Day places at Downe House

More than a day at school – A world of opportunities on your doorstep

Click here to book your place at our Information Event for Day Pupils on Thursday 9 May, 4.15-6pm

All the flexibility of a day school…all the benefits of a boarding school

Day pupils at Downe House benefit from a full boarding education but with the added benefit of sleeping in their own beds at home. They are fully integrated into all aspects of school life, enjoying an extended day, with the flexibility of starting as early as 7.30am for breakfast and staying to enjoy all the activities on offer once lessons finish at 6pm. Many of our day pupils choose to stay in school to take advantage of an array of enrichment opportunities until 8.30pm and, on occasion, beyond. Girls have their own work spaces, storage and social spaces, and are given the same bespoke pastoral care as the boarders.  

 I do the exact same things as boarders. Nobody really realises that you’re a day girl because you have the same opportunities, you do the same activities and there’s not much difference – apart from the fact that you go home at night.

-Octavia, Lower Fifth

More than a day at school…a world of opportunity

Evenings at Downe House offer an outstanding range of opportunities, such as talks by visiting speakers, supervised prep (homework) sessions, clubs and societies, drama, dance and music rehearsals, sports training and the chance to have supper and socialise with friends. We have also recently begun an exciting strategic partnership with Radley College, sharing academic and social opportunities for girls and boys to share knowledge and develop healthy and normal relationships with their peers. All pupils have equal access to these opportunities – day pupils and boarders alike. 

All girls attend school on Saturday morning, after which there are sports fixtures in the afternoon. The rest of the weekend is jam-packed with trips and other opportunities which day girls can choose to attend if they wish. We take great care to ensure our day girls are fully involved in all aspects of school life and play an integral part in our community. Please come and visit us to find out more! 

Photo: © 2021 David Levenson mail@davidlevenson.com 07836358831
Photo: © 2021 David Levenson mail@davidlevenson.com 07836358831

Discover more about life as a Downe House day pupil

Your questions answered

Yes, Saturday school is integral to the full boarding education offered at Downe House and enables us to offer a very broad and rich curriculum
We offer occasional boarding to day pupils, dependent on numbers and space.
Monday to Saturday, day girls need to register by 8.30am. They are welcome to arrive as early as 7.30am.
It depends on your daughter and her commitments. She is free to go home at 6pm once lessons finish but she may want to stay later to take part in the wealth of opportunities on offer.
Curriculum trips and sports matches and music trips are included as part of the fees and if a trip is not included, you will be written to with full details. Other extras are also occasionally chargeable, but we will always seek your consent if these come to more than £30.
Yes, absolutely!
We will provide transport as demand dictates. There would be a fee for this service.
She is most welcome to join any activities onsite and offsite. There may be charges which we would tell you about.
Beds in dormitories are limited so we ask that you let us know by the February of the preceding academic year, if you wish your daughter to board.
Yes, she would have a space to call their own within a shared room. It would include a desk for quiet study and a storage cupboard and shelves for her possessions.
There are spaces for 70 day pupils across the school, accounting for just over 10% of the pupil body.

Tours & Open Mornings

The best way to find out more about Downe House is to experience it for yourself. Book a personal tour or join us at one of our Open Mornings, available throughout the year.

Discover
Now accepting more Day Pupils for September 2025! Learn more at our Open Event on Thursday 9 May.
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