St John's School
Same Surrey area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
Downsend School is a private secondary-stage school in Leatherhead, Surrey, with a published age range of 7-18.
Private school Co-ed Ages 7-18 Sixth form No boarders
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 7-18
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
Downsend School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 7-18
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Downsend grew from a boys' preparatory school founded in 1898 and developed through the merger of separate sections. Its Leatherhead Road campus now brings together Junior for Years 3 to 6 and Senior for Years 7 to 11, while Downsend Sixth provides the 16-18 stage at a separate Leatherhead site. The co-educational setting serves ages 7 to 18 with no boarding.
The senior curriculum moves from broad Years 7 and 8 study into a three-year GCSE programme beginning in Year 9. Pupils encounter core subjects, languages, humanities, creative subjects, computing, sport and personal development. Junior pupils learn through termly themes, trips and productions, while Downsend Sixth adds A-level and BTEC routes.
The Creative Arts Centre includes a 200-seat auditorium, black-box theatre, music rooms and a recording studio. A 25-metre pool, sports facilities, laboratories and studios extend the campus, and senior enrichment includes curriculum-linked trips, STEAM days and sports tours.
An enquiry and tour or open event begin admissions, followed by registration, assessment and an offer. Years 7 to 11 have assessment days, with a separate scholarship assessment; sixth-form applicants can meet the Head of Sixth about A-level and BTEC choices. The split between the main campus and Downsend Sixth is central to understanding the route through the school.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 97.3% grade 5+ in English and maths and 61 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Surrey and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 61
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 97.3%
- EBacc APS
- 5.48
- EBacc entry
- 53.4%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Surrey and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 7-18
- Headteacher
- Mrs Bex Tear
- Pupil roll
- 537 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- 1 Leatherhead Road, Leatherhead, Surrey
- Postcode
- KT22 8TJ
- Area
- Surrey
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mrs Bex Tear
School contact
- School phone
- 01372372197
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions email
- office@downsend.co.uk
- Admissions phone
- 01372372197
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 7-18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- No boarders
- Day fees
- Senior and sixth-form day tuition, Years 7-13
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 61 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 98.6% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 97.3% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 5.48 EBacc APS
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 11 January 2026
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2026 records an inspection beginning 11 January 2026. The report says the relevant standards were met.
Similar schools and comparisons
Similar schools and comparisons
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Shortlist comparisons
Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Downsend School handle admissions?
Downsend School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Downsend School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Downsend School?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Downsend School?
Downsend School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 11 January 2026.