Downton School, Downton

Until 1964 all Downton children, other than those who went to private schools or had passed the 11+ and were educated in Salisbury, spent their school life at the school in Gravel Close, which was an elementary (all age) school. The secondary modern school was built on the Breamore Road and opened in 1964, and from then all children aged over 11 moved from the Gravel Close school into the new building and stayed until they were 16 years old. The catchment area was Downton and surrounding villages.

In the early 1970s the school became a comprehensive and changed its name to Downton School. Unusually this has remained a small secondary school in which most of the pupils know each other and are known to most of the staff. The age range is 11 to 16 years and after that pupils are fully accessed, advised and consulted over moving on to 6th form college, grammar school, vocational training or employment. The catchment area is still Downton and several neighbouring villages and in 2002 there were 377 pupils at this rural school set in large playing fields that border the former water meadows.