About Our School

Admissions

Each application will be considered on its merits.

Admissions Criteria Year 8

Parents are asked to refer to the Transfer Booklet published by the South-Eastern Education and Library Board. Please note that the Admissions Criteria for school year 2010-2011 have been changed to reflect Transfer 2010.

Admissions Criteria Year 9-12

The Admissions Criteria for Years 9-12 for the 2010-11 academic year have been revised. To apply for a place in Down High School, please contact the Headteacher's Personal Assistant to receive a SEELB application form and a School DHS/9/12 APP. A PDF version of the revised Admissions Criteria for Years 9-12 can be opened at the bottom of this page.

Admissions Criteria 6th Form

Entry into Lower Sixth for Down High School pupils in September 2010

There are 3 conditions to be satisfied for entry into Lower Sixth

(a)Disciplinary Record

Entry into Lower Sixth will be conditional upon a satisfactory disciplinary record particularly in Years 11 and 12. Pupils disqualifying themselves for return on the grounds of unsatisfactory behaviour will be informed at the latest by 30th June 2010; and

(b)Overall GCSE Performance

Under a scoring system of A* = 4 points, A = 3 points, B = 2 points, C = 1 point a total of
12 or more points in GCSE results, which includes a grade of C or above in English and a grade of C or above in Mathematics, will be required; and

(c)Individual Subject Requirements

Pupils must take at least 3 A-Level subjects and for each traditional A-Level subject, the pupil will need to have achieved a GCSE grade B or higher in that subject or in a specified suitable alternative subject. For some subjects with a high proportion of the marks awarded through coursework, pupils will be required to have a sound record of meeting GCSE coursework deadlines.

Entry into Lower Sixth for non-Down High School Students

Entry into Down High School will be competitive and based on a points score for GCSE under the scoring system described in (b). Individual subject requirements as determined in (c) will also apply. Available places will be offered on the total point score (highest score first) taking into account the availability of spaces in the classes of the subjects requested since it is not practicable to alter the timetable in order to accommodate pupils applying for subjects with no spaces. A high standard of discipline will be expected of all pupils entering Sixth Form. The school reserves the right to contact the previous school of a student in order to acquire a behaviour report. In the case of a pupil who has been suspended or expelled from a previous school it will not be possible to consider the application until the school has been contacted by the Principal of the pupil’s immediately previous school.

Lower Sixth Form to Upper Sixth Form transition

To move from Lower Sixth to Upper Sixth students are required to have gained at least 80 UCAS points in order to give the best opportunity of securing admission to university or college.
(AS grade A = 60 points, B = 50 points, C = 40 points, D = 30 points, E = 20 points. It is required that pupils study at least three subjects at Down High School in Upper Sixth.

Exceptional Circumstances

The Governors of Down High School may in exceptional circumstances, eg someone joining from abroad, award a place in Lower Sixth Form or Upper Sixth Form to a student.

Admissions Criteria for Years 9-12 (2010-11 academic year)

Down High School - Floreat Dunum - Established 1933