Downs Junior School, Brighton
Downs Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Brighton. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 9th-highest of the 36 schools in Brighton with published results, and 6,591st of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 104% of capacity.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Capacity
- Full
- Attendance
- In line with England
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Downs Junior School in detail
Results
In 2025, 84% of Year 6 pupils at Downs Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 69% in Brighton and Hove and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 86% in reading and 81% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Downs Junior School
Across Brighton and Hove, 94% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Brighton and Hove lodged 46 appeals against primary school offers; 19 reached a hearing and none succeeded.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Downs Junior School are Downs Infant School (under 0.1 miles, Outstanding); Fairlight Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 67% reading, 71% maths); St Martin's CofE Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 76% reading, 64% maths); and Stanford Junior School (0.6 miles, Good, 74% reading, 73% maths).
Downs Junior School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Downs Infant SchoolFairlight Primary SchoolSt Martin's CofE Primary SchoolStanford Junior School
Who goes there
11.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (71%) and Mixed (13%).
In 2026, 83 pupils (16.8%) received SEN support and 42 (8.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is London Road (Brighton) Rail Station, about 260 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Rugby Road East (opposite), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 863 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Brighton and Hove (366), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Downs Junior School issued 27 suspensions, 5.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Downs Junior School are Varndean School (0.8 miles), Dorothy Stringer School (0.8 miles), Cardinal Newman Catholic School (1 mile) and Patcham High School (1.6 miles).
Varndean SchoolDorothy Stringer SchoolCardinal Newman Catholic SchoolPatcham High School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
17.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 84% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 81% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 69% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
31.2
Avg class size
31.2
KS2
10
Total classes
7 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Downs Junior School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Downs Junior School.
- Junior Adventures Group @ Fairlight800m away · Not yet graded
- Junior Adventures Group @ Balfour990m away · Not yet graded
- Activities 4 Kids Ltd990m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Downs Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Downs Junior School is in Brighton and Hove; for families living there:
Apply to Brighton and Hove for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 42
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 13
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 42 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 13 serious and 29 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
8 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 Brighton and Hove is 40.5 (the median across 82 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
104%
Over capacity
501 pupils
480 places
21 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Brighton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Brighton
Across Brighton and Hove council
Places available
2,430
Applications
1,936
Got 1st preference
93.8%
Got preferred school
99.4%
All primary applications across Brighton and Hove council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
83
SEN Support
42
EHC Plans
25.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
495
Total Pupils
256
Boys
239
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
28
Teachers
17.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,368
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,050
Per pupil
£2749k
Total funding
£123k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.4%
Overall absence
11.5%
Persistent absence
511
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Questions parents ask about Downs Junior School
What are SATs results like at Downs Junior School?
Of the pupils at Downs Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 84% reached the expected standard in reading and 73% did so in maths.
What is Downs Junior School's Ofsted rating?
Downs Junior School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2011 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Downs Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When Downs Junior School is oversubscribed, Brighton and Hove allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Downs Junior School?
Downs Junior School was full in 2025, at 104% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Downs Junior School?
Classes at Downs Junior School average 31.2 pupils (2025/26). 7 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Downs Junior School?
Downs Junior School has around 495 pupils on roll. 17% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Downs Junior School?
5.4% of sessions were missed at Downs Junior School in 2024/25. 11.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Downs Junior School?
Apply through Brighton and Hove's coordinated admissions process, naming Downs Junior 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.
Does Downs Junior School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Downs Junior School: Junior Adventures Group @ Fairlight (800m away, registered, not yet graded), Junior Adventures Group @ Balfour (990m away, registered, not yet graded) and Activities 4 Kids Ltd (990m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Downs Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 42 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 13 serious and 29 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 8 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 Brighton and Hove is 40.5 (the median across 82 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Downs Junior School?
Downs Junior School is at Rugby Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 6ED.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)