At whatever point girls join Downe House, day pupils are fully integrated and make an important contribution to the community. They are members of a boarding house and enjoy a working space and storage in a dormitory alongside boarders. Occasional overnight stays may be possible with plenty of notice, time and space allowing. Integrating day girls as members of the boarding houses means they are able to forge friendships, not just with girls in their year group but across the rest of the House too. Rising up through the School, day girls have access to the same leadership opportunities as boarders and are encouraged to give back to the community by taking up positions of responsibility. Whether they are leading their House for our annual House Drama competition, heading up the Eco-Committee (the DECOs), running their own society or as Head of their boarding house, the opportunities are plentiful.

Day girls are able to take advantage of the following benefits:

• An extended day. Day girls are welcome to join us for breakfast and they stay until lessons finish at 6pm. Many girls take advantage of the many extracurricular opportunities available and stay for supper and beyond, until 8:30pm.
• Access to a full range of evening clubs, enrichment lectures, House events and leadership opportunities. In the Sixth Form, this extends to the Mini MBA programme, the Ivy House Leadership programme, Microsoft Office Specialist certification and the Leith’s Certificate in Food and Wine.
• Study sessions timetabled throughout the school day for girls to complete homework or “prep”. Girls may use these sessions for extra music/speech and drama/tennis/squash lessons. This means pupils never miss academic lessons for any extra paid activities. It also means your daughter returns home having completed all her homework in school.
• A personalised working space and storage space in a dormitory, alongside the boarders.
• An individual academic Tutor who they meet with 1:1 every week.
• Bespoke pastoral care by academic and boarding house staff to monitor wellbeing and academic progress.
• Extended access to staff and facilities. Many of our academic staff tutor in the boarding houses and are available for extra support outside lesson time.
• Health and wellbeing provision by our onsite Health Centre, providing health care when necessary.
• Bespoke Higher Education guidance, supporting pupils in accessing the world’s best universities in the UK and around the world. This is bolstered by a global internship programme and an extended network of alumnae, as part of our DH Links programme, who offer guidance and support to our current pupils.
• Flexibility around pick ups/drop offs and occasional overnight stays.
• Full weekend activity programme involving on and off-site trips which day girls can opt into as they wish.
• A programme of overseas trips, including a residential trip to France for Year 8 and opportunities to take part in our Global Schools’ Exchange Programme.
• A local transport service, as demand dictates.
• Access to our Parenting and Educating in Partnership Programme, offering families access to some of the best experts who can support the navigation of the teenage years. We also invite and encourage parents to a number of social events, onsite and offsite and always encourage you to support your daughter at sports fixtures, music concerts and other events.