Ofsted: Outstanding

Downs View Special School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMs Vanessa Hickey

location_onBrighton, BN2 6BB

language Visit Website phone 1273601680

verified

Ofsted

Outstanding

Inspected 2016

groups

Students

203

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Age Range

3-19

summarize

Downs View Special School is a Community special school school in Brighton, serving ages 3-19. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted — the highest possible grade.

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School Summary

Downs View Special School is a community special school in Brighton, Brighton and Hove, admitting pupils aged 3-19. The school has approximately 223 pupils on roll, of whom 63% are eligible for free school meals.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2016. The school's current overall rating is Outstanding.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 6.7:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.0 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

analytics

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

2024

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

2023

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

2022

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

2018

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc-%

EBacc APS-

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)95%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

87%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)87%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)13%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

90%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)90%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)95%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment0%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)89%

Apprenticeships0%

Employment5%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

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Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 55%

Reading0% LA 71%

Writing0% LA 67%

Maths0% LA 66%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 56%England 61%

Reading0% LA 75% · Eng 74%

Writing0% LA 67% · Eng 72%

Maths0% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 56%England 60%

Reading0% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing0% LA 66% · Eng 71%

Maths0% LA 68% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-12.4

Read

LA 0.5

-16.5 to -8.3

-11.6

Write

LA -0.7

-15.6 to -7.7

-12.9

Maths

LA -0.8

-16.8 to -9.1

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 62%England 65%

Reading0% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing0% LA 76% · Eng 78%

Maths0% LA 75% · Eng 79%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-4.1

Read

LA 0.3

-7.8 to -0.5

-3.6

Write

LA -0.3

-6.9 to -0.2

-4.6

Maths

LA -0.6

-7.8 to -1.4

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 63%

Reading0% LA 76%

Writing0% LA 75%

Maths0% LA 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-2.1

Read

LA 0.6

-5.6 to 1.4

-1.5

Write

LA -0.6

-4.9 to 1.9

-1.5

Maths

LA -0.3

-4.7 to 1.7

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

17 June 2025

Inspection Report

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11 February 2020

Inspection Report

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17 May 2016

Inspection Report

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13 June 2012

Inspection Report

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18 May 2009

Inspection Report

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23 May 2006

Inspection Report

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18 September 2000

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2016-05-17

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2012-06-13

S5 Inspection Legacy

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

2009-05-18

None EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.0%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.0%(0 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 223 pupils. During this period, there were 0 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.0%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	223	0	0.0%	7.3%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	223	0	0.0%	7.8%
2023/24 (Summer term)	213	0	0.0%	7.4%
2023/24 (Spring term)	216	1	0.5%	7.1%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	217	0	0.0%	8.2%
2022/23 (Summer term)	203	0	0.0%	6.6%
2022/23 (Spring term)	203	0	0.0%	6.4%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	202	0	0.0%	5.9%
2021/22 (Summer term)	202	0	0.0%	4.7%
2021/22 (Spring term)	201	1	0.5%	4.9%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	200	0	0.0%	4.4%
2020/21 (Summer term)	196	0	0.0%	3.6%
2020/21 (Spring term)	197	0	0.0%	1.0%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	199	0	0.0%	3.9%
2019/20 (Summer term)	215	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	215	0	0.0%	3.2%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	215	2	0.9%	4.2%
2018/19 (Summer term)	217	6	2.8%	3.1%
2018/19 (Spring term)	218	12	5.5%	3.8%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	218	8	3.7%	3.8%
2017/18 (Summer term)	143	0	0.0%	3.4%
2017/18 (Spring term)	144	0	0.0%	3.0%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	137	0	0.0%	3.7%
2016/17 (Summer term)	127	0	0.0%	3.0%
2016/17 (Spring term)	129	0	0.0%	3.3%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	123	0	0.0%	3.1%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 89 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 62 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 32 pupils

Profound & Multiple Learning 11 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 9 pupils

Physical Disability 9 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 6 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 3 pupils

Multi-Sensory Impairment 1 pupils

Downs View Special School

School Summary

Academic Performance

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

Student Destinations (After Secondary)

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Funding & Staffing

Staffing

Teacher Turnover