Downland School, Devizes
Downland School is a special school for pupils aged 10 to 16 in Devizes. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Downland School in detail
What parents say
15 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Downland School (as of September 2025): 87% would recommend the school, 80% say their child is happy there and 83% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (93%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (67%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 22 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 50% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 50% to a further education college and 5% to an apprenticeship.
Who goes there
57.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Downland School has an education, health and care plan (102 of 102 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Downland School has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism and social, emotional and mental health needs: 90 places, 92 pupils on roll.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Downland School.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Downlands School (w-bound), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Downland School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 118 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Wiltshire (34), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Downland School issued 62 suspensions, 70.5 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
The welfare of pupils and their families is at the heart of Downland. The school provides a calm and nurturing environment where pupils attend regularly. Many pupils have arrived from disrupted placements elsewhere. They describe how the school has a 'fresh start culture.' Pupils appreciate how staff see beyond their special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), which allows them to flourish.
Pupils experience success because staff understand the individual needs of pupils well and have high expectations of them. They place high importance on the curriculum, which includes an individualised therapeutic approach. The school weaves the core skills of reading, writing and mathematics throughout the curriculum. However, the school is aware that pupils are not yet able to demonstrate their knowledge in their written work across other subjects.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's aim for pupils to 'aspire, achieve and thrive' shines through. Everything the school does is about supporting pupils to realise their potential. It has high expectations of pupils. Pupils do their best and achieve well from often low starting points. They show positive attitudes towards their learning and strive to overcome the challenges they face. The school focuses on ensuring that pupils gain the necessary knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics in preparation for their next steps in college or work. For example, pupils were able to use their mathematical knowledge of decimals to calculate temperatures in their science work. Pupils work towards a range of qualifications, including GCSEs in English and mathematics, and achieve success. However, the school recognises that although pupils are fluent readers and are able to write, they are reluctant writers beyond the English curriculum. This means that pupils do not always demonstrate the knowledge they have gained in their written work.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
57.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: SpLD, Autism, SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
15 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Keep up with Downland School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Downland School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Downland School is in Wiltshire; for families living there:
Apply to Wiltshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 5
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Wiltshire is 4 (the median across 265 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
113%
Over capacity
102 pupils
90 places
12 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Devizes
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Devizes
Across Wiltshire council
Places available
6,150
Applications
4,934
Got 1st preference
93.9%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All secondary applications across Wiltshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
102
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Downland School has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism and social, emotional and mental health needs: 90 places, 92 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
102
Total Pupils
79
Boys
23
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
19
Teachers
5.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,107
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
20.3%
Overall absence
44.9%
Persistent absence
89
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Downland School
What are GCSE results like at Downland School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Downland School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 2.1. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Downland School's Ofsted rating?
Downland School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Downland School?
No fixed boundary. When Downland School is oversubscribed, Wiltshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Downland School?
Downland School has around 102 pupils on roll. 58% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Downland School have specialist SEN provision?
Downland School has a resourced provision for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, autism and social, emotional and mental health needs: 90 places, 92 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Downland School?
20.3% of sessions were missed at Downland School in 2024/25. 44.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Downland School?
Apply through Wiltshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Downland School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Downland School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Wiltshire is 4 (the median across 265 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Downland School?
Downland School is at Downlands Road, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 5EF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)