Founded by Miss Olive Willis and Miss Alice Carver at Down House, the former home of Charles Darwin, in the village of Downe in Kent.

The School moved to Berkshire In March 1922 to start the Summer Term. Whole buildings are moved from Kent to Cold Ash. Construction of a new kitchen, music rooms and a gym started. Six classrooms and a laboratory are built and the Studio is completed.

The rebuilt Chapel is opened. The organ is dedicated and played by its builder, Mr Daniels of Somerset. Old Seniors present the Chapel Bell and the first Old Seniors’ Dance is held at the Hyde Park Hotel.

The Library is opened by the Duchess of Atholl. The staff house on Red Shute Hill became the San.

Excavation and construction of an outdoor swimming pool begins

The new Dining Room and the South Wing (now Tedworth) are opened. Each year at Christmas, Choral would process around the gallery, singing carols by candlelight to the delight of the school community.

The Concert Room, Chemistry and Biology Labs were built.

A view from the Cloisters

Every year, Seniors’ Weekend welcomed back alumnae with a massed gym display in the Cloisters

The School’s 50th birthday: Construction starts on the Jubilee Hall and a commemorative tree is planted behind the Chapel

Dame Myra Hess performs with the School orchestra at the opening of the Jubilee Hall on 15 June 1968

The first Science Block is opened by Professor Dorothy Hodgkin and Garden House was built as a Sixth Form Block.

Aerial view of the Downe House campus

The new Science Block is opened by Lady Plowden, Old Senior.

The French Project begins and moves to Veyrines-de-Domme in 1991. Cohorts of girls start to spend a term in France which has become a highlight of every girl’s education at Downe House.

Mrs Emma McKendrick is appointed Headmistress.

The Farr Centre is opened by Old Senior, Clare Balding

Downe House celebrates 100 years! Centenary celebrations include a Thanksgiving Service at St Paul’s Cathedral attended by four Headmistresses, Reunions for the DHSA, an Academic Study Day, Institution of the Medley Lectures, a Staff Fun Day and a Girls’ Fun Day. Dr Christian Alexander, a member of the music staff, is commissioned to compose an opera ‘Olive Triumphant’ and a commemorative mulberry tree is planted by the Concert Room.

New Lower School Boarding Houses are opened to accommodate Darwin, Hermitage and Hill.

The Murray Centre opens – with a new 250-seat Auditorium, Library, Collaborative Learning space and a Coffee Shop

From mid-March 2020 the School begins to adapt to remote teaching and learning in response to Covid-19. This culminates in the introduction of Digital Downe House, a full remote teaching and learning Downe House experience.

A very special moment in the history of Downe House and a significant development for girls’ education in the Middle East. Downe House Muscat becomes the first girls-only school in the world founded by an authentic British girls’ school.

Downe House celebrates the School’s centenary year at the site in Cold Ash. Current pupils, families, staff and alumnae come together to celebrate and reminisce about the past 100 years.