• Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future
  • Slideshow - The core values of Downend School are simple; they are focused on a sense of belonging, a belief that all students have it within themselves to be effective learners and that we can extend this learning beyond the reach of school and into the future

Primary Links

Over the last six years Downend School has established an extensive and varied programme of primary liaison using curriculum based and extra curricula activities. Many of the children attending the Open Evening already will have visited Downend School or been visited at their primary school by teachers and students from Downend School. Click here to visit the primary links website.

Primary Links

The Design Technology Faculty

Back To Top

We run a programme available to all our partner primary schools. Staff from primary and secondary meet on a regular basis throughout the year. Last academic year the activities included-in class support, master-classes, teacher in service training, purchasing and testing commercial resources, production of teaching aids and prototyping project solutions for schemes of work. Many of you visiting this evening will be the proud owners of fairgrounds, moving toys, moving monsters, torches and lights made at Design Technology work-shops in your primary schools. Examples of the work are on show in the Design Technology Faculty during this evening. Last academic year groups of pupils from one primary school spent the day at Downend in the Food Technology Rooms learning about and using the equipment. This whole scheme is run by Mr. D. Walker supported by Mr. M. Jordan and Mrs. W. Ellery.

  • Food Tech
    Cross Phase Day – Food Tech
  • Technology
    Cross Phase Day – Technology

The Science Faculty

Back To Top

This faculty has extensive links with many of our partner primaries-the focus is on bringing 'Science to Life'. Downend staff regularly visit the schools sup­porting staff and providing demonstrations and 'Hands on Science' for pupils. Staff from primary and secondary meet on a regular basis throughout the year-to plan and discuss how to bring 'Science to Life'. Last academic year we introduced topic boxes for our partner primaries-to support the curriculum. The pupils in Year 6 are brought to Downend for their first experiences in a real science laboratory. They learn how to use equipment safely and carry out experiments. Many primary pupils visited Downend for the 'Planetarium' Experience. This academic year we shall be supporting new areas of the Science curriculum.

  • Science
    Cross phase Day – Science

The Mathematics Faculty

Back To Top

Staff from primary and secondary meet on a regular basis throughout the year. We have introduced sets of topic boxes for primary schools to support specific areas of the Mathematics curriculum.

The Cartoon and Animation Club

Back To Top

This runs on Saturday mornings for three hours and is directed at primary pupils in Year 6. This has been running for the last six years. The children have fun learning how to use computers to create cartoon characters and how to create animations using different techniques on the computer. They learn to use digital cameras and drawing using a PC tablet. This programme is advertised in the primary schools and this year a second group will run due to popular demand. In the Student Entrance to the School there is a display of work produced on Saturday mornings .

Cross Phase Days

Back To Top

Last academic year we ran two cross phase days. The first was a 'Food For Life Day' in October 2006 attended by over one hundred and fifty pupils. They experienced working in six curriculum areas with an exciting and activity based programme. There is a display of work produced by the pupils near the Staffroom. The second day was 'Scale the Heights' in July 2007. This was literacy and numeracy based and pupils worked on a variety of activities. There is some of the work displayed for Open Evening.

During this academic year we ran 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth'. Over one hundred and fifty students from two of our partner primary schools and a group from Year 8 students from Downend spent a day at Cheddar Caves and then a follow up day at Downend. They recorded and photographed their visit to Cheddar and then spent the day at Downend using their experiences in the Caves across a number of subject areas. There is a display of their work in the corridor near the staffroom.

logos