Mrs Alison Gwatkin is responsible for the care of the girls as the Head of Veyrines and lives within the courtyard with her husband, Rodney, who is the Administrator. Most of the staff are French. The life of the village, which is Veyrines, has become the life of the school and, each term, the girls become part of that community and contribute to it with a bright Bonjour each morning.

At the centre of the curriculum lies the Sortie. Going out in a group of eight or less is an ideal moment to promote independent study and stimulating co-curricular activity. We are very fortunate to be situated just a short minibus drive from the rich heritage this beautiful area of France affords. The history, geography, art, ecology and so much more, have become an extension to our classroom and we are lucky to have a band of local experts on hand to lead each sortie enabling the girls to practise their French to best advantage.

We are in partnership with three very good state schools, which give the girls the added experience of life in the French Educational system. One of them is a Lycee Hotelier or Cookery School, where we are able to offer the girls a Cookery Workshop run by professional chefs. Our oldest partner is the prestigious College Georges Chaumeton, in Toulouse and we have recently, in the past few terms set up another partnership with the College Yvon Delbos in Montignac near Lascaux. We are paired with classes following an accelerated programme in Mathematics, Science and Modern Languages. The collaborative work we undertake with French pupils enhances the motivation and the quality of the language learning of our pupils.

Most of all, this term represents a unique boarding experience and the girls often comment that their personal self confidence has increased over the term. Thrown together a thousand miles from home weekend and evening activities promote those friendships and skills for which good boarding schools are famous. We have a House Committee, which plays an active role in the running of the school and helps organise, not only events for ourselves, but also for others. We support a well known Cancer Unit in Toulouse and hold cake sales at the market to raise funds, as well as performing entertaining shows for the elderly in Domme, St. Cyprien and Sarlat.

The Headmistress of Downe House, Mrs. Emma McKendrick comments:

"The benefit that the girls derive from the term in France has exceeded our original expectations in every way! Of course there are enormous linguistic benefits, but the growth in confidence that comes from the experience of living in France and learning in a different way is unrivalled. Our French Experience forms a significant part in preparing girls for the Upper School at Downe, in the same way that their final year at prep school does."