Does anyone have CURRENT experience of Downside School (in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Somerset) as a parent or recent pupil?
We visited recently and liked a lot about it, but obviously the school’s historic safeguarding scandals are a serious consideration and not something we can ignore.
I’d really appreciate hearing from people with direct recent experience about whether the culture genuinely feels different now:
- safeguarding and pastoral care
- transparency from leadership
- whether parents feel concerns are taken seriously
- boarding supervision and staff boundaries
- whether the Benedictine/monastic connection still feels significant day-to-day
- overall atmosphere among pupils and staff
Not looking for historic discussion of the scandals themselves - those are already well documented - but trying to understand whether current parents genuinely feel confident in the school today, and whether you would choose it again.
Many thanks