Downlands Community School

Downlands Community School at a glance

Located in Hassocks, West Sussex, Downlands Community School is a secondary school, classified by the DfE as a community school. The school educates roughly 1,250 pupils aged 11 to 16. Ofsted judged the school to be 'Good' at its most recent inspection. The school's average Attainment 8 score in the latest GCSE results was 57.3 — well above the national average (national average: 46). Its Attainment 8 score has risen by 2.4 points year on year. On our composite score, which combines the DfE attainment measures above, this places it among the top 11% of secondary schools in England.

66% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and maths, well above the national average of about 45%. 86% achieved a standard pass (grade 4+) in English and maths. Downlands Community School is oversubscribed: about 9 in 10 of the families who made it their first choice were offered a Year 7 place for September 2026, with 257 first choices for 241 places. After Year 11, 97% of its leavers went on to education, an apprenticeship or work that they stayed in for at least two terms. Overall pupil absence was 7.7%. There are about 17.1 pupils per teacher. Its intake is relatively advantaged, with around 8% of pupils eligible for free school meals in the last six years versus about 24% nationally. When comparing schools, it is still worth visiting in person to see whether the atmosphere and approach suit your child. This overview is generated automatically from the latest published DfE performance tables and Ofsted data; figures are rounded, and you can check the originals via the official links above.