Upper School Handbook

UPPER SCHOOL HANDBOOK 2024 - 2025

UPPER FOURTH - UPPER FIFTH

Welcome to Downe House

The start of your daughter’s life at Downe House marks the beginning of our partnership. The staff and I would like to welcome you as a family to Downe House. We believe that we offer a happy, caring yet stimulating environment which complements your daughter’s home life. It is a privilege for us to begin to build this valuable relationship with you, which will provide a secure and structured framework in which your daughter’s personality can grow to meet her full potential.

Mrs Emma McKendrick Headmistress

Statement of Boarding Aims and Practice

Downe House, established in 1907, is a full boarding School, which aims to provide an excellent holistic education for boarders and day pupils within a relaxed but structured House framework. The School aims to enable girls to develop academically, socially, spiritually and emotionally in a homely and friendly environment, where mutual trust and respect between pupils and staff are the fundamental guiding principles on which the community was established over one hundred years ago and on which it continues to flourish. Our partnership with our parents is also a vital strand to ensuring our pupils are well supported and this commitment can be seen through our comprehensive ‘Parenting and Educating in Partnership’ Programme.

At Downe House the individual is highly valued within the House and the whole School community. All pupils, irrespective of background, race, religion or culture, are encouraged to live in harmony with one another and, by making the most of a range of different opportunities available to them during their journey through the Lower School, the Upper School and the Sixth Form Houses, girls are encouraged to develop the necessary confidence to meet the demands of adulthood and a rapidly changing world. One Sixth Form leaver eloquently summed up the unique Downe House experience by saying, ‘I left Downe House with the feeling there was nothing I couldn’t achieve.’

Mrs Anna Dourountakis - Assistant Head (Upper School)

As Assistant Head (Upper School), I am delighted to have the opportunity to welcome your daughter to the Upper School and guide her through the next three years of her educational journey. Before joining Downe House, I worked in various schools in the UK and in leadership, as an Assistant Head with specific responsibility for the Sixth Form. My career in education spans over twenty-six years and I am passionate about educating girls. I have worked within boarding environments for the past 19 years and value the gift and opportunities this education offers young women.

I graduated with Honours in History from the University of Natal (Durban) and then went on to receive a Postgraduate Diploma in Education and knew early in my career that I wanted to empower girls through education. Girls in the Upper School are entering an exciting and significant phase of their education and the next few years are decisive in helping them to shape their choices for I/GCSE, the Sixth Form and life beyond. I am proud to be part of that journey and my association with Downe House where the quality of teaching and learning, together with a strong pastoral tradition distinguishes the experience for our young women. In the Upper School, we seek to encourage all our girls to become academically curious, independent and outward-looking. Pastorally, my focus is that girls should be happy in themselves have a sense of belonging. They are encouraged to develop a positive self-concept, sound values and the motivation to try new things, lead and succeed. The girls enjoy working hard are creative in their thinking and do so well for themselves.

I am based in the Murray Centre, the learning hub of the school and girls can see me whenever they like. Working alongside and supporting your daughter is an experienced and established team of Housestaff and Academic Tutors who are specialists in guiding girls at this exciting point of their development. I am confident that your daughter is in the best possible hands at Downe House and I know she will thrive. It is my role to oversee and guide your daughter’s pastoral and academic progress and I intrinsically value the relationship with parents, educating your daughter in partnership. I hope that together, we will be able to ensure that your daughter’s time in the Upper School is academically successful and sees her flourish into a young woman who is confident, with the necessary skills to enable her to succeed in all areas of her life.

I am a huge advocate of empowering girls and giving them a voice to help them become confident individuals and leaders. I believe that each girl has the potential to flourish here in our care and be the best version of herself. Downe House provides a forward thinking, creative and kind environment with committed staff who are always willing to go the extra mile for the girls in their care. It is our aim in the Upper School to support girls to discover the things that inspire them and there are no limits to what can be achieved here. Downe House is truly a special and wonderful community and together with the staff and older girls, we look forward to welcoming your daughter to the Upper School.

Mrs Anna Dourountakis Assistant Head (Upper School)

Mrs Alison Compton-Ilott - Head of Upper Fourth

I have been working at Downe House for over 8 years now and hope to do so for many more! Initially working within the Foundation Team, but soon moving across to go back into the classroom teaching Geography and Lyceum Learning across the stages. In addition to my teaching role, I have enjoyed being an Academic Tutor in AGS House for a number of years and have worked as an evening assistant in both Tedworth and Hermitage House. All of these roles have enabled me to gain a deeper understanding of boarding life at Downe House through immersing myself fully in both the pastoral and academic life of the school.

What feels like many years ago now, I graduated from University College London with an honours degree in Geography (BSc). After graduating from UCL, I worked in the city for a number of years before deciding teaching really was the profession I was passionate about joining. I undertook a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at Goldsmiths, University of London and spent the first few years of my teaching career teaching Geography in a challenging but rapidly improving and highly rewarding maintained school in Tower Hamlets, East London. During this time, I moved into a middle leadership role as Head of More Able, Gifted and Talented. Having been educated in an international school in Singapore, with many friends who were boarders, and having taught in both the maintained and independent sector in the UK, I have gained a broad insight into the range of education provision. I believe that boarding education allows pupils to fully immerse themselves in their studies whilst pursuing their extra-curricular interests with zeal and forming friendships that will last a lifetime within a diverse and tolerant community where they feel supported and valued. I am very proud to be a part, albeit small, of the phenomenal academic and pastoral teams of Downe House.

I am delighted to be Head of Upper Fourth, a role which I hold together with my Geography teaching role. As Head of Upper Fourth I am able to offer focused support to this year group during what will be, for each and every one of them, a pivotal and formative year. I work closely with Mrs Dourountakis and the House and Academic teams to support your daughter academically and pastorally throughout her Upper Fourth year. There is so much to enjoy and embrace during this influential year. We have an exciting Upper Fourth Induction Programme and activities planned for the start of the year which will help your daughter to settle into her House and the Upper School, quickly forging new friendships and settling into what will be a busy and exciting year.

I will oversee the academic progress of your daughter in conjunction with her Academic Tutor and teachers and together we will support her through the exciting step of making her I/GCSE choices. I also aim to ensure that she is enjoying a wide range of Co-Curricular activities that interest and challenge her. Pastorally, we hope to support your daughter in developing resilience and confidence and the belief that with hard work and motivation, nothing is beyond her reach. I will go the extra mile to support your daughter through her Upper Fourth year and will be on hand to support both her and you throughout this exciting and pivotal year.

Mrs Alison Compton-Ilott Head of Upper Fourth

Mrs Genevieve Ford - Deputy Head (Pastoral)

I joined Downe House as Housemistress of Ancren Gate South (AGS) in January 2004, having previously been teaching at a maintained school in London. I took up the position of Head of Upper School in September 2011 and then Deputy Head (Pastoral) in September 2015. In addition to my boarding role, I teach Religious Studies throughout the School. I am also part of the Safeguarding Team.

Life in a full boarding school is always busy and every day is different. The pressure on girls in today’s world is considerable and it can be a tricky time emotionally. I believe that our girls are in need of strong leadership, high expectations and consistency. Each individual girl should have the opportunity to realise her potential. Strong pastoral care is important in order to enable each girl to flourish and to be happy. Having been a boarder myself at Queenswood and then at Stowe, I fully empathise with the girls and understand their needs within the boarding environment. The boarding house is a home away from home!

Family life is very important to me and that includes all the girls at School. My role is a residential one and I live within walking distance of School with my husband, Ray, and our children, Gabriella and Alexander. Ella is a boarder at Downe and Alex started boarding at Sherborne School last September.

I graduated with an honours degree in Religious Studies and Theology and completed my PGCE at the Institute of Education. My interests include travelling, playing polo and sailing through the air on the flying trapeze! Having grown up in Malaysia and with Ray coming from Australia, we often head for sunnier climes during the holidays and never pass up an opportunity to explore a new country. We have taken DH girls to India, China, Malaysia and Myanmar, which were wonderful. I am leading two tours to Kenya in Summer 2024.

I am absolutely committed to all the girls at Downe House and very much see my role as a way of life rather than a job; I feel privileged to be involved in the pastoral, academic and social development of each individual pupil.

Mrs Genevieve Ford Deputy Head (Pastoral)

Mr Hugh Grant - Deputy Head (Academic)

I joined Downe House last year, it has been a wonderful journey. Downe House is such a busy school, there is something for everyone. Before joining Downe, I taught in Dubai, South Korea and at Tonbridge School. My subject is Biology, which matches my degree, but I have taught all the Sciences in the past.

I will be working closely with the Heads of Department to ensure that every individual Downe House pupil finds the academic life at the school to be interesting and vibrant, inspiring our pupils to accept the challenges in front of them, safe in the knowledge that they have a well-developed support network at their disposal. Together we will find and celebrate your daughters strengths, as well as discover and work on the areas we need to develop. It is important that the curriculum at Downe is flexible enough to facilitate the individual journeys our pupils are on.

I graduated from New College, Oxford and went on to complete my PGCE at Homerton College, Cambridge. My interests include travelling, playing Saxophone and history, I am doing my best to support my wife, Jenny, in her PhD in Polish military history. My family also includes my children, Phoebe and Zoë, our dogs Oreo (Greyhound) and Stanley (Saluki/Whippet) and Loki the ball python.

Mr Hugh Grant Deputy Head (Academic)

Aisholt House

Aisholt is at the heart of Downe House, which makes our House very popular with the girls that live here. We are located between the Murray Centre (with its tuck shop and coffee shop) and the Main Dining Room; opposite Wakefield House at the front and our terrace at the back overlooks the Greek Steps and The Cloisters. Named for the village in Somerset where Downe’s founding Headmistress Olive Willis spent her summers, Aisholt is the original building of Downe House. Over the last 100 years, Aisholt has seen many changes, but our prime location in the centre of Downe has always placed us at the epicentre of school life.

On entering Aisholt you come into our Common Room. This is our primary communal space and is usually filled with Aisholt girls and their friends. It is light, spacious, and has plenty of comfortable seating. We use this space for our morning House meetings, our House activities, and socialising on the huge sofas and armchairs. The large dining table is used for academic work, evening prep, puzzles, crafts, afternoon tea, birthday pizza nights, and eating noodles or toast in the evenings. The Common Room also has a TV, Firestick, and Xbox for our House movie nights and frequent Just Dance competitions. Located off the Common Room, you will find the House Study which is the hub of Aisholt and where the girls can always find one of the House team, who are always ready to help. We, as House staff, always take the opportunity to spend quality time with each individual girl in our care and we enjoy their company immensely.

The ground floor also has our largest kitchen where the girls spend time baking cakes, making pizza, or cooking dinner for each other on their allocated Dorm Dinner night. Toast, cereal, fruit, and tea are mainstays of our daily lives here in Aisholt and you’ll always find the kitchen fully stocked! We also have a laundry area for personal washing, a boot room, and a lift which is a blessing at the beginning and end of term. Our UV have a separate common room on the first floor with their own small kitchen. This is a quieter space in which the oldest Aisholt girls can work, socialise, and revise. The girls really appreciate the calm working atmosphere as an alternative place to study and it helps prepare them for their move into more independent life in the Sixth Form. The current LV have spent the past year developing our dedicated wellbeing room to ensure that it is a quiet, cosy space for any pupil who wishes to use it.

Aisholt has 24 dorms across the first and second floors; our UIV are in dorms of three or four, our LV are in three or twos, and our UV are in dorms of two. The dorms change every term and so there is plenty of opportunity for the girls to get to know people in their year and across the House. Our evening activities also provide an excellent opportunity to build community. We run a weekly programme of baking, cooking, House Council, Feet Up Friday (our movie and popcorn night), and Aisholt’s favourite, our student-led Book Club. Additionally, we enjoy year groups trips offsite and House Suppers to help the Aisholt family bond together and feel that this is their ‘home away from home’. Wellbeing is a core tenet of our support for your daughters, and we recognise that helping others has a positive impact on our mental health. Last year, our At Home Dinner (our biennial black tie charity dinner) raised over £8,500 for our national Chairty, JDRF. Opportunities for personal growth and development abound across the Upper School and we cannot wait to see all the Aisholt girls achieve their very best and fulfil their full potential. The Aisholt House staff are passionate that every individual finds their path and we will support them every step of the way.

Miss Becky Hillier

HOUSEMISTRESS

I joined Downe House as Aisholt Housemistress in April 2022. Prior to becoming a teacher in 2011, I graduated with a degree in Social Anthropology and French and completed a Year Abroad at Université Laval in Quebec City during the coldest winter Quebec province has seen in decades. Before arriving at Downe, I spent the last 11 years as Head of Religion, Philosophy and Ethics at three independent schools in Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire, and Shropshire. Having been a boarder myself since the age of 7, this year marks my fiftheenth year in boarding schools so, I fully understand the highs and occasional lows that being a boarder can bring. During your daughter’s time in Upper School, Aisholt will be her home away from home, and it is important to me that this is somewhere she can relax, thrive, and develop. There are so many wonderful opportunities for her here at Downe and we will be here to ensure that she reaches her full potential. We will be here for her, supporting her and believing in her every step of the way through to Sixth Form and beyond! Aisholt is a very lovely, welcoming place full of delightful and helpful girls and equally fantastic staff. I count myself as incredibly fortunate to be at Downe House and leading this House.

Miss Abigail Burcher

ASSISTANT HOUSEMISTRESS

This is my second year at Downe, since joining in September 2023 as a resident Graduate Pastoral Assistant in Hill House. I took up the position following the completion of my Adult Nursing degree at the University of South Wales. I remain a qualified nurse, although my heart is firmly rooted in pastoral care, and I can’t imagine myself doing anything else. The challenges and variety of every day keep me engaged, and it gives me a great sense of pride in being involved in creating a comfortable, warm, and supportive environment, where the girls can flourish and be fully themselves in all aspects of Downe life. Alongside joining Aisholt as an Assistant Housemistress, I also work in the Foundation and External Relations department, continuing that connection between the school and the girls when they depart Downe. I move into Aisholt with my partner George, and our fur babies Lottie the Cockapoo and Evie the Tabby cat. It is a real privilege to be a part of the Downe community, and I’m so thrilled to be joining such a fantastic, dynamic and caring team in Aisholt and getting to know all the wonderful girls.

Mrs Justine Rigby

MORNING MATRON

I have worked at Downe House since April 2001 and moved to Aisholt in 2011. I enjoy my work immensely and I am proud to be a part of Aisholt. Spending time with the girls is such a privilege and supporting them achieve their goals by providing the best pastoral care is so important to me. I love spending time with the girls, particuarly in the evenings where I run activities from jewellery making, canvas art, charity work and many more. Aisholt is a wonderful house and I am sure you will really enjoy your time with us. I look forward to meeting you all.

Mrs Hazel Rodgers

AFTERNOON MATRON

I have worked as a non-residential Afternoon Matron in Aisholt since 2011, having previously worked at Hermitage Primary School. Ensuring the girls are happy and safe is my main priority. I always look forward to coming to work for a chat and catch up with the girls. I also love to bake cakes and whip up smoothies for the girls, as I know that they really appreciate it. Every day brings new challenges, so life is never dull. The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the girls progress through School into lovely, confident young ladies. I am looking forward to welcoming you all into our House.

“Aisholt is a family where you are celebrated and supported, whether it’s by your friends or the House staff, Aisholt’s community helps you to become the best version of yourself and will always continue to do so! ” POLLY (UV)

Ancren Gate North

Ancren Gate North is beautifully situated; we are surrounded by trees and overlook the rolling Berkshire Downs. Immediately below us is a steep valley which is covered with a carpet of lavender blue scabious in the early Autumn and golden daffodils in Spring. After a long day at School, it is hugely refreshing to walk down our wooded path and to have a sense of coming home.

The building provides a light, airy, bright environment for the girls to live and work in and is a place where every girl feels welcome, cared for and supported as an individual. Being separate from the main school buildings facilitates this feeling of community and enables us to create our own special ethos. Of course, we love to welcome visitors from other Houses too.

We are very proud of our House Committee; members of the UIV to UVI, meet every week. In consultation with the rest of the Committee and the Housemistress, the Head of House writes the agenda and chairs the meeting. Everything is discussed, and ranges from shower pressure to our big events! The girls take great pride in this independent mindset and enjoy the challenge of chairing a meeting.

AGN is fully committed to supporting our link charity Swings and Smiles in Newbury, they help young people with varying disabilities play in a safe and stimulating environment with their families. Money is raised through various House events held throughout the year will go towards the good work of Swings and Smiles.

We are in the process of creating an international link and looking for opportunities where AGN can support the wider community.

The girls of AGN are known for their House spirit; they enjoy all competitions and have a relaxed sense of fun and always enjoy a good laugh. Bedecked in purple, they cheer loudly and always support each other. They are all looking forward to welcoming the new girls into the House.

“As soon as you step into AGN it feels like home”

“No matter what age we are just one big happy family”

Mrs Lizzie Broyd HOUSEMISTRESS

I joined Downe House in 2004 having graduated from the University of Brighton with a BA in Physical Education. At Downe I have held many positions within the PE department, but I was honoured to be asked to run AGN as Housemistress in January 2024. Boarding life and pastoral care are a part of my DNA - my father is a Prep School Headmaster and therefore I have always lived in a boarding school. I saw first hand how important family life was within the boarding environment and I am delighted that my family have been so welcomed to AGN. I am joined by my husband Ben, and our three children Ruby (16) Elliot (6) and Rosie (3). Purple is now my main colour in the wardrobe, and I will be proudly be wearing it at any opportunity, championing the girls in all of their endeavours. I am proud to be Housemistress of AGN and I am looking forward to guiding your daughter to achieve her best and for you all to be part of the AGN family.

Miss Sorcha Brivio-Stone ASSISTANT HOUSEMISTRESS

I joined AGN in January 2024 from St Mary’s Calne where I was the Sixth Form Assistant Housemistress and Physical Education teacher. My undergraduate degree is in Sports Development and coaching from Sheffield Hallam University where I grew my passion for sports teaching, particularly focusing on the barriers that women face in the sports market and how we can reduce these for teenage girls. I have worked within a variety of excellent schools and pastoral roles, and I feel privileged to include Downe House school and AGN house to that list. I enjoy working with the house team to ensure evenings within the boarding house nurture the pupils’ interests as much as their academic day, supporting them with prep but also allowing them to develop their external interests. I believe excellent pastoral care is underpinned by a patient, positive and proactive well-being approach and aim to provide that for every pupil in AGN so every pupil feels like this is a home away from home. I look forward cheering on the AGN pupils whether it’s for the various house events, academic achievements or success on the sports fields.

Miss Carol Joice

MORNING MATRON

I joined the AGN team in September 2016 and I really enjoy working with the girls at Downe House. I have worked in many schools in a variety of roles from Teacher of PSHE to School Office Administrator, and have always loved getting to know and work with the pupils. I live locally with my partner, Grant, and my two children. In my spare time I enjoy baking with my daughter and rehearsing and performing with a local musical theatre group.

Mrs Debbie Bowyer

AFTERNOON MATRON

I have been working at Downe House for more than fifteen years. During that time I worked for three years as administration support in the Co-Curricular department, and as a Pastoral Assistant in the evenings in several different Houses across the School. I have also worked as a teaching assistant in secondary education and love working with young people. I am very much looking forward to another year as Matron in AGN. I have three children of my own, who all keep me busy when I am not working. My hobbies include walking, baking and horse riding and I am a selfconfessed TV addict and chocoholic!

Ancren Gate South

The ethos of the House is very much that of a family. The girls in the House are an extension of our families and we try to make it feel as much like a home as possible.

Ancren Gate South is a free-standing building situated next to the tennis courts and lies within beautiful woodland. It is approximately a thirty second walk away from the main building. We can sleep 65+ girls and usually have two or three day girls attached to the House. All the bedrooms are furnished in the same way: each girl has a desk, chair, set of shelves, notice board, bedside cabinet, wardrobe and a bed with four drawers underneath – so there is plenty of space for all those essentials a teenage girl requires! In the first two years, girls are usually in a four bedded room, and in their final year in House they are usually in twin rooms. There are two common rooms, equipped with televisions and comfy sofas for the all-important down time. Girls are able to access the internet and School network very easily. Being separate from the main buildings makes it easy to create the feeling of coming home, and this is an aspect of life in AGS the girls relish.

There are occasions such as House suppers and treat nights, often involving creative fancy dress opportunities, and regular activities throughout the week such as Cookery, Book Club, The Middle Ground discussion group and Kahoot! Club. These activities are an opportunity for House bonding and ensure that the pupils have a positive and holistic approach to boarding. The AGS girls are great at getting involved in things and this is reflected in our House spirit.

We hold fundraisers for our chosen House Charity, which is organised by the Head of House, and is supported by all the AGS girls and their families. The girls choose their charity and raise money through fundraising activities such as bake sales. We also have an international link charity which we also fundraise for through events such as fun-runs and fundraising evenings. Over the past few years, the AGS girls have raised over £25,000. This year our chosen local charity is Riding for the Disabled where the girls can volunteer at the stables, as well as raise awareness for the charity through events at school.

All inter-house events are fully supported with great enthusiasm and a healthy sense of competitive spirit; though it can also be said that AGS girls are most gracious when narrowly being pipped at the post!

“‘AGS is where friendships flourish, love is nourished, and memories are created for life.”

SARA, AGE

16

Mrs Ruth Kingston HOUSEMISTRESS

I joined Downe House in September 2023 and the girls and staff have helped me settle in very quickly. I teach Learning for Life, which ties in well with the pastoral side of the school and creates interesting discussions. I have worked in boarding for most of my 25-year career as a Housemistress, as my passion is looking after the wellbeing of young people and helping them have a holistic education. I have worked all over the world, spending 12 years in New Zealand where both my children were born; they are now at university in the UK. My previous job was helping set up the first boarding school in Mozambique which was extremely rewarding as we had a very diverse mix of pupils and boarding gave them the opportunity to develop and become global citizens. I enjoy travelling and caring for the environment and am developing these in AGS through International Wednesday activities and our environmental corridor.

Miss Emma Stonebridge ASSISTANT HOUSEMISTRESS

I have been working at Downe House for 3 years as Assistant Housemistress of AGS and I also work in the Classics department and the Learning Skills department, working 1:1 with girls across the school. I am also a DH Alumna, class of 2016. I had an amazing time as a pupil at Downe House and I want all AGS girls to experience the house spirit and family feel that I did as a pupil. After leaving school, I took a gap year where I worked as a gap student in Sauveterre School, and then travelled around Colombia and Ecuador. I then went and studied French, Spanish, and Business at the University of Nottingham. In my third year, I moved to Paris where I worked for a Cloud Technology company in the Change Management department. And now I’m here back at my roots in AGS! In House, I love to run activities, my favourite is “Middle Ground”, where we discuss a relevant topic and look at all the different perspectives, with some snacks of course! In the holidays, I love to travel to different countries around the world, and I also like to go back to my family home in the Peak District where I spend time with my family on their farm. I live in the boarding house with my very sociable labrador, Jenga, who loves having a cuddle and going on long walks!

Mrs Michelle Smith

MORNING MATRON

I joined Downe House in September 2023 as Morning Matron and I am here in house from 8am to 1pm daily. I started my working life as a Legal Secretary and continued this part time after having my children. After they both went to Nursery, I worked at Victoria Park Nursery School as a Special Needs Assistant. I then trained as a nursery nurse at Victoria Park Nursery School in Newbury (NVQ3 Child Care and Education) and spent 16 years there, progressing to becoming the Team Leader of the two year old class. I have always enjoyed the pastoral care involved in my positions and am really appreciating getting to know the girls at Downe House. I have been married for 32 years and have a husband and two older boys and a dog called Ernie, whom I love walking in the woods.

Miss Victoria de Trense

AFTERNOON MATRON

I joined Downe House in January 2023 as Afternoon Matron and I’m also a Downe House (and AGS!) alumna from the class of 1998. I studied English Literature and completed my PGCE in Primary Education at Oxford Brookes University. With 20 years’ experience teaching children across nursery, primary and secondary age groups my focus has always been on providing the best possible pastoral care for the pupils in my care, and it has been a joy to join AGS and get to know all the girls. I run cookery club each week and love spending this time helping the girls to improve their cooking skills. I live near Wantage with my husband and two children, and during the holidays I spend my time doing up our Victorian cottage.

Holcombe House

Holcombe overlooks the School, occupying two floors in one of the main buildings. In every sense, it is the heart of the school! There is a gorgeous view down towards the Greek Steps and the Cloisters, giving a sense of community and appreciation of the history of the School. Inside Holcombe, there is a light and airy feel, with rooms of various sizes to accommodate different numbers of girls depending on age. Younger girls joining Holcombe in UIV tend to be roomed in the larger forms of four girls, the senior pupils (UV) mostly in twin rooms. The large common room is used regularly for the in – House activities programme, including drama dance and music rehearsals as well as mindfulness sessions, spa nights, movie evenings and so much more.

Girls in Holcombe are encouraged to take an active part in the many activities the School has to offer and have a reputation for giving their all to all Inter- House competitions. The UV are encouraged to be role models to the younger pupils, in terms of their approach to their studies and behaving responsibly, and there is a focus on building relationships between girls in different years through House and cub suppers. Appreciating the skills and talents of girls across the House is strongly promoted and celebrated, and we have consistantly high standards in terms of politeness, kindness, empathy and respect.

We have a house charity, the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust (CWMT), that we fundraise for regularly throughout the academic year. CWMT is based locally in Thatcham and works with young people, parents, carers, and educators to provide mental health training, resources and awareness to children and young people. Recently we held a Holcombe House Charity Ball for the parents and girls in Holcombe. This was a huge success and we raised over £3000 for this fantastic charity. The notion of charitable giving and awareness of contemporary issues allows the pupils to become global citizens who possess an understanding of a wide range of issues.

We have pupils from many different backgrounds in the House, so we uphold the notion of internationalism to celebrate diversity as well as broaden the girls’ outlook on life. We hope to develop girls with cultural sensitivity, who will eventually thrive in a multicultural world and be comfortable in all communities and places in which they may spend time during their lives beyond Holcombe. We also encourage girls to take an interest in political issues through our Common Ground Club. We are fortunate to have a fantastic team of evening staff and tutors who enjoy spending time with the girls and chatting about a wide range of topics and interests.

Holcombe is a warm and welcoming House, which aims to nurture and encourage the individual talents of the pupils, and to support them and their families throughout their Upper School years. We encourage mutual respect for others and have a strong sense of House spirit!

Mrs Charlotte Sabnis HOUSEMISTRESS

Since joining Downe House in September 2023 as Head of Modern Languages, I have missed the busy and fulfilling world of boarding life and I am therefore delighted to be moving into Holcombe as Housemistress this September. After completing a degree in Arabic, French and Russian at the University of St Andrews, I joined Oundle School in 2016 where I taught French and Russian and became Head of French. I also worked as a Deputy Housemistress in a girls’ boarding house, and as Acting Housemistress. I love having my toes both in academic and pastoral waters as I can see how crucial it is for both of these to work in tandem to bring out the best in our pupils. Judging from the wonderful girls I already know in the house, it is clear that Holcombe helps to shape kind, curious and ambitious young women and I look forward to carrying this forward. I enjoy running, studying new languages (currently Hindi!) and cooking in the little bit of spare time that I occasionally have! My husband, who works as a university lecturer in Engineering, and our golden retriever are looking forward to moving into Holcombe with me this summer.

Miss Ellie West

ASSISTANT HOUSEMISTRESS

I have been a member of Downe House since 2019 when I first joined the school in a graduate role in Darwin House. I took up the role following my History degree at Essex University and can now never imagine myself not working in pastoral care. I love the challenges and the variety as no two days are the same. I joined Holcombe House last September. Prior to my post here I worked as Acting Assistant Housemistress in Darwin in the Lower School which I really enjoyed. It has been a pleasure to join the Upper School team and I thoroughly enjoy getting to know the Upper Fourth to help support and encourage them as they grow into confident young women. Downe House excels in the field of boarding and I am so pleased to be a part of this dynamic and forward-thinking community. It is exceptionally rewarding to be able to help make happy, productive and memorable school years by cultivating a caring and comfortable home from home environment.

Mrs Clare Pearson

MORNING MATRON

I have been the Morning Matron in Holcombe since 2004, so I have seen lots of girls pass through the House having achieved great things whilst in Holcombe. I am so proud of all the girls that I have looked after, and feel very privileged to have been a small part of their journey through Downe House. As a Mum of two grown-up boys, I fully understand the trials and tribulations of teenage years and nothing seems to shock me! I have, over the years, or so the girls tell me, become a legend for my hot chocolate-making skills and after a winter lax lesson, a hot mug of chocolate and a chat is always appreciated! I also enjoy accompanying the girls out to their co-curricular activities in the evenings and to get involved whether it be polo, horse riding, sailing, netball or gym to name a few of the activities that are on offer. I live locally with my husband, Neil.

Miss Sam Broom

AFTERNOON MATRON

I am incredibly excited to join the Holcombe House team as Afternoon Matron from September. I joined Downe House in 2011 as the HR Officer and my main role has been recruitment. As a result I know virtually everyone in the School and I have thoroughly enjoyed my 13 years in the HR Department. During this time I have been fortunate to also have a secondary role as an evening Pastoral Assistant in the Boarding Houses. Initially for the Lower School in Hermitage and then moving to Holcombe in 2015. I LOVE my role in House, looking after the girls and supporting them at House Drama, Dance and Music, and watching them grow in confidence. It is indeed a privilege to help them through the Upper School and I am always very sad when they leave us to go up into the Sixth Form. In this last term I have been running quizzes for the House to help with revision, which are quite popular! At home I live with my partner Steve and our newly inherited dog Milo. We have an allotment, which takes up a lot of time, but the benefits are delicious!

“Holcombe House is a place where we treasure our friendships. It is a haven for our memories and a safe space where we all feel comfortable and supported by the whole house community” VARUNI, UV

Tedworth House

The Tedworth house motto is ‘Ubuntu’. Ubuntu has its roots in African philosophy, where the community is one of the most important building blocks of society. It literally means “I am, because you are” and this idea is central to the values in Tedworth, that together we are stronger and that we would not be who we are without the support of each other.

Tedworth is situated in the heart of the school, in the main school building and conveniently adjacent to the main dining room. Girls join us in Upper IV (Year 9) and stay for 3 years until the end of their GCSE courses in Upper V (Year 11) when they move on to Sixth Form whilst remaining very much a part of the Tedworth community.

Most of our rooms are dorms of two or three and we have stunning views over the cloisters and gardens. Our main common room is comfortable and open to all and we have plenty of board games and activities on hand as well as a large screen TV for the occasional film night. We also have two smaller common rooms which we use for single year groups as well as three kitchens which are opened in the evening for the girls to make hot drinks and toast. We have breakfast in house most Sundays and we also use the kitchens for baking activities as this is always a popular treat.

We have easy access to the cloisters and we also have a small courtyard, both of which the girls particularly enjoy in the Summer Term.

Living the spirit of Ubuntu, the girls of Tedworth are well known for their house spirit and house competitions are always a highlight with the girls having every opportunity to share their varied talents. Our House Committee meet regularly and is made up of girls from each year group along with our Heads of House. We ensure that everyone’s views are heard, considered and then acted upon where needed.

Most importantly, we hope that every member of the house feels happy and at home in Tedworth, that they are valued for the diverse richness that they bring to the community and that they are free to learn who they really are, in a kind and supportive environment.

Miss Annabel Brown

HOUSEMISTRESS

After a very happy time at boarding school, I trained at Drama School in London and then worked for several years as an actress and singer and in event management, organising events all over the world. I come from a teaching family and, after a decision to move to the education sector, I was appointed as Deputy Housemistress at a large boarding school in Essex. I was there for seven years, and also led the Marketing Department during a time of significant growth for the school. I moved to St George’s, Ascot in 2011 to set up their Marketing Department, but, having had three very happy years there as a ‘day girl’, I could no longer resist the call of the classroom and I completed my PGCE at Reading University. After my PGCE, I was thrilled to be appointed as Housemistress of Hill House, one of the Lower School houses here at Downe House, and had the privilege of setting up the brand-new boarding house and establishing it as a home-away-from-home. Since then, I have been at a large co-ed full-boarding school in the North as Housemistress of a busy house of 70 girls aged 13-19. I am genuinely delighted to be leading Tedworth and to have the opportunity to guide the wonderful girls of Tedworth House.

Miss Hannah Tomlin ASSISTANT HOUSEMISTRESS

After graduating from the University of York in 2012 with a degree in History, I entered the world of boarding and never looked back! Alongside studying for an MA in Renaissance and Early Modern Studies and a PhD in History of Art, I have had the privilege of working in a number of excellent schools and I am delighted to be able to count Downe House among them. I also feel incredibly lucky to have been Assistant Housemistress across Sixth Form and Upper School houses. I firmly believe in creating a warm and supportive atmosphere in which girls can thrive and be fully and comfortably themselves in all of their social and academic endeavours. I combine my role with teaching History of Art and Learning for Life and always love the opportunity to bring a bit of cultural discussion or social debate into the boarding house too. My fiancé Alex and I have loved our time at Downe House so far and are very much looking forward to meeting the new members of Tedworth.

Mrs Philippa Edwards

MORNING MATRON

I joined the Downe House community in 2013 as the Morning Receptionist. This role gave me a great understanding of the ethos of Downe House as well as being able to develop communication with staff and parents. In addition to this, I worked as an evening Pastoral Assistant in AGN. I throughly enjoyed this role and the interaction I had with the Upper School girls led me to decide that I would like to take on a Matron role. When not at Downe House, I teach swimming from beginners up to triathletes. I have always had a passion for swimming and was fortunate enough to represent Great Britain in Synchronised Swimming. I love to exercise by doing gym sessions, cycling and swimming. I have two teenage boys who also like to keep me busy at home.

Mrs Melanie Parsons

AFTERNOON MATRON

I have been at Downe House since 2011 and have worked in several different departments before joining Tedworth House. Therefore, I have an understanding of the Downe House ethos and I have built a great rapport with many of the pupils, parents and staff across the School. I thoroughly enjoy my time here in Tedworth as Afternoon Matron as I am part of a wonderful team and I am also actively involved in boarding life. I love to get to know the girls in Tedworth. Nothing makes me happier than when we’re enjoying ourselves in House. I have a twelve-year-old daughter called Arabella who keeps me busy.

“Tedworth has taught me how to be kind and compassionate towards others, resilient in times of trouble and after three brilliant years here, I can proudly say I will always be a Tedworth girl”

Our Partnership with Parents

At Downe House, we pride ourselves on the quality of our pastoral care and, irrespective of whether your daughter is a boarder or a day girl, our aim is to support her in every aspect of her life. We aim to help her to develop academically, socially, spiritually and emotionally and to do our best to ensure that she leaves Downe House not only with the academic qualifications that will allow her to access higher education, if that is what she wants, but also with a well-established work ethic and a core set of values that will allow her to flourish in today’s rapidly changing world. However, it is important to remember that we will not be working in isolation but in partnership with you as parents. Our Parenting and Educating in Partnership Programme falls into three strands.

The first is the regular feedback you will receive from us about your daughter’s progress. We will keep you informed regularly both in a formal way via reports and informally by email and telephone; however, communication from your end, too, is crucial. We are very aware that you know your daughter best and therefore please do share with us any information, no matter how trivial, that will help us to support her from our end.

Please do not ask a member of staff to keep a piece of information to themselves, as this creates an impasse and does not allow us to move forward. No matter how sensitive or perhaps even critical of us your information is, rest assured it will be treated confidentially and professionally, and will not rebound adversely on your daughter. No institution is perfect and sometimes mistakes or misunderstandings do occur, but if we work together, even the knottiest problem can be resolved!

The second is the opportunities we provide for social contact. These will include family lunches at School, drinks receptions in London, Founder’s Weekend, House events and much more. We value this informal contact highly too. We are aware of how challenging it is to bring up young girls in today’s world and we want to do as much as possible to support you, as well as your daughter, through a series of talks on subjects such as internet safety, drugs, and sex and relationships. These take place at regular intervals throughout the year. The normal pattern is for the girls to have a talk from a guest speaker, followed by a similar talk for parents. We try to arrange these to coincide with exeats, so that you can then close the circle by having a discussion with your daughter over the weekend. Many parents have found these talks really useful and we hope you will too. As well as the talks offered on site, we will continue to host virtual talks, giving our parents greater flexibility.

Finally, the ways your daughter will be supported to fulfil her academic potential are outlined in the section on academic progress, and here too, we need to work in partnership. We know how much you look forward to spending time with your daughter in the holidays but it is important that she is also encouraged to do some work, especially if she is coming back to examinations the following week. We will always try to keep you informed of what work your daughter has to do but we need you to make sure she does it!

Preparing for Boarding School

LIFE AT DOWNE HOUSE

The Downe House Podcast

Before you start your Downe House journey there are a series of podcasts available for you and your daughter to listen to. We hope that these will give you a flavour of life here at Downe before you arrive. Listen here

Who will care for my daughter?

Your daughter’s Housemistress has the primary responsibility for the overall care, welfare and development of your daughter. She will want to develop a close working relationship with you from the start in order to support your daughter through the first important weeks at Downe House and beyond. The Assistant Housemistress, Academic Tutors and Medical staff who all work closely together to ensure continuity of care, complete the team.

What support will my daughter during the first term?

All girls have an Academic and House Buddy. This is, where possible, someone in her dorm and often in her teaching group. When your daughter arrives in September, she will be introduced to her buddies who will look out for her and ensure she gets to classes on time. She will be given guidance to organise her timetable, so that preparations and music lessons, for example, may be fitted in appropriately.

House Families and Cross-House Events

At the heart of Downe House’s ethos is a deep sense of community and a commitment to show respect for and kindness towards all individuals. We want to ensure that the Upper School is the very best possible environment in which everyone can enjoy healthy friendships and thrive. Creating the right balance between academic learning and boarding life is important to us. Therefore, on entering her new House, each girl is assigned to a House Family, where girls from Remove all the way to the Sixth Form take part in inter-year activities and enjoy several suppers together, throughout the year. This is a super way for the girls to be supported by each other, learn to be leaders, and create bonds of friendship and sisterhood. New members to the House are rooted by their association to a House Family and the older girls enjoy supporting the younger girls in House and passing on their wisdom. Creating opportunity to build meaningful friendships is key in the Upper School and at break time and in the evening, Upper School girls are free to visit their friends in other Houses and Housestaff are always happy to warmly welcome girls into the common rooms. Throughout the year, carefully designed groups are created to encourage your daughter to form and nurture friendships with girls from other Houses

and the cohort also enjoys several cross- house events and activities, which are organised by the Head of Year and the Housestaff. These events may take the form of cooking, mocktails before a black-tie event, board games, 3D puzzle challenges, pottery painting and discussion groups. Girls in the Upper School are warmly encouraged to forge and sustain friendships across the Houses and enjoy the company of their friends, making memories that will last a lifetime.

KEEPING IN TOUCH

How will Downe House keep in touch?

The Parent Hub is our secure website and allows you exclusive access to your daughter’s profile. You are able to view Reports, sign up for co-curricular activities and receive SMS text messages for sports fixture cancellations; these are just a few examples of the information available. You will be sent your personal login details for the Parent Hub shortly before your daughter joins Downe House. Each House emails a weekly newsletter which provides news and updates from life in the House. We also have a Sports Management System (SOCS) for the management of all our matches, tournaments and sports fixtures. The website is http://sportsdownehouse.net The password is reset each term and sent out to parents.

How do I keep in touch with my daughter’s Housestaff?

The Housemistress and Academic Tutor will be in touch with you during the first weeks to reassure you about how well your daughter is settling in. They will also be in touch if there are any real areas of concern. Please feel able to share any concerns that you may have by telephone or email as soon as possible, so that minor worries may be dealt with quickly.

How can my daughter contact me?

We hope that the art of letter writing is alive and well and that in spite of her busy schedule, she will occasionally write you a letter. However, most of her written communication with you is likely to be by email.

How can I contact my daughter?

Your daughter will have her own email address and all Houses have telephones for the girls to use with a system in place to ensure everyone has equal access!

Is my daughter allowed a mobile phone?

Please refer to Guidelines on the Use of Mobile Phones on page 38.

How do I leave an urgent message for my daughter?

If you are unable to get hold of your daughter, please feel free to telephone the House Study on the appropriate number and leave a message, which the Housestaff will pass on to her. Answerphones are checked as often as possible during the day. In the event of an emergency, please contact the main School number when you will be told how to contact the appropriate person to deal with your query or message. The Palmer Centre’s (Health Centre) number is manned 24 hours a day for emergencies. However, this must be reserved for emergencies only. Please note that this does not apply during exeats.

KEEPING US INFORMED IF YOU ARE AWAY

Do I need to let the School know if I am away during term time?

Yes. Please leave contact details with your daughter’s Housestaff in case of an emergency, or please give us the name of someone whom you would like us to contact in the UK in your place, should we not be able to contact you.

GENERAL HEALTH

What happens if my daughter needs medical care?

The House team is likely to be the first port of call for minor injuries and ailments. Our Health Centre, the Palmer Centre, is staffed 24 hours a day by qualified nurses in order to offer the very best in care and specialist support. You will always be informed if your daughter is admitted to the Palmer Centre overnight.

Your daughter will be registered with the School Doctor, Dr Natalie Colborne, at the Burdwood Surgery, Thatcham, during her time at Downe House. Regular surgeries are held in the Palmer Centre by the two School Doctors (one is female) four times each week. If you have any queries about your daughter’s health, you can ring the Palmer Centre at any time on their direct line: 01635 204657.

The School can arrange for emergency private orthodontic treatment or emergency dental treatment to be carried out locally, in consultation with parents when possible. Please try to ensure that routine visits to the dentist take place during the holidays. A specialist firm called Titan comes into School to take impressions for individual mouthguards, which are strongly recommended and are compulsory for School matches in some sports.

If your daughter wears glasses, it is essential that they should have unbreakable lenses if they are to be worn for games. She should always have a spare pair at School. Goggles for lacrosse are compulsory and goggles for squash are also strongly recommended by the medical and PE staff.

Note If your daughter is unwell during the holidays or when she is at home on exeat, please always let the Palmer Centre know and inform her Housemistress or a member of the House team on her return, so that they can respond appropriately.

Each House has a medical cupboard, so there is no need for your daughter to bring any paracetamol with her. Any medication she does need to bring back (except inhalers, but including vitamins and cough sweets) must be handed in to the Housestaff or medical staff immediately. All items should be labelled and should clearly show your daughter’s name. An accompanying letter stating the dose, frequency and permission for Housestaff to administer the medication is also required. If the packaging is in a foreign language, parents should provide a translation for the Housestaff or medical staff.

What should I do if my daughter is on regular medication? Always let the Palmer Centre and Housestaff know if your daughter is on regular medication so that they can ensure it is administered.

Will my daughter be encouraged to enjoy a healthy and balanced diet?

There is a wide variety of freshly cooked food available at breakfast, lunch and supper. A salad bar is also available at lunch and supper. All meals are taken in the Main Dining Room and there is always a staff presence. Refreshments are provided at break and teatime. The Palmer Centre is always happy to discuss nutrition with any girl to ensure she is eating a healthy and balanced diet.

Note If your daughter is allergic to certain foods, please discuss this with the medical staff and with the Housestaff so that alternative arrangements may be made. Any food produced by the Catering department that may contain nuts is always clearly marked, however nuts in any form are not permitted on site.

BEING A DAY GIRL

The First Day

Arriving at School on the all-important first day, your daughter should arrive in tidy mufti (casual clothing) not School uniform, and be taken to her House at the designated time. She’ll be met by the Housemistress and the rest of the House team, who will introduce her to her buddy and the other new girls.

What should she bring with her?

On her second day she should be in School uniform and will need to bring all her pens and pencils with her and any games uniform she already has.

When and where should I collect her from on her second day?

Please collect your daughter from the House at 4.40pm. She will have had tea at 4.20pm and Wednesday is an early finish.

The Routine

When should she arrive in the mornings?

Your daughter should arrive between 8.10am and 8.15am. If for any reason, she needs to arrive earlier, your daughter is welcome from 7.30am, when she can join her House for breakfast in the Main Dining Room. Registration is at 8.15am in the houses.

Where should she go?

Normally she should make her way to her House. If her House is at breakfast, she should join them in the Main Dining Room. Morning registration takes place in the House, so day girls must register with their Housestaff. Day girls are also legally required to register at lunchtime, with Reception.

What time should I normally collect her?

Normally the school day finishes at 6pm and your daughter is free to go after that time, provided that she has no commitments. However, there will be events, rehearsals, practices and activities which take place every week. She is more than welcome to join the boarders for supper and go back to the House as long as the Housemistress knows when you will collect her and she is collected by 8.30pm. Your daughter should know about the timings of rehearsals and activities but, if you are in any doubt, please contact your daughter’s Housemistress. She must tell a member of the House team when she leaves for the evening and she must sign out.

Can she join in the activities after School?

Your daughter is most welcome to join in activities after school; in fact she is encouraged to do so. We recommend that she does not take on more than two at this stage.

Can she join in the activities at weekends?

Of course! Details are published in the termly calendar and CCA booklets. If for any reason she is unable to attend an activity to which she has committed herself, please ring and let the House team know.

What should she do with her laundry?

Your daughter should take her uniform and games kit home to be washed. She may need some encouragement to do this!

Help and Advice

To whom should she go if she is anxious about anything? Your daughter will be able to talk to her Housemistress, Academic Tutor and the Assistant Head (Upper School), any member of the Palmer Centre staff or any member of staff with whom she feels at ease.

Will the Housemistress still take an interest in our daughter even though she is a Day Girl?

Housestaff are commited to every girl in their care and look forward to guiding your daughter.

Taking Friends Out

Can my daughter invite friends out as we live quite close to the School?

Yes, it is always lovely for girls to have an invitation out. Parents always have to give permission for their daughters to go out with anyone other than themselves.

Keeping Up To Date

How will I know what is happening in the School e.g. when there are mufti (casual clothes) days?

A Key Dates and Information Booklet is available to you each term to keep you updated with School events. This can be found in the Parent Hub.

In addition, the Housemistress will keep you in touch with any events, as necessary.

If my daughter is unwell, what will happen?

The Palmer Centre staff will, where possible, let you know. You will have the option to collect your daughter if necessary during the day or after school. Please let the Palmer Centre staff know if your daughter has been unwell. This helps us to care for her more effectively. If she is on any medication that needs to be taken during the day, please advise the Palmer Centre staff so that this can be administered through them.

What do I do if I have any questions?

Please do contact the School. Your daughter’s Academic Tutor or Housemistress should be the first port of call.

WHERE CAN GIRLS GO FOR HELP AND ADVICE?

The Health Centre

Morning triage: 7.45am - 8.30am Appointments: booked throughout the day Evening surgery: 6pm - 8pm

After 8pm, girls should see their Housemistress and they will contact the Palmer Centre.

The Director of Health is Ms Gemma Palmer, palmerg@downehouse.net

If girls are feeling unwell or need to speak to a nurse, we will triage this in the morning and book them an appointment for some point in the day where they can be seen and given adequate time and assessment. The girls can drop in to evening surgery without an appointment. Off games permission will only be given out by The Health Centre staff during an appointment time.

Confidentiality in the Health Centre

Anything your discusses with ANY member of the Palmer Centre – doctor or nurse – will stay confidential. Even if they are under 16 nothing will be said to anyone, including parents, Housestaff or teachers, without your daughters permission. The only reason why we might have to consider passing on confidential information without their permission would be to protect them or someone else from serious harm. We would always try to discuss this with them first.

House Surgeries – See House notice board for times Plasters, cough linctus, Deep Heat, throat lozenges and

paracetamol are all kept in House and Housestaff are more than happy to provide your daughter with these when required. Please do NOT bring painkillers back to School. Any medication (apart from inhalers) MUST be handed in to the Housestaff to be kept locked in the House medical cupboard.

Confidentiality in the Palmer Centre (Health Centre)

Your daughter can be sure that anything she discusses with any member of the Palmer Centre – doctor or nurse – will stay confidential. The only reason we might have to consider passing on confidential information without your daughter’s permission would be to protect her or someone else from serious harm. We would always try to discuss this with her first.

Personal

Matters

We all have worries, problems and difficulties from time to time which might affect either an individual or a group. In a boarding school, matters can normally be resolved, or be dealt with to some extent, by talking to a member of staff. Housestaff, Academic Tutors or any of the teachers will always be willing to listen. The School Doctor, nurses in the Palmer Centre, the Deputy Head (Pastoral), Assistant Head (Upper School) and the Headmistress are also available. Please note that the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Child Protection is the Director of Boarding.

You or your daughter may also contact other people for advice, such as those on the list below, who are not involved in the day-today running of the School.

Mrs Madeleine Loughlin, School Psychotherapist 07968 848079 loughlinm@downehouse.net

Mrs Davinder Dhaliwal, School Counsellor DhaliwalD@downehouse.net

Mrs Cassandra Eaton, School Counsellor eatonc@downehouse.net

Independent Listener - Dr Clare Ratnage 01635 917826 or independentlistener@downehouse.net

Childline 0800 1111

Beat Eating Disorders, Youth Helpline 0808 801 0711 daily 3pm10pm or email fyp@beateatingdisorder.org.uk

Alateen, Confidential Helpline 0207 593 2070 For families and friends of problem drinkers.

ISI - Independent Schools Inspectorate 0207 600 0100

The Children’s Commissioner 0800 528 0731/0207 783 8330

Some problems are best dealt with through individual contact with one person, but others may need to be dealt with by several people. It is important to stress that you and your daughter may choose the people with whom you would like to speak. Also, pupils are able to use Whisper an anonymous pupil voice reporting system for them to report anything that they would like to.

WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG?

How does my daughter raise a complaint?

The School’s pastoral and counselling system should support your daughter through her time at Downe House and deal with most matters of concern. Under some circumstances she may wish to make a formal complaint in writing, especially if an informal concern has not been satisfactorily resolved. Whether she chooses to deal with a problem alone or seek advice or follow a formal complaint procedure, is a matter for her to decide.

Making a formal complaint

She may make a formal complaint by adopting the following procedure (with or without informing the person she is complaining about):

1 Write to her Housemistress, Assistant Head (Upper School), the Deputy Head (Pastoral) or the Headmistress. In practice, she may have discussed the matter with this person already.

2 Her complaint will then be acknowledged and registered.

3 Your daughter will then be asked to talk the matter through with the Assistant Head (Upper School), in the first instance, as soon as possible. She will then pass on the information to the Deputy Head (Pastoral). She may invite a pupil or a member of staff of her choice to this meeting with her.

4 If at any stage she is dissatisfied with this procedure, she may contact a representative at ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) on 0207 600 0100 or email info@isi.net. The Representative will come and speak to her privately at School – again she may have someone with her – and will advise her about what course seems sensible.

Guidance for parents

We welcome suggestions and comments from parents, and take seriously complaints and concerns they may raise.

A complaint will be treated as an expression of genuine dissatisfaction which needs a response. We wish to ensure that:

• Parents wishing to make a complaint know how to do so.

• We respond to complaints within a reasonable time and in a courteous and efficient way

• Parents realise that we listen and take complaints seriously.

• We take action where appropriate.

How should I raise a concern?

You can talk directly to the Assistant Head (Upper School), Deputy Head (Pastoral), Deputy Head (Academic), the Headmistress or another senior member of staff, write a letter, email or telephone. Be as clear as possible about what is troubling you. Please note that the Headmistress is likely to be informed of all complaints.

Any member of staff will be happy to help. It may be best to start with the person most closely concerned with the issue – for example, to raise house matters with the Housemistress or sports concerns with the Director of Sport. They may be able to sort things out quickly, with the minimum of fuss. However, you may prefer to take more serious matters to the Deputy Head (Pastoral), Deputy Head (Academic) or Headmistress.

I don’t want to complain as such, but there is something bothering me

The School is here for you and your daughter, and we want to hear your views and your ideas. Contact a member of staff, as described above.

I am not sure whether to complain or not If, as parents, you have concerns, you are entitled to complain. If in doubt, you should contact the School to discuss concerns. This will probably help you to decide if you wish to make a formal complaint.

What will happen next?

If you raise something face-to-face or by telephone, it may be possible to resolve the matter immediately and to your satisfaction. If you have made a complaint or suggestion in writing, we will contact you within five working days to respond to your concerns and explain how we propose to proceed.

In many circumstances, the person you contact will need to discuss the matter with a colleague and consider it further before responding. You will be given a date by which you will receive a response. If a detailed exploration of the issue is needed, a letter or report will be sent to you as quickly as possible. This will tell you of the outcome of your complaint. It will explain the conclusion, the reasons for it, and any action taken or proposed.

What happens about confidentiality?

Your complaint or concern will be treated in a confidential manner and with respect. Knowledge of it will be limited to the

Headmistress and those directly involved. In serious cases, the Chair of Governors may also need to be informed. It is the School’s policy that complaints made by parents should not rebound adversely on their children.

We cannot entirely rule out the need to make third parties outside the School aware of the complaint and possibly also the identity of those involved. This would only be likely to happen where, for example, a child’s safety was at risk or it became necessary to refer matters to the police. You would be fully informed.

While information relating to specific complaints will be kept confidentially on file, we would point out that anonymous complaints may not be pursued.

Action which needed to be taken under staff disciplinary procedures as a result of complaints would be handled confidentially within the School.

What if I am not satisfied with the outcome?

We hope that you will feel satisfied with the outcome, or at least that your concerns have been fully and fairly considered.

If you are not satisfied, the Headmistress will offer to refer the matter to the Chair of Governors. Alternatively, you may wish to write directly to the Chair, Ms Fru Hazlitt, whose address is displayed at the end of this booklet on the Supplementary Information page. The Chair will call for a full report from the Headmistress and will examine matters thoroughly before responding. This may result in a positive solution, but if it does not, the Chair will invite you to a meeting. You may wish to be supported by a friend, but legal representation would not be appropriate at this stage.

If the meeting does not bring about a resolution, the matter would be referred to the School’s Appeal Committee. It is their task to look at the issues in an impartial and confidential manner. The Committee Convener will invite you to a meeting. You will be asked if there are any papers you would like to have circulated beforehand. As with the Chair’s meeting, you will be invited to bring a friend with you.

The School recognises and acknowledges your entitlement to complain and we hope to work with you in the best interests of the children and young people in our care.

EXEATS/WEEKENDS

Boarding is at the heart of the experience at Downe House. We aim to provide our families with a boarding model that is well suited to the needs of a modern family who lead busy lives. Offering both flexibility and stability, boarding at Downe House ensures that the girls’ pastoral and educational needs are at the heart of all that we do. As a full boarding school, we have the luxury of time and space, which helps foster the strongest of relationships, not only with each other but with the wider community too. Creating the right balance of boarding and family time is important at Downe House.

Each term includes a Long Exeat which are around seven to ten days. The Michaelmas and Lent terms include two Short Exeats and the Summer term one Short Exeat usually beginning at 12 noon and ending at 8pm. All girls return to their parents or guardians during these times. The first and last weekend of each term is a ‘Closed Weekend’, where all girls are expected to stay in School. These weekends are when important events and activities take place. To ensure they have a chance to catch up with family and have a well-earned rest from busy boarding-school life, girls are permitted to go home on any other weekend, as long as their School commitments have been honoured. We believe that this offers our families the necessary flexibility, while ensuring that life at Downe House continues to thrive at the weekends, with a busy programme of events and activities available to all.

As a boarding school, each girl’s contribution to our community through music, drama, sport, whole school events, trips and activities is highly valued. Our unique boarding structure enables

us to offer the very best specialised pastoral care for each stage of development. Our three-step boarding comprises of the Lower School, the Upper School and the Sixth Form boarding houses, which allow for our Housestaff to really tailor the care for each individual and meet the needs of the girls at each stage of their teenage development.

To this end, weekends are approached differently depending on the age of the girl. In the Lower School, as the girls make the transition to boarding, some for the first time, it is important to ensure that there is a good balance between home life and staying in School to build relationships. This will be managed carefully by the Housestaff to ensure the right balance is being met. This is also the case in the Upper School. In the Sixth Form, the emphasis is on each girl to manage her weekend commitments, as we prepare the girls to step towards life beyond Downe.

Do I need to give permission for my daughter to go out at weekends?

Yes. If you wish to allow your daughter to stay with a friend or relative, then you should confirm this in writing with her Housestaff by the Wednesday of that week. It is helpful if arrangements can be communicated well before the weekend or day in question. Your daughter’s safety is paramount. If your daughter is going out with you or coming home, we ask that you telephone or email to let us know. Contacting the host family is also important, so you are sure of all the arrangements. Girls must sign out before leaving the House.

Sunday Timings If there is Matins, a girl may go out after Matins and must return by 8pm. If there is Evensong, a girl may go out after breakfast but must return in time for check-in at 5pm and Evensong at 6pm.

Girls in the UIV are recommended to stay in for at least two weekends per term (one either side of half term), in addition to the Closed Weekends, to benefit from the full co-curricular programme on offer. Housestaff will be on hand to guide parents and guardians about which weekends would work particularly well for their daughter to stay in but there is flexibility around this as well, as the needs of the individual is accounted for. Boarders should remain in School for the first two weekends to settle in.

Girls in the Fifth Form are recommended to stay in for at least one weekend per term, in addition to the Closed Weekends. As the girls head towards a transition to life in the Sixth Form, they will have increasing responsibility to manage their weekends with guidance from their Housestaff.

All commitments should be honoured by Upper School girls before an exeat or lunch is taken.

TRAVEL

How are travel arrangements made?

Term dates are published well in advance of each academic year to enable parents to make travel plans in good time. Leaving early or arriving late is not acceptable. However, should this be unavoidable, please send a request in writing to the Housemistress well in advance as she will need to grant permission. We know that you will not want your daughter to miss any valuable school time and will support us in keeping the term time sacrosanct.

A London bus is offered during short and long exeats (but NOT at the beginning or end of term) to those girls wanting to travel to London. A form is available on the Parent Hub. Please complete this at least seven working days before the travel date. The coach is accompanied by staff to and from the Novotel Hotel in Hammersmith. This is a very popular service and seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. No girl may use this coach service without written consent from her parents.

How will my daughter get to the airport? Transport/taxis can be arranged to take and collect your daughter to and from the airport and a form is available on the Parent Hub.

Wherever possible girls will be transported by minibus or in a taxi shared with other girls. This could result in a wait at the airport for a short time in order to accommodate the flight times of the others. As well as completing and returning the form on the Parent Hub detailing the Flight Number, Airport and Terminal, date and time of the flight and Unaccompanied Minor status, please let the relevant Housemistress have the details too. These details need to be provided to the transport companies we work with. Please do give at least seven working days’ notice for travel bookings.

If you have not been able to make the necessary arrangements or due to unforeseen circumstances your arrangements have changed, you should contact the Administration Department via mytravelbookings@downehouse.net. You will receive confirmation.

FEELING AT HOMEFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What should my daughter bring with her?

We would appreciate it if your daughter brings her belongings in medium-sized suitcases rather than a trunk. Trunks are rather awkward to manoeuvre up and down stairs and walls are easily damaged as well as backs.

Personalising her dorm space is very important. Her favourite cuddly toy is an ideal companion. Posters and family photographs are also ideal. Don’t forget some drawing pins for her notice board.

A sensible amount of toiletries (sanitary products, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel) should be brought to School. These should be named. Smaller sizes can be easily stored. Top-ups can be bought from the School Shop. No aerosols should be brought to School, as the smoke detectors are sensitive to the spray.

What electrical items may my daughter bring back to school?

Your daughter may bring back a personal MP3 Player, iPod, Kindle, e-reader and hairdryer, if she wishes. These should all meet British Safety Standards and be named. It is not advisable for these to be expensive models. No extension leads are permitted in the interests of safety. Girls coming from abroad must use adaptors that conform to the British Safety Standards. Hand held computer games should not be brought to School. Plug in air fresheners are not permitted and please ensure that any plug adapters conform to British Standards (BS8546)

Should my daughter have a laptop or Microsoft Surface?

Downe House operates a compulsory Microsoft Surface Programme that is coordinated through Insight UK. Information regarding the programme can be found on the Parent Hub. The programme is open for all parents to take advantage of the competitive pricing which we have been able to secure. This also caters for those parents who are imminently looking to purchase a device for their daughter to use. An Office 365 account will also be provided to all pupils at no additional cost to you. Please do not hesitate to contact the IT Support department should you have any questions regarding IT and its usage at Downe House.

What tuck may she bring with her?

A small amount of tuck may be brought or purchased from the School Shop. Bread is provided for evening toast in the Houses and so tuck should be looked upon as an occasional treat rather than a supplement to main meals. She may also bring, if she wishes, a pot of jam or marmite for breakfast or tea in the House. Peanut butter and Nutella are NOT allowed in order to safeguard girls with a nut allergy.

ALLOWANCES/POCKET MONEY AND PERSONAL DOCUMENTS

How much money should my daughter have?

£30 for each term will be a sufficient sum for your daughter. She can always replenish her pocket money at the next exeat, if necessary. She should keep her money in her room safe. Please

remember to bring four AA batteries for the safe. Larger sums of money must be lodged with the Housemistress for safekeeping.

As provision is made for the safekeeping of money, the School accepts no responsibility for money lost when girls have failed to lock it away or hand it in.

What happens if my daughter runs out of money?

Never worry, your daughter will be looked after well. The Housestaff will always help her out in an emergency.

If I live overseas who will be responsible for passports, visas, vaccination certificates, tickets, etc?

All documents for girls living abroad must be handed in to her Housemistress who will hold them for safekeeping until they are required. Parents are responsible for seeing that passports and visas are valid and that tickets are sent to her Housemistress for safekeeping well ahead of the departure date. Where possible, vaccinations should be carried out in the holidays but the Palmer Centre at School will help in an emergency.

Child Student Visa

We welcome international pupils to Downe House. Not only are they able to benefit from a UK education but they enrich our School life and enhance the experience of local pupils. Children from other countries, who wish to attend school in the UK and who do not have a separate right to come and study in the UK, must apply for a Child Student visa. As a Child Student visa sponsor Downe House must hold a license which is issued by the UK Home Office. Our license number is: GHC8QAKV2. With this license comes several responsibilities which we, like all Child Student visa sponsors, must always comply with. Any school that does not do so may have their license withdrawn by the Home Office. Where this occurs, all international pupils must leave the School and the impact on both pupils and school can be very serious. To ensure that pupils and parents comply with the UK Government’s requirements on visa entry, Downe House have instructed Newland Chase Education – a UK immigration law firm that specialises in student visas and school licenses to complete and submit all visa applications, whether these are overseas applications, or renewal visas in the U.K.

HOMESICKNESS - HOW TO COPE

Homesickness often forms a natural part of the transition between home and school and it should be recognised and understood. Dealing with it demands mutual trust, especially with the Housestaff. Children away from home for the first time are easily upset by the apparent complexity of a new system. They need to be supported and guided into it, so that they can relax and feel confident quickly. Keeping busy and making friends are the fastest

ways to counteract homesickness. The strength of the first year at Downe lies in the level of adult contact with girls and parents, which enables the new routine, and a swift integration into a new ‘family’ unit in School, to be established as soon as each girl is comfortable. This provides a secure framework in which each girl can find her feet and explore a new and stimulating environment, where she can share achievements with parents and guardians with pride. It is a fact that some children take longer than others to settle. Encourage your daughter to be positive and to regard this new chapter as the beginning of a great adventure.

Homesickness – A parents’ guide

DO encourage your daughter to share her feelings and concerns with us as well as with you, and to trust us.

DO encourage her to share all the excitement of her new surroundings.

DO get her to talk positively about her new routine.

DO get her to appreciate her achievements in boarding as a big success.

DO say how proud you are of her.

DO reassure her that we are in a close partnership together with you.

DO ‘blur’ the edges between home and School. She has not been ‘sent away’ but ‘sent to’ an exciting, caring place where she can realise her hopes and dreams.

DO let her feel your support strongly if she cries. Go for a quick turnaround to laughter. Remind her of all she is achieving.

DO reassure her that you are fine. Have a new initiative for yourself.

DO telephone us if you feel low. Many of us have been through this too.

DO make her feel that all the familiar routines at home are still there.

DO make time to meet her ‘new’ friends on your visits. Perhaps take one or two out for lunch with you. This makes you part of the scene.

USEFUL INFORMATION

IT support offices

Where possible, please ask your daughter to log any IT issues she may have via the SchoolBase support desk. Alternatively, you can use the email address IThelpdesk@downehouse.net.

Library (Murray Centre)

The Library is located in the Murray Centre and is open daily from 8am until 10pm, except for a Sunday when it opens at 10am or after Chapel.

Lost Property

The Lost Property Office is located next to the swimming pool. This is open on a Monday from 6pm-6.30pm and Tuesday from 6pm – 7.30pm. You can also email Reception reception@downehouse.net

Also remember to check Yammer, this where found items are advertised.

Post

There is a postbox for stamped mail inside Reception in Wakefield House. Stamps can be bought in the School Shop.

Resources

The Resources Centre is open Monday to Friday from 8.30am6pm.

School Shop

The School Shop is located in the Murray Centre. It is open Monday to Friday from 11am-1.30pm and from 6.15pm-7.45pm. On Saturday it is open 12 noon-2pm.

THINGS TO BRING - CHECKLIST

Batteries for safes

Four AA batteries. Each girl is provided with a safe to keep money and valuables locked away.

Bedding

Duvet, duvet cover, pillow and pillow case. These items should conform with British Safety standards. For overseas girls, if you would like the School to provide you with a duvet and pillow please let your Housemistress know and they will be happy to help. The School provides fitted sheets.

Cakes, crisps and biscuits

Snacks can be shared with other girls at night with their evening drink of hot chocolate. If any parent would like to donate anything to the House in this line, please make sure it is named. Please do not bring peanut butter, Nutella or any chocolate spreads or anything containing nuts, or products which say ‘may contain’ nut traces We are a “nut free” School.

Electrical items/laptops/Microsoft Surface

Please see page 24.

Fruit

There is always fruit in the Main Dining Room at lunch and in the House throughout the day.

General stationery

Please bring writing paper and stamps, pencils, crayons, sellotape, a geometry set and scissors. For Maths, also bring a protractor (180° or 360°), a pair of compasses, a ruler, pencils, an eraser, a black or blue pen and a scientific calculator (Casio FX-83GT). which is available from the School Shop.

Jewellery

During the working day, girls are able to wear a single unobtrusive pendant such as a cross, Star of David or St Christopher. They may also wear one pair of plain stud earrings in the first hole in their ear lobe. At weekends, a modest amount of additional jewellery may be worn. Please do not bring any items which are especially valuable or have sentimental significance.

Labels

Please label everything.

Luggage

Please bring suitcases rather than trunks. You will be asked to take empty luggage home after it has been unpacked. Girls should also

have an overnight bag for short exeats and a ‘casual bag’ for trips out. Girls may store their luggage in the House at the end of the Michaelmas and Lent term but not in the Summer term. Overseas girls may store their luggage over the summer holiday.

Mugs

Each girl is welcome to bring a named mug, which she can use for her evening drink.

Musical instruments

These should be kept in a case and named clearly. Instruments should be insured on your home insurance policy.

Pocket money

Pocket money is most useful in very small denominations i.e. 10p, 20p, 50p, and a few one pound coins, about £30 in total.

Posters

Posters and photographs to decorate your daughter’s room space will help her to feel at home. Remember to bring drawing pins.

Sewing kit

There are sewing materials in the House, but it will be helpful if your daughter also has her own sewing kit and is competent to use it.

Smart Mufti

This is worn for theatre trips and to all major events given in School. Clothes should be smart and comfortable. Please limit the number of pairs of shoes that your daughter brings. Your daughter should bring a dress appropriate for black tie occasional formal dinners.

Sports kit

Gum shields can be ordered from a specialist company which visits the School in the first half of term and goggles are strongly recommended for Squash and compulsory for Lacrosse.

Teddy bears

These are a vital part of the House community and will be very welcome (although do bear in mind they must fit in the bed with your daughter).

Toiletries

Please name these to avoid confusion in the bathrooms. Small sizes of toiletries are more convenient. Girls should bring separate shampoo and conditioner (for nit combing). Shower gel is easier to use than soap and a shower cap is useful. The House has a small supply of sanitary products, but your daughter should have some of her own and be confident about using them. Don’t forget the deodorant but please avoid aerosols. The School Shop stocks a small supply of toiletries for emergencies.

Torch

A hand held torch and batteries.

Towels

Towels, clearly named and with a hanging loop.

Tuck box

These larger, lockable wooden or plastic boxes (approx L50cm x W30cm x H30cm) are useful places to store personal items (but not sweets) and can be bought from John Lewis and other department stores. Please also provide a padlock.

Uniform

See uniform section on page 30. Please note that there will only be sufficient hanging space for uniform. Mufti will be stored in a chest of drawers. Please ensure your daughter brings spare tights.

Water bottle

Regular hydration is important and a bottle is useful for a night time drink and is compulsory for all trips.

Academic Progress

UPPER SCHOOL ACADEMIC PROGRESS

How will my daughter be guided to make the right future choice?

It is our aim that your daughter should leave Downe House ready and prepared for the ever-changing and highly competitive world in which we live. We want her to look forward with confidence knowing that she has all the information and skills she needs to be able to make wise choices about her future direction.

The UIV curriculum, for example, contains a lesson titled Lyceum Learning. The aim of this programme is to develop philosophical thinking and dialogue, which underpin an examination of the contemporary world.

On entering the UIV, your daughter will be assigned an Academic Tutor whom she will meet with on a weekly basis. We place a great deal of emphasis on the role of the Academic Tutor at Downe House. Weekly, individual tutorials are sacrosanct and your daughter’s Academic Tutor will discuss her academic progress over the course of each term making and reviewing targets. Your daughter’s Housemistress will have a personal and academic overview, supporting every element of her life at School, as well as representing your wishes. The role of the Academic Tutor is a vital addition to the support that your daughter receives in House, so that she feels uniformly supported.

During your daughter’s time in the Upper School, she will follow a detailed careers programme which includes individual interviews, seminars and talks on subjects at I/GCSE and A Level, as well as having the opportunity to hear talks given by people from a variety of different career fields. These are often, although not exclusively, alumnae who are particularly inspiring to the girls as they know they have all been through the same educational experience. Exploring higher education opportunities will also be a key feature of this period of time.

We run a four-year programme of preparation for higher education, which will begin in the Summer term of the LV and run through until the end of the UVI. The purpose is to raise your daughter’s awareness of what universities are looking for at an early stage, thus enabling her to consider how she can maximise her chances of successful entry. We also feel that by starting the process in the LV there will be more opportunity for reflection and research along the way and, we hope, this will make the final application process less stressful!

This four-year programme starts with a Futures Forum for all members of the LV and their parents. After a general introductory session on Russell Group Universities, a series of seminars are available on a range of subjects such as Oxbridge entry and American university applications. In addition to providing your daughter and you with first-hand information, we hope it will also inspire your daughter to see the relevance of her I/GCSE study to her future and excite her about all that lies ahead. This will be followed up by a visit to a university in the UV after the public examinations have finished so that she can ask questions and explore course options. A detailed programme of individual careers guidance, supplemented by talks and specific course preparation then follows in the Sixth Form. Above all, we recognise that any programme needs to be dynamic and flexible to be able to respond to the changes in our increasingly competitive world.

How will my daughter make the right choice of I/GCSE subjects?

During the Lent term your daughter will be able to discuss her choice of subjects with the Head of Department concerned. She will then have meetings with her Academic Tutor, the Assistant Head (Upper School) and the Futures Team for further guidance as necessary. During this term, you will be sent a booklet which sets out all the subjects and their syllabuses. At the Parents’

Meeting towards the end of the Lent term you will have the opportunity to discuss her I/GCSE subjects with her teachers. You will be given a form showing her proposed I/GCSE subjects. You will be able to discuss these with your daughter during the Easter holiday and return the form to School at the beginning of the Summer term.

How will my daughter be supported so that she is fulfilling her potential?

There are many strategies in place in order to make sure your daughter is happy, secure and fulfilling her potential. Though our philosophy is based very much on the individual, we do want all Downe House girls to be ‘independent learners’. We want your daughter to be passionate about her academic life at School; we want her to read widely, for pleasure, as well as reading around her subjects. She will need to have a good balance between work and play, making sure that she is eating, exercising and sleeping well. Your daughter will have her Housemistress and Academic Tutor on hand to guide her and you. There are a number of other ways in which we make sure your daughter is fulfilling her potential:

• Equipping her with revision and study skills.

• Providing the right environment for learning and studying.

• Reviewing her progress regularly and giving her feedback.

• Encouraging her and praising her.

Revision and study skills

All your daughter’s teachers will help her and guide her on the best ways in which to revise and study for examinations. However, in order to enhance this, we gain the help and support of an outside company, Elevate Education. This is a company which specialises in study skills and we have been working closely with them so that your daughter learns how to study effectively and what this means. They very much reinforce the messages your daughter will receive from her classroom teachers. Part of Elevate Education’s philosophy is to have young presenters who deliver seminars that are accessible to pupils in a fun but informative way. Some of the key skills that Elevate Education tackle are:

• Working consistently - how your daughter can complete her notes during term time on a week-to-week basis, rather than leave it until just before her examinations.

• Note-taking - how to structure and review an organised set of notes that will facilitate effective learning.

• Conceptual learning skills - teaching your daughter how to break information into relevant topics as opposed to simply rote-learning the material.

• Practice papers - why they are so important, where your daughter can get them from and what she should do with them.

• Standing out on assessment - how your daughter can distinguish herself from the thousands of other pupils who are all taught the same material.

We encourage the girls to use revision tools, namely Seneca Learning and Century Tech to help with revision. The feedback from Downe House girls on this programme of study skills has been tremendous and should you wish to read more about Elevate Education, their website is: uk.elevateeducation.com

Providing the right environment for study

Recognising that all girls are individuals, we want them to have a choice of places and times when they can study so that they can find venues and times which suit them best. Quiet Time runs in the Houses three evenings a week. Your daughter will be in her bedroom, either working or quietly reading around her subjects or for pleasure. The aim of Quiet Time is to give the girls who would like to work in the evening at ‘home’, the opportunity to do so. They are supported by members of the Housestaff.

Study sessions are available on most evenings. These sessions are supervised by members of staff and enable girls to work in a formal supervised setting either before or after school to suit. They can work for up to one hour in order to complete tasks, such as creating notes and completing past examination questions. The girls can attend any session they wish, unless they have a prior commitment, for example, year group assembly or paid activities.

A teacher might suggest that a girl attends a study session in order to further consolidate her learning.

During the day, your daughter will also have study periods which are supervised in the UIV and LV by a member of staff in a classroom until she is ready to work independently.

Reviewing your daughter’s progress

The Upper School Team regularly meets with the Assistant Head (Upper School) to discuss the academic performance of the girls in their House. Each Housemistress liaises closely with her Academic Tutor, so all information is collated and we then have a clear picture of how your daughter is performing academically. If, for any reason, a girl is identified as under-performing, based on her personal academic profile, she may be placed on an Action Plan to help support her to reach her potential. All grades and examinations are analysed and we use this as a starting point to make sure your daughter is not falling short of where she should be performing. Your daughter’s Academic Tutor will feedback to you and her as appropriate.

Your daughter’s Academic Tutor will meet with her weekly to discuss her progress and welfare. She or he will also regularly review her grades and areas for development to ensure that she has all the information that she requires to build on her successes and address areas for improvement. If follow-up work or additional teacher input is required, this will be arranged.

Global Schools’ Exchange Programme

Now in its seventh year, our Global Schools Exchange Programme gives Downe House pupils a very special opportunity to study and live abroad with a choice of 16 partner schools in 12 countries, spanning five continents, as well as providing a highly rewarding experience for the Downe House community hosting visiting pupils from our partner schools – such a challenge offers huge social, cultural, and educational benefits for everyone involved. Encouragement and Praise

This is given at all opportunities formally and informally. Girls are recognised in whole-school and year group assemblies, as well as in House.

What happens if I have a concern about my daughter’s progress or academic work?

You should contact your daughter’s Academic Tutor in the first instance, who will investigate the matter and get back to you. Please feel free to get in touch with the Assistant Head (Upper School), Deputy Head (Academic) and her Housemistress. They work closely together and will liaise as appropriate over any concerns that you may raise.

How will I hear of my daughter’s general progress?

In addition to the contact that you will have with your daughter’s Housemistress, the Assistant Head (Upper School) and your daughter’s Academic Tutor, you will also have the opportunity to attend an informal meeting on the first exeat with the staff who teach your daughter.

In the Upper Fourth you will receive a Grade and Areas for Development sheet twice in the Michaelmas and Lent terms, and once in the Summer term.

In Lower and Upper Fifth you will receive a Grade and Areas for Development (AfD) Sheet for the first half of the Michaelmas term and exam results and Areas for Development (AFD) in the in the Lent term.

There is a final grade sheet and AfD sheet for Lower Fifth in the Summer Term. There is regular feedback during year to help your daughter academically.

There is a Parents’ Meeting twice a year in the Upper Fourth and once a year in the Lower Fifth and Upper Fifth at which you can discuss your daughter’s progress directly with her teachers. Dates for these meetings can be found on the Downe House website and in the Key Dates and Information section.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

Downe House School Shop. Tel: 01727 815201. Email: downehouse@stevensons.co.uk

To order uniform online, go to www.stevensons.co.uk

All queries about shop cards etc should be directed to the School Shop.

What should my daughter wear for formal occasions?

All girls should have an outfit suitable for formal occasions:

1 A knee length smart skirt/dress or a smart pair of trousers with an appropriate shirt suitable for formal occasions.

2 Appropriate smart, sensible shoes, which may be uniform shoes.

3 Appropriate tights must be worn.

4 Discreet jewellery may be worn with tidy mufti at the Housemistress’s discretion.

Informal clothing such as denim skirts, T-shirts, sweatshirts and hooded sweatshirts are not acceptable items for formal wear.

What mufti (casual clothing) will my daughter need?

Mufti clothes should be practical, neat and in a good state of repair. There is limited hanging space available, so girls should bring a maximum of three changes of clothes only.

What happens to my daughter’s laundry?

There is no extra charge for the regular laundering of bed linen, towels or personal clothing done weekly. All items must be suitable for machine-washing and tumble drying. All items must be clearly named and it would be useful if your daughter were able to sew on a name tape, if necessary. Please rest assured that the organisation of personal laundry will be monitored very carefully by the Housestaff so that the highest standards of personal hygiene are set. Any spills or accidents will be dealt with sensitively and promptly.

Dry cleaning can be arranged, if necessary, through the Housestaff for an additional cost. Dry clean only items should be kept to a minimum. Kilts may be dry-cleaned each half term and the cost added to your end of term account.

Spare name tapes should be given to the Matron at the beginning of the Michaelmas term.

May jewellery be worn?

During the working day, girls are able to wear a single unobtrusive pendant such as a cross, Star of David or St Christopher. They may also wear one pair of plain stud earrings on the first hole of the lobe. Multiple ear piercing, body piercing and tattoos are not allowed.

At weekends, a modest amount of additional jewellery may be worn. Please note that NO VALUABLE items should be brought to School.

Hair, make-up and general appearance

Your daughter will be expected to look neat and tidy at all times. She should bring a small sewing kit back with her and a few spare buttons for the repair of her uniform. If your daughter does not have all the necessary items stated on the uniform list or if her uniform is in a state of ill repair, please note that the School reserves the right to purchase uniform on your behalf. The cost will be added to your end of term account.

Your daughter will not be permitted to bleach or dye her hair unsuitably. If it is longer than shoulder length, it will need to be tied back during the working day with a dark, plain clip or tie. No make-up or nail varnish or acrylic nails may be worn.

Second-Hand

Uniform (Hand me Downe)

Visit the shop at https://www.handmedowne.net/ or email handmedowne@downehouse.net to organise the donation of old uniform. All the proceeds go to the Downe House Foundation, our charitable trust that supports bursaries, restoration and campus development projects.

SCHOOL UNIFORM - UPPER SCHOOL

Available from the School Shop

All items are compulsory unless otherwise stated

SCHOOL UNIFORM REQUIREMENTS

Quantity Item

1 DH black outdoor puffa coat

1 School blazer (dark green with pale blue piping)

2 Kilts - tartan

3 V-necked jumpers

4 Pale blue (long-sleeved)

4 Pale blue (short-sleeved)

8 pairs Ankle or knee socks – black

4 pairs Cotton tights – black

PE/SPORTS KIT

Quantity

2 Skorts - black with jade piping

1 pair Cycle/netball shorts - black

1 2-in-1 athletics shorts – black

3 Polo shirts - white with DH logo, including

For summer only - optional

Compulsory for Netball

Order from the School Shop only, one with number for lacrosse 3-4 week lead time

1 House athletics vest - white with House colour on side panels

3 pairs Hockey knee-length socks - black with jade turnover

3 pairs Lacrosse mid-calf socks - black with jade turnover

4 pairs Ankle sports socks - white

1 Tracksuit top - black with jade panels

1 Tracksuit bottoms - black with jade panels

1 DH black outdoor jacket

1 Midlayer top - black with jade piping

1 Baselayer top - plain white

1 Baselayer leggings - plain black

Optional (but strongly advised)

Optional (but strongly advised)

1 Swimming costume - plain black Name tape on outside

1 Swimming cap - House colour

1 pair Swimming goggles

1 Swimming towel Clearly labelled

1 pair Football boots (for lacrosse)

1 Lacrosse stick and gloves

1 Lacrosse goggles

1 pair Athletics spikes (Summer term)

1 Hockey stick and shin pads Quantity

2 Laundry bags (net)

1 Swimming bag - white mesh

1 Sports bag with DH logo

Compulsory for team players

1 Boot bag with DH logo Compulsory for team players

Name tapes

1 Casio FX-991CW calculator

Purchase voucher from School Shop and redeem at www.thenametapecompany.com

Delivery is 3-5 working days

Recommended by the Maths department

SCHOOL UNIFORM - UPPER SCHOOL

Not Available from the School Shop

1 pair

PE/SPORTS KIT

leather shoes - flat, offering good arch support (no moccasins or ballet pumps)

1 Boil and Bite mouthguard (NOT white or clear)

1 Custom fitted mouthguard – made and fitted by TITAN

for start of term and Lacrosse Camp

1 pair Trainers – for outdoor use only (no Nike Air Force or other fashion trainers) 1 pair

trainers (no Nike Air Force or other fashion trainers)

unless in School team

unless in School team

for medium to high impact support

NON UNIFORM CLOTHING

1 Smart skirt, or trousers, (not jeans) with matching top, or suit 1 pair

tights 1 pair

sensible shoes – these may be uniform shoes

(no t-shirts to be worn under uniform)

and 1 nail

Plain dark coloured hair ties for when uniform is worn

hangers – including skirt hangers

Sewing kit and shoe cleaning kit

Music case, if appropriate Pencil case

Small, lockable storage box for personal items

Sweetie/tuck box

Purse and watch (named)

bottle (named)

for all off-site trips

batteries for House safes Bedside lamp Microsoft Surface laptop and headphones Compulsory. These can be leased from the School and further details will follow. For late applicants, these may have to be bought rather than leased.

Additional Information

SCHOOL RULES

School Code of Conduct

The School sees education as a partnership. Our staff are committed to excellence, aiming to achieve a spirit of trust and co-operation. We expect our pupils to uphold the highest values and standards of behaviour inside and outside the classroom, as well as outside the School and in any written or electronic communication concerning the School. Parents are expected to support the School in managing expectations of behaviour and the provisions of this Policy, both at home and at School. We expect pupils to treat members of staff with courtesy and cooperation so that they can learn in a relaxed but orderly atmosphere, and to respond positively to the opportunities and demands of School life. We expect pupils to be ready to learn and to participate in school activities. They should attend school and lessons punctually. They should care for the buildings, equipment and furniture. We expect pupils to behave at all times in a manner that reflects the best interests of the whole School community. Everyone has a right to feel secure and to be treated with respect at the School, particularly the vulnerable. Harassment and bullying in any form will not be tolerated, including online or outside of school. Our Behaviour Management Policy and our Prevention of Bullying Policy are on SchoolBase as well as on the School’s website. The School takes its duties under the Equality Act 2010 seriously and makes appropriate reasonable adjustments for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND or certain health conditions). The School is strongly committed to promoting equal opportunities for all, regardless of race, religion, culture, sex, gender, sexual orientation, special educational needs, disability or learning difficulty, or the fact that a child is adopted, looked after or is a carer. The School reserves the right to take disciplinary action against pupils who are found to have deliberately invented or made malicious accusations, whether against other pupils, staff or other individuals.

School Rules

The School Rules are designed to allow all pupils to learn and thrive in an educational environment that is safe and inclusive. They should be read in conjunction with the School’s disciplinary and safeguarding policies and the Parental Contract (Terms and Conditions), copies of which can be found on Pupil and Parent Portals (SchoolBase). The School may amend any of its policies from time to time and without notice. The Pupil and Parent Portals (SchoolBase) should be checked on a regular basis for updates.

When do the School Rules apply?

The Rules apply to all pupils at the School, whether day or boarding. The Rules apply whilst pupils are:

(a) on the School site;

(b) off the School site but under the lawful control or charge of a member of staff (for example, whilst on a School trip);

(c) off the School site or otherwise not under the lawful control or charge of a member of staff but are wearing School uniform or are in some other way identifiable in connection with the School; and

(d) in any circumstances where a pupil is acting in a manner which could adversely affect the reputation of the School, the orderly running of the School or which poses a threat to another pupil or member of the public.

The Rules apply to all parents whilst their child is a pupil at the School.

Uderlying Principles

i) To uphold the School’s Values;

ii) To encourage pupils to show respect, good manners, punctuality and consideration for others.

iii) To keep pupils safe; protected from abuse of any kind.

iv) To encourage the academic, personal and social development of all pupils.

v) To facilitate effective communication between parents, pupils and School.

vi) To provide an environment of good discipline in which selfdiscipline is developed and all pupils can flourish.

Key Rules

1. General courtesy is required around the School: for example, girls should use appropriate language at all times, remember to hold doors open for others, arrive for all lessons or commitments punctually.

2. Every girl must treat her environment and all property and belongings with respect.

3. Every girl must avoid disruptive/anti-social behaviour.

4. Girls who have permission to go out must ensure that they are always in a group with at least two other girls.

5. All girls up to and including the LVI must have permission from their Housemistress/master to use a taxi, or the permission of the Palmer Centre to use a taxi for medical appointments.

6. Borrowing anything without the permission of the owner is not allowed.

7. Visits from family are welcomed at the weekend. However, guests (whether family or friends) should never wander around the site unaccompanied and should always make their visit known to the Housemistress.

8. The use of cars is strictly limited and any girl wishing to bring a car to School must have the permission of the Headmistress and abide by the set procedures and, in particular, with regard to lifts. No School pupil may travel in the car of another School pupil, or another pupil’s parents, unless written permission has been given by her parents.

9. Every girl must observe the fire procedures as displayed on the House Boards. Girls should note that on hearing the alarm, they must go quickly and in SILENCE to the designated assembly points.

10. Girls should attend all meals.

11. Full School uniform must be worn at all times during the School day.

12. No jewellery other than a discreet pendant and chain, a watch and one small pair of studs in the ears, as appropriate, may be worn during the School day; hair of shoulder length must be tied back; no nail varnish or make-up may be worn (in Lower and Upper Schools). Hair should not be dyed inappropriately. Body piercing and tattooing are not permitted. Mufti (non-School uniform dress) must be tidy and appropriate.

13. To preserve the Cloister area, girls must not walk on the grass except in the designated areas and must treat this with the utmost respect.

14. Girls are not permitted to undertake any form of trading, unless they have arranged this with a member of staff and have the permission of the Deputy Head (Pastoral). This restriction includes the use (either as buyer or seller), of internet-based auction sites, such as eBay, as well as the purchase or sale of private property such as CDs.

15. As chewing gum is often the cause of damage to clothing, carpets and paths when not disposed of properly, it is not permitted on site.

16. Drones or other pilotless aircraft may not be brought into School.

IMPORTANT: Any of the following behaviours along with any other act or omission that is criminal and/or illegal is likely to result in suspension or permanent exclusion:

i) Drug, alcohol, tobacco, nicotine, vaping or other substance misuse (including supply, possession or use).

ii) Bullying (including cyber bullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying).

iii) Physical assault/threatening behaviour.

iv) Fighting.

v) Sexual harassment.

vi) Racist or sexist abuse.

vii) Sexual misconduct including sexting and/or the consensual or non-consensual sharing of nudes/semi-nudes.

viii) Theft.

ix) Damage to property.

x) Cheating in examinations including coursework, and not following the code of conduct for examinations.

xi) Misuse of the School’s IT system.

xii) Bringing prohibited Items or other illegal, inappropriate or dangerous items into School;

xiii) Misconduct which adversely affects or is likely to adversely affect the welfare of a member or members of the School community.

xiv) Misconduct which brings or is likely to bring the School into disrepute.

xv) Making a deliberately invented or malicious allegation against a member of staff or pupil or the School.

xvi) Persistent breaches of the School’s policies or other disruptive or anti-social behaviour.

xvii) Refusing to participate in a drugs test or a with-consent search when asked to do so by a member of staff in accordance with the relevant policy.

xviii) Leaving the School’s campus without the permission of an HsM or other relevant member of staff.

Prohibited Items

i) knives or weapons; ii) alcohol;

iii) illegal drugs;

iv) stolen items;

v) tobacco & cigarette papers;

vi) fireworks;

vii) pornographic images;

viii) any articles that the member of staff suspects has been or is likely to be used to commit an offence or to cause personal injury or damage to the property of any person (including the pupil);

ix) replica knives and weapons;

x) ammunition;

xi) drugs which lead to legal highs;

xii) equipment relating to illegal drugs or drugs which lead to legal highs;

xiii) vapes and e-cigarettes; and xiv) steroids

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of pupils, the following guidance is important.

1. Conduct for public examinations.

2. Observance of the out of bounds rules.

3. Observance of health and safety rules in Houses, classrooms, during sport and other activities and around the campus.

4. Rules related to driving a car, other motorised vehicles or bicycles either in the School grounds or outside them, during term time.

The School Rules should be read in conjunction with the School’s other disciplinary and safeguarding policies, listed below, copies of which can be found on the Pupil and Parent Portals (SchoolBase).

1. Behaviour Management Policy

2. Prevention of Bullying Policy

3. Drug/Substance Abuse Policy

4. Alcohol Policy

5. Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

6. Equal Opportunities and Valuing Diversity Policy

7. Internet and Social Networking Policy for pupils

8. Information Systems Acceptable Use Policy

9. Permanent Exclusion and Removal Policy and procedure

In addition to the core disciplinary and safeguarding policies, the School has a number of other policies, some of which only apply to particular departments or activities. Pupils should also familiarise themselves with these as failure to comply with them may lead to the imposition of a sanction.

Persistent breach of these policies and this guidance is likely to result in the imposition of a suspension or permanent exclusion; individual breach of these is likely to result in the imposition of a Minor Sanction.

BEHAVIOUR

At Downe House, our community is based upon the characteristics known as the Downe House DNA: Compassion, Collaboration, Resilience, Creativity, Aspiration, Communication and being Outward Looking.

Accordingly, the School aims to encourage pupils to adopt the highest standards of behaviour, principles and moral standards and to respect the ethos of the school. Promoting the emotional well-being of all of our pupils is key to their development. We aim to teach trust and mutual respect for everyone. We believe that good relations, good manners and a secure learning environment play a crucial part in the development of intellectually curious pupils, who are motivated to become life-long learners. We aim to develop qualities of teamwork and leadership through our extensive programme of extra-curricular activities. It is expected that everyone will take a common responsibility for maintaining only the highest standards of personal conduct in accordance with the aims and objectives of the School.

The School is an inclusive community and we welcome pupils from a wide variety of ethnic and social backgrounds and faiths. We treat everyone as an individual and aim to develop the whole person equipped to take their place in the modern world.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

We want Downe House to be an inclusive and supportive place. Therefore, we are committed to encouraging equity, diversity, inclusion and a sense of belonging among all members of the School community, and eliminating unlawful discrimination. We are committed to ensuring all pupils, parents and staff feel that they belong and are supported in celebrating their individuality. The Equality Act (2010) incorporates nine Protected Characteristics, which we apply with the aim to safeguard the Downe House community from prejudice and discrimination. These refer to: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Throughout the year, the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) committee prepares workshops to raise awareness and celebrate a wide range of cultural and religious days to acknowledge our diverse pupil body.

Rewards

At Downe we reward and encourage good behaviour, demonstration of the School’s DNA and celebrate academic, co-curricular and sporting achievements from our pupils. A wide range of rewards are available to acknowledge pupils’ successes and efforts, and there are a series of ‘levels’ for rewards (academic and pastoral) through which pupils may progress. Pupils should be praised, whenever appropriate, for work, effort and any other actions both orally in House, in class and in writing. There should be written praise on all appropriate pieces of written work, together with clear targets of how further improvements could

be made. Teachers or any other member of staff with pastoral responsibility for pupils are responsible in the first instance for issuing rewards (such as Commendations and Stars). Rewards can come in the form of electronic postcards from Tutors; certificates awarded in assembly by Assistant Head or Headmistress or via an annual prize awarded by a Governor, among others. However this lists of Rewards is not exhaustive; other ways in which pupils’ work and effort are acknowledged and rewarded include: Personal notes to pupils in recognition of excellent work and/or effort by Heads of Department; Presentation of vouchers in assembly and in Houses at the end of term; spontaneous book prizes; School prizes (awarded annually after consultation with the Staff); Colours: PE (awarded for the different sporting disciplines on a termly basis); Colours: Drama and Music (awarded termly or annually to celebrate personal achievement).

Sanctions

It is hoped that pupils will respond to the School’s positive encouragement and rewards and will comply with the School Rules at all times. However, the School acknowledges that from time to time, pupils’ conduct may fall below the standards of behaviour reasonably expected by the School. Sanctions assist the School in enforcing the School Rules and help the School to set boundaries and to manage unacceptable or challenging behaviour from pupils. All Academic Sanctions are designed to provide a supportive environment that enables inappropriate classroom behaviour and/or academic practices to be modified. Any sanctions will be applied fairly, reasonably, and proportionately and, where appropriate, after due investigative action has taken place. There is a series of ‘levels’ for sanctions (Academic, Prep and Pastoral) through which pupils may progress. Each section has a Sanctions Ladder. This details the different sanctions at each level for each transgression. Sanctions may undergo reasonable change from time to time but will never involve any form of unlawful or degrading activity. Corporal punishment is illegal and is never used or threatened at the School.

Full details of behaviour expectations, rewards and sanctions can be found in the Behaviour Management Policy.

Non-negotiables expection in lessons

The School Council, which is made up of pupil representatives from each part of the School, agreed to a set of non-negotiable expectations about conduct in lessons and pupils taking responsibility for their own learning journeys which are outlined below. Each pupil is expected to adhere to these expectations and failure to do so is likely to result in a Sanction being issued.

1. Respect for others

a. Not distracting others

b. Not talking when teacher is talking

c. Open mindset for discussion on topical conversations

2. Punctuality & Preparation

a. Coming with correct equipment to lessons

b. Ensuring Surface is charged

3. Appropriate usage of Surfaces

4. Being appropriately engaged during each lesson

Suspension or Permanent Exclusion

The Headmistress may suspend or, in serious or persistent cases, permanently exclude a pupil if they consider their behaviour or conduct is unsatisfactory. Examples of behaviour which may result in this are listed under ‘Key Rules’. Suspension or permanent exclusion may also be imposed where unsatisfactory behaviour has continued despite previous disciplinary sanctions and/or warnings. Suspension will usually be served immediately. However, in exceptional circumstances and at its sole discretion, the School may postpone the start date of suspension or decide that the suspension is to be served over two split periods. If a suspension is imposed at the end of term, it will not be served until the beginning of the next term. Following their permanent exclusion

or whilst suspended, a pupil may not: enter the School site without the permission of the Headmistress of Deputy Head; or join any school trips and will not receive a refund for any monies paid for such trips.

A pupil may be suspended whilst an incident which the Headmistress considers may involve that pupil and which the Headmistress considers may result in the suspension or permanent exclusion of one or more pupils is being investigated. This is a neutral act. During any periods of suspension period, the School will continue to provide the pupil with work and the pupil is expected to maintain their academic work. At the end of the period of the suspension, depending upon the outcome of the investigation, the pupil may return to School and/or a disciplinary sanction may be imposed.

SANCTIONS IN RELATION TO SMOKING AND VAPING

A pro-active, supportive, and educational approach is taken by the School in order to prevent pupils engaging with smoking and vaping, both of which are illegal below the age of 18 and not permitted in school or on any school activity at any time. However, where pupils do not engage with such pastoral support and breaches of School policy occur there will be potentially very serious consequences.

Please note that in some circumstances pupils may be required to complete a period of community service an alternative sanction to a fine.

1. First offence – a pupil will be gated for one weekend (this will be the next appropriate weekend); parents will be informed; a £10 fine will be paid to Macmillan Nurses; and they will be placed on House report for one week.

2. Second offence – a pupil will be gated for two consecutive weekends (these will be the next appropriate ones); parents will be informed; a further £15 fine will be paid to Macmillan Nurses, and they will be placed on Head of Section report for one week.

3. Third offence – a pupil will be internally suspended for three days. They will be on Head’s Report for a minimum of seven days and a further £15 fine will be paid to Macmillan Nurses. Parents will be informed.

4. Fourth offence – a pupil will externally suspended for four days. They will return on a Behaviour Contract which will set out the terms required to remain at Downe House and be on Head’s Report for a minimum of seven days and a further £15 fine will be paid to Macmillan Nurses.

5. Further offences will be dealt with in line with the conditions of the Behaviour Contract but are likely to include permanent exclusion.

The Supply of Smoking and Vaping Materials

Selling

Smoking and Vaping Materials

Any pupil who is caught selling tobacco or vape(s) or assisting/ supporting someone to supply tobacco or vape(s) or where there are reasonable grounds that on the balance of probabilities this has occurred, the following sanctions will be applied:

Please note that in some circumstances pupils may be required to complete a period of community service an alternative sanction to a fine.

1. First offence – a pupil will be externally suspended for four days. They will return on a Behaviour Contract which will set out the terms required to remain at Downe House and be on Head’s Report for a minimum of seven days and a £15 fine will be paid to Macmillan Nurses.

2. Further offences will be dealt with in line with the conditions

of the Behaviour Contract but are likely to include permanent exclusion.

The Provision of Smoking and Vaping Materials

Any pupil who is caught providing tobacco or a vape(s) or assisting/supporting someone to supply tobacco or vapes or where there are reasonable grounds that on the balance of probabilities this has occurred, the following sanctions will be applied:

Please note that in some circumstances pupils may be required to complete a period of community service an alternative sanction to a fine.

1. First offence – a pupil will be internally suspended for three days. They will be on Head’s Report for a minimum of seven days and a £15 fine will be paid to Macmillan Nurses. Parents will be informed.

2. Second offence – a pupil will be externally suspended for four days. They will return on a Behaviour Contract which will set out the terms required to remain at Downe House and be on Head’s Report for a minimum of seven days and a further £15 fine will be paid to Macmillan Nurses.

3. Further offences will be dealt with in line with the conditions of the Behaviour Contract but are likely to include permanent exclusion.

The above also applies to those who are found with smoking or vaping paraphernalia on them or in their belongings, whether knowingly or unknowingly. All pupils who are involved in smoking or vaping incidents will be required to spend time with the Health Centre so that help and support can be provided. They would be expected to engage positively with this. Any pupil who needs help or support in relation to smoking or vaping may also go to the Health Centre for help and advice. A more lenient view, from that above, may be taken where there are significant mitigating circumstances. This may include a pupil who proactively seeks help and guidance and agrees to a programme of support. It could also involve parents coming forward actively seeking help on behalf of their daughters and themselves.

Alcohol

No alcohol may be brought into School. If a pupil is caught drinking (unless at an authorised event), in the presence of drinkers, drunk or smelling of alcohol, or with alcohol in her possession she should be escorted to her Housemistress (in her absence the Assistant Housemistress). The incident must be reported to the Headmistress, Deputy Headmistress, Deputy Head (Pastoral) or other relevant Senior member of staff e.g. Assistant Heads (Sections). The Headmistress may give permission to breathalyse the pupil to confirm the consumption of alcohol. A pupil whose condition gives cause for concern may be required to go to the Health Centre. Pupils who have alcohol in their possession without permission will have it taken away or disposed of. Pupils holding a position of responsibility may lose it temporarily or permanently. Parents will be notified and relevant sanction applied in accordance with the Behaviour and Discipline Policy at the discretion of the Headmistress; this may include, but is not limited to Headmistress’ Report or suspension.

Drugs/Illegal Substances

No illegal drugs/substances may be brought into School. The school definition of drugs includes illegal drugs (those categorised as A, B or C) and those substances that are misused to create a so called ‘legal high’. These include Nitrous Oxide, Alkyl Nitrates (Poppers), ketamine, Khat, MKET, volatile substances, prescribed medication as well as controlled drugs, but this is not an exhaustive list. In addition, performance enhancing drugs, as defined by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code, fall within the scope of this policy. A pro-active, supportive, and educational approach is taken by the School in order to prevent pupils engaging with illegal drugs/substances. However,

where pupils do not engage with such pastoral support and breaches of School policy occur there will be potentially very serious consequences. Any involvement of a Downe House pupil with illegal drugs/substances (including, without limitation, any pupil discovered possessing, supplying, taking or being under the influence of drugs/substances) will constitute an incident of misconduct and will be treated with the utmost severity, in most cases it is likely to lead to permanent exclusion. The School reserves the right to test pupils randomly and at its discretion for the consumption of illegal substances/drugs, as stated in the Terms and Conditions. The decision to test a pupil for the consumption of illegal substances/drugs lies with the Headmistress often on the advice of the Deputy Head, DSL or another senior member of staff. Random drugs testing acts as a deterrent and should be seen as supportive rather than punitive. An approved independent centre/agent would be used to test for substances/drugs. If the School has particular concerns, it may require a search to be carried out of any pupil, their personal possessions or room. This is for the protection of everyone involved.

Internet Social Networking Policy for Pupils

Definition of Social Networking Social Networking applications include but are not limited to blogs, online discussion forums, collaborative spaces, media sharing services, micro-blogging applications. Examples include, but are not limited to Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, You Tube and can also include instant messaging systems (SMS) such as Whatsapp.

INTRODUCTION

1. The School recognises that Internet Social Networking sites are a useful way of interacting socially with friends and gathering information. The School accepts that pupils may use Social Networking applications on the Internet. While the School does not wish to discourage acceptable use of such sites on the Internet we expect certain standards of conduct to be observed in order to protect: The safety, welfare, confidentiality and dignity of staff, pupils, their families, and that of the wider community and the reputation of the School.

2. The way in which pupils present themselves on Social Networking sites can have an impact on the public perception of the School and influence the way in which pupils and staff are perceived by the wider community. In their use of Social Networking sites, pupils should be aware that their online behaviour can affect their integrity and dignity.

3. To avoid boundaries becoming blurred and any potential misunderstanding, pupils should not use Social Networking sites to communicate with staff of the School unless using approved School communication channels.

4. This policy applies both on and off site. The following principles apply equally to information or comments posted by pupils from their home, personal, school computers or smart devices. This is irrespective of whether the posts are uploaded during school hours or in personal time.

5. The pupils are responsible for the content they publish on their Social Media platforms, this policy’s primary aim is to provide pupils with guidance to keep them safe and avoid compromising situations which they later regret.

PROCEDURE

1. Pupils must not access Social Networking sites for personal use (TikTok etc.) during the academic day, unless otherwise specified by the relevant Assistant Head.

2. Use of any social media should be age appropriate and pupils should not misrepresent their date of birth to gain access to sites such as Instagram. It is not acceptable to clone someone else’s identity or using a false identity to set up a profile.

3. Pupils should not be ‘friends’ with staff on personal Social Networking sites as this could be viewed as a Safeguarding

and Child Protection issue. Pupils may however, ‘follow’ or ‘friend’ official School accounts such as, but not limited to, @DHLINKS on twitter.

4. Pupils should remember that their profiles on Social Networking sites could directly link their behaviour outside of School with the reputation of Downe House. Any online conduct that could bring the School into disrepute or cause a negative impact on the school community is forbidden.

5. Online behaviour that could, in the opinion of the School, cause distress or jeopardise the safety, confidentiality, dignity or reputation of others, whether part of the Downe House community or not, is not acceptable.

6. Pupils should take adequate precautions when using Social Networking sites and applications, both in vetting material that could be connected to them (e.g. through their own friendship profiles) and through the appropriate use of security settings. Appropriate security settings should be used to maintain privacy. Social Networking sites which hold personal information and that do not have security settings in place should be avoided.

7. Security settings on Social Networking sites such as Facebook should be reviewed regularly by the pupils as these providers often update their security policies which may allow unauthorised access to pupil profiles without them being fully aware of such changes.

8. Pupils should be aware that once content is shared online it is possible for it to be circulated more widely than intended without prior consent or knowledge (even if content is thought to have been deleted or privately shared).

9. Pupils should not post/tag comments, photographs, video, or other content about any member of the community without their express permission. Downe House must not be tagged as a location or mentioned in any Social Media posts, blogs, tweets etc.

10. It is not acceptable to produce any material that is offensive, defamatory, discriminatory, or inappropriate about the School, staff or other pupils. This includes the use of bad language and any form of cyber bullying.

11. Any legal breaches online such as posting nude images would be dealt with by the police and the sanctions would be carried out in line with the law.

12. The School will monitor IT systems and Social Media Sites as is deemed necessary to prevent or detect inappropriate usage.

13. Transcripts or screenshots of Social Networking communications may be used in any disciplinary proceedings.

14. If pupils become aware of misuse of Social Networking sites by another pupil, they should inform their Housemistress/ master, Assistant Head of Section or member of the Leadership Team.

15. Pupils whose conduct breaches this policy in any way may be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the School’s Behaviour and Discipline Policy.

16. This policy should be read in conjunction with the School’s, ‘Behaviour Management Policy’ and ‘IS: Acceptable Use Policy’.

17. It should be noted that online behaviour, deemed unsuitable by the Headmistress and in accordance with this policy, may have an impact on a pupil’s future relationship with Downe House. This includes, but is not limited to, references, support from the Foundation (including DH Links) and connections with the Downe House Seniors’ Association.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS (IS)

All those in the School community using the School’s IS network shall adhere to strict guidelines concerning appropriate use of network resources and associated infrastructure.

AI GUIDELINES

In the rapidly evolving landscape of education, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool. AI, in this context, refers to computer systems and software that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as understanding natural language, recognising patterns, and making decisions. These AI tools, including language models like ChatGPT, offer immense potential in enhancing the learning experience. The following guidelines are designed to provide pupils and teachers at Downe House with a clear framework for the responsible and ethical use of AI in education. They aim to ensure that while we harness the benefits of AI, we also maintain academic integrity, protect privacy, and foster an environment of critical thinking and originality.

AI Guidelines for pupils

1. AI Usage: Be transparent

Show academic honesty by acknowledging and citing any AI technology used in your work. Failing to do so goes against academic principles.

2. Responsible Use of AI: Do not cheat

AI tools must not be used for cheating, plagiarism, or any other behaviour which is harmful to you or anyone else.

3. Original Effort: AI is a guide, not an author AI-generated content should complement your effort and understanding. Ensure that your work is unique and reflects your understanding of the material.

4. Accuracy: check AI output for accuracy

Verify the accuracy of information received from AI language models (e.g., ChatGPT). Do not rely solely on the chatbot’s output; critically assess and validate the information.

5. Responsibility: Reference AI when using it.

You are responsible for your AI technology usage. If you use AI to help with schoolwork, make sure you tell your teacher. Do not pretend that work from AI is your own.

6. Confidentiality & Privacy:

Don’t share private information Maintain the confidentiality of your interactions with AI tools like ChatGPT. Refrain from sharing any sensitive or personal information about yourself or others with the chatbot.

7. Monitoring and Consequences

Teachers at Downe House will monitor AI usage to ensure compliance with these guidelines. Breaching this policy may result in disciplinary action following the school’s sanctions’ framework.

8. Ethical Use of AI in Media Creation:

Use AI tools, including those for creating images or videos, ethically and responsibly. Do not create or distribute misleading, deceptive, or harmful content. Always respect the rights and dignity of others in your digital creations. Misuse may result in disciplinary action following the school’s sanctions’ framework.

GUIDELINES ON THE USE OF MOBILE PHONES

Mobile phones and other electronic devices should not be used in communal areas where they may disturb others e.g., the dining rooms or when walking around the School site.

Upper Fourth

• Phones are kept by Housestaff at all times, except for the following periods:

• Monday – Thursday: 6.30pm – 7.30pm

• Friday: 8.15am – 8.45am and 6.30pm – 8.30pm

• Saturday: 12 noon – 5pm

• Sunday: 9am - 10am and 5pm – 8.30pm

• Weekend activities: Girls will be able to take their mobile phones to some activities where needed or beneficial; this will be decided according to the event/activity.

Lower Fifth

• Girls are requested to hand their phones in to Housestaff during the day. They must not take their phones to lessons unless specifically requested to do so by a member of staff.

• Girls may use their phones in House during their free time i.e. lunchtime and after supper. Girls should not use their phones during Quiet Time.

• Phones are handed in at 9pm. Girls are encouraged to use their devices reliably and sensibly. If a girl is found to be misusing her device(s) or it is felt that use is negatively affecting her wellbeing, then the device(s) will be removed for a period. This is at the discretion of the Housemistress and Assistant Head (Upper School). Parents are always involved in this discussion.

Upper Fifth

• Upper Fifth are permitted to keep their mobile phones and electronic devices with them during the day, on the understanding that they do not use them in lessons unless specifically requested by a member of staff.

• After the Long Exeat in the Lent term, girls may keep their device overnight on the understanding that they do not use them after lights out. This privilege will be at the discretion of the Assistant Head (Upper School).

• If found using the devices irresponsibly, these may be confiscated.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What happens when my daughter’s birthday falls during term time?

Birthdays are celebrated in style here at Downe House. Your daughter may organise a party in the Common Room. It is important that she asks permission first though and that Housestaff know who she has invited from other Houses.

Parents can bring in food or have it delivered from a local supermarket. If you are not able to arrange this or live overseas, the Housestaff will be able to organise party food for your daughter and/or a birthday cake and the charge will simply be put on the School bill. Food brought in must be nut free.

Is there provision for Roman Catholic girls to go to Mass? Arrangements are made to escort girls to Mass at the local RC church in Thatcham. If you have any queries regarding this, please contact the School Chaplain. Provisions to attend other places of worship will be supported.

What will my daughter do at weekends and after School?

An imaginative programme of activities is organised for each year. Girls in their first year are guided by the Housemistress in their choice of activities in order to maintain a balance between School and House-based activities and excursions. It is our aim that girls should be kept busy and should return home in a healthy but satisfied state of exhaustion at the end of each term!

Are there activities at other times?

Your daughter will be able to take part in a variety of daytime activities too. All girls are strongly encouraged to pursue at least one co-curricular activity. Girls are expected to attend sessions regularly and for at least one academic year, once they have decided to commit themselves. Your daughter’s Housemistress and Academic Tutor will keep an eye on her extra commitments to try to help her not to become overburdened. Enthusiasm sometimes has to be curtailed in the interest of survival, especially if she is learning one or more instruments, having Speech and Drama lessons, or sports coaching.

The cost of each activity to the pupil covers the materials used, the hire of equipment and some of the travel expenses, though these are generally subsidised by the School. Some activities, although co-curricular, employ the services of many outside specialists and are therefore regarded as an extra subject. Therefore parental permission is necessary each term before taking up or continuing an activity.

These activities may include:

Gym Club Squash Club

Debating Society

Lower School Drama Club

Ballet Polo (Summer Term only)

Science Society Football Club

Pottery Club

Sailing (Summer term only)

Horse riding Christian Union

Tap Dance Jazz and Modern Dance Pilates (UV upward) Fencing

Classical Society Politics Society

Will I be charged for weekend activities?

Prior to the start of each term, you will be asked to set a limit on the amount of money to be added to the School bill for weekend activities. Not all activities will incur a cost but all non-curricular trips will carry a charge towards the cost of the outing – transport and tickets etc. In the case of more expensive weekend trips, such as visits to the theatre, parents are asked to give their permission well in advance. Once committed, a ticket will be purchased for your daughter, so if she withdraws, the cost will still need to be met.

Are there opportunities to meet other parents?

There are many social events arranged in the course of the year for you to meet informally with other parents both in the House and at main School events. You are always welcome to join us for these!

ANNUAL WHOLE SCHOOL EVENTS

Michaelmas term

House Drama weekend (usually October) The majority of the School is involved in the annual festival of drama. Each Upper School House puts on a play on Sunday either before or after lunch. Parents are welcome to come and watch their daughters perform in their House play and individual houses offer to arrange a social gathering before or after their performance. There is an adjudicator, who announces the results to the School at the end of the competition.

Michaelmas Concert (November) The Concert programme involves as many girls as possible with the orchestras, choirs, ensembles and many individuals taking part. Parents are very welcome to attend this.

Carol Services Upper School have off-site Carol Services held towards the end of term in December. Further details will be sent closer to the date

Summer term

Sports Day (June/July) is held on the Saturday morning of Founder’s Weekend. Parents are encouraged to come and bring picnics to the sports fields. No parking is allowed on the field, so it is advisable to keep hampers light.

Founder’s Weekend (June/July) On the final weekend of the Summer term we hold ‘Founder’s Weekend’ in honour of the founder of Downe House, Miss Olive Willis. Tradition is fused with all that the modern day Downe House offers in a full community celebration. The academic departments and boarding houses are open and there are interactive workshops and exhibitions around the School site. Sport, Music, Drama and the Creative Arts all contribute through tournaments, displays, proms, concerts, recitals, productions and a range of exhibits. There are sumptuous afternoon teas for visitors and girls to enjoy, picnics available for

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

you to order in advance, and we normally conclude the weekend with a family Hog Roast BBQ with jazz music to accompany it on the terrace and lawns.

In addition to these major events, there are many smaller events to which parents are invited – watching matches, parents’ lunches, family tennis tournaments to name but a few. A full programme of events appears every term in the Key Dates and Information booklet.

Policies

All major policies can be found on the Parent Hub. Please ensure you have gone through them. All queries can be directed to the Administration Manager, who will redirect you to the appropriate department.

Downe House is committed to providing equal opportunities in both its admissions procedure and its pupils’ day-to-day education. A Pupils’ Equal Opportunities Policy is adhered to, and is supplemented by an additional Disability Policy – both of which are reviewed annually and are freely available on request.

To ensure the effectiveness of these Policies, the School monitors the composition of current pupils attending the School, as well as applicants for admission.

Any breach of the Pupils’ Equal Opportunities Policy – by either pupils or employees of the School – is viewed very seriously and disciplinary action may be taken where appropriate.

Headmistress – Mrs Emma McKendrick, Downe House, Hermitage Road, Cold Ash, Berkshire, RG18 9JJ

Chair of Governors – Ms Fru Hazlitt, c/o Downe House, Hermitage Road, Cold Ash, Berkshire, RG18 9JJ

Details of school policies are available on the School website, www.downehouse.net or email correspondence@downehouse.net for a hard copy on request from the School.

Academic Choices 28

Academic Progress 28, 29

Academic Sanctions 36

Academic Tutor 28, 29

Advice 21, 22

AGN 10

AGS 12, 13

AI Guidelines 38 Airport Transfers 24

Air Fresheners 24

Aisholt 8, 9

Alateen (alcohol helpline) 22

Alcohol and Drugs 35 Appearance 30

Assistant Head 5 (Upper School)

Balanced

Boarding

www.downehouse.net