This website is best viewed by CSS 2 compliant browsers, please wait a moment whilst the page graphics load. If you continue to see this message after a few seconds please contact us

Joining Downe House

A Partnership

Choosing your daughter's school is not just choosing the School where you feel she will flourish but also choosing a school with which you feel you and your family can work together in her best interests. It is impossible for any school to give an effective boarding education without working in partnership with the parents.

Getting to know staff

There will be a number of staff who will play a key part in your daughter's education, her Housemistress, her Head of Section (Head of Lower School, Head of Upper School, Head of Sixth Form), her Tutor, the Head of Careers, the Director of Studies, the Deputy Head and the Headmistress. There will be opportunities to meet them at the start of your daughter's career at Downe House and at appropriate stages during it. You are of course also welcome to get in touch with them at other times if there is anything you would like to discuss.

Playing a part in the School

There are several ways in which parents can play a part in school life although we recognise that everybody leads a busy life and many parents live some distance away from the School and therefore on the spot help is not always possible!

Supporting School Events
Your support of major school events is always appreciated and for those who are able to watch matches or come to smaller events, you will always be most welcome.
Sharing expertise
The Head of Careers is always grateful for those who can help with Careers talks or who are prepared to offer work experience to girls.
Serving on a Committee/Helping to organise an Event
Some parents are willing to help on our Gift Fair Committee; some help with the arrangements for special events or tours, for example, the lacrosse tours and chamber orchestra tour; some serve on the Appeal Committee. Offers of help are rarely turned away!
Ideas and suggestions
We always welcome ideas and suggestions about aspects of school life with the view that many heads are better than a few!

Poppy Mankowitz wins first prize in the Corpus Christi Philosophy Essay Competition 2007-08

The competition is open to all students in Year 12 and essay titles are set by Corpus Christi. Poppy will be attending the Prize Giving on 3 July.

Head Senior, Annie Hillier, wins a place in the finals of the Young Designers Competition

Annie entered her design for her AS Level Product Design Resistant Materials coursework and has been selected as one of the 20 finalists. She will take her project and portfolio to the Finals, which will be held at Dulwich College in London on 20 June 2008.

Medley Lecture: Tuesday 16th September 2008 7.30 pm PAC

Dan Cruikshank - 'Adventures in Architecture'

Dan is a leading expert on architecture and historic buildings and a regular presenter on the BBC. He is best known for his popular series Britain's Best Buildings and Around The World in 80 Treasures; and for his appearances in Under Fire and What The Industrial Revolution Did For Us.

Downe House School goes on 'tour'

Sunday, 10 August 2008

Performances at 11am and 6pm at 'The Dell', the outdoor performance space in the RSC Centenary Gardens, bordered by the river and Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Bring a picnic, all welcome!

Amazing success for Downe House's Young Enterprise companies!

 

Romeo and Juliet was this year's school production staged over Music Weekend

2nd - 4th May in the Performing Arts Centre

Medley Lecture 6 May 2008 7.30pm PAC

‘Times' writer Mary Ann Sieghart gives Summer Term Medley Lecture

Richard Benyon MP visits Downe House

Newbury's MP, Richard Benyon, visited Downe House on 25th April speak to thePolitics Society about his work in the House of Commons and the constituency.

National Youth Theatre

Congratulations to Emma Powell (U5) who was selected for NYT's highly acclaimed acting course.

See also Speech and Drama Successes!

 

Charity Fashion Show raises over £5,500 for Teenage Cancer Trust

On Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th March, Downe House hosted a charity fashion show. The events were organised by Rosie Fortescue, Georgiana Haig and Celia Thursfield, in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust, raising a total of just over £5,500.

Literary Event - Sunday, 16 March

Gillian Clarke, renowned poet, who has written poetry and prose for children and adults, visited Downe House on Sunday, 16 March. Her poetry reading began with her first publsihed poem 'The Sundial' and the audience were immediately impressed by her passionate and erudite ideas......

Medley Lecture on Friday, 7 March

Diane Louise Jordan, businesswoman and one of the most popular presenters of BBC One's Songs of Praise, gave a talk and answered questions about how her faith influences the way she conducts her own business life and on matters relating to business ethics and corporate social responsibility more generally.

House Drama Productions DVD for sale

If you missed House Drama, or would like to see your daughter's performance again, a professional Double DVD recording by Kingsbridge AV Limited of all five productions will be available to order at a cost of £22.50 each.

Click here to find out how to order

Schools Competition Act Settlement Trust

This Trust was established in November 2006 as part of the agreed resolution of the OFT's recent investigation.

The objects of the Trust are to:

There are three criteria for eligibility:

For further details go to <Joining Downe> and click on <Scholarships>

Top of the page