Downsend School Review 2026: Future Skills Focus with Strong Co-curricular Depth

A school that has consciously repositioned itself around “future skills” rather than traditional labels. That intent shows up in the day-to-day offer: structured academic tracking in the Senior School, a deliberately broad enrichment programme, and facilities that support performance, sport and practical making, not only classroom learning. A £5m Creative Arts Centre opened in 2022 with a 200-seat auditorium, a black box studio and a recording studio; sport is equally prominent, with a 25m pool, a full-size sports hall and an all-weather Astro turf.

Leadership has also been a headline change. Mrs Bex Tear is listed as Executive Headteacher, with Mr Peter Nathan as Head of Senior School, and the wider strategy is aligned with an expansion in age range and capacity.

For families, the central question is fit. This is an academically selective independent school with a busy schedule, a strong sporting culture, and structured enrichment that can be as creative or as technical as a child wants it to be.

Downsend’s public-facing identity is clear: it wants pupils to be confident, adaptable and able to apply what they learn. Its published values, Thrive, Innovate and Endeavour, frame that tone. In practice, this tends to translate into a school that emphasises participation and presentation as well as outcomes, and that tries to make learning feel purposeful rather than abstract.

The “through-school” structure matters because children can stay within a consistent approach across stages, but the experience changes as pupils move up. In the Junior School, enrichment is framed as lively and energetic, with clubs typically finishing at 4:50pm; the menu name-checks Eco-Club, Coding Club, Quiz Club and Music Tech. The Senior School extends later, with clubs listed as running to 5:30pm and examples ranging from Robotics and Lego Engineering to Podcasting, Public Speaking and Experimental Chemistry.

Leadership visibility is built into the admissions and tour model. Talk and Tours are described as led by heads of school or the Executive Head, which tends to suit parents who want direct access to decision-makers early in the process, particularly where a child has a specific profile or needs clarity on stretch and support.

A final piece of “character” is the balance between competitive and inclusive. Sport pages talk explicitly about an elite pathway while also positioning participation for all as non-negotiable, and the club structure is presented as broad rather than niche. This combination often suits children who like to be busy and like to be part of teams, ensembles or projects, even if they are not aiming for top squad level.

The most useful way to read Downsend’s results profile is through its comparative position rather than a single headline statistic.

Ranked 502nd in England and 3rd locally for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places performance comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England (25th percentile boundary to 10th percentile boundary), a level that is meaningfully above the England average for many families comparing local options.

At GCSE, the top-grade distribution shows a substantial share of entries at the very highest levels. 25.54% of grades were 9 to 8, and 45.16% were 9 to 7. Those figures indicate a cohort where high attainment is common, even if outcomes will naturally vary by subject and year group.

Because this is an independent school with selective admissions, families should treat the results story as a combination of intake and teaching. The school’s own framing focuses heavily on progress tracking and structured support, which is consistent with how many selective schools aim to sustain performance across a wide ability range within a generally strong cohort.

Parents comparing nearby schools can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view results side-by-side using the Comparison Tool, particularly helpful when weighing an independent option against high-performing state alternatives.

Downsend describes its Senior School curriculum as designed to allow students to engage deeply “without having to rush their learning”, and it outlines a fairly systematic approach to monitoring attainment. It references MidYis and Yellis as baseline tools that help predict GCSE performance and identify strengths and weaknesses, with individual targets reviewed termly.

That academic structure is paired with a learning approach that emphasises metacognition, pupils are encouraged to plan, monitor and evaluate how they learn, and to become increasingly independent. The most credible marker here is not the terminology itself, which is widely used, but the practical implications: self-directed study spaces are explicitly mentioned, including the Senior Library and an “open-door” model for subject support at breaks and lunchtimes.

In the Junior School, the school’s own description leans into active, concrete learning. It gives examples such as using chocolate to explore fractions, or role-play activities to bring topics to life. For the right child, that style can improve confidence and retention, especially where abstract concepts land better with tangible prompts.

Specialist facilities also shape teaching. The Creative Arts Centre is not just a showcase building, it is described as containing flexible teaching spaces equipped with current technology, plus a recording studio and an audio-visual booth that supports technical theatre work. In design and technology, studios are described as covering Food Technology, Textiles, Graphics, Resistant Materials and Product Design, with equipment including laser cutters and sublimation ovens. These details matter because they point to a school that expects pupils to make and perform, not only to write and test.

Historically, the “next step” for many pupils at 16 has been moving on to sixth forms or colleges elsewhere. That picture is now changing. The July 2025 ISI material change inspection followed the school’s request to extend its age range to 18 and increase capacity, and it recommended approval on the basis that the school is likely to meet the relevant standards if the change is implemented.

In practical terms, this creates three pathways for current families. Some pupils will remain within the Downsend system as post-16 places grow. Others will still prefer specialist sixth-form colleges or different independent sixth forms where subject breadth or culture feels like a better match. A third group will decide on a case-by-case basis at the end of Year 11, which can be attractive for children who develop later or whose interests sharpen during GCSE years.

For parents, the key is to ask how the school supports decision-making from Year 10 onwards: subject guidance, careers education and realistic route planning. The school’s published approach places careers education within the wider personal development programme, and the inspection documentation notes dedicated planning for older pupils and the appointment of a careers co-ordinator.

Downsend’s admissions process is designed as a year-round pipeline rather than a single annual deadline. The school describes a structured six-step journey: enquiry, visit, registration, assessment, offer and acceptance.

The most concrete dates are the Assessment Days, which are explicitly published for the 2025 to 26 cycle. For the Junior School (Years 2 to 6 entry points), assessment days are listed as 26 to 27 November 2025, 21 to 22 January 2026, and 12 March 2026. For the Senior School (Years 7 to 11 entry points), dates are 18 to 21 November 2025, 14 to 15 January 2026, and 11 March 2026. Scholarship assessments (Years 7 to 9) are listed as Saturday 22 November 2025.

The school also states that numbers at assessment days are capped and that earlier booking typically secures the November slot, which is a practical hint that early registration can matter. It also states an aim to make offer decisions within two weeks of the assessment day.

Open events are frequent and specific. Main School open days are published as Saturday 14 March 2026 (9:30am to 11:30am) and Saturday 13 June 2026 (9:30am to 11:30am), with weekly Talk and Tours listed for Junior School on Fridays and Senior School on Mondays.

Parents considering entry should use the FindMySchool Saved Schools feature to shortlist and track which schools require formal assessments and which operate rolling admissions, it reduces missed deadlines and keeps comparisons grounded.

Pastoral messaging is prominent across the school’s published materials, but the most useful detail is the mechanism rather than the slogan.

At Senior level, the school points to structured monitoring and a culture of independent learning supported by tutors and teachers. It also references STEER tracking as a tool used to measure and improve self-regulation, and to help staff provide personalised support over time.

The daily routine also supports wellbeing in predictable ways. There is explicit provision for before and after-school supervision, including supervised study for Senior pupils and a homework-and-reading style Junior Prep after the school day. For many families, this is a practical pastoral strength because it reduces the pressure to manage homework battles at home immediately after pick-up, and it supports routines for children who do better with structured time.

The school’s safeguarding and reporting processes are described in formal documentation connected to its expansion planning. The same inspection documentation notes well-defined systems for identifying concerns and effective collaboration with external safeguarding partners.

This is where Downsend differentiates itself most clearly, not by claiming “lots of clubs” but by naming what pupils can actually do.

Sport

Sport is framed as both a participation programme and a performance pathway. The published sports list includes football, rugby, cricket, hockey and swimming, alongside athletics, gymnastics, badminton, basketball, cross-country, biathlon and tennis. It also states that pupils have at least three hours of PE or Games per week, and it highlights the use of video technology for match analysis.

Titles are also listed, including IAPS national honours in hockey, football and swimming in 2022. For families, these achievements matter less as trophies and more as indicators of coaching depth and fixture culture, particularly if a child thrives when there is a clear competitive ladder.

Facilities are unusually detailed. The school lists extensive pitches, a 200m grass athletics track, four outdoor cricket nets, an all-weather Astro turf, a hard-surface area configured for six tennis courts and four netball courts, a 25m indoor pool, and a full-size sports hall with indoor cricket nets and a sports pavilion.

Creative Arts and Making

The Creative Arts Centre is a major asset, and the school provides specifics: a 200-seat tiered performance space, a black box drama studio, flexible teaching spaces, a recording studio and an audio-visual booth. The repertoire examples named include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, The Lion King and High School Musical, with pupils involved in backstage roles as well as performing.

Music provision is described through ensembles rather than generic “music is strong”. The school lists Rock Bands, Percussion Club, String Group, Junior and Senior Choirs, Brass Group, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble, plus a Creative Music Technology Club. It also states that all Year 3 pupils join a Music Scheme to try instruments before choosing what to continue.

Design and technology is positioned as problem-solving. Studios are described as covering Food Technology, Textiles, Graphics, Resistant Materials and Product Design, with equipment including laser cutters and sublimation ovens. This is the kind of offer that suits pupils who learn best when ideas become objects, prototypes or performances.

Clubs, Trips and Enrichment

The Senior School club examples are unusually contemporary: Podcasting, Robotics, Lego Engineering, Public Speaking, Experimental Chemistry and the iDEA Award, described as a digital equivalent to Duke of Edinburgh.

Trips are presented as curriculum-linked. Examples include visits to the Bank of England, plus a range of larger trips such as ski trips and destination travel that varies by year group and programme. The best approach for parents is to ask what is optional, what is expected, and what the likely annual cost profile looks like for a child who participates fully.

Fees are published on a termly basis and are stated as inclusive of VAT for tuition, with lunch treated separately and listed as exempt from VAT.

For 2025 to 26, the total termly fees (including compulsory lunch) are:

• Year 3 to Year 6: £8,320 per term

• Year 7 to Year 8: £8,503 per term

• Year 9 to Year 11: £9,440 per term

One-off costs are also specified: a £180 registration fee and a £750 deposit to accept a place (refundable on graduation in line with terms and conditions).

On financial support, the school offers scholarships across multiple areas, with published scholarship criteria for Music, Sport, Drama, Academic, and Art, Design and Technology, including an annual scholarship assessment date and an October half-term submission deadline for supporting materials. Means-tested bursary support is also indicated as available, but the level of support is not published in a way that can be stated precisely.

Wraparound care is a clear part of the model. Early Bird Breakfast Club is listed from 7:30am for Junior and Senior pupils, with a per-day charge, and the school describes structured after-school supervision. Junior Prep runs to 4:20pm and is included within fees, with Extended Day to 5:45pm available at an additional daily cost; Senior pupils can use Supervised Study to 5:45pm, also charged per day and including an evening snack.

Exact start and end times for the core school day are not clearly published in the sources reviewed, and families should confirm timings for their child’s year group, as these can differ by phase and may change across the year.

Transport is supported through a school-run service that is designed around demand. The school also states it provides a free station-to-school and school-to-station service for those travelling via Leatherhead or Ashtead stations, which is a practical advantage for commuting families.

• Later days for engaged pupils. Clubs and practices run late, with Senior clubs described as finishing at 5:30pm and supervised study available until 5:45pm. This suits busy children; it can feel long for those who need more downtime after lessons.

• Selective admissions. Assessment days are central to entry and are capped, which increases the value of early planning. Families should treat the admissions calendar as a project and book events early.

• A high-participation culture can increase extras. Trips, practices and specialist opportunities are part of the offer; for families budgeting carefully, it is worth asking what is included, what is optional, and what is typical per term for a fully involved pupil.

• A school in transition. The school is actively expanding post-16 provision and capacity. That can be exciting for families who want continuity; it can also mean change in staffing structures, facilities use and routines over the next few years.

Downsend will suit families seeking an academically ambitious independent school that puts equal weight on sport, performance, and practical, skills-based enrichment. The facilities and programme breadth are tangible, from the Creative Arts Centre to the detailed clubs offer and structured wraparound. Best suited to pupils who enjoy being busy, like learning through doing, and respond well to clear targets and routines. The main challenge is matching the pace and expectations to the child, and then navigating admissions early enough to secure the right assessment slot.