The Downs School, Compton

For the school in Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire, see The Downs School (Worcestershire).

The Downs School
File:The Downs School logo.svg
Address
Manor Crescent Compton , Berkshire , RG20 6NU England
Information
Type	Comprehensive foundation school
Motto	'Learning Together, Learning For Life'
Local authority	West Berkshire
Department for Education URN	110102 Tables
Ofsted	Reports
Head teacher	Chris Robert Prosser
Gender	Co-educational
Age	11 to 18
Enrollment	944
Houses	Aldworth, Beechwood, Chiltern, Lowbury, Perborough, Ridgeway.(Beechwood are the best)
Colour(s)	Yellow, Purple, Sky Blue, Red, Green, Blue.
Website	http://www.thedownsschool.org

The Downs School is a comprehensive secondary school in the village of Compton, Berkshire, England. It is a state school run by West Berkshire Education Authority.

Overview

The Downs has approximately 1150 pupils, including 260 in the sixth form. It starts for students in year 7, who are aged 11. For the past 2 years it has been the highest attaining school in West Berkshire using the measure of 5A*-C GCSEs including higher passes in English and mathematics. The school is located on Manor Crescent. The nearest major town is Newbury which is 8 miles away. Other neighbouring towns include Wantage, Didcot, Thatcham and Reading. Within a short walk of the school is the Compton village shop and the large Compton recreation ground. It is just over 2 miles from the East Ilsley junction of the A34.

The head-teacher is Chris Robert Prosser, Previously Deputy Head-teacher before Valerie Holdey's retirement in December 2013.

It is also the last remaining West Berkshire Authority secondary school to retain its own swimming pool after St Bartholomew's School removed its pool in Summer 2009.

Specialisms

The school specialises in languages. This means that pupils are required to study at least one foreign language until they finish GCSEs, with the opportunity of learning others. The school has exchange visits to France, Germany and Spain. Sports tours are also annually organised. Teams have been to Spain, the Netherlands and in 2007 went to Cyprus.

The Downs also has specialisms in science and maths.

Sixth form

The school has a sixth form centre of about 260 students. Previously located on the bottom floor of the Graham Taylor building (GT), It is located in the newly renovated old science block, after moving there when the new Science building (Hubble) was built. Subjects range from all the sciences to politics, economics, law and media studies. The current head of sixth form is Phil Wilson. Its results at A-Level are exceptional for a non-selective state school.

Notable former pupils

• Pete Allen
• Jack Daley
• Theo Walcott
• William stovell
• Caleb Wilkinson
• Not Cam Arthur
• Harry Power
• Tom Robjohns
• George White
• Piers Oliphant
• Niamh McKenzie

External links

• The Downs School website