% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 2.7% |
| Chinese | 2.1% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.9% |
| Indian | 1.7% |
| White & Asian | 1.6% |
| African | 1.4% |
| Pakistani | 0.6% |
| Asian, Other | 0.6% |
| Unclassified | 0.3% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.2% |
| Irish | 0.1% |
| Caribbean | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 22 Oct 2024 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 22 Oct 2024 | School inspection |
| 09 Jan 2019 | Short inspection |
| 23 Sep 2014 | Full inspection: |
| 01 Mar 2013 | Academy conversion letter |
| 15 Mar 2012 | Full inspection: |
| Previously as Downend Comprehensive School | |
| 15 Mar 2012 | Full inspection: |
| 02 Mar 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 02 Mar 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 04 Mar 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 04 Mar 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 08 Feb 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 08 Feb 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 27 Mar 2000 | Full inspection |
| 27 Mar 2000 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Strong sense of community and support for pupils
- Ambitious and well-structured curriculum
- High expectations leading to successful public examination outcomes
- Effective safeguarding arrangements
- Rich extracurricular opportunities and leadership initiatives
- Consistent teaching strategies to reinforce learning
Areas for Improvement
- High attendance rates among disadvantaged pupils not yet improved
- Common misconceptions in student understanding not consistently addressed
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) |
|---|---|---|
| 51 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 53.6% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 70.8% |
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:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Sample
UnlockPoints
| Points | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Points | 32.2 | ||
| Average Points (best 3) | 35.11 |
Grades
| School | Local | Nationwide | |
| Average Grade | C+ | C | C+ |
| Average Grade (best 3) | B- | C+ | C+ |
| Percentage | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students getting AAB or better | 21.3% |
Unlock Premium
Get percentile rankings, historic result charts, admissions data, and post-GCSE destinations for every school.
£9.99 one-off payment. Lifetime access, no subscription.
Unlock for £9.992025 Admissions
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 199 | 1 |
| Third Preference | 83 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 56 | 0 |
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 |
|
Stanbridge Primary School
Stanbridge Road, Downend, Bristol, BS16 6AL |
0.17 miles |
|
St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Primary School
Boscombe Crescent, Downend, Bristol, BS16 6QR |
0.22 miles |
|
Barley Close Community Primary School
Barley Close, Mangotsfield, Bristol, BS16 9DL |
0.33 miles |
|
Emersons Green Primary School
Guest Avenue, Emersons Green, Bristol, BS16 7GA |
0.47 miles |
|
Bromley Heath Junior School
Quakers Road, Downend, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, BS16 6NJ |
0.58 miles |
|
Bromley Heath Infant School
Quakers Road, Downend, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, BS16 6NJ |
0.59 miles |
|
Blackhorse Primary School
Blackhorse Lane, Emersons Green, Bristol, BS16 6TR |
0.61 miles |
|
Christ Church, Church of England Infant School, Downend
Christchurch Avenue, Downend, Bristol, BS16 5TG |
0.73 miles |
|
Mangotsfield Church of England Primary School
Church Farm Road, Emersons Green, Bristol, BS16 7EY |
0.76 miles |
|
Christ Church, Church of England Junior School, Downend
Pendennis Road, Downend, Bristol, Gloucestershire, BS16 5JJ |
0.93 miles |
|
Frome Vale Academy
Frenchay Road, Downend, Bristol, BS16 2QS |
0.99 miles |
|
Staple Hill Primary School
Page Road, Staple Hill, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, BS16 4NE |
1.03 miles |
|
The Tynings Primary School
Eastleigh Close, Staple Hill, South Gloucestershire, BS16 4SG |
1.03 miles |
|
Lyde Green Primary School
Willowherb Road, Emersons Green, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, BS16 7LH |
1.09 miles |
|
Elmtree Grove School Ltd
266 Overndale Road, Bristol, BS16 2RG |
1.15 miles |
|
Frenchay Church of England Primary School
Alexander Road, Frenchay, Bristol, BS16 1UZ |
1.21 miles |
|
Little Hayes Nursery School
Symington Road, Bristol, BS16 2LL |
1.34 miles |
|
Kings' Forest Primary School
Station Road, Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 4PQ |
1.35 miles |
|
Hambrook Primary School
Moorend Road, Hambrook, Bristol, BS16 1SJ |
1.5 miles |
|
St Stephen's Church of England Junior School, Soundwell
Lansdown Road, Kingswood, St Stephen's Junior School, Bristol, BS15 1XD |
1.59 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Mangotsfield School
Rodway Hill, Mangotsfield, Bristol, BS16 9LH |
0.96 miles |
|
Soundwell Academy
St Stephens Road, Kingswood, BS16 4RL |
1.5 miles |
|
South Gloucestershire Hospital Home Teaching Service
School Room, Bristol, BS16 1LE |
1.55 miles |
|
Briarwood School
Briar Way, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 4EA |
1.63 miles |
|
New Horizons Learning Centre
Mulberry Drive, Kingswood, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, BS15 4EA |
1.87 miles |
|
Bristol Metropolitan Academy
Snowdon Road, Fishponds, Bristol, Bristol, BS16 2HD |
2.11 miles |
|
King's Oak Academy
Brook Road, Kingswood, Bristol, Gloucestershire, BS15 4JT |
2.19 miles |
|
Bristol Brunel Academy
Speedwell Road, Speedwell, Bristol, BS15 1NU |
2.29 miles |
|
Winterbourne Academy
High Street, Winterbourne, Bristol, BS36 1JL |
2.3 miles |
|
Digitech Studio School
Tower Road North, Warmley, Bristol, BS30 8XQ |
2.53 miles |
|
Warmley Park School
Tower Road North, Warmley, Bristol, BS30 8XL |
2.53 miles |
|
John Cabot Academy
Woodside Road, Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 8BD |
2.59 miles |
|
Collegiate School
|
2.81 miles |
|
Abbeywood Community School
New Road, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, BS34 8SF |
2.86 miles |
|
Neptune School
24 Poplar Road, Warmley, Bristol, BS30 5JU |
3.06 miles |
|
Trinity Academy
Romney Avenue, Lockleaze, Bristol, BS7 9BY |
3.08 miles |
|
Immanuel Christian School
Rodford Tabernacle, Westerleigh Road, Westerleigh, Avon, BS37 8QG |
3.25 miles |
|
Sir Bernard Lovell Academy
North Street, Oldland Common, Bristol, BS30 8TS |
3.51 miles |
|
Hanham Woods Academy
Memorial Road, Hanham, Bristol, Bristol, BS15 3LA |
3.56 miles |
|
Fairfield High School
Allfoxton Road, Horfield, Bristol, BS7 9NL |
3.62 miles |