MixedIndependentBoarding

Downside School

Radstock, Somerset, South West · BA3 4RJ

Founded in 1606, Downside is a small Roman Catholic independent school in Radstock, Somerset, with boarding and day places for around 254 pupils aged 11 to 18. Its scale lends it an intimate feel, and the sixth form is comparatively substantial, with 114 of those pupils studying at A-level. The Independent Schools Inspectorate rated the school good overall in its most recent inspection, while singling out pupils' personal development as excellent and confirming all compliance standards were met. A high proportion of pupils receive SEN support, at around 36 per cent, suggesting a setting attentive to individual learning needs.

254

Pupils

good

ISI

£31,644

Day fees / yr

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Overview & data

Gender: Mixed
Type: independent (fee-paying) school
Age range: 11-18
Pupils: 254
Location: Radstock, Somerset, South West
Website: www.downside.co.uk
Telephone: 01761 235100

Entrance & admissions

Entry age: 11

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Headteacher

Interim Head Mike Randall

Latest results

Attainment 8

32.7

National average 46.9

GCSE grade 5+ (English & Maths)

National average 47%

GCSE grade 9-7

49%

A-level A*-A

31%

A-level A*-B

49%

Teaching & academics

Results sit below national benchmarks, with an Attainment 8 score of 32.7 against the national average of 46.9, and no pupils reaching grade 5 or above in both English and Maths in the figures provided. That said, nearly half of GCSE grades fall in the 9 to 7 range, and at A-level 31 per cent of entries achieve A*-A, rising to 49 per cent at A*-B. The curriculum spans GCSE, A-level, BTEC and the EPQ, with sciences and languages popular at GCSE and Psychology, Economics, Mathematics and English Literature drawing sixth-formers.

Sixth form

Sixth-form pupils: 114

Popular A-level subjects

PsychologyEconomicsMathematicsEnglish Literature

Qualifications offered

GCSEA-levelBTECEPQ

Learning support & SEN

SEN support: 35.53%
EHC plans: 0%

Arts & extracurricular

Scholarships

Sports ScholarshipMusicAll Rounder

Languages

FrenchSpanishGerman

Popular GCSE subjects

FrenchPhysicsChemistryBiologyGeographySpanish

Sport

Main sports

Rugby

Beyond the classroom

Rugby is the principal sport, and scholarships are available in sport, music and as an all-rounder, signalling where the school invests beyond the classroom. French, Spanish and German are all taught, offering a broad modern languages provision for a school of this size.

Ethos & heritage

Founded: 1606
Religious character: RC
Boarding: Yes

Mobile phone policy

Pupils may not bring phones into main school buildings during working day. Rules vary by year group: younger pupils hand in devices to house staff, older ones store securely or confine use to Sixth Form Centre. Phones banned from chapel and church, headphones not allowed in public areas, smart watches may be removed.

Money matters

Day fees (per year): £26,136 - £31,644
Boarding fees (per year): £39,564 - £52,164

Inspection reports

ISI rating: good
ISI personal development: excellent
Last inspected: 21 June 2023

Read the full inspection report ↗

The last word

A small, long-established Catholic boarding and day school whose strength lies in pastoral care and personal development rather than headline league-table results.

The Passmate verdict