High Down Infant School

High Down Infant School has made a strong start as an academy, achieving a 'Good' rating across all inspection areas. The school is praised for its inclusive environment that fosters enjoyment in learning, with pupils demonstrating positive attitudes and good behavior. Well-trained staff provide effective support, particularly for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, ensuring that all pupils can engage with a broad and balanced curriculum. The emphasis on reading and mathematics shows that leaders understand the importance of foundational skills. However, the school identified that the curriculum in some foundation subjects could better build on children's prior learning from early years.

Strengths

• Inclusive and welcoming environment for pupils
• Strong pastoral care and trusting relationships with adults
• High expectations for pupil behavior and conduct
• Effective support for pupils with SEND
• Well-structured reading and mathematics curriculum
• Pupils enjoy a range of extracurricular clubs

Areas for Improvement

• Unclear curriculum in some foundation subjects affecting progression from early years to key stage 1

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at High Down Infant School attended 96.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at High Down Infant School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 High Down Infant School had 25.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 6.6% of pupils at High Down Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 High Down Infant School received £7,357 and spent £7,138 for each of its 202 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £4,000 (£18 per pupil).

Across all 33 schools of Lighthouse Schools Partnership, income was £6,883 and spending £6,752 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in North Somerset · North Somerset local authority: places and applications

High Down Infant School is part of Lighthouse Schools Partnership, which runs 33 schools. The nearest others:

• High Down Junior School Bristol
• Gordano School Bristol
• St Peter's Church of England Primary School Portishead
• Portishead Primary School Portishead
• St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Portbury Bristol
• Golden Valley Primary School Bristol
• Grove Junior School Nailsea
• Hannah More Infant School Nailsea
• West Leigh Infant School Bristol
• Backwell School Bristol

What is High Down Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for High Down Infant School is Good, from an inspection in January 2023.

When was High Down Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

High Down Infant School was last inspected in January 2023.

How many pupils does High Down Infant School have?

High Down Infant School has 198 pupils on roll.

What age range does High Down Infant School cover?

High Down Infant School for pupils aged 3 to 7.

Where is High Down Infant School?

High Down Infant School is at Down Road, Portishead, Somerset, BS20 6DY.