Welcome

At The Downs School & Sixth Form, we give all our students the very best start in life, to help them develop into well-rounded young adults, able to venture into a rapidly changing world with confidence and determination.

Set in the heart of the Berkshire Downs, The Downs School is an exceptional place, where we pride ourselves on our small school feel and strong sense of community.  Our ethos is formed from the strong partnership between staff, students and parents, who work together to create an environment in which young people are supported to realise their full potential and achieve their personal goals.

The Downs School is high performing with a proven track record of success with our young people, but we are not a school that wants to stand still.  We know that there is always more to do to ensure that every child’s educational experience is rich, character-building and of the highest possible standard.  We do this by promoting equality of access and achievement for all, via a rich and diverse curriculum that allows students to become confident, well rounded and creative citizens who are ambitious for their future selves.

This year’s GCSE, A Level and BTEC results have been excellent, with The Downs School emerging as the best-performing non-selective school in West Berkshire. These were the first public exams both cohorts of students have ever taken and despite the well-publicised harsher grading standards this year, our students performed brilliantly, in some measures achieving even stronger results than last year. I am so proud of how students, staff and parents worked as a team to achieve this success. Our students’ achievements epitomise what The Downs School stands for: strong partnerships, resilience and desire to achieve at all levels.

At A level, a hugely impressive 13% of entries gained A* grades. 35% of entries achieved A*-A grades, 64% A*- B grades and 85% A*-C grades. At BTEC, 51% of entries gained a Distinction*- Distinction. These results compare extremely well with the results achieved by past cohorts.

At GCSE, an incredible 18% of all examinations taken resulted in grades 8 or 9; 33% of entries were grades 9 - 7; 72% of entries were grades 9 – 5; and 84% of entries were grades 9 – 4. 67% of students achieved grades 5 and above in both English and Mathematics

We recognise the trust placed upon us by parents, who actively choose our school for their children. We work in partnership with our students who contribute to decisions made within our school, ensuring that they are valued and confident.

I am extremely proud to be the Headteacher of such a vibrant school community and encourage you to make a visit to see us in action; we very much look forward to welcoming you and your family to The Downs School.

Mr C Prosser, Headteacher