Downderry Primary School

Lewisham · BR1 5QL

General information Primary School · 3-11 years Who goes here 477 pupils, 23.9% FSM

Educational attainment Ofsted: Outstanding

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 14.7% on SEN support Behaviour 5.6% absence rate Staff 16.1% turnover Financials £8,161 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

We haven't asked this school for its behaviour and staffing figures yet. Sign up to tell us you'd like them, and we'll email you when they arrive.

Notify me

Your email address

Leave this empty

We'll email you a link to confirm first. Your address is only used for news about this school, and every email has a link to stop them. Privacy

Downderry Primary School

General Information

Address: Downderry Road, Downham, Bromley, BR1 5QL – View on map
Phone: 02086985768
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Dr David Gifford
Age range: 3-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 84 families put it first for 60 places – 14 for every 10 places. 70% of them were offered a place. No places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 14 · 2024 15 · 2025 12 · 2026 14
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Nursery provision: Yes

Who goes here

477 pupils out of 376 places At or near capacity

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 107
% eligible for free school meals: 23.9%
Pupil mix: 9 in 10 (similar to the Lewisham average)
English as an additional language: 38% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 16.1% a year (Lewisham 16.1%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 64% moved to another school, 36% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 3 years, DfE school workforce census)

Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house.

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across Lewisham: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 0 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
Suspensions for bullying: 2 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 9 (0.4 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary schools in Lewisham, not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

Attendance

Overall absence: 5.6%
Persistently absent pupils: 16.4%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

Pupils on SEN Support: 14.7%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 1.9%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 37 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 11 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 9 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 7 pupils
Hearing impairment: 2 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Autistic spectrum disorder: 5 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 2 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 1 pupil

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

Be the first to review — win £100 of books for your school Every honest review enters you into our prize draw

Behaviour

–

Openness

–

Teaching Quality

–

School Ethos

–

Ability to Deal with Problems

–

Headteacher Approval

–

SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

–

Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

–

Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

Outstanding 2022 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 80% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 13% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 12 percentage points above the Lewisham average (68%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Well above (3-year average 77% against an expected 60%)
3-year average (expected standard): 77%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 85% · Writing 80% · Maths 88% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 83%
Average test scores: reading 106, maths 107
Based on: 60 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

This schoolLewisham averageEngland→ Broadly steady No clear rise or fall since 2022/23 (changes this small are normal from one year group to the next). In 2024/25 this school was 12 percentage points above the Lewisham average (68%).

Year 6 SATs: joint 11th of 67 junior and primary schools in the area

=6Stillness Junior School83%
#10Rathfern Primary School82%
=11Downderry Primary School80%
=11Fairlawn Primary School80%
=11St Bartholomews's Church of England Primary School80%

Click to see the full ranking

Year 6 SATs ranking

Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.

Rank School Score

#1Haberdashers' Hatcham Free School90%
#2Turnham Academy88%
#3Trinity Church of England School, Lewisham86%
=4Eliot Bank Primary School85%
=4Gordonbrock Primary School85%
=6Holy Cross Catholic Primary School83%
=6St James's Hatcham Church of England Primary School83%
=6St Matthew Academy83%
=6Stillness Junior School83%
#10Rathfern Primary School82%
=11Downderry Primary School80%
=11Fairlawn Primary School80%
=11St Bartholomews's Church of England Primary School80%
#14Brindishe Lee School79%
#15St Margaret's Lee CofE Primary School78%
#16Tidemill Academy76%
=17Ashmead Primary School75%
=17Brindishe Manor School75%
=17Haberdashers' Hatcham Primary75%
=17St George's CofE Primary School75%
=21Childeric Primary School74%
=21St Augustine's Catholic Primary School and Nursery74%
=23Haberdashers' Knights Primary73%
=23Horniman Primary School73%
=23St Joseph's Catholic Primary School73%
=26Adamsrill Primary School72%
=26Edmund Waller Primary School72%
=26Kelvin Grove Primary School72%
=26St William of York Catholic Primary School72%
=30Dalmain Primary School71%
=30John Ball Primary School71%
=30Myatt Garden Primary School71%
=30Oak Gardens Primary School71%
#34Marvels Lane Primary School70%
=35Beecroft Garden Primary69%
=35Brindishe Green School69%
=35Deptford Park Primary School69%
=38Forster Park Primary School68%
=38Kender Primary School68%
=38St John Baptist Southend Church of England Primary School68%
=41All Saints' Church of England Primary School Blackheath67%
=41Good Shepherd RC School67%
=41Perrymount Primary School67%
=41Sandhurst Primary School67%
=45Kilmorie Primary School66%
=45Torridon Primary School66%
#47Haseltine Primary School65%
=48Cooper's Lane Primary School62%
=48St Michael's Church of England Primary School62%
#50John Stainer Community Primary School61%
#51St Mary's Lewisham Church of England Primary School60%
=52Prendergast Ladywell School59%
=52St Winifred's RC Primary School59%
#54Our Lady and St Philip Neri Catholic Primary School58%
=55Grinling Gibbons Primary School57%
=55Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School57%
=55St Saviour's Catholic Primary School57%
#58Holbeach Primary School56%
#59Prendergast Vale School55%
#60Baring Primary School54%
#61Launcelot Primary School and Nursery53%
#62Rangefield Primary School51%
#63St Stephen's CofE Primary School50%
#64Rushey Green Primary School49%
#65Elfrida Primary School47%
#66Athelney Primary School43%
#67Twin Oaks Primary School42%

View full Ofsted inspection report

2nd of 52 primary schools in Lewisham for Ofsted rating

#1Brindishe Manor SchoolOutstanding
#2Downderry Primary SchoolOutstanding
#3Gordonbrock Primary SchoolOutstanding
#4Holy Cross Catholic Primary SchoolOutstanding

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

Rank School Score

#1Brindishe Manor SchoolOutstanding
#2Downderry Primary SchoolOutstanding
#3Gordonbrock Primary SchoolOutstanding
#4Holy Cross Catholic Primary SchoolOutstanding
#5John Ball Primary SchoolOutstanding
#6John Stainer Community Primary SchoolOutstanding
#7St Margaret's Lee CofE Primary SchoolOutstanding
#8Adamsrill Primary SchoolGood
#9All Saints' Church of England Primary School BlackheathGood
#10Ashmead Primary SchoolGood
#11Athelney Primary SchoolGood
#12Brindishe Green SchoolGood
#13Brindishe Lee SchoolGood
#14Childeric Primary SchoolGood
#15Cooper's Lane Primary SchoolGood
#16Deptford Park Primary SchoolGood
#17Edmund Waller Primary SchoolGood
#18Elfrida Primary SchoolGood
#19Eliot Bank Primary SchoolGood
#20Fairlawn Primary SchoolGood
#21Good Shepherd RC SchoolGood
#22Grinling Gibbons Primary SchoolGood
#23Haberdashers' Hatcham PrimaryGood
#24Haberdashers' Knights PrimaryGood
#25Haseltine Primary SchoolGood
#26Holbeach Primary SchoolGood
#27Holy Trinity Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#28Horniman Primary SchoolGood
#29Kelvin Grove Primary SchoolGood
#30Kender Primary SchoolGood
#31Kilmorie Primary SchoolGood
#32Marvels Lane Primary SchoolGood
#33Myatt Garden Primary SchoolGood
#34Oak Gardens Primary SchoolGood
#35Our Lady and St Philip Neri Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#36Perrymount Primary SchoolGood
#37Rangefield Primary SchoolGood
#38Rushey Green Primary SchoolGood
#39Sandhurst Primary SchoolGood
#40St Augustine's Catholic Primary School and NurseryGood
#41St Bartholomews's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#42St James's Hatcham Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#43St John Baptist Southend Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#44St Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#45St Michael's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#46St Saviour's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#47St Stephen's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#48St William of York Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#49St Winifred's RC Primary SchoolGood
#50Tidemill AcademyGood
#51Torridon Primary SchoolGood
#52Turnham AcademyGood

Financials

Spending per pupil: £8,161 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

44th of 62 primary schools in Lewisham for spending per pupil

#42St Augustine's Catholic Primary School and Nursery£8,286
#43Cooper's Lane Primary School£8,212
#44Downderry Primary School£8,161
#45Brindishe Green School£8,135
#46Haseltine Primary School£8,072

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Deptford Park Primary School£12,590
#2Forster Park Primary School£11,948
#3St Joseph's Catholic Primary School£11,745
#4Kelvin Grove Primary School£11,010
#5Oak Gardens Primary School£10,657
#6Athelney Primary School£10,506
#7St James's Hatcham Church of England Primary School£10,397
#8Rangefield Primary School£10,339
#9Grinling Gibbons Primary School£10,269
#10Twin Oaks Primary School£9,981
#11St Saviour's Catholic Primary School£9,932
#12Launcelot Primary School and Nursery£9,617
#13St George's CofE Primary School£9,477
#14St Stephen's CofE Primary School£9,425
#15Kender Primary School£9,400
#16Childeric Primary School£9,395
#17Tidemill Academy£9,380
#18Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School£9,373
#19St John Baptist Southend Church of England Primary School£9,307
#20Perrymount Primary School£9,298
#21Beecroft Garden Primary£9,275
#22Myatt Garden Primary School£9,232
#23St Mary's Lewisham Church of England Primary School£9,164
#24St William of York Catholic Primary School£9,098
#25Horniman Primary School£9,094
#26Elfrida Primary School£9,065
#27St Michael's Church of England Primary School£9,052
#28Kilmorie Primary School£9,028
#29Baring Primary School£9,025
#30Holbeach Primary School£9,007
#31All Saints' Church of England Primary School Blackheath£8,993
#32Our Lady and St Philip Neri Catholic Primary School£8,822
#33Haberdashers' Knights Primary£8,798
#34Brindishe Lee School£8,759
#35Adamsrill Primary School£8,677
#36Good Shepherd RC School£8,640
#37Rathfern Primary School£8,631
#38Marvels Lane Primary School£8,512
#39Torridon Primary School£8,463
#40Edmund Waller Primary School£8,400
#41St Margaret's Lee CofE Primary School£8,379
#42St Augustine's Catholic Primary School and Nursery£8,286
#43Cooper's Lane Primary School£8,212
#44Downderry Primary School£8,161
#45Brindishe Green School£8,135
#46Haseltine Primary School£8,072
#47Sandhurst Primary School£8,041
#48Rushey Green Primary School£7,991
#49Haberdashers' Hatcham Primary£7,962
#50St Winifred's RC Primary School£7,961
#51Holy Cross Catholic Primary School£7,936
#52John Stainer Community Primary School£7,822
#53Dalmain Primary School£7,794
#54John Ball Primary School£7,679
#55Eliot Bank Primary School£7,652
#56Brindishe Manor School£7,634
#57Gordonbrock Primary School£7,620
#58Fairlawn Primary School£7,578
#59Ashmead Primary School£7,005
#60St Bartholomews's Church of England Primary School£6,772
#61Haberdashers' Hatcham Free School£6,721
#62Turnham Academy£6,573

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

Have you rated Downderry Primary School yet? Your experience helps other parents.

Rate this school