Welcome from the Headteacher
On behalf of the pupils, staff and Governors, it is with great pleasure that I welcome you to Downland School. We are a happy, vibrant and successful community where every individual’s successes are celebrated.
Downland is a co-educational special school for pupils aged 10 to 16. Pupils join us with a wide range of different needs and we provide an inclusive and supportive learning environment which allows everyone to achieve their best. We want our pupils to leave us as self-confident individuals who are ready to embrace their future and the wider world independently and with confidence.
Our core aim is to ensure our pupils are focussed on learning and developing personal skills and qualities that allow them to reach their full potential. We celebrate success, focus on reward and promote engagement.
Our school is staffed by a dedicated team of qualified teachers, teaching assistants and support staff. All are skilled practitioners who work hard to develop and deliver our curriculum and ensure that all aspects of our pupils needs are met. Additionally, we invest in on site therapy to promote and secure mental health well-being for all.
I hope that our website captures the spirit of Downland and provides you with an insight into our school. Where a place is being considered for your child, we are happy to arrange visits to meet our pupils and staff, and look forward to welcoming you to experience for yourself, the quality of education we provide.
Our mission statement is Aspire, Achieve and Thrive.
Mrs Georgina Keily-Theobald
If you have any Pastoral issues/enquiries, please email pastoralteam@downland.wilts.sch.uk
Please follow our X page (twitter) for regular updates as to what our pupils have been up to; @Downland_School
Safeguarding Ofsted Report 2024 SEND Report Wiltshire's Local Offer
This term in Skills Builder lessons, pupils in year 8 and 9 have been planning an adapted burns night celebration.
They have created decorations, been shopping, cooked shortbread, planned an activity with our new dart boards and even created a Scottish playlist!!
This week our year 9 pupils visited Bovington Tank Museum as part of their history curriculum.
Pupils had the chance to dress up in all the gear, spend some time in a tank and play an online tank simulator.
We have teamed up with internationally known Haynes Motor museum as part of our day in the life programme, where our students work together with the fantastic volunteers of Haynes, handing over a wealth of experience and knowledge to our students.
In photos the pupil being shown how to do a vehicle health check.
Our pupil was also a tour guide assistant where he was answering questions from customers, when leaving Haynes one customer stopped and asked if we knew where the AC cobra was, our pupil confidently and politely shown the customer where the car was.
Haynes have been incredible making this programme work.
Our Pupil has been gifted when at Haynes a fleece and volunteer name badge, the pride he shown in the minibus on the way back not letting it go was just brilliant.
I am pleased to announce that Downland School has been recognised as a 2025-26 School For Nature thanks to the work done in forest science.
An amazing achievement!
On Friday we went to visit Forest Green Rovers, as part of our day in the life program.
Pupils worked with the head chef to produce a vegan meal, met some of the current youth team and had a taste of life as a professional footballer.
WPCC’s Next Information Event – Friday 6th February 2026
The WPCC’s Next Information Event - theme: Mental Health. This event will take place on Friday 6th February 2026 at The Civic Centre, Trowbridge. This event will run from 9.30am to 2.00pm (Registrations from 9.30am, event starts at 10.00am).
As usual, a key feature of our event will be our ‘Market Place’, where we anticipate over 40 services and providers across the local area will showcase their offer.
FREE Tea, Coffee, and Cake! We will be providing free tea, coffee and cake throughout the event for all attendees.
We will be offering a free workshop at this event; please see the WPCC's Pre-Event Information Booklet for information about the workshop. Places for the workshop will be limited and will be offered on a first come, first served basis.
There will also be a service update at 10am on how Mental Health Support Teams are evolving in Wiltshire (see the pre-event Information Booklet for more information).
Downland staff and pupils took part in the Devizes Lantern Parade this year. The pupils prepared their Lanterns as part of their enrichment activities and the results were amazing. A massive thankyou to the staff and pupils that represented the school at this beautifully festive event.
Some of our Year 8 pupils have been to a very chilly Lulworth Cove as part of their Geography curriculum. Pupils had an amazing day, learning about the rock formations on the coast.
On Thursday, we were delighted to welcome actor and director Paul Cooper, representing the Children’s Football Alliance.
Paul is best known for his role as Martin Mucklowe in the BAFTA-winning comedy This Country, which stars his children Daisy May Cooper and Charlie Cooper.
During his visit to Downland School, Paul experienced a taste of what makes our school special, from trying his hand at archery and exploring our working garden, to meeting some of our wonderful pupils and learning about our new provision, STEPS.
Paul was thoroughly impressed by the warmth and innovation at Downland School, and we’re excited at the possibility of collaborating with him on future projects.
