Downend School

Coordinates: 51°29′31″N 2°29′38″W / 51.492°N 2.494°W / 51.492; -2.494

Downend Comprehensive School

Established	1982
Type	Technology college
Headteacher	Mrs Tamryn Savage
Location	Westerleigh Road Downend, South Gloucestershire South Gloucestershire England
DfE URN	109321
Ofsted	Reports
Students	c. 1,500
Ages	11–18
Website	www.downend.com

Coordinates: 51°29′32″N 2°29′36″W / 51.4923°N 2.4933°W / 51.4923; -2.4933

Downend School is a Technology College secondary school, situated on Westerleigh Road in the suburban village of Downend in South Gloucestershire, England. Previously a former comprehensive school, it has a non denominational religion, with mixed gender students between the ages of 11 to 18 with a total of 1,493 pupils in total. The school is well known for its technology department and sports facilities.

Location

The School is on a single site though this only recently changed as previously, it was located not only on the Westerleigh Road but compromised of a lower site, for years 7 and 8. It is now being converted into a larger location for the Willow Surgery which is moving from a location on Coronation Road. This is supported by the newly elected Conservatives in the area who are backing the idea.

The new single site has undergone a transformation funded by a lottery donation to allow the conversion to take place. It includes a new humanities, languages and design and technology department as well as a new Sports Centre that also operates for the public.

History

Page School for Girls

Staple Hill Senior School for Girls was established in 1933, and in 1947 became Staple Hill Secondary Modern School, having separate departments for boys and girls. After the Chase Comprehensive School had been built for the boys in about 1966, the girls stayed in the buildings in North View, and it was renamed Page School for Girls.^[1]

Establishment

In September 1982, Page School for Girls merged with the coeducational Stockwell Hill Comprehensive School, and the new school was called Downend Comprehensive School.^[1]

Later years

It was renamed Downend Community School. In 2005, it moved to Westerleigh Road.^[1]

Tamryn Savage, was instated as head teacher for the school year beginning 2006 and onwards after the acting head teacher Ray Lockey retired. She left at the end of the academic year 2010-2011 and was replaced by Will Roberts.

The buildings of Page School for Girls were demolished in 2007-8.^[1]

Education

In a recent Ofsted report, the inspectors stated, "your school provides you with a good education. The standards reached by most of you this year are above average; currently you are making good progress and your achievement is good. All groups of students, including those who find learning difficult, have their needs addressed well.' The full report can be read via the ofsted official website.

The Schools GCSE results have shown a trend of improvement from 2003 onwards with the results in 2006 being 47% pass rate whilst the national average was 45.3% for that year. In the County of South Gloucestershire league table, Downend School is listed as 5th best for GCSE's and 4th Best for A/AS level results. It should also be noted that the latest Key Stage performance is above the national average from levels 2 to 4.

Notable alumni

Actor Mike Bailey, best known for playing the role of Sid Jenkins on popular teen drama Skins (TV series), is a former student. He was coached by a former drama teacher.

Conservative MP Sajid Javid, a former Vice President of Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City, was educated at the school.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "Gloucestershire Archives: Online Catalogue - Reference D10824". Gloucestershire County Council. http://ww3.gloucestershire.gov.uk/DServe/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqCmd=Show.tcl&dsqSearch=%28RefNo==%27D10824%27%29. Retrieved 14 October 2010. 

External links

• Official Site
• Official Student Council Site
• Specialist Schools Trust