Downe House School
Independent Boarding and Day School for Girls (11–18) · Est. 1907
Founded in 1907 by Olive Willis at Charles Darwin's old family home in Kent, Downe House moved to its Berkshire hillside in 1922 — a distinctive campus of Moorish white cloisters above Cold Ash, near Newbury. It is one of the country's archetypal all-girls' boarding schools, almost entirely full-boarding (504 of 550 pupils board) and built around a chapel at its physical centre. Its most famous tradition sends the whole of Year 8 to live and learn in French at the school's own château in south-west France.
One of England's leading all-girls' boarding schools — 55% A*–A at A-level and 81% grade 9–7 at GCSE in 2025, a renowned Year 8 term in France, national-champion lacrosse, and an alumnae roll that includes the Princess of Wales.
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Hermitage Road, Cold Ash, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG18 9JJ
Full Boarding Fees
£20,304
per term (2025/26, inc. VAT). Flexi £16,980; Day Boarding £15,108; Day £11,196.
Exam Format
ISEB Pre-Test
+ Assessment Day (writing task, activities, Head interview)
Total Pupils
550
girls 11–18 — 504 board, ~46 day (ISI Nov 2024)
Founded
1907
by Olive Willis at Darwin's old home; moved to Cold Ash 1922
A-level Results 2025
55% A*–A
23% A*, 83% A*–B, 99% grade C and above
GCSE Results 2025
81% 9–7
42% of grades at grade 9; 66% at 9–8
Best For
Families committed to genuine full boarding who want a high-achieving, all-girls environment with serious sport (lacrosse and tennis especially), strong music and arts, and a globally minded outlook — capped by the school's signature Year 8 term living and studying in French at its own château in south-west France.
Watch Out For
This is a demanding school. Parent forums repeatedly describe Downe House as an academic 'powerhouse' that can feel pressured — both academically and socially, with a noticeably London/Kensington-and-Chelsea and international social set. The ISI November 2024 report flagged one area for development: careers education for Years 7–9. Day places exist but are a small minority (roughly 8% of the school) — this is fundamentally a boarding community, and several parents note the campus can feel quiet at weekends.
Entry Points
- Main intakes at 11+ (~55 girls) and 13+ (45 girls), plus 12+ and 16+ Sixth Form (~10 places). All junior entry uses the ISEB Common Pre-Test plus a Downe House Assessment Day. Sixth Form entry is by subject papers in November and interview.
The Complete Admissions Timeline
Every key date, deadline and decision point — with insider intelligence you won't find on the school website. Click any item to reveal verified insider knowledge.
The critical window: Downe House assesses a full year (11+/12+ boarding) to up to three years (13+ day) before entry. Register your daughter online and pay the registration fee (£395 boarding / £240 day). For 11+ and 12+, candidates sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test at their current school by 30 November and attend an Assessment Day at Downe House in the Michaelmas (Autumn) Term of the year before entry — a day of activities (drama, design technology, team-building), an English writing task, an interview with the Headmistress, and a school tour. For 13+, the ISEB Pre-Test is sat in October/November of Year 6, with Assessment Day invitations following for strong performers and offers by the end of December. Day candidates at 11+/12+/13+ are invited together to a single November Assessment Day and sit an adaptive computerised test on site. Academic Scholarship papers are sat in January with interviews in February.
Attend Open Mornings and tour
Downe House is a full-boarding community with a distinctive hillside campus and the Year 8 France term — it has to be understood in person. Day families especially should be clear-eyed that day pupils are a small minority here.
Build ISEB and reasoning fluency
Begin online ISEB-style practice across English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Because the test is adaptive and on screen, familiarity with the digital format matters as much as content. Wide reading and timed handwritten writing also build towards the Assessment Day essay.
ISEB Common Pre-Test + Assessment Day
Sit the ISEB Pre-Test (by 30 November for 11+/12+) and attend the Downe House Assessment Day — activities, English writing task, Headmistress interview and tour.
Offers issued
Offers are made on ISEB scores, Assessment Day performance and headteacher recommendation. Some candidates receive unconditional offers.
Academic scholarship round (if invited)
Potential academic scholars sit scholarship papers in January and are interviewed in February. Music, Sport, Creative Arts and Performing Arts awards have their own assessment and audition routes — contact the relevant Director in advance.
Common Entrance — for setting only
13+ pupils sit Common Entrance in English, Maths, Science and a Modern Foreign Language. At Downe House this is used to set pupils on arrival, not as a further selection hurdle.
Key Dates — 11+ / 13+ Boarding Entry
- 1
Registration (online + fee)
Year before entry — earlier for 13+ day places
- 2
ISEB Common Pre-Test (11+/12+) — deadline
By 30 November
- 3
ISEB Common Pre-Test (13+)
October/November of Year 6
- 4
Assessment Day at Downe House
Michaelmas (Autumn) Term — November for day candidates
- 5
Offers made
By the end of December
- 6
Academic Scholarship papers (11+/12+/13+)
January
- 7
13+ Common Entrance
June of Year 8 — for setting purposes only
Inside the Downe House Entrance Assessment
Downe House entry has two distinct components. First, the ISEB Common Pre-Test — an online, adaptive, multiple-choice test in English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, sat at the candidate's own school (by 30 November for 11+/12+; October–November of Year 6 for 13+). Second, a Downe House Assessment Day: activities observed by staff, a handwritten English writing task, and a one-to-one interview with the Headmistress. Day candidates additionally sit an adaptive computerised test on site. There is no fixed published pass mark — ISEB scores are age-standardised (average 100) and read alongside the Assessment Day and the current headteacher's recommendation.
ISEB Pre-Test
Approximately 2.5 hours total across the four sections · Online adaptive, multiple-choice — sat at current school, at Downe House, or an approved centre
Children who have only practised on paper freeze on the adaptive on-screen format. Because you can't revisit answers, the instinct to 'come back to it later' has to be retrained. Pacing matters — early questions calibrate the difficulty of the rest.
English Writing Task
Set within the Assessment Day (specific time not officially published) · Handwritten English writing task / essay, marked for imagination and for structural control
Strong readers who rarely write to time produce unstructured pieces. The task rewards a clear shape (beginning, middle, end), varied sentence openings and vocabulary used with control — not just a good idea dashed down.
Head's Interview & Activities
Interview is short and one-to-one; activities run across the day · 1:1 interview with the Headmistress + staff-observed group activities + tour and lunch
Over-rehearsed, CV-style answers register as inauthentic. In the activities, girls who dominate read less well than girls who contribute warmly and listen. The interview is genuine selection, not a welcome chat.
Topic Difficulty & Weight
Difficulty (%) and exam weight by topic area
Key takeaway: Online, adaptive, multiple-choice. English (25 min), Maths (50 min), Verbal Reasoning (36 min), Non-Verbal Reasoning (32 min) — roughly 2.5 hours total. Adaptive means each question is chosen based on the previous answer, and candidates cannot go back. Age-standardised scoring, average 100, no published pass mark.
Topic Breakdown
Known Exam Traps — ISEB Pre-Test
Practise on screen with adaptive ISEB-style platforms so the format is familiar — no going back, each question depends on the last
Treat Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning as taught subjects — children from state primaries may never have seen them
The pattern: Children who have only practised on paper freeze on the adaptive on-screen format. Because you can't revisit answers, the instinct to 'come back to it later' has to be retrained. Pacing matters — early questions calibrate the difficulty of the rest.
If you can only improve in one area, make it
Adaptive on-screen ISEB familiarity across all four subjects
What this means in practice:
Dedicate 60%+ of prep time to this area
Practice under timed conditions regularly
Review mistakes immediately after each session
Track progress weekly to spot patterns
All focus areas ranked by impact:
#1
Adaptive on-screen ISEB familiarity across all four subjects
ISEB Pre-Test
#2
Timed handwritten creative/discursive writing with clear structure
English Writing Task
#3
Authentic conversation + warm collaboration in group tasks
Head's Interview & Activities
Results & League Table Position
Downe House consistently ranks among the top co-educational schools in England. These figures are benchmarked against national averages so you can see the full picture.
A-Level A* Rate
23%
Public A-Level breakdown not published.
A-Level A*/A Rate
55%
2025: 23% A*, 55% A*–A, 83% A*–B, 99% grade C and above. Named leavers went to Oxford (History), Imperial (Mechanical Engineering) and LSE (Law); eight pupils achieved A* in at least three subjects. 87% of leavers took up their first-choice university; ~26% went to Oxbridge or top London universities (school figures).
GCSE Grade 9-7
81%
Public GCSE breakdown not published.
A-Level A*-B Rate
83%
Downe House does not lead with league-table positioning and describes itself as achieving 'success without having to adopt an academic hothouse approach'. In practice, parent forums consistently group it with Wycombe Abbey and St Swithun's as one of the leading academic girls' boarding schools — strong results, but with the workload and expectation that go with that tier.
A-Level Results vs National Average
Downe House vs England average (%)
What this means: Downe House's 2025 A-level cohort posted 23% A*, 55% A*–A and 83% A*–B, with 99% of grades at C or above — consistent with the school's standing as one of the country's stronger academic girls' boarding schools. Named 2025 leavers went on to Oxford, Imperial and LSE, and around a quarter of the year group secured Oxbridge or top-London places. Subject breadth is real: the ISI report notes minority subjects such as Ancient Greek run in the Sixth Form 'even if few pupils choose them'.
GCSE Grade Distribution
Downe House vs National distribution (%)
What this means: At GCSE/IGCSE in 2025, 81% of all grades were 9–7, with a striking 42% of grades at grade 9 and two-thirds at 9–8. Modern Foreign Languages are a particular strength (92% at 9–7 across French, German, Italian, Chinese and Russian), as is English (54% of girls awarded the top grade). Just under three-quarters of girls left with seven or more 9–7 grades.
University Destinations
Where Downe House leavers go — % of cohort
The school signals strong progression outcomes, but does not publish a detailed destination split in the public admissions material used for this brief.
Notable Academic Achievements
All ISI Standards Met (November 2024 inspection)
ISI inspection 12–14 November 2024: every standard met across Leadership & Governance, Quality of Education, Pupil Wellbeing, Social & Economic Education and Safeguarding. Inspectors praised teaching, boarding ('the leadership of boarding is highly effective') and pastoral care, and gave a single recommended next step — strengthen careers education for pupils in Years 7 to 9.
The Year 8 term in France — the school's signature experience
Every girl spends a full term living and studying at the school's own château in south-west France (now Downe House Sauveterre in the Gers, opened 2020; the programme ran at Veyrines-de-Domme from 1991). All lessons except Maths and English are taught in French, alongside cultural immersion, an exchange with local French pupils and activities such as truffle hunting. WhichSchoolAdvisor calls it an 'exchange experience unmatched elsewhere in the sector'.
U15A Lacrosse National Schools Champions 2026
The U15A team won the National Schools Championship in March 2026 — the school's first national lacrosse title in 25 years. Lacrosse is one of Downe House's defining sports, with many pupils progressing to county and national squads; tennis is also rated 'one of the finest [programmes] in the country'.
Founded 1907 at Charles Darwin's family home
Olive Willis and Alice Carver founded the school in 1907 at Down House in the village of Downe, Kent — Charles Darwin's former home — which gave the school its name. The whole school relocated to its present hilltop site at Cold Ash, Berkshire, in 1922, building the distinctive Moorish-style Cloisters.
Strongly full-boarding — 504 of 550 pupils board
Per the ISI November 2024 report, 504 of 550 pupils are boarders across 12 boarding houses. Day places exist and have been expanded in recent years, but they remain a small minority (~46 girls). This is one of the most genuinely full-boarding girls' schools in the country.
Alumnae include the Princess of Wales
Catherine, Princess of Wales attended Downe House (briefly, before moving to Marlborough). Other Old Seniors include broadcaster Clare Balding, comedian and actress Miranda Hart, novelist Elizabeth Bowen, and Dame Rosemary Murray, the first female Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University.
Globally networked — Muscat, Riyadh and a 16-school exchange programme
Downe House has sister schools Downe House Muscat and Downe House Riyadh, and runs a Global Exchange Programme with 16 partner schools across five continents, plus Sixth Form international internships. It is also a Microsoft Showcase School.
Music and performing arts run at a high level
The Good Schools Guide rates performing arts a strength — Trinity Arts Awards within the Drama curriculum, extensive Speech & Drama and Dance, and high participation in Music outside the classroom. The Senior Choir was crowned Barnardo's 'Senior Choir of the Year' at the Royal Festival Hall in 2018. Music scholarships include free instrumental or vocal tuition.
League Table Position: Downe House does not lead with league-table positioning and describes itself as achieving 'success without having to adopt an academic hothouse approach'. In practice, parent forums consistently group it with Wycombe Abbey and St Swithun's as one of the leading academic girls' boarding schools — strong results, but with the workload and expectation that go with that tier.
The Interview
Every junior candidate has a one-to-one interview with the Headmistress as part of the Assessment Day, alongside staff-observed group activities and a tour. The school describes Emma McKendrick — Headmistress for over 20 years — and one parent forum account calls her 'very hands-on and just not frightened of teenage girls'. The interview is warm but it is genuine selection: the school is reading curiosity, character, resilience and fit with the boarding community, not running a formality.
Format
1:1 interview with the Headmistress, plus staff-observed activity sessions and a tour with current pupils
Duration
Short interview; the wider Assessment Day runs across most of a school day
Role in Admissions
Part of a holistic assessment, not a pass/fail gate
Fit with a full-boarding community is part of what's judged
Downe House is overwhelmingly full-boarding. The Assessment Day and interview are partly about whether a girl will thrive living in, contributing to a boarding house, and embracing things like the Year 8 France term. Genuine independence, warmth with peers, and curiosity carry more weight than a rehearsed list of achievements.
What Makes a Strong Impression
Authentic enthusiasm — for reading, for an instrument or sport, for ideas — lands well, as does evidence the candidate is ready for and excited by boarding. In the group activities, staff are watching collaboration: girls who contribute generously and listen well read better than girls who try to run the room. The Headmistress's interview rewards a child who can hold a real conversation rather than recite.
Likely interview themes
Compiled from parent reports (2023-2025)
- What the candidate enjoys reading and learning about
- Interests and activities outside the classroom — sport, music, drama
- Why boarding, and why Downe House specifically
- How she handles challenge, effort and setbacks
- What she's looking forward to about secondary school and the France term
The pattern: Conversational and warm, but a real part of the decision alongside ISEB scores and the writing task
Never Asked — Don't Over-Prepare
- Trick or 'gotcha' academic questions
- Detailed knowledge of the school's history or alumnae
- Catholic or denominational doctrine (the school is Church of England in ethos, welcoming all)
- A comparative grilling about other schools applied to
What Actually Wins Offers
- 1Genuine, specific enthusiasm for interests — not a rehearsed achievement list
- 2Readiness for and excitement about full boarding and the France term
- 3Warm collaboration and active listening in the group activities
- 4Comfort holding a real conversation with an adult
- 5Reflection on effort and setbacks, not just successes
“DH is a terrific school. If your daughter loves it and they've given her an unconditional offer then they are a great match for each other.”
“If she likes lacrosse, swimming, music and is clever, than it seems like the perfect place if you want full boarding. Their lacrosse and music provision is incredible.”
“My DD had an excellent time at Downe. She was well supported with her music, sport and extra curricular activities eg D of E. She has gone on to a RG university with excellent grades and very independent.”
“can be quite cut throat socially - and dominated by a very intense London vibe. A bit too 'Made in Chelsea' perhaps.”
“a formidable powerhouse for clever, driven girls, but that this can translate into being a hothouse that puts a lot of pressure on them”
Contact Admissions
Downe House School Admissions Team
Insider Intel: What Other Parents Don't Know
These are the verified insights you will not find on the school website, in Good Schools Guide, or from any single tutoring agency. Each insight is compiled and cross-referenced from 25+ sources including official documents, parent reports, and tutoring industry data.This is the intelligence that gives ClassAce families an edge.
This is a full-boarding school — day places are a small minority
The ISI November 2024 report records 504 of 550 pupils as boarders — roughly 92% of the school. Day provision exists and has been expanded in recent years, but as one Mumsnet parent put it, it is 'still a small percent of a medium-sized school'. If you are considering a day place, go in clear-eyed: the rhythm of the school, the social life and the weekend programme are built around boarders. This is not a day school that happens to board.
Scholarships carry NO fee remission — the bursary scheme is the money route
This is the single most-missed fact about Downe House. The school's own scholarship page states plainly that 'Scholarship Awards do not carry fee remission' — academic, music, sport, creative and performing arts awards are honorific (music awards do include free instrumental tuition). Any actual help with fees comes through the separate means-tested bursary scheme, which can reach 100% of fees plus an allowance for extras. 48 girls were on means-tested bursaries in 2024/25. If affordability matters, apply for a bursary early via the Registrar — do not assume a scholarship will reduce the bill.
The ISEB Pre-Test is adaptive and online — paper practice alone won't prepare her
Downe House uses the ISEB Common Pre-Test: English (25 min), Maths (50 min), Verbal Reasoning (36 min), Non-Verbal Reasoning (32 min), all online, multiple-choice and adaptive. Adaptive means each question is chosen from the last answer and you cannot go back. Children drilled only on paper papers are caught out by the format. There is no fixed pass mark — scores are age-standardised around an average of 100 and read with the Assessment Day. Practise on screen, on the real format, well ahead of time.
Every girl spends Year 8 in France — factor it into the decision
Downe House's signature experience is a full term in Year 8 at the school's own château in south-west France (Downe House Sauveterre, in the Gers). All lessons except Maths and English are taught in French. It is widely loved and genuinely distinctive — WhichSchoolAdvisor calls it 'unmatched elsewhere in the sector' — but it is also a term living abroad at age 12–13, away from the main campus. Talk to your daughter about it before applying; for most families it is a major draw, but it should be a conscious choice.
Forum consensus: a 'powerhouse' that can feel pressured — academically AND socially
Across at least four separate Mumsnet threads, parents group Downe House with Wycombe Abbey and St Swithun's as a leading academic girls' boarding school — and repeatedly describe it as demanding. The recurring phrase is 'powerhouse' and 'hothouse'; several note the pressure is social as much as academic, with a notably London / Kensington-and-Chelsea and international set. One poster did say the opposite ('not pressuring the girls a lot academically'), so it is not universal — but the dominant theme is real. If you specifically want a low-pressure environment, weigh this carefully and ask the school directly how it manages it.
ISI Nov 2024 flagged one development area: careers education for Years 7–9
The November 2024 ISI inspection met every standard and praised teaching, boarding and pastoral care — but gave one recommended next step: 'strengthen the provision of careers education for pupils in Years 7 to 9, so that they are well informed about a wide range of subject and career options.' The report notes the GCSE and A-level careers programme is comprehensive; the gap is specifically lower down the school. Worth raising at an Open Morning to hear how the school is responding.
Weekends: the campus can feel quiet — a recurring, if debated, forum theme
Several Mumsnet parents across multiple threads describe Downe House emptying out at weekends ('on average half of DH girls go home'), with one calling the isolated hillside site 'too much of an isolated holiday camp' for girls who stay. Other posters pushed back, pointing out that with 504 of 550 pupils boarding, plenty stay in. The honest read: ask the school directly about weekend occupancy in your daughter's likely house, and think about whether she'd be a stay-in or go-home boarder — it materially shapes the experience.
Sport is serious — lacrosse and tennis especially
Lacrosse is a defining Downe House sport: the U15A team won the National Schools Championship in March 2026, the school's first national title in 25 years, and players progress to county and national squads. Tennis is rated 'one of the finest [programmes] in the country'. The breadth is wide too — netball, hockey, athletics, swimming, riding, fencing, sailing and more. A sporty girl will find a genuine home here; a girl with no interest in competitive sport should visit to gauge how central it feels.
Two main entry points — 11+ and 13+ — and 13+ has fewer places
Around 55 girls enter at 11+ each year and 45 at 13+. Both use the ISEB Pre-Test plus Assessment Day, but the 13+ Pre-Test is sat earlier (October/November of Year 6) and competition for the smaller cohort can be sharp. If your daughter is at a prep school running to 13, confirm early which entry point you're aiming for — and note that 13+ entrants still sit Common Entrance in Year 8, but only for setting.
Headship succession is worth a direct question
Emma McKendrick has been Headmistress for over 20 years — an unusually long and stable tenure that parents credit for much of the school's character. One Mumsnet parent flagged the natural concern that 'the head will change during my daughter's tenure'. This is not a criticism of the school, simply a planning point: if you are applying for a child who would be at Downe House for seven years, it is reasonable to ask admissions about leadership continuity. [Verify the current Headmistress at the point of applying.]
Bursaries can reach 100% — and the school actively partners on social mobility
The bursary scheme can cover '100% plus an allowance towards School extras', is means-tested on family circumstances, and is open at all entry points. 48 girls were benefitting from full or partial means-tested bursaries in 2024/25, and the school partners with the Royal National Children's SpringBoard Foundation. Candidates must still meet the academic entry bar. Contact the Registrar, Miss Angela Nutt, for a confidential conversation well before the entry date — bursary funds are finite and allocated early.
Sixth Form is its own world — two dedicated sixth-form houses
Per Talk Education, sixth formers move into one of two dedicated sixth-form houses for their two years — described as a deliberate 'stepping stone between school and university', with more independence than the lower-school houses. Wellbeing is heavily resourced school-wide: each boarding house has trained 'wellbeing champions', and the school uses AS Tracking (an online pupil-wellbeing assessment tool) to guide pastoral interventions. If your daughter would enter at 16+, visit a sixth-form house specifically — it is a distinct experience from the 11–16 boarding houses.
Modern languages are a genuine strength — and not just French
The 2025 GCSE results show 92% of MFL grades at 9–7 across French, German, Italian, Chinese and Russian, and the ISI report notes Mandarin Chinese in the curriculum and Ancient Greek available in the Sixth Form. Combined with the Year 8 immersion term in France and a 16-school global exchange programme, languages are woven through the school rather than bolted on. A linguistically curious girl is well served here.
Common Mistakes Parents Make
The errors we see most often from families preparing for Downe House School. Avoid these and you're already ahead of the majority of applicants.
Assuming a scholarship will cut the fees
At Downe House, scholarships carry no fee remission — they are honorific (music awards include free tuition). Families who bank on a scholarship to make the fees work are caught out.
Fix: If affordability matters, apply for a means-tested bursary early via the Registrar — that, not a scholarship, is the route to financial help, and it can reach 100% of fees plus extras.
Preparing for the ISEB Pre-Test on paper only
The ISEB Common Pre-Test is online and adaptive — each question depends on the last and you can't go back. Paper-only practice leaves a child unready for the on-screen experience and pacing.
Fix: Practise on adaptive, on-screen ISEB-format platforms well ahead of time, alongside content work in English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
Treating the Assessment Day as a formality after a good ISEB score
The Assessment Day — activities, a handwritten English writing task and a one-to-one interview with the Headmistress — is genuine selection. Offers rest on ISEB scores AND the day AND the headteacher's recommendation.
Fix: Prepare for a timed handwritten essay and for a real conversation with the Head. Coach warm, collaborative participation in the group activities — not domination.
Underestimating that this is a full-boarding community
Around 92% of pupils board. Day pupils are a genuine minority, and the social life, weekends and rhythm of the school are built around boarders.
Fix: Decide honestly whether your daughter wants to board — and if you're applying for a day place, ask the school directly how day pupils integrate with house life and weekends.
Not factoring in the Year 8 term in France
Every girl spends a full term in Year 8 living and studying in French at the school's château in France. It's a highlight for most — but it is a term abroad at 12–13.
Fix: Discuss the France term with your daughter before applying. For most families it's a major attraction; it should still be a conscious, informed choice.
Downe House vs Competitor Schools
How does Downe House School compare to the schools your child is most likely also applying to? This analysis covers the key factors that actually matter to families.
Important context: On academics, forums consistently place Downe House just below Wycombe Abbey but firmly in the leading group with St Swithun's. On boarding, it is more genuinely full-boarding than Wycombe Abbey (often described as effectively weekly). On the France term and global programmes, Downe House is distinctive. On atmosphere, parents describe it as driven and 'a powerhouse' — and socially more London/Chelsea than its country setting suggests.
| Factor | FeaturedDowne House | Wycombe Abbey | St Swithun's School | St Mary's School Ascot | Benenden School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Type | Independent Girls Boarding/Day (11–18) — strongly full-boarding | Independent Girls Boarding (11–18) — often described as effectively weekly | Independent Girls Boarding/Day (11–18) | Independent Catholic Girls Boarding (11–18) | Independent Girls Full Boarding (11–18) |
| Co-educational | |||||
| VR in Exam | |||||
| Annual Fee | |||||
| 11+ Difficulty | High | Very High | High | High | High |
| Interview Style | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Why Parents Choose Downe House
- Genuinely full boarding504 of 550 pupils board. For families who actively want a true full-boarding experience rather than a weekly-boarding school that empties Friday to Sunday, Downe House is more committed to the model than several of its peers.
- The Year 8 term in FranceA full term living and learning in French at the school's own château — widely described as unmatched in the sector. No close peer offers exactly this.
- Elite sport and high-level music and artsNational-champion lacrosse, tennis rated among the country's best, and strong music and performing arts. A sporty, performing or musical girl finds serious provision here.
- Leading academic results without leading on league tables55% A*–A at A-level and 81% 9–7 at GCSE in 2025, with ~26% of leavers to Oxbridge or top-London universities — strong outcomes from a school that frames itself around the individual rather than the ranking.
Points to Consider
- Demanding — and pressured socially as well as academicallyMultiple parent forums describe a 'powerhouse' culture with real pressure, and a notably London/Kensington-and-Chelsea and international social set that some find 'cut-throat'. If you want a low-pressure school, weigh this carefully.
- Day places are a small minorityDay pupils are roughly 8% of the school. The experience is built around boarders — a day place here is not the same as a place at a day school.
- Weekends can feel quietA recurring (if debated) forum theme is that the campus empties at weekends. Ask directly about weekend occupancy in your daughter's likely house.
- ISI Nov 2024 flagged careers education for Years 7–9The one recommended next step from the otherwise-strong 2024 inspection. Worth raising at an Open Morning.
Scholarships & Financial Support
Downe House offers awards in five strands — Academic (through the Scholars' Programme), Music, Creative Arts (Fine Art, Textiles or 3D Design), Performing Arts (drama and film), and Sport — at 11+, 12+, 13+ and 16+ entry. Critically, scholarship awards carry NO fee remission: they are honorific recognition (music awards do include free instrumental tuition). Families needing help with fees apply separately for a means-tested bursary.
| Scholarship Type | Value | Available Places | Selection Method | Stackable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Scholarship (Scholars' Programme) — 11+/12+/13+/16+ | Honorific — NO fee remission. Access to the Scholars' Programme enrichment. | Not publicly disclosed | Scholarship papers sat in January for candidates identified as potential scholars, followed by interviews in February. No special preparation expected by the school. | Yes |
| Music Scholarship / Exhibition / Organ / Choral Award | Honorific — NO fee remission, but includes free instrumental/vocal tuition (Scholars: up to 30 lessons on two instruments; Exhibitioners: 30 lessons on one; Organ and Choral awards include free relevant tuition). | Multiple tiers; numbers not publicly disclosed | Audition-based. Arrange a pre-audition in advance — these can be booked up to a year before the scholarship assessment. Contact the Director of Music. | Yes |
| Sport Scholarship (Sports Award) | Honorific — NO fee remission. Specialist coaching pathway. | Not publicly disclosed | Practical assessment. 11+ Sports Awards are valid for five years (reviewed after two); 13+ Sports Awards valid for three years. Contact the Director of Sport in advance. | Yes |
| Creative Arts Scholarship (Fine Art / Textiles / 3D Design) | Honorific — NO fee remission. | Not publicly disclosed | Portfolio and/or practical assessment. Contact the relevant Director in advance. Generally valid for three years subject to continued effort and conduct. | Yes |
| Performing Arts Scholarship (Drama / Film) | Honorific — NO fee remission. | Not publicly disclosed | Audition-based. Contact the Director of Drama in advance. Generally valid for three years subject to continued effort and conduct. | Yes |
| Bursary (means-tested) — up to 100% of fees plus extras | Up to 100% of fees plus an allowance towards school extras; size varies with family circumstances. | Limited — 48 girls on full or partial means-tested bursaries in 2024/25 | Means-tested on family circumstances; available at all entry points. Candidates must meet the academic entry bar. ENTIRELY SEPARATE from scholarships — this is the only route to fee help. Per the Good Schools Guide there is also a dedicated Centenary fund providing for local day pupils. Contact the Registrar, Miss Angela Nutt, well before the date of entry. The school partners with the Royal National Children's SpringBoard Foundation. | Yes |
* Academic scholarship papers are sat in January with interviews in February. Music candidates should arrange a pre-audition — these can be booked up to a year before the scholarship assessment. For all non-academic awards, contact the relevant Director in advance. Means-tested bursaries (up to 100% of fees plus an allowance for extras) are entirely separate and confidential — contact the Registrar, Miss Angela Nutt.
The Preparation Roadmap
Everything here is built around Downe House School's specific exam format, interview style, and selection criteria. This is not generic 11+ advice. Every recommendation is calibrated to this school.
Year 3–4 — Visit and decide on boarding
Is genuine full boarding right for your family?
- Attend an Open Morning or tour — the hillside campus and boarding culture have to be seen
- Discuss boarding honestly as a family — Downe House is ~92% boarders
- Talk through the Year 8 term in France with your daughter
- Visit at least one peer school (Wycombe Abbey, St Swithun's, St Mary's Ascot) for genuine comparison
Useful resources
School Open Mornings · ibo.org (n/a) · WhichSchoolAdvisor and Good Schools Guide reviews
Year 5 — Foundation
Build ISEB fluency and writing stamina
- Begin on-screen, adaptive ISEB-format practice — English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning
- Treat Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning as taught subjects, especially from a state primary
- Weekly timed handwritten writing from prompts — build structure and sentence control
- Wide independent reading to feed vocabulary and ideas
Useful resources
Adaptive online ISEB practice platforms · Bond / CGP 11+ reasoning books · Timed creative-writing practice
Year 6 Autumn — ISEB Pre-Test & Assessment Day
Sit the test and the Downe House day
- Register and pay the registration fee; arrange the current-school report
- Sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test by 30 November (11+/12+) or October/November (13+)
- Attend the Downe House Assessment Day — activities, English writing task, Headmistress interview, tour
- Practise warm, authentic conversation for the interview and collaborative behaviour for the activities
Useful resources
Full timed on-screen ISEB mocks · Timed handwritten essay practice · Mock conversational interviews
December–February — Offers & scholarships
Decision, and scholarship rounds if invited
- Offers issued by the end of December — respond within the school's window
- If invited, prepare for January academic scholarship papers and February interviews
- Arrange music pre-auditions and contact relevant Directors for sport/arts awards
- If affordability matters, lodge a means-tested bursary application early with the Registrar
Useful resources
Scholarship past-paper style practice · Music pre-audition booking · Bursary application via the Registrar
Year 8 (13+ entrants) — Common Entrance & France
Common Entrance for setting, then the France term
- 13+ entrants sit Common Entrance (English, Maths, Science, MFL) in June of Year 8 — used for setting, not selection
- Prepare for the Year 8 term at the school's château in France
- Build French confidence ahead of an immersion term where most lessons are in French
Useful resources
Common Entrance setting practice · French conversation practice · School pre-departure briefings
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Updated May 2026 (incl. ISI Nov 2024 report fully extracted + 2025/26 fees + 2025 results) · 25 sources
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