Here are our pupils’ answers to some Frequently Asked Questions about what’s it really like at Downe House

There is absolutely nothing to worry about because firstly, there will be lots of new girls joining at the same time as you and the girls who joined in Lower School are always really excited to meet the new girls and will make every effort to get to know you! Everyone, new or old, will be joining an Upper School house for the first time and so starting their Upper School journey together. There will be lots of activities and events to help everyone get to know each other and settle in quickly.

Don’t worry at all! Your Housemistress will introduce you to your Academic Buddy, a girl in your House who is also in your classes and she will help you to find your way around. There are always other girls from your House to walk to your lessons with and in the back of your Planner, there is a map of the School which will help you find your way around too. Of course, if you’re not sure, just ask someone because all the staff, seniors and other pupils will be more than happy to help you.

On Saturdays, you will have lessons until lunchtime and then most girls either take part in matches on Saturday afternoons or do Saturday Active which is run by the PE staff. There is also an amazing programme of trips, activities and clubs to choose from every weekend which includes laser tag, bowling, shopping, cookery lessons, go-karting and art & craft workshops. Your boarding house will also organise fun activities such as movie nights, pamper or games evenings, pizza and firepit nights. Of course, you can also choose to use the sports facilities, music and art rooms or just wind down and relax with your friends at the weekends.

The first and last weekends of each term are ‘closed’ when everyone is expected to stay at School and there are usually major School events taking place such as House Drama or Founder’s Weekend. In the Michaelmas and Lent terms, there are two Short Exeats (a long weekend) with one Short Exeat in the Summer term when all girls return to their parents or guardians. You can then choose to go home on any other weekend either for a day or the whole weekend, as long as you have honoured all of your School commitments such as taking part in matches, training schedules, rehearsals or performances.

The day typically starts at 7.20am when you are woken by the housestaff and you have around 20 minutes to get yourself up before heading off to breakfast in the Main Dining Room. After breakfast you have time to get ready for the day before you make your way down to either Chapel, Whole School Assembly or your year group’s Assembly. Classes officially start at 9am and last until 10.20am which is when break begins (a 20-minute period when you go back to your House for drinks and a snack). Lessons then continue throughout the day, with breaks for lunch and tea. Lessons finish at 6pm when supper is served. In the evenings, there is prep time in the House and then lots of activities to choose from – it might be a lecture, a dance or music lesson or rehearsal, fitness training or of course, hanging out with your friends and doing House activities and clubs together. Before bedtime, girls are encouraged to read which is a nice calm way to end a busy day.

For the first term of the Upper Fourth, the housestaff assign everyone to a dorm which is the fairest way to mix up the girls who have come up from Lower School and girls who are new to the School. Careful consideration is given to placing you in a dorm with two or three girls who they think you would get along well with.

After the first term, you select six girls who you would like to be in a dorm with the following term and so you will always be placed in a dorm with at least one girl from your list. It is a good system because it means that you get to know everyone in your year group.

There are so many people who are ready and willing to help you, whatever your problem might be. Each house has Matrons who are always on hand for day-to-day problems such as having a headache, needing advice or if you just want a chat. Your Housemistress and Assistant Housemistress are also a good port of call if you want to talk about any aspect of School life and they are always amazing at coming up with solutions for every problem. You will also meet your Tutor once a week and they can help if you have any questions about your classes or prep. There are School Counsellors and Nurses in the Health Centre with whom you can talk about personal or health issues. Whatever your problem – don’t worry! There are so many kind staff ready to support and help you.

Probably the best thing about being in the Upper School is that you are given more independence to choose your own path to discover and pursue your passions. You also have more free time to spend doing things you love with your friends, both in your own boarding house and in others. As you start to make choices about the subjects you want to study, you will also find that teachers start to encourage and challenge you to extend your learning beyond the classroom. As you move up the School, there are more opportunities which open up such as leadership roles, initiatives such as the Global Schools Exchange Programme and the Elective Programme as well as preparing you for the wider world through Higher Education and life skills workshops and lectures.

It’s really good! Food is a very important aspect of boarding school life. The School provides lots of choice at every meal to make sure there will be something for everyone and they cater for special dietary requirements. At every meal, there are always hot and cold options, meat, vegetarian and vegan dishes as well as a salad bar at lunch and supper where you can make your own salad, sandwich or enjoy the soup of the day.

There are three Food Committees representing the Lower School, Upper School and Sixth Form who meet with the catering managers regularly to give feedback and talk about the menus so you could join one of them to change the menu how you like!

Yes of course!! Most girls who join Downe House in the Upper Fourth have never played lacrosse before so you will learn together and soon catch up with the help and support of our amazing lacrosse coaches. The teams are constantly reviewed so you will have every chance of moving up into a team where you will learn even more from playing with the more experienced players.

Depending on what year group you are in, you will be allowed to use your mobile phone and call home at different times when you are in the boarding house and for varying lengths of time. You will not be allowed to take your mobile phone to lessons and will be asked to hand it in every night before you go to bed. If your parents live in a different time zone, then of course your housestaff will make sure that there is a time when you can call your parents.

Yes you will have plenty of opportunities to make friends with girls from other boarding houses and particularly in the first few weeks, there will be lots of social activities organised specifically to help you to get to know the other girls. Of course, you will also be in classes with girls in your year group from other boarding houses and at mealtimes, you choose who you sit with. With permission from the housestaff, you can visit your friends in other houses in the evenings and at weekends.

It’s such a good idea to bring familiar things to make your dorm feel cosy such as your own duvet covers and pillowcases, photos and posters to stick on your pinboard, extra cushions, a throw, fairy lights, your favourite teddy, an alarm clock and a bedside light. Of course, you will be able to buy tuck(sweets!) from the School Shop but do bring your favourite tuck too.