Founding Principles

"My dorm is so lovely and bubbly. All of us get on so well. It only takes a few days to make friends as you are mixed up with lots of different people for different things." Lauren Brolly

In 1907, our founder, Miss Olive Willis, set out to create a school that would be different.

Disillusioned by the independent education that existed for girls at the time, she held the strong belief that a school was required which would meet the needs of young women by valuing and prizing individuals and engendering a strong sense of community.

She believed that excellence, excitement and enthusiasm for the world around should be hallmarks of that school community, that teachers should not be placed on pedestals and that girls should not be expected to rush around in a feverish attempt to behave like boys.

Consequently, Downe House was established as 'a school where each individual within the community matters and where relationships between staff and pupils are normal'.

Wander around our calm, collective, extremely happy boarding school environment and you will see that those founding principles are very much in place today.