Junior schools start at Year 3, so children join here from an infant school.
Infant school
Downs Infant School
This school
Downs Junior School
Every child joining in Year 3 needs a place applied for through the council where they live, by 15 January in Year 2. That includes children at Downs Infant School.
Official inspection reports and grades
Inspected 7 November 2023
Compared with the local authority and England
The share of pupils reaching the standard expected for their age, and the share going beyond it.
| Measure | School | Brighton and Hove | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing & maths — expected | 60% | 60% | 63% |
| Reading, writing & maths — higher | 6% | 5% | 8% |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling — expected | 75% | 71% | 73% |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling — higher | 27% | 26% | 30% |
A score of 100 is the expected standard; 110 or more is a higher standard.
| Subject | School | Brighton and Hove | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 107 | 106 | 106 |
| Maths | 104 | 104 | 105 |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling | 106 | 105 | 105 |
School workforce census, 2025/26.
Ofsted’s survey of parents at this school
98%
of parents would recommend this school to another parent
247 responses up to 2 September 2024 · 49% response rate
My child is happy at this school.
95% agreeMy child feels safe at this school.
97% agreeThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.
95% agreeMy child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.
53% agreeThe school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.
96% agreeDowns Junior School was graded Good at its last Ofsted inspection, on 7 November 2023.
Apply through the council where you live by 15 January for a Year 3 place starting that September. Every child joining in Year 3 needs a place applied for through the council where they live, by 15 January in Year 2. That includes children at Downs Infant School. You can usually list between 3 and 6 schools in order of preference, and offers are sent on 16 April, or the next working day.
No. Distance only counts when Downs Junior School has more applicants than places. Then its admission criteria, set by the local authority, Brighton and Hove, decide who is offered a place first. Children in care or adopted from care come first by law. Most schools put brothers and sisters of current pupils next, then distance or a catchment area. How far away the last place went changes every year, depending on who applies.
Downs Junior School had 495 pupils aged 7 to 11 at the latest school census. Its official capacity is 512. It is a mixed school.