Art and Crafts
Girls can join Art Club and where they can follow their own ideas, using any medium at all, and to experiment with new techniques. We also have Crafts and Ceramics Club where girls design and create a broad range of objects. This might range from learning origami and designing greetings cards to creating ceramic dishes and making broaches. Opportunities abound for girls to explore and discover their artistic talents whether it be ceramics, fine art, graphic design, textiles or photography. Girls enjoy regular trips to art galleries and exhibitions as well as displaying work in competitions and public events at the Arlington School of Crafts and the Armed Forces Day Art Exhibition at Newbury Racecourse.

Read more about the creative arts at Downe House.

Caledonian Society
A joint initiative with Radley, Winchester and Eton which sees Sixth Form girls learning different Scottish reels and enjoying reeling socials with the boys’ schools which consists of a formal dinner followed by a series of six reels. Great fun for everyone!

Charity
Girls support their House Charities and International Link Charities through raising money and volunteering in a wonderful variety of events and initiatives. Girls also give their time volunteering at local charities such as the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust and Riding for the Disabled.

Read more about charity work.

Christian Union
As the spiritual heart of the campus, the Chapel serves as a place for regular worship and girls can also join the Christian Union and Roots Society which offer the opportunity to reflect, explore and question the Christian faith. Girls can also join confirmation courses and each term, there is the opportunity to be confirmed in the Chapel.

Find out more about our Christian ethos at Downe House.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
In the Upper School and Sixth Form, most girls successfully complete either the Bronze or Gold level of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to develop their leadership, planning and teambuilding skills as well as to gain a true sense of service and independence.

Find out more about DofE at Downe House.

Food
Cookery Club and Weekend Workshops are a popular option with the Lower and Upper School girls who enjoy learning to cook everything from a Thai Chicken Curry to the perfect chocolate brownie in the well-equipped kitchens. The CCA Department supplies Bake Boxes for the Sixth Form girls with all the ingredients to cook independently in the boarding house at the weekends. For girls in Sixth Form who want to take their cookery skills to the next level, they can sign up for the Leiths Introductory Certificate in Food and Wine course in the Sixth Form.

Find out more about Leiths at Downe House.

Food Forum
The Lower School, Upper School and Sixth Form committees each meet twice a term to discuss the catering provision in the School with the Catering Department and give valuable feedback.

Global Initiatives
Girls in the Fifth Form have the opportunity to take part in a global exchange and study abroad at one of our 16 partner schools across six continents. It is a unique and rewarding experience which immerses the girls in school and family life giving them the opportunity to explore different communities and cultures.

Learn more about our Global Schools’ Exchange programme.

Student-led clubs and societies
There are many student-led clubs and societies for girls to join including Engineering society, Book Club, History Society, Knitting Club, Commonwealth Society, Medical Society, Model United Nations and even a Cheese Society! In their boarding houses, girls can get involved with House-organised clubs for reading, current affairs, cookery and much more!

The Anti-Bullying Committee
The Anti-Bullying Committee, run by the Sixth Form for girls of all year groups, provides a platform for a range of activities designed to prevent and combat bullying in the Downe House community.

Weekend trips
The CCA Department organises trips to the theatre, cinema, to visit local amenities such as Marwell Activity Centre, Windsor Castle, Cotswold Wildlife Park and to take part in activities such as trampolining, iFly Skydiving, ice-skating and go karting.

Wellbeing
We firmly believe that knowing how to eat healthily, sleep well, exercise, relax and manage stress are every bit as important as other aspects of School life. Our Finding Balance programme includes yoga, mindfulness and a range of techniques and tips to ensure that the energy and pace of boarding life have a natural counterpart, where relaxation, fun and stillness have their place.

Learn about our Wellbeing programme.