Downside School, Radstock
Downside School is an independent school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in Radstock. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in April 2026.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Downside School in detail
Downside School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "At the heart of Downside is a belief that education is not a product to be consumed but a journey to be shared. It is a journey that leads not only to academic excellence but to service to others and to spiritual growth."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, hockey, cricket, tennis, athletics, basketball, badminton and swimming.
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 6 March 2027 at 9.30am and an open day on Saturday 15 May 2027 at 9.30am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Somerset
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
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 Downside School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Where pupils go next
Of the 68 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 44% went on to university or other higher education, 2% to apprenticeships and 16% into work.
Who goes there
In 2026, 95 pupils (38.2%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Downside School.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bath View (n-bound), 250 metres away.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
28 April 2026
Regulatory Compliance
21 June 2023
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
16 October 2018
Intermediate (Boarding)
17 November 2015
Integrated
20 November 2012
About
Downside School is a Catholic public school, for pupils aged 11–18 in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Somerset, England. It was established in 1614 and is located in the Diocese of Clifton.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Fees for 2026/27
Day fees, per year
£24,210 to £31,035
depending on year group
Boarding fees, per year
£40,350 to £53,985
| Junior Boarding (Years 7 & 8) | £40,350 a year |
| Senior Boarding (Years 9 – 13) | £53,985 a year |
| Junior Day (Years 7 & 8) | £24,210 a year |
| Senior Day (Years 9 – 13) | £31,035 a year |
Including VAT. From the school's own fee schedule; check with the school before you rely on it.
Private school fees in Somerset - 4 schools' published fees side by side
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Latest from Downside School
OG Golfing Society Autumn Meeting
29 Sep 2026
Warsaw Dinner - Saturday 7th November 2026
29 Sep 2026
OG Lunch - Paris - 6th June
29 Sep 2026
Octogregorian Reunion - 4th November 2026
24 Sep 2026
Value Added Results 2026
8 Sep 2026
A-Level & GCSE results 2026
20 Aug 2026
From Downside School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Downside School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Somerset is 3 (the median across 307 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
59%
Available places
249 pupils
420 places
171 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Radstock
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Radstock
Across Somerset council
Places available
4,902
Applications
4,659
Got 1st preference
92.1%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All secondary applications across Somerset council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
95
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
38.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
249
Total Pupils
137
Boys
112
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Downside School
What are GCSE results like at Downside 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 Downside School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was Downside School last inspected?
Downside School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in April 2026.
How many pupils go to Downside School?
Downside School has around 249 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Downside School?
Downside 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.
How many road collisions happen near Downside School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Somerset is 3 (the median across 307 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Downside School?
Downside School is at Radstock, Somerset, BA3 4RJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)