ADMISSIONS POLICY

Introduction

Downside School’s Admissions procedure aims to ensure that boys and girls who join Downside School are able to be happy, successful and secure within its academic, cultural, pastoral and spiritual environment, whether they are boarders or day pupils.

Application criteria

No applicant will be treated less favourably during the application process or during assessment on the grounds of their skin colour, race, nationality or ethnic or national origin, gender, religious faith, disability, orientation, or socio-economic group. Those intending to join Downside School are expected, however, to be comfortable with the demands set by our Catholic and Benedictine foundation and character.

The School is inclusive and welcomes applicants with disabilities and special educational needs. It maintains a positive culture towards inclusion of disabled people and those with special educational needs and it will not treat an applicant less favourably on these grounds without justification. However, at present, its facilities, physical and otherwise, for the disabled and those with special educational needs are limited but it will do all that is reasonable to comply with its legal and moral responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001) in order to accommodate the needs of applicants who have disabilities for which, with reasonable adjustments, the School can cater adequately.

Parents or guardians of an applicant who has any disability or special educational needs should provide the Registrar with full written details when submitting a Registration Form. The School needs this information so that, in the case of any applicant with particular needs, we can assess those needs and make sure the School can provide adequately for them throughout the admission process. The School will consult with parents or guardians about the adjustments which can reasonably be made for the applicant both during the admission process and later as a pupil.

Admissions criteria

The admissions and selection criteria are determined and reviewed from time to time by the Head Master in consultation with the Director of Admissions. The Admissions Department is responsible for all aspects of the registration and entry of a pupil to Downside. Admission to the School is at the discretion of the Headmaster.

The preconditions for admission are that:

The selection criteria to be fulfilled by the application will be determined by the School. The selection criteria aim to identify applicants whose academic and other abilities appear to match the ethos and standards of the School and whose personal qualities suggest they have the potential to contribute sufficiently to the School community and benefit from the many opportunities that are offered at the School.

The selection criteria include provision of satisfactory evidence, through the School’s own age-appropriate assessment tests, of academic ability sufficient to access the School curriculum, and a satisfactory reference from the applicant’s current school. The School is academically selective but also recognises the central value of Art, Drama, Music, Sport and other co-curricular activities, and enthusiasm in these fields is expected and encouraged.

The School values its connections with Old Gregorians (alumni) but is also keen to foster new associations and links. The School intends to widen access to the school to boys and girls who can clearly and substantially benefit from a Downside education regardless of their parents’ or guardians' financial circumstances. The School is therefore committed to offering to eligible parents or guardians means-tested financial support with the payment of school fees.  Such support is known as a bursary and these may be awarded in the form of a discount of up to 100% of fees, depending on the financial, compassionate or other pertinent circumstances of applicants. 

Entry Points

Admission for boys and girls to Downside is normally at 11+ into the First Form (Year 7), at 13+ into the Third Form (Year 9), or at 16+ into the Lower Sixth Form (Year 12). Places occasionally become available for boys and girls for admission at 12+ into the Second Form (Year 8)) or at 14+ into the Fourth Form (Year 10).

Occasionally, an applicant may have fallen behind in his/her education due to illness etc. In such a case, the School may offer a place in a year lower than the applicant's age would normally imply. Parents or guardians will be consulted before such an offer is made, but the decision as to the appropriate year for the applicant, taking into account all the relevant circumstances, is a matter for the Headmaster, whose decision is final.

Admissions Records

Confidential records will be completed for each applicant by the Admissions Department. Current pupils’ details can only be amended by the Headmaster’s Office.