Downsend School, Leatherhead
Downsend School is an independent school for pupils aged 7 to 19 in Leatherhead. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in January 2026.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Downsend School in detail
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Downsend School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Downsend School are Little Downsend Leatherhead (0.3 miles); St John's School (0.4 miles, selective); City of London Freemen's School (1.2 miles); and RGS Surrey Hills (2.2 miles).
Little Downsend LeatherheadSt John's SchoolCity of London Freemen's SchoolRGS Surrey Hills
Who goes there
In 2026, 188 pupils (35%) received SEN support and 5 (0.9%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Leatherhead Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Grange Road (opposite), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Downsend School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
13 January 2026
Non-Routine Inspection
4 July 2025
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
7 March 2023
Short Visit
19 May 2022
Regulatory Compliance
10 May 2018
Integrated
14 October 2014
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Downsend School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 3 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby all-through schools
Keep up with Downsend School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Downsend School.
- Kids Extra440m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 34
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 34 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 24 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
4 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 Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 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
57%
Available places
537 pupils
940 places
403 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Leatherhead
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Leatherhead
Across Surrey council
Places available
12,569
Applications
11,986
Got 1st preference
81.3%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All secondary applications across Surrey council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
188
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
35.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
537
Total Pupils
320
Boys
217
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Downsend School
What are GCSE results like at Downsend School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Downsend School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was Downsend School last inspected?
Downsend School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in January 2026.
How many pupils go to Downsend School?
Downsend School has around 537 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Downsend School?
Downsend School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
Does Downsend School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Downsend School: Kids Extra (440m 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 Downsend School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 34 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 10 serious and 24 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 4 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 Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Downsend School?
Downsend School is at 1 Leatherhead Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 8TJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)