Queen Anne's School
Same West Berkshire area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
Downe House is a private secondary-stage school in Thatcham, Berkshire, with a published age range of 11-18.
Private school Girls Ages 11-18 Sixth form Boarding school
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-18
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
Downe House
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-18
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Downe House began in 1907, when Olive Willis and Alice Carver established the school in Down House, Charles Darwin's former home in Kent. Willis's founding idea valued each girl as an individual, and kindness and respect remain part of the school's identity at Cold Ash. The girls' community runs from age 11 to 18.
The curriculum combines breadth with personalisation and independent thought. It moves from Lower School history to the Edexcel International GCSE specification and Sixth Form A-level study. History pupils can complete a 4,500-word independent investigation, giving sustained research a clear place beside examination courses.
Full boarding, flexi boarding and day places share the same House framework across Lower School, Upper School and Sixth Form. Girls in every route can take part in the evening and weekend programme; the Murray Centre adds an auditorium and library, while day pupils use stage-appropriate facilities or the boarding houses as part of the wider community.
The admissions team handles the process from enquiry to the first day, with visits, open mornings and online registration. Downe House therefore offers a choice of living pattern within one girls' school rather than a separate day-school track, with boarding and day routines joined through Houses and the wider programme.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 18.6 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 39.6% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with West Berkshire and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 18.6
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 0%
- EBacc APS
- 1.36
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with West Berkshire and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Age range
- 11-18
- Headteacher
- Mrs Emma McKendrick
- Pupil roll
- 535 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Boarding
- Boarding school
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Cold Ash, Thatcham, Berkshire
- Postcode
- RG18 9JJ
- Area
- West Berkshire
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mrs Emma McKendrick
School contact
- School phone
- 01635200286
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01635200286
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-18
- Gender
- Girls only
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Day fees
- Senior day tuition
- Boarding fees
- Flexi to full boarding
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Bursaries available
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 18.6 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 0% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 1.36 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 39.6% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 45.81 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 12 November 2024
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2024 records an inspection beginning 12 November 2024. The report says the relevant standards were met.
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Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
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Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Downe House handle admissions?
Downe House handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Downe House?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Downe House?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Downe House?
Downe House is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 12 November 2024.