UK Term Dates · Independent schools map
The Downs Preparatory School
Independent school · North Somerset
| Address | Charlton Drive, Wraxall, Bristol, BS48 1PF |
|---|---|
| Ages | 4–13 |
| Pupils | 243 |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Boarding | No boarders |
| Phone | 01275852008 |
| Website | https://www.thedownsschool.co.uk |
Term dates
Source: school website · checked 2026-10-16
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2026-27
| Term | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn 1 | Thu 3 Sep 2026 | Fri 16 Oct 2026 |
| Autumn 2 | Mon 2 Nov 2026 | Fri 11 Dec 2026 |
| Spring 1 | Tue 5 Jan 2027 | Fri 12 Feb 2027 |
| Spring 2 | Mon 22 Feb 2027 | Wed 24 Mar 2027 |
| Summer 1 | Tue 20 Apr 2027 | Fri 28 May 2027 |
| Summer 2 | Mon 7 Jun 2027 | Fri 9 Jul 2027 |
Exeats: Sat 12 Sep 2026 to Sun 13 Sep 2026, Sat 3 Oct 2026 to Sun 4 Oct 2026, Sat 21 Nov 2026 to Sun 22 Nov 2026, Sat 5 Dec 2026 to Sun 6 Dec 2026, Sat 23 Jan 2027 to Sun 24 Jan 2027, Sat 13 Mar 2027 to Sun 14 Mar 2027, Sat 8 May 2027 to Sun 9 May 2027, Sat 26 Jun 2027 to Sun 27 Jun 2027
INSET days: Tue 1 Sep 2026, Wed 2 Sep 2026, Mon 4 Jan 2027, Mon 19 Apr 2027
Half terms given as holiday dates only; halves end the last weekday before and restart the first weekday after. Exeats listed as weekend day pairs. Bank holiday 3 May (closed). 9 Jul is Celebration Day.
2027-28
| Term | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn 1 | Thu 2 Sep 2027 | Fri 15 Oct 2027 |
| Autumn 2 | Mon 1 Nov 2027 | Fri 10 Dec 2027 |
| Spring 1 | Wed 5 Jan 2028 | Fri 11 Feb 2028 |
| Spring 2 | Mon 21 Feb 2028 | Fri 24 Mar 2028 |
| Summer 1 | Wed 19 Apr 2028 | Fri 26 May 2028 |
| Summer 2 | Mon 5 Jun 2028 | Fri 7 Jul 2028 |
Exeats: Sat 11 Sep 2027 to Sun 12 Sep 2027, Sat 2 Oct 2027 to Sun 3 Oct 2027, Sat 20 Nov 2027 to Sun 21 Nov 2027, Sat 4 Dec 2027 to Sun 5 Dec 2027, Sat 22 Jan 2028 to Sun 23 Jan 2028, Sat 11 Mar 2028 to Sun 12 Mar 2028, Sat 13 May 2028 to Sun 14 May 2028, Sat 24 Jun 2028 to Sun 25 Jun 2028
INSET days: Tue 31 Aug 2027, Wed 1 Sep 2027, Tue 4 Jan 2028, Tue 18 Apr 2028
Half terms given as holiday dates only; halves end the last weekday before and restart the first weekday after. Exeats listed as weekend day pairs. Bank holiday 1 May.
Fees 2026-27
Fees per term (excluding VAT).
| Year group | Fee |
|---|---|
| Pre-Preparatory Reception | £4,043.00 |
| Pre-Preparatory Year 1 | £4,205.00 |
| Pre-Preparatory Year 2 | £4,586.00 |
| Pre-Preparatory Year 3 | £5,102.00 |
| Preparatory Years 4 - 5 | £6,033.00 |
| Preparatory Year 6 | £6,299.00 |
| Preparatory Years 7 - 8 | £6,551.00 |
Registration fee: £150.00
Deposit: £750.00
Fees per term plus VAT. Registration fee £150 + VAT (non-refundable); acceptance deposit £750 (no VAT). Catering per term (no VAT): Pre-Prep (Reception - Year 3) £328, Prep (Year 4 - Year 8) £449. Sibling discounts 5%/10%/15% for second/third/fourth child. PDF table layout was flattened; amounts mapped to year groups in the order listed.
Source: school fees page
Admissions
Entry points: Reception, Years 1-8
Non-selective; places offered first-come-first-served. Reception: visit, Family Fun Morning, register (£150 + VAT), feedback from current nursery, offer, £750 deposit. Years 1-8: visit, register, bespoke taster day with informal English and Maths assessment and meeting the Headteacher, then offer and deposit.
- Reception: feedback from current nursery or preschool
- Years 1-8: informal assessment in English and Maths during taster day
Offers bursaries.
Source: school admissions page
School bus routes
| Route | Areas served | First pick-up |
|---|---|---|
| Mornings only | Stoke Bishop, Suspension Bridge, Clifton Downs | |
| Morning and Evening | Wrington, Langford, Winford Manor, Winford Village, Cambridge Batch | |
| Morning only | Chew Magna, Winford Village |
Source: school transport page
School details from the Department for Education's register (Open Government Licence). Term dates from the school's own published calendar; always confirm with the school.