The Downs School
Manor Crescent, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire, RG20 6AD ·
At a glance
A state secondary academy for ages 11–18 in Newbury. Ofsted inspection (October 2024): Good or better in all areas (no overall grade was given). GCSE results are above the England average (Attainment 8: 53.4 vs 46.1, 2024/25). Oversubscribed: 249 families put it first for 204 places (September 2026 entry).
- Ages
- 11–18
- Pupils
- –
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Local authority
- West Berkshire
- Academy trust
- SUMMIT EDUCATION TRUST
- Headteacher
- Mr Chris Prosser
- Opened
- Apr 2026
Inspection
Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)
Inspections from September 2024 did not give an overall grade, only the separate judgements below.
- Quality of education
- Outstanding
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Outstanding
- Personal development
- Outstanding
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form
- Outstanding
Safeguarding effective: Yes
Exam results
Department for Education performance tables
GCSE results, 2024/25 · 206 pupils
Attainment 8 over time
Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.
Admissions
Demand for places and how places are allocated
Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)
196 of 249 first-preference applicants were offered a place (79%). 14 offers went to families living in another council area.
Earlier years include data recorded for this school's predecessor.
Catchment area
We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.
Last distance offered
Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.
Pupils
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