In 1907, Olive Willis opened a school in the former home of Charles Darwin, inspired by her conviction that girls should be educated as individuals, not according to some external template. Downe House moved to Cold Ash in 1922 and has spent more than a century refining this approach on a stunning 110-acre Berkshire estate. Today, under Headmistress Mrs Emma McKendrick, it remains a prestigious all-girls boarding school where academic rigour is married with exceptional pastoral care and a breadth of opportunities that extends far beyond the classroom. The school ranks in the top 3% of schools in England for GCSE results (FindMySchool ranking), with nearly three-quarters of entries achieving grades 9-7. At A-level, the picture is equally strong, with five students securing Oxbridge places in recent years and leavers regularly progressing to leading universities. For girls seeking a full boarding education that balances tradition with innovation, Downe House remains one of England's most distinctive schools.
The Georgian and Victorian buildings that form the heart of campus occupy the former estate of the Order of Silence, a religious community. The grounds retain something of that contemplative spirit; mature woodland, open hillside, and distant views create a landscape that feels removed from the pressures of everyday life. Yet the school itself buzzes with energy. Chapel bells mark the hours. Girls move purposefully between lessons. Houses form the backbone of social life, and the sense of individual identity that Willis championed remains central to how the school functions.
Mrs McKendrick has led the school for over two decades, and her leadership reflects the school's stated commitment to combining tradition with forward-thinking innovation. The ISI inspection in 2024 confirmed the boarding provision as very high quality, noting that pupils behave extremely well and display genuine concern and respect for one another. The atmosphere is notably calm and genuine, without the forced intensity that can sometimes characterise selective schools. Girls speak of deep friendships formed across year groups, supported by a pastoral structure that knows each student as an individual.
The Downe House DNA, articulated by the school itself, comprises eight values: collaboration, resilience, creativity, aspiration, compassion, communication, being outward-looking, and digital readiness. These are not abstract slogans. Staff speak of integrating them throughout all aspects of school life, and the school environment reflects this emphasis on character development alongside academic achievement. The Christian ethos provides a spiritual framework, though the school welcomes girls of all faiths and none.
55% of GCSE entries achieved grades 9-8 in 2024, with 75% reaching grades 9-7 or above. These figures place the school in the elite tier (FindMySchool ranking), ranking 138th in England and surpassing the vast majority of peers. The school's consistent strength across the curriculum reflects specialist teaching and small class sizes. Girls describe teachers with deep subject knowledge who set high expectations while providing genuine support. Extended study sessions run throughout the week, ensuring homework is completed in school, which simplifies life for both boarders and day pupils.
At A-level, 27% of entries achieved A*, 33% achieved A, and 22% achieved B grades. This means 82% of all A-level entries sit in the A*-A-B range, well above the England average and placing the school in the top 5% in England (FindMySchool ranking). The school offers 26 A-level subjects, including Classical Greek, Russian, and History of Art, allowing girls genuine choice within an academically rigorous framework.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
82.02%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE 9–7
75%
% of students achieving grades 9-7
Five students secured Oxbridge places in the measurement period, comprising four acceptances to Oxford and one to Cambridge. This represents strong performance for a school of this size. Beyond Oxbridge, the 2024 cohort secured places at leading institutions including Imperial College London, University College London, Durham, Edinburgh, and Bristol. The school runs a dedicated Oxbridge programme for interested sixth formers, including interview preparation and practice sessions with boys from partner schools including Radley and Eton.
Teaching at Downe House follows clear structures with high expectations throughout. The curriculum is traditionally academic, with emphasis on essay-based subjects, mathematical proof, and close reading of texts. From Year 7, sciences are taught separately rather than as combined science, allowing deeper exploration. Languages are offered extensively, with French beginning for all in Year 7 and opportunities to pursue Russian, German, Mandarin, and Spanish at GCSE and A-level.
Two programmes set academic learning apart from the mainstream. The Scholars' Programme, open to academic award holders, offers enrichment through mentoring and dedicated seminars. The Elective Programme for Lower Fifth girls allows exploration beyond the core curriculum, with modules designed to develop scholarly independence and intellectual flexibility. Beyond these, more than 50 academic societies meet weekly, ranging from the Medical Society and Law Society to the Engineering Society and Psychology Club. The Downe Podcast, produced by students, features discussions of school life, the Academic Enrichment Programme, and interviews with visiting speakers.
The Debating Society competes regularly, with annual House Debating competition culminating in the prestigious Galbraith Cup. The School Symposiums, held jointly with Radley College, stretch the most academically curious Lower Fifth and Sixth Form girls in both STEM and Humanities disciplines. This partnership with Radley also yields historical research opportunities, with sixth form historians accessing Radley's WW1 archive to study women's roles in the Great War.
Music is central to school life. Over 200 girls take part in music-making across the year, from beginners to diploma-standard instrumentalists. The school supports six choirs spanning different styles and ability levels, six large instrumental ensembles, and numerous small ensembles. Students perform regularly in chapel and at formal school concerts. Individual music lessons are available in all standard instruments, with specialist tuition in strings, woodwind, brass, and percussion. The recently opened Performing Arts Studio provides dedicated rehearsal space. The annual London Carol Service, held at St Paul's Cathedral, showcases the musical talent of the school community, and selected musicians undertake foreign tours.
Dance has grown dramatically in recent years, with over 200 pupils taking classes weekly. Ballet, modern dance, tap, hip hop, and contemporary are all offered, with pupils able to work towards Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) ballet exams. The school produced a stunning student-choreographed performance of Avatar, featuring 63 dancers across all year groups.
Drama is inclusive, with opportunities for performance, design, and technical work. House Drama productions run each year, with sixth formers often directing. The school mounts major productions annually, using the Murray Centre auditorium, a purpose-built 250-seat venue that opened in 2014. Speech and drama lessons are available, and girls can work towards the Arts Award.
Lacrosse dominates the sporting calendar and is compulsory for all pupils. The school fields teams at all levels, from recreational to elite, with first team fixtures against strong regional opponents including other leading independent schools. Hockey, netball, tennis, and cross-country running are also offered. The school maintains floodlit playing fields, allowing sports fixtures to continue through darker months. Indoor facilities include a swimming pool used for both recreational swimming and diving. Girls with sporting talent can pursue intensive coaching pathways; others play for enjoyment and fitness. Weekend fixtures are regular, with matches often scheduled for Saturday afternoons after school.
The Engineering Society provides hands-on learning, with girls designing and building projects using workshop facilities. The Coding Club and Robotics Group serve girls interested in computer science and digital design. Science is taught across well-equipped laboratories, with separate physics, chemistry, and biology courses from Year 7. Sixth formers can pursue the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), which counts as half an A-level and encourages independent research in areas of personal interest.
The Creative Arts Faculty is exceptionally active. Girls pursue ceramics in well-equipped pottery studios, fine art in dedicated art rooms, graphic design, textiles, and photography. Textiles students have had work selected for prestigious exhibitions including the Royal Academy's Young Artists Exhibition. Girls regularly visit art galleries and exhibitions, and display work in competitions including the Armed Forces Day Art Exhibition at Newbury Racecourse and the Arlington School of Crafts summer show.
The school supports four student-edited publications, all written and produced by girls across the year groups. Aurora covers fashion and lifestyle; Adrift focuses on literary arts with poetry, short stories, and creative writing; Train of Thought publishes scholarly essays and opinions on current affairs; The Enquiry is the Learning and Research Centre Journal; and Origins is the annual STEM magazine. These publications give girls genuine editorial experience and a platform for intellectual expression.
Beyond the major pillars, the school runs an extensive co-curricular programme. Clubs include Book Club, History Society, Knitting Club, Commonwealth Society, Medical Society, Model United Nations, the Gender Sexualities Alliance, Film Club, Engineering Society, and even a Cheese Society. The Caledonian Society offers sixth form girls the opportunity to learn Scottish country dancing and attend formal reels with partner boys' schools including Radley, Winchester, and Eton. The Cookery Club and weekend baking workshops are popular, with sixth formers able to pursue the Leiths Introductory Certificate in Food and Wine.
The Anti-Bullying Committee, run by sixth form girls for the entire school, provides a platform for activities designed to prevent and address bullying. Charity work is woven throughout; girls support house charities and international link charities through fundraising and volunteering at local organisations including the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust and Riding for the Disabled. Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme participation is high, with most upper school and sixth form girls completing Bronze or Gold levels.
Weekend activities are carefully planned to ensure girls remain engaged and supported during non-teaching time. The school organises trips to the theatre, cinema, and attractions including Marwell Activity Centre, Windsor Castle, and Cotswold Wildlife Park. Activities include trampolining, iFly skydiving, ice-skating, and go-karting. Weekends also see the school's "Big Weekends" programme, held on the first and last weekends of each term, when boarders and day girls participate in special events and activities together.
Fees for 2025/26 are £20,304 per term for full boarding, £16,980 for flexi boarding (four nights per week), £15,108 for day boarding, and £11,196 for day pupils. Fees include tuition, pastoral care, accommodation (where applicable), all meals, laundry, personal accident insurance, the majority of educational materials and stationery, academic and enrichment trips as part of the curriculum, participation in school-run enrichment activities including lectures, choirs, orchestras, school productions, sports coaching and training, and transport to and from sports fixtures. Additional overnight stays beyond the flexi boarding entitlement are charged separately; flexi boarders are welcome to stay without additional charge on the Saturday nights of "Big Weekends."
A registration fee of £240 (day pupils) or £395 (boarding/flexi pupils) is payable on registration. An acceptance deposit is required upon acceptance of an offer; this is refundable and varies depending on residency and visa requirements. The school reports that scholarships and bursaries are available, with a fundraising focus on increasing bursary provision. The Centenary Fund specifically provides support for local day pupils.
*Bursaries may be available for eligible families.
Basis: per term
Girls enter the school at ages eleven, twelve, thirteen, and sixteen. The eleven-plus represents the largest intake. Entry is selective, with candidates sitting entrance examinations and interviews. The school uses Common Entrance for entry at thirteen. Applicants registering for year seven should do so by the preceding January; assessment days and interviews typically occur in January or February.
For sixth form entry, girls typically need to achieve grades 5 or above at GCSE in their chosen A-level subjects. International students are welcomed; the school reports the roll splits roughly into thirds (London / elsewhere in the UK / overseas), with overseas pupils particularly from East Asia and growing interest from the USA, India and the Middle East.
The school offers academic scholarships worth up to 25% of fees, awarded on the results of examinations and interviews. Scholarships are also available for music, sport, art, and drama, with assessment days held from January through May after initial offers are made. The school has a long tradition of offering bursaries; families with financial need are encouraged to apply, with bursary support available to all pupils regardless of scholarship status.
Boarding is the core of school life. The house system integrates all aspects of pastoral care, with girls progressing through age-appropriate housing as they move through the school. Three dedicated boarding houses, Hill, Hermitage, and Darwin, accommodate younger girls (ages 11-13). From the fourth form onwards, girls move to mixed-age houses including AGN, AGS, Aisholt, Holcombe, and Tedworth, remaining in the same house until the sixth form. Sixth formers board in Willis or Thorne houses.
House staff live on campus and know their girls intimately. The Housemistress, resident Housemaster or Housestaff, and matron provide daily support. Tutors meet with girls regularly in small groups, and academic staff are alert to girls' wellbeing and progress. A dedicated counsellor is available, and the school runs a comprehensive mental health and wellbeing programme called "Finding Balance," which includes yoga, mindfulness, stress management techniques, sleep education, and nutrition advice.
Day pupils, numbering approximately 70 girls across the school, are fully integrated into the boarding community. In the lower school and sixth form, day girls are housed within boarding houses alongside boarders. In the upper school, separate day girl facilities are provided. Day girls benefit from the full breadth of evening and weekend activities and can occasionally sleep over on weekends if space permits. A local transport service is available, with girls able to arrive as early as 7:30am and stay until 8:30pm or later if engaged in activities.
The school's approach to safeguarding was confirmed as robust by the 2024 ISI inspection, with safeguarding procedures in place and staff trained to high standards.
The 110-acre estate provides exceptional space and beauty. The original buildings, including the former mansion house, blend Victorian and Edwardian architecture with more recent construction. The Murray Centre, opened in 2014, houses a 250-seat auditorium, library, collaborative learning spaces, and a coffee shop. The recently completed Performing Arts Studio offers dedicated rehearsal and performance space for music and drama. Science facilities include separate laboratories for physics, chemistry, and biology, equipped to modern standards. Art facilities include dedicated painting studios, ceramic kilns, photography darkrooms, and textiles workshops. The chapel serves as the spiritual heart of the campus, used for regular worship and special services.
The school's location on a woodland estate approximately two miles from the M4 and A34 provides excellent access. The nearby market towns of Newbury and Oxford are within easy reach. The school is approximately one hour's drive from Heathrow Airport, making international access straightforward.
Selectivity and competition. Entry is selective and competitive, particularly at eleven and thirteen. Families should ensure their daughter is genuinely interested in the school and comfortable with a rigorous academic environment. Girls thrive here when they engage with the breadth of opportunities; those seeking a primarily day school experience with limited boarding may find the strong boarding culture requires adjustment.
Boarding as a lifestyle choice. Downe House is fundamentally a boarding school; only day places for approximately 10% of the pupil body are available. Full boarding means extended periods away from home (typically three weeks per term, with exeats every three weeks). This suits many families seeking continuity and intensive personal development but requires genuine family commitment. International families should consider the logistics and emotional demands of boarding from significant distances.
Cost. Fees are substantial. While scholarships and bursaries are available, families should carefully review financial aid options. The school encourages applications from families with financial need, and bursary support is available independent of scholarship status.
Single-sex education. Downe House is girls-only. While the school has strong partnerships with local boys' schools including Radley, Winchester, and Eton for joint academic and social events, girls seeking a co-educational environment should look elsewhere.
Downe House represents the best of traditional British boarding school education reimagined for the modern world. The school honours its heritage, founded 117 years ago on the principle that individual girls should be known, valued, and supported, while investing substantially in modern facilities, contemporary teaching approaches, and a commitment to equality and inclusion. Results are consistently strong across academics and co-curricular life. Girls leave as thoughtful, articulate young women with wide circles of friends, a strong sense of what they can achieve, and real experience of living in community.
The school is best suited to girls who thrive in a boarding environment, who appreciate academic challenge, and who want access to exceptional breadth of opportunity in music, drama, sport, creative and visual arts, and intellectual enrichment. Girls need to be genuinely committed to full boarding and comfortable with a girls-only, relatively traditional school environment. For families seeking this combination, Downe House delivers an exceptional education rooted in principle and delivered with real warmth.
Yes. The school ranks in the top 3% of schools in England for GCSE results (FindMySchool data), with 75% of entries achieving grades 9-7 or above and 55% achieving grades 9-8. At A-level, 82% of entries achieve A*-B grades, placing it in the top 5% in England. The 2024 ISI inspection confirmed high quality across all areas, and the school has a long-established reputation as one of England's most selective girls' boarding schools.
Fees for 2025/26 are £20,304 per term for full boarding, £16,980 for flexi boarding (four nights per week), £15,108 for day boarding, and £11,196 for day pupils per term. Fees include tuition, accommodation (where applicable), all meals, laundry, most educational materials, trips, enrichment activities including lectures and choirs, sports coaching, and transport to matches. Additional charges may apply for optional extras and certain Sixth Form programmes such as the Leiths Food and Wine Certificate.
Yes. The school offers academic scholarships up to 25% of fees, awarded on examination and interview results. Scholarships are also available for music, sport, art, and drama. Bursaries are means-tested and available to families with financial need. The school actively encourages applications from families seeking financial support and has established a fundraising focus to increase bursary provision. Scholarships and bursaries are not mutually exclusive; families can receive both.
Entry is selective at all points of admission. At eleven, candidates sit entrance examinations and attend interviews. At thirteen, girls typically sit Common Entrance. At sixteen, entry requirements usually include grades 5 or above at GCSE in intended A-level subjects. The eleven-plus entry is the largest intake. International applicants are welcomed, with approximately one-third of the school body from overseas.
The school offers three main boarding options: full boarding (seven nights per week), flexi boarding (typically four nights per week with flexible adjustments week to week), and day places. Full boarding fees are highest, but flexi boarding provides cost flexibility while allowing girls to engage in most evening and weekend activities. Flexi boarders can stay additional nights at extra cost, and they are welcome to stay on Saturday nights during "Big Weekends" at no additional charge. Day pupils are fully integrated into the boarding community and access all evening and weekend activities.
Day pupils are fully integrated. In the Lower School and Sixth Form, they board alongside boarders within the same houses. In the Upper School (Years 9-11), separate day girl facilities are provided but day girls remain connected to their house community. Day girls have access to all evening activities until 8:30pm or later, participate in weekend programme activities that are optional, and can occasionally arrange to board on weekends if space permits. Approximately 70 day pupils (just over 10% of the student body) attend the school.
Downe House operates a three-step pastoral care system tailored to girls' needs at different developmental stages. House staff including the Housemistress, Housemaster, and matron provide daily support. Academic tutors meet regularly with girls. A trained counsellor is available for more intensive support. The school runs "Finding Balance," a comprehensive wellbeing programme incorporating yoga, mindfulness, stress management, sleep education, and nutrition advice. Safeguarding is taken seriously, and staff are trained to high standards.
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