CLOISTERS
McKendrick’s welcome p2
Alumnae news and reunions p18
The 1922 CLUB
The 1922 Club is a regular giving society that is open to everyone – from grandparents to recent leavers. It was launched to mark the 100th anniversary of the School’s arrival at the campus in Berkshire. Giving monthly or annually is one of the easiest ways to support Downe House and make a difference to our girls.
1922 Club donations help the School to fulfil our mission to provide an outstanding and forward-thinking education, from contributing to the development of our campus, to providing bursaries. Your gift can help us to ensure that Downe House remains a very special place to live, learn and grow up.
Regular donations of any size are transformational and make a real difference to us. They have a huge impact on our ability to plan and deliver fantastic projects for our community. And they give you the opportunity to make a difference to our extraordinary School.
Visit downehousesociety.net/pages/1922-club to find out more.
Above Mrs McKendrick with Sixth Formers, in the Murray Centre
MRS MCKENDRICK’S WELCOME
On behalf of the girls and my colleagues, thank you to all our alumnae who have given up their time and contributed to the Downe House community. Your support is fundamental to our success. You inspire the girls to make a positive mark on the world in the same way that you are, and demonstrate the importance of supporting each other in your lives beyond Downe House.
As you will see in the following pages, we were privileged to conclude the 2024 academic year with friends Theo Clarke (DH 2003) and Belle Donati (Lupton, DH 2003) speaking at the UVI dinner. Alumnae Award-winner Siobhán Hewlett (DH 2000) also gave an uplifting and inspiring speech at our prize giving ceremony.
You can also read about the many alumnae we have welcomed back to Downe for wonderful careers talks and workshops, including: Pim Baxter (Piper, DH 1969), Katie Cary (Harland, DH 2007), Emilie Cheung (DH 2018), Josie Ferguson (Bonde, DH 2001), Charlotte Fildes (Clayton, DH 2004), Sophie Goulding (Roberts, DH 1996), Anna Hewitt (DH 2018), Sophia Hill (DH 2017), Eliza Horn (DH 2018), Marina Hyde (DudleyWilliams, DH 1992), Dr Lucy King (DH 1995), Flora Montgomery-Jessen (Montgomery, DH 1992), Anna Neville (DH 2020), Marianne Oldham (DH 2000), Lucy Phillips (DH 2019) and Cathy Wippell (DH 2018).
At our biennial event for new parents in the House of Lords, we are looking forward to presenting this year’s Alumnae Achievement Awards to four winners: Chantal Bryan OBE (Suffield-Jones, DH 1995), Theo Clarke (DH 2003), Winky Skevington (Lee, DH 1994) and Louise Thompson (DH 2008).
We are also delighted to share our record of life at the School and how our girls continue to push the boundaries of attainment and enrichment in every area.
It gives me huge optimism for the future to see our excellent Downe House women making a difference in the world. I do hope you enjoy reading this publication and thank you being part of our very special alumnae community.
ROUND UP
Last year, the biennial Tennis Tour to Portugal offered our budding tennis stars the chance to hone their skills and bond as a team at a week-long tennis camp. With five-star facilities and world-class coaches, players left with improved confidence and game strategies to take into the upcoming season.
In September alumna Anna Neville (DH 2020) returned to Downe House to open our newly refurbished gym Marking the 100th anniversary of the School’s arrival in Berkshire, this new facility, costing £200,000, was made possible by the extraordinary generosity of alumnae and parents, past and present, to whom we are extremely grateful.
In December, our London Carol Service brought together pupils, staff, families and alumnae in a beautiful celebration of music, tradition and community. The evening showcased the incredible talent and dedication of our pupils and staff and was filled with music, joy and the true spirit of Christmas.
Last year’s Michaelmas Concert included our Symphony Orchestra performing Walking in the Air from The Snowman, providing a moving, memorable and suitably Christmassy finale to a wonderful evening of music. Our inaugural Film Festival took place in December. Guests walked the red carpet into our auditorium for the premiere of five short films made by girls. We were delighted to be joined by special guest, the BAFTA-winning film producer Oliver Roskill, who talked inspiringly about his experience of breaking into the film industry, answered lots of questions, and gave our budding filmmakers some excellent tips for their next projects.
In January Downe House was transformed into a lively hub of excitement as a Funfair came to town, bringing with it a day packed with rides, games and sweet treats.
We also celebrated Chinese New Year in style with a delicious lunch accompanied by spectacular Lion Dances.
The intricacies of science, the possibilities of technology, the power of engineering and the complexities of maths – all were revealed over the course of our STEM residency week in February. Talks, workshops and activities brought STEM to life for pupils, broadening knowledge and inspiring interest across the school.
We held our annual Drama Scholars’ Dinner at the prestigious Watermill Theatre in February, celebrating the remarkable talent, creativity, and passion of our Scholars. Performances included a commanding Shakespearean monologue and a spirited rendition of Dead Mom from Beetlejuice
Our Annual St John’s Concert in March was an uplifting evening of performances by our Choirs and Chamber Orchestra. This year features Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, and music by Beethoven and McDowall.
The student-led Scottish reeling society Caledonian Society provides a chance to unwind and have fun after a long, busy week. With partnerships with several boys’ schools, recent events include the Harrow Caledonian Ball, hosted by Downe House, and a wonderful evening of reeling and a sit-down dinner with Eton. Both were nights to remember – filled with dancing and laughter.
We were proud to have current pupils, alumnae and staff representing Downe House across all three home nations at the Lacrosse Home Internationals in April, including, pupils Ella (UVI), Luli (UV), and Annie (LVI) who were awarded their first caps for England, Scotland and Wales respectively.
Below Reeling at the Calendonian Society Ball
Below Downe House Symphony Orchestra performing at Founder’s Weekend
Above Celebrating Chinese New Year in the Main Dining Room
Above Christmas Carol Service, St Mary Abbots Church, Kensington
Founder’s Weekend
Founder’s Weekend is the highlight of the school year. Months of planning, rehearsing and collaboration came together for a spectacular showcase over two days at the end of June.
Image Performance of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker
The weekend began with our annual Sports Day where our athletes showcased their skill in field and track events in the crowning event of the summer calendar, with congratulations going to Holcombe House, who won the overall prize for Sports Day.
The Creative Arts faculty had free rein to transform the Murray Centre into their annual exhibition, showcasing the breadth and depth of our students’ talents in fine art, textiles, photography and 3D design.
The soundtrack to Founder’s Weekend was provided by a fantastic range of musical performances expertly put together by our passionate Music department. The Founder’s Concert gave nearly 200 young musicians the chance to explore a range of styles from Elgar to Kate Bush. The Downe House choirs performed Gloria by Vivaldi followed by a special collaboration between the Music and Dance departments as they performed a selection of dances from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite
A cast and crew of talented students took to the stage in Amélie for the Founder’s Production, capturing the charming quirkiness of the iconic film. Months of work and collaboration come together in a fabulous show.
To close the weekend, our musicians took to the Founder’s Festival Tent in a varied programme which got the community up and dancing the night away!
Since its revival three years ago, the Alumnae Lacrosse Match has become a regular feature of Founder’s Weekend. Nine alumnae returned to play again this year, alongside nine debutants, including recent leavers Ella Snow and Cecilia Stone (DH 2024).
The Downe House team had a youthful feel, composed primarily of Lower Fifth. The alumnae team had a more generous average age, many graduating before 2002! The alumnae were quick to show that age and experience are worth their weight in gold.
Vicki Scott (DH 1999) helped the alumnae win valuable possessions from the draw and take control of the game. But it was a close affair from start to finish. Jo Avery (Lamplough, DH 2000) showed just why she was one of the most feared attackers in the 90s, whilst Jessie Robinson (DH 2014) and Lara Harries (DH 2022) displayed some slick stick work and Heidi Marvin (Cooper, DH 1988) controlled the attack. The alumnae defence anchored by Charlotte Williams (DH 2001) was an impenetrable force. Time after time Ceara Bastin (DH 2022) or Tilly Bridgeman (DH 2022) would be seen surging out of defence with the ball, often after a Tamara Gall (DH 2001) block or Frankie Luke (Blackmore, DH 1999) intercept. Alumnae match regulars Cesca Major (Martin, DH 2000) and Laura Williams (Priestly, DH 2001) ran their socks off in the midfield. In goal, Emma Stonebridge (DH 2016) and Sally Niedringhaus (DH 2025) were instrumental to the alumnae nullifying a charge from the Downe House team as they searched for a late winner.
After 60 minutes of end-to-end lacrosse only a single goal separated the two teams, and it seemed only fitting that the winning goal was scored by the alumnae’s Anna Neville (DH 2020), current Senior England International.
GLOBAL NEWS
Our global exchange programme offers pupils the chance to study abroad in a choice of 15 partner schools in 12 countries, spanning six continents: South Africa, New Zealand, India, United States of America, Sweden, China, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Japan, Germany, Brazil and Australia.
The aim is to educate our girls to be World Ready by gaining a competitive advantage and the capacity for success in a highly globalised and changing world.
Pupils study and live abroad with, as well as hosting, students from our partner schools – which offers huge social, cultural and educational benefits for everyone involved.
Chloe and Louise who visited Herschel Girls’ School in Cape Town, South Africa found
“This exchange was one of the best and most memorable experiences of our lives.”
Bella and Margaret who visited Mayo College Girls’ School in Ajmer, Rajasthan said
“The exchange programme has opened our eyes to new cultures and provided us with lifelong memories and friendships.”
and her
Above Freya participating in a community project whilst on exchange at Durban Girls’ College in South Africa
Left Sophie
exchange buddy during her Beaulieu College in South Africa exchange
Below Eloise and Scarlett with their exchange buddies at the Rijksmuseum, whilst on exchange to Dr Nassau College in Sweden
LEAVERS’ DAY CLASS OF 2024
Our Leavers’ Day is always a bitter-sweet time in the school year. It was a wonderful moment to celebrate everything that the Class of 2024 has contributed, to acknowledge the accomplished young women that they have become and to say farewell and thank you to them.
An inspirational speech from alumna, Siobhán Hewlett (DH 2000), encouraged our leavers to embrace the opportunities that they have ahead, to face challenges boldly and bravely, and to make a difference. Her motto was simply, “A Downe House girl can!” Following the award of prizes, the Leavers’ Chapel Service and celebratory lunch, the girls gathered in the Cloisters where the confetti guns fired and we wished them well for their future lives ahead.
Leavers
Alice joined Downe House in Sixth Form with a determination to make the most of every opportunity on offer. Her enthusiasm for science means that she was a regular attendee of our programme of academic lectures, including one from a Nobel Prize nominee. Alice was also a member of multiple orchestras, whilst fulfilling her duties as Editor of our scholars’ magazine, President of the Caledonian Society, and VicePresident of the Medical Society. She is now reading Medicine at the University of Oxford.
“I have loved my time at Downe enormously, especially the endless hours spent in the music department and the constant laughter within Willis.”
On A Level results day Angela was busy scoring goals on a lacrosse pitch in Hong Kong, representing China in the World U20 Lacrosse Championships. As well as Head of the STEM Society, Angela captained both the Lacrosse and Swimming teams. She is now studying Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Manchester. “Downe has felt like home for me for the past seven years. There are so many people who have supported us and provided us with endless opportunities throughout this journey. I simply wouldn’t be who I am today without their support.”
Hannah joined Downe House as a full boarder at the age of 11. She is at home on the stage, enjoying lead parts in our productions of Chicago and Marvin’s Room, and being appointed Head of Academic Drama. She has also been a committed member of the 1st Lacrosse team and Vice-Captain of the Athletics team. Hannah was also this year’s shared recipient of the Parsons Chapel Cup and Head of Drama Award. She has gone on to study Liberal Arts at the University of Manchester. “Downe House has been the foundation for my growth and where I hold my fondest memories.”
Louise joined Downe House for her A Level years and made the most of every opportunity in and out of the classroom. As joint Head of STEM, Louise excelled at giving talks at the STEM Society, as well as writing articles and conducting interviews for our Origins Magazine. On the sporting front, she represented Berkshire at the SE Schools Cross-Country Race. Louise is studying for an MSc in Chemistry with Industrial Experience at the University of Bristol.
“I feel privileged to be a member of the Downe House community and feel that I have made friends for life.”
Medley lectures
Our Medley Lecture series brings leaders in business, science and technology, politics, sport and the arts to Downe House to share their experience with pupils, parents, alumnae and the wider Downe House community. They broaden our minds, satisfy our curiosity and inspire the next generation.
Pim Baxter (Piper, DH 1969)
Pim Baxter returned to Downe to share insights from her career in the arts, including her tenure as Deputy Director of the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) and her time at the National Theatre.
She led the fundraising effort for the NPG’s recent refurbishment, which provides extra gallery space, a theatre, a restaurant and a proper entrance hall to replace the tiny entrance that didn’t do justice to the gallery. She feels privileged to have been a part of this major transformation.
Her advice to anyone interested in working in the arts is to get involved as soon as you can, by volunteering in a gallery or theatre. The experience you gain will demonstrate your commitment and help you stand out from the several hundreds of others who will probably apply for any role.
She’s now embarking on a second career as a Lay Canon, something she traces back to her love of services in the chapel at Downe House.
Marina Hyde
(Dudley-Williams, DH 1992)
We welcomed alumna and award-winning journalist Marina Hyde to share insights from her outstanding career as podcaster, screenwriter and Guardian columnist.
Marina recalled flourishing at Downe and loved living with her best friends for seven years, where she could be herself and take on leadership roles. It was something of a shock when she left to find things weren’t quite so egalitarian beyond Downe House.
At Oxford she read English and spent her time writing and performing comedy, honing her laserlike wit. She says she ‘fell into’ journalism and after winning awards for her sports journalism, she became a columnist. Drawn from her Guardian columns, her latest book What Just Happened?! chronicles the 24-hour political reality show of the turbulent Brexit years.
Her advice to anyone starting out is to not be afraid to take risks and find your voice. Once she’d embraced these lessons, she found her writing got better and better and success followed.
Dame Emma Walmsley
We were joined by parent Dame Emma Walmsley, CEO and Board Director of the global biopharma company GSK.
Dame Emma described her career progression from her first job in a consultancy firm, to L’Oréal, then to GSK. She shared her optimism and hope for the next generation, especially all the young women getting ready to enter the workforce in the audience. She was passionate about the large strides being made in vaccination technology, as well as pursuing a greater level of equality throughout the whole of GSK.
Dame Emma answered many questions, including how a new drug is chosen to be developed, whether or not prescriptions should be free and what it’s like to be a woman working in such a high position in STEM.
Professor Lewis Dartnell
As part of our STEM residency, award-winning author and research scientist Professor Lewis Dartnell spoke about his latest book, Being Human. His research is in the field of astrobiology and the search for microbial life on Mars. He enthralled the audience with multiple examples of how our biology has shaped history and society. His enlightening examples were followed by a lively Q&A session in which, amongst other things, pupils asked him what an alien would look like and whether they would they enjoy music.
Foundation DINNER
17 May 2024
In May, we welcomed the Upper Sixth and their parents to the Foundation Dinner where Belle Donati (Lupton, DH 2003) and Theo Clarke (DH 2003) spoke about life since leaving Downe House in 2003. Belle is a journalist and broadcaster, most recently a news anchor on Sky News; Theo is the former the Member of Parliament for Stafford and Chair of the UK’s Birth Trauma enquiry. They have maintained a close friendship throughout their lives, as they transitioned from school into their careers, and as they each experimented with different professions. Belle and Theo had a heartwarming and frank exchange about the trials that often accompany chasing one’s dreams. Theo spoke about her experience as a graduate on Wall Street, explaining that the whole team were made redundant on day one following the bankruptcy at Lehman Brothers. Unwilling to give up the opportunity, Theo approached the CEO offering her time regardless of the graduate scheme. She successfully retained her role in the business. Theo’s key advice? “There are always opportunities, don’t wait for them to be offered. Always ask.” She encouraged listeners to “try lots of stuff to find out what you don’t want to do.” Belle echoed Theo, taking us through the aspirations that accompanied different stages of her life. She stressed the importance of risk-taking, practicing to make perfect and emphasised the need to nurture contacts as a means to open up additional opportunities. Belle and Theo’s success highlights that there is no substitute for following your heart when it comes to what you want your future to look like. They reflected on the privilege of the Downe House community and the connections made during such formative years. Belle ended, “you are part of a very special group of women.”
ACADEMIC CONFERENCE
In June 2024, Downe House welcomed nearly 200 school leaders and teachers from across the UK to an Academic Conference about Maximising Pupil Potential, hosted at our beautiful campus.
Our principal Keynote Speaker was Baroness Spielman, who was the UK’s longest serving Chief Inspector of Schools, at Ofsted, from 2017-23.
Baroness Spielman touched on topical debates such as the use of AI in education and the changing world. She pointed out that there are many positive impacts to the use of AI in education and argued that young people will all need a good foundation in Maths up to 18 years to ensure they thrive in a future driven by technology.
Our second Keynote Speaker was the Principal of Gordonstoun, Lisa Kerr. Lisa’s career spanned commercial media, transport, health, technology and the arts before being appointed Principal of Gordonstoun in 2016. Lisa highlighted the importance of transferable skills in education. She argued that schools need to look beyond the traditional sphere of teaching when recruiting if they are to provide the right support in the future.
Our final Keynote Speaker was the leading businesswoman Jane Boardman OBE who talked candidly about young people, careers and job interviews from a corporate perspective. She said that nurturing character development in children is vital and that kindness and curiosity are important traits to have. A large group of Downe House’s Lower Sixth students benefited from a special Q&A session with Jane, who gave them excellent advice about how to prepare for and excel in the modern workplace.
After lunch, delegates were then treated to a range of fascinating breakout discussions.
We were delighted such a distinguished set of speakers led the debate at the Conference, including Will Goldsmith, Head of Bedales School, Daisy Christodoulou, Director of Education at No More Marking, Professor Cassie Wilson, Pro-ViceChancellor (Student Experience) at the University of Bath and Chloe Combi, Author, Futurist & Researcher.
The Conference attracted a great deal of attention including the national press. Several journalists attended, including the education editor of The Times and The Telegraph. Coverage also appeared in The Daily Mail and The Sunday Express.
“Downe House’s Conference is an excellent opportunity to reflect on how society is evolving and how educators can and should adapt to help our students.”
Lisa Kerr
Left Matthew Godfrey (Deputy Head) and Baroness Spielman
Below from left to right Lisa Kerr, Jane Boardman OBE
SCAN THE QR CODES to see photo albums for each reunion
5 year
Class of 2019
10 year
Class of 2013
10 year
Class of 2014
20-25 year
Classes of 2001-2005
25-30 year
Classes of 1996-2000
Helping alumnae thrive beyond Downe House
DH Links brings together alumnae, parents and pupils for talks, work placements, networking events and mentoring. A wide variety of recent events reflect the diverse interests and career paths of our alumnae.
HUMAN RESOURCES & RECRUITMENT
An exceptional panel of global business leaders shared their decades of experience in human resources and recruitment. Our guests explained the role of human resources, how work is changing, and offered tips on securing a dream job.
Charlotte Fildes (Clayton, DH 2004) is Head of Talent at KPMG’s global Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) $1 billion dollar practice. Alexandra Buxton is Culture & Talent Director at Fortnum & Mason. Fleur Evans is an Executive Search Consultant who spent ten years building boutique executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles, focusing on FTSE Board appointments.
Our speakers emphasised the importance of making a good first impression, asking great questions, listening and observing, and being the person who always does more than is asked of them. They also recommended surrounding yourself with good people who can lead you in interesting and unexpected directions.
They reassured pupils not to worry too much about the impact of AI or obsessing about which degree they should take. They believe organisations will always need flexible and adaptable people who know what to do when they don’t know what to do, which is beyond any computer.
GLOBAL CAREERS
Four speakers were invited to talk to pupils about global careers. The event took place online and was streamed into all the boarding houses around the school.
The panel was expertly hosted by Molly (UVI) and Leila (UVI) who put questions to each of the panel members. Our guest
speakers were all parents: Dr Ivor Lim who is based in Singapore, Frances Wu based in China, Dr Johnny Hon based in Hong Kong and Prae Sirisant based in Thailand.
ZOOLOGY
Dr Lucy King (DH 1995) gave a lunchtime talk to pupils. Dr King, who was an Alumnae Award Winner in 2023, is a Zoologist and Head of Human-Elephant Co-Existence Program at Save the Elephants, a research charity based in Nairobi, Kenya. Afterwards Dr King joined some pupils and the biology teachers for a tour of the science school.
POLITICS SOCIETY EVENT
In November, the Politics Society invited Wera Hobhouse MP to School to discuss politics in society today. Araminta (UVI) steered questions from her peers. Wera commented:
"We discussed every possible aspect of politics, from how to first get involved and the values that underpin our democratic system, the present Israel-Gaza conflict and much more. I came away inspired and hopeful that this group of young women will take their civic responsibilities seriously and get involved in public life."
EXPLORING CAREERS
Three current parents talked about their own career paths and discussed job opportunities outside of London. We welcomed three parents, Nick Manning, Richard Ainscough and Adam Gross, who are all based in the north of England. They spoke to a group of pupils about industries such as manufacturing, property development and finance. Our speakers highlighted businesses in Manchester such as Kellogg’s, Adidas and Siemens and explained why Manchester is perceived as the capital of the north of England and a thriving place for businesses.
INTRODUCTION TO SIXTH FORM
We welcomed five of our parents, Nick and Kate Apps, Dr Lakshmi Langhae, Cat Manson and Dr Modupe Omonijo, to offer advice to the incoming Sixth Form. They shared their experience across a variety of professions and sectors, including the British Army, public health, academia, financial services, management consultancy, telecommunications, IT and change, data science and robotics, fine art, branding, communications and PR.
left
Left Alexandra Buxton, Culture & Talent Director at Fortnum & Mason
Far
Fleur Evans, Executive Search Consultant and Charlotte Fildes, Head of Talent at KPMG
Katie Cary (Harland, DH 2007) returned to Downe House to run a workshop with Sixth Form art students. She shared her tips on creating beautiful textiles, inspiring the next generation of Downe House designers.
Katie founded textile and wallpaper brand Studio Humbug in 2023 and has just been named a House & Garden Rising Star of 2025. Katie cut her cloth in the world of fashion where she founded a shoe and accessories line in 2015. Studio Humbug originated from Katie’s love for colour and pattern and her increasing interest in interiors, coupled with a desire to produce more sustainably on a made to order model from suppliers in the UK.
All her printers and weavers are UK based, everything is printed to order in small batches using eco-friendly inks and all dead-stock is repurposed into one of a kind products by a local seamstress to minimise waste.
TV, FILM & THEATRE
We welcomed six of our alumnae back to Downe House to talk to pupils about careers in the theatre, film and TV industries. Each guest speaker gave an overview of their career since leaving Downe House, before opening the floor up to questions from the audience. Our guest speakers were Marianne Oldham (DH 2000), Sophie Goulding (Roberts, DH 1996), Flora Montgomery-Jessen (Montgomery, DH 1992), Anna Hewitt (DH 2018), Eliza Horn (DH 2018) and Emilie Cheung (DH 2018).
In the Lent term we also welcomed three more alumnae to share their experience with pupils at Downe House.
Sophia Hill (DH 2017) is a Producer and Newsreader at GB News. This includes presenting, gallery and editorial responsibilities.
In a year abroad in Venice, while studying Modern Languages, she began writing a blog and started considering journalism. During an MA in Broadcast Journalism at City, University of London, she secured work experience with GB News, where she caught the news bug. She moved from work experience, to freelance, to full time in just six months. She recently moved to screen talent as a bulletins newsreader, now working alongside presenters like Nigel Farage, Michael Portillo and Eamonn Holmes.
Lucy Phillips (DH 2019) works at Sharkey & Co. Theatrical Agency Ltd, based in Soho, where she is an assistant agent. Backed by a degree in Film & Television Studies at the University of Exeter and a life-long passion for the arts, she has now spent nearly three years working in the entertainment industry, alongside the UK’s greatest actors.
Cathy Wippell (DH 2018) is a film executive and actor bringing femaleled, environmental and socio-political stories to the thriller and horror genres in film. After graduating from the University of Manchester in Drama, English Literature and Acting, Cathy started acting professionally and discovered writing and producing through her work as a screen actor. She wrote and starred in the award-winning short film Black Samphire, a chilling British folk horror telling a cautionary tale about the UK’s water pollution crisis. Cathy is now developing Black Samphire into a full-length feature film, with multiple BAFTA winners and nominees onboard, including Stephen Fry.
For more details on all our upcoming events
ALUMNAE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 2025
These awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of our alumnae community, recognising the variety of ways in which they are making an impact on society. The winners were selected by a judging panel, chaired by the Headmistress.
Mrs Emma McKendrick (Headmistress)
Mrs Sarah Barnard (Director of Futures)
Mrs Sara English (Teacher of Physics)
Emi (Head Senior)
Anjola (Deputy Head Senior)
Chantal Bryan OBE (Suffield-Jones, DH 1995)
Chantal’s son, Jonathan, was non-verbal and attended their local special school where he was given a sensory curriculum and not taught literacy. When he was seven, Chantal decided to teach him herself for a few hours each day. She saw how being able to read and write enabled Jonathan to communicate with his family and friends, and he began to excel. By the age of nine, he was able to leave his special school and attend the local primary school. When he was ten, Jonathan and Chantal set up the Teach Us Too campaign which seeks to challenge attitudes based on labels, influence educational practice, encourage ambition and share good practice. In 2024, Chantal was awarded an OBE in recognition of her work with Teach Us Too. Chantal now delivers presentations to students and professionals, challenging them to think beyond labels to teach children literacy regardless of their label or disability.
It is with great sadness that we learned of Jonathan’s recent death. A Teach Us Too spokesperson said “He showed the world what is possible when we presume competence and truly listen. As those who loved him and continue his vision, we are honoured to carry his light forward.”
Theo Clarke (DH 2003)
Theo has been a prominent spokesperson for women since her election in 2019 as MP for Stafford. During her time as MP, Theo suffered a traumatic experience giving birth to her daughter when she was rushed into emergency surgery, terrified she was going to die. She shared this in an emotional debate in the House of Commons in October 2023. Amazed by the public response, she set up the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Birth Trauma and subsequently chaired the first ever national inquiry into birth trauma. The inquiry heard harrowing evidence from over 1,300
Images from left to right Theo Clarke, Winky Skevington, Louise Thompson, Chantal Bryan
women, exposing the shocking underinvestment in women’s health in the UK. In November 2024, she launched the Global Birth Trauma Alliance, and thanks to her campaigning there is now a cross-party commitment to improve maternity care. In her new podcast Breaking the Taboo, which began airing in January 2025, and her new book of the same name, she hopes to break the taboo surrounding birth trauma, and start a national conversation that is long overdue.
Winky Skevington (Lee, DH 1994)
During her gap year in 1994, Winky began teaching and living in the local community of Kiminini, Kenya. Since then, she has been determined to improve education and raise living standards across the country. Alongside co-founder Will Travers OBE, a renowned wildlife expert, Winky set up The Hummingbird Initiative to empower communities and alleviate poverty through education. Presently, The Hummingbird Initiative works closely with the 19 villages of the Kanjoo sub-location to find local solutions, taking environmental factors into account, and supporting projects that are sustained and maintained by the community themselves, to ensure lasting impact. They focus on the interconnectedness of infrastructure, economy, healthcare and education, creating a ripple effect in community development that leads to long-term poverty alleviation across a greater area. So far, over 3,000 pupils have benefitted from educational development, 963 farms now have a constant supply of water for irrigation, promoting water conservation and agricultural
diversification, and 25% of inhabitants have water piped to their homes. The Hummingbird Initiative focuses on developing school infrastructure – classrooms, playgrounds, toilets and washing facilities – whilst enabling access to basic amenities, water infrastructure, economic empowerment and much more in the Meru District of Kenya. Through unwavering dedication, Winky has worked tirelessly to turn her dream into a reality.
Louise Thompson (DH 2008)
Louise first came to prominence as a member of the cast of Made in Chelsea. Since then, she has founded several successful businesses and developed a loyal following with candid social posts on wellness and motherhood. In 2024, Louise published her first book, Lucky: Learning to Live Again, which details her journey through a series of health complications and life-threatening situations following the traumatic birth of her first child, explaining how she found the strength to stay alive and reframe her experience to find joy in life. Through sharing her story so openly on social media and in Lucky, she has platformed women’s issues, including birth trauma, PTSD and PostNatal Depression. Her willingness to tell this story brings hope and empowerment to women going through similar experiences, bringing attention to the gravity of birth complications which are not always treated with adequate care. Louise’s engagement in charitable work as an ambassador for Crohn’s & Colitis UK, and her prominent support of Young Lives vs Cancer and the Birth Trauma Association speaks to her fierce spirit.
Anna Neville
(DH 2020)
Anna Neville represents England and Great Britain in lacrosse. Born in America, Anna grew up in London, where she now lives and works. She balances a full-time job in property with her passion for lacrosse, which has taken her to the very top of her sport.
Anna’s senior debut for England was in 2023 against Wales and she has since won 14 senior caps. She’d always dreamed of being part of the England team; playing alongside seniors she’d looked up to and admired was a crowning moment.
She was a member of the England team who won the European Champions in Portugal last year. Anna also led the GB team as top goal scorer against some of the best players in the world at the Super Sixes tournament in Indianapolis, where the team were runners up to the United States after beating Columbia and Puerto Rico.
It’s all part of her journey towards the 2028 Olympic Games in LA, where lacrosse will be included for the first time since 1948.
Anna has happy memories of climbing trees in the woods at Downe House. As well as sport, she loved drama, throwing herself into productions like Billy Elliot. In an early starring role in James and the Giant Peach, she was wrapped in clingfilm and wriggled across the stage as a worm.
“Everyone was encouraged to try everything, to get involved and give it your best shot.”
Anna started playing lacrosse at 11 at Downe House where her coaches gave her invaluable one-to-one support and mentoring. They rewarded the team whether they won or lost, so long as everyone played to the best of their ability – an important lesson she’s taken with her beyond Downe House.
“We were very lucky at Downe. All my coaches had played at a national level. They knew how much dedication went into it. I learned so much from them.”
Anna believes it’s important to find your niche if you want to excel in anything, sporting or otherwise. She’s known as a quick player and top goal scorer on the England and GB teams. But she also knows being an assister or the person who picks up the first ground ball is just as important as the player shooting the final goal. The camaraderie she learned at Downe means she not only wants to do well herself, but also for her team.
There are extra waves of emotion when she lines up before a big match to sing the national anthem, but it’s 99% thrill and 1% nerves. She thrives off that feeling and relishes playing against
the best in the world, who push her to play even better. Her aim is always to turn up physically and mentally equipped to be the best player she can be on the day – a lesson she learned here at Downe House.
“Don’t practice until you get it right, practice until you don’t get it wrong.”
Off the pitch, Anna completed a Liberal Arts BA at the University of Exeter, majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Politics. After graduating in 2023, she started working in the luxury residential sector, providing bespoke property management services for her discerning clients. No two days are the same and her black book is second to none.
After leaving school and then university, she found there’s no one to hold your hand or guide you. You’ve got to do what’s right for you and be strong enough to stay on track on your own. She’s found the self-sufficiency and self-motivation, as well as the drive for excellence, resilience and teamwork, developed in her sporting career are invaluable life-skills. She always gives her best to everything she does and she’s not afraid to ask for guidance or listen to advice.
Looking to the future, beyond taking part in the Olympics in 2028, Anna would like to be a role model for younger players, just as she looked up the sportswomen who inspired her: Jessica Ennis-Hill, Leah Williamson and Alessia Russo. Her ultimate dream would be to become a commentator, and to inspire the next generation of lacrosse champions.
We can’t wait to see her on the podium in 2028 and achieve all her goals – good luck Anna!
Glamping fun
Last summer the Downe House Class of 1992 came together for their own reunion in Wales, with friends flying in from as far afield as Singapore and Zimbabwe. Their host for the weekend was fellow classmate Helen Hearn (Micklethwait, DH 1992) at her luxury glamping site Penhein Glamping, on the family farm in rural Monmouthshire.
Two years in the planning, the gathering was the brainchild of Melissa Mathur (Somerville, DH 1992) who thought it would be fun to gather the year to celebrate everyone turning 50.
Nestled in a secluded wood, Helen’s beautiful, cosy tents were kitted out with everything they needed to feel at home in the great outdoors, offering a surprisingly different camping experience. After a day of fun and games, including axe throwing and archery, the Class of 1992 gathered around the fire pit with cocktails and prosecco, funded by a grant from the DHSA. They were treated to a delicious supper and poured over photo albums of their Downe House days.
Surrounded by idyllic views and far removed from daily life, Helen’s glamping site was the perfect calm and peaceful haven in which to reconnect with friends and reminisce; strong friendships were rekindled under canvas. Plans are already underway for their next 55th birthday reunion.
“We were so pleased to have an event of just us together (no kids, no husbands, no demands). We all declared that no one had changed one bit!”
Melissa
Alumnae profiles
Alice Gates
(Richmond-Watson, DH 1994)
Alice is founder of Barneby Gates, a UK based wallpaper and fabric studio. The brainchild of lifelong friends, Vanessa Barneby and Alice Gates, they are known for their diverse range of prints, combining traditional techniques and historical references with a fresh, contemporary twist. After graduating together from Edinburgh University, Alice studied figurative painting in Italy before achieving an MA at the City & Guilds of London Art School. She went on to collaborate with a number of fashion brands, designing prints for ready-to-wear collections. At the same time Vanessa spent five years at House & Garden magazine before taking the role as Living Editor at British Vogue, where predicting trends in design, styling shoots and examining the correlation between fashion and interiors were all part of the job.
In 2009 the stars realigned, and Alice and Vanessa decided to pool their experience and set up a print design studio, first from a small space in West London and now based in Wiltshire’s Vale of Pewsey.
From initial sketch to creating the colour palette, from selecting printing methods to styling shoots, Alice and Vanessa work closely together on each collection from start to finish. They carry stock and fulfil orders themselves, enabling them to offer an extremely personal service to their global client base.
Their range of idiosyncratically English designs give classical ideas a contemporary edge using pops of colour, subtle metallic finishes and occasionally a wry touch of humour.
Above from left to right Vanessa Barneby and Alice Gates
Jane Tung
(DH 2018)
At Downe House, Jane wanted to be a music producer. She took English, Art, Physics, Music Tech AS in Sixth Form, and went on to complete a BoMus in Music Technology at NYU, with a minor in Studio Art. She did a semester at IRCAM in Paris to focus on Max programming and musical art installation. While studying, she worked as an audio engineer at Sofar Sounds in New York and produced an album for a friend. During a year-long internship at the Clockenflap music festival in Hong Kong, she found out about running a large scale music event, and made connections in the industry. Jane now works as an audio-visual event technician at Deutsche Bank in New York; as a part-time producer and engineer at a music studio; and the social media manager for Sofar Sounds.
Izzy Muir
(DH 2018)
Before studying a BA in Media, Communication and Cultural Studies at Newcastle University, Izzy did the year-long Vogue Fashion Diploma course at Condé Nast College in London. She knows it was one of the best things she could have done, as it taught her so much about the fashion industry and the many career paths within it. Izzy now works as the Global Communications Coordinator in the PR department at Oscar de la Renta in New York, having been offered a role following a six-month internship. Izzy’s advice is to try out as many different work placements or internships in areas that interest you as possible. This may help rule out career paths you don’t like in practice, and it might just help you discover exactly what you should be doing.
Sophie Collins
(Stewart, DH 2001)
Sophie is a certified Life Coach and a mentor, with over 10 years’ experience supporting the personal ambition and satisfaction of women and young adults. She empowers her clients to navigate challenges in personal progress, relationships, identity and direction. She is delighted to offer alumnae and parents of Downe House a discounted rate of £60 per 55-minute session. sophiecollinslifecoach.com
Trinity Hill
(DH 2019)
Trinity left Downe House in 2019 and went on to complete a degree in Politics and Spanish at the University of Bristol. She applied for cybersecurity roles after writing her Politics dissertation on Ukraine’s cyber defensive strategy in the RussiaUkraine war. She is now nearing the end of her Cybersecurity Graduate Scheme at Sky TV, currently in a Project Management role. One of the aspects that drew Trinity into cybersecurity was its versatility. Trinity’s advice to current pupils considering their careers is simple: take chances and pursue what excites you, rather than fixating on perfection. Gaining diverse experiences will always serve you well in the long run.
“Don’t stress yourself out too much about getting the perfect first job. Jump into what you think you might enjoy and then you will very quickly learn what you like and don’t like.”
Sapphire Graham
(DH 2018)
Since leaving Downe House, Sapphire has had a fascinating experience beginning with her longtime passion for Classical Archaeology and Ancient History, which she studied at Oxford. Aged 16, Sapphire oscillated between wanting to be an Event Rider, Spy or finding a way to win the lottery! Following her degree at Oxford, she went on to gain her LLM at BPP University Law School and is currently a paralegal at Forsters LLP, en route to completing her QWE and qualifying with them. Sapphire’s advice is to avoid comparing yourself to others at all costs.
“Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s. If you really want to do it, you’ll get there, but perhaps not in the way you had anticipated!”
Georgina Kirk (DH 2013)
Georgina has pursued a career in the education sector. Georgina is a graduate of St. Andrews University and graduated with a 1st in International Relations in 2018. She completed her PGCE at University of Roehampton and now works as a Class Teacher in London. Her words of advice to current Downe pupils:
“Always keep an open mind and try lots of different work experiences.”
Katie Kim Hackman (DH
2019)
Katie’s mother was a pianist and cellist, so music has always been a constant in Katie’s life. At Downe House she was a part of various ensembles and served as Head of Music, winning Barnardo’s Choir of the Year twice, entering the Young Musician of the Year and always having Dr Exon’s unfailing encouragement. After achieving a first in a BMus with Honours in Vocal and Operatic Performance from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Katie was selected for the British Youth Opera’s directing programme and became a Young Artist Director for the Waterperry Opera Festival in 2024. Now based in London, she works as a Freelance Opera Director and has worked with organisations such as the Welsh National Opera, National Opera Studio and has recently finished Assistant Directing on the Royal Opera House’s Turandot. Katie’s advice to aspiring musicians is to choose a conservatoire based on the people, not just prestige; don’t be afraid to audition widely and keep networking, using social media to connect with people you admire.
Sophia Elger
(DH 2017)
Sophia has built a vibrant career in music and the arts. As a classical saxophonist, she performs both as a soloist and as a chamber musician with the Tondo Duo and the Spirito Quartet. Alongside her performance work, she is passionate about teaching and performance coaching. Her creative interests extend beyond music –she is currently undertaking an internship at an independent gallery in London and pursues her own practice as a visual artist. Her advice to current Downe House pupils: “Cultivate good habits and realise that at every moment you are making choices.”
Alexandra Hamilton
(DH 2021)
Alexandra started playing piano when she was five and quickly started learning and teaching herself different instruments. At Downe House she was mentored by Dr Exon and Mr Smetts. She loves performance, both as a soloist and in an orchestra and is currently completing a Bachelor of Music in Performance at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC), playing both tuba and viola. She secured a bursary with the Royal Corp of Army Music before enrolling at the RBC and also spent a term at the prestigious Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Alexandra’s weeks are packed with lessons, rehearsals, academic work and daily instrumental practice. Looking ahead, she hopes to join the Band of the Coldstream Guards, pursue postgraduate studies, and continue performing with her brass quintet. Her advice is to seize every opportunity, even unexpected ones. For those interested in music, there are many career paths, from performance to teaching and administration.
Martha Back
(DH 1994)
Martha works in finance and loves helping individuals reach their financial goals by understanding their needs and applying Maths in a meaningful way. At Downe House she remembers how Maths was taught in real-world contexts – mortgages, taxes, interest rates. That practical foundation shaped her ability to think critically and make rational decisions, key skills in finance. After university, Martha joined the graduate scheme at Cazenove, moving on to work with private clients at Rathbones where she is thriving. She finds the most rewarding part of her job is getting to know clients' stories and goals. Martha’s most valuable advice is to find joy in what you do, accept that your job may have its less attractive aspects, and remember that success is what you want it to be.
Tessa Henderson
(Rich, DH 1994)
Tessa always enjoyed the puzzle-solving aspect of Maths. While studying Economics at the University of Edinburgh she worked on a telecommunications report; it was important real-world experience that gave her an edge in job interviews. After qualifying as a chartered accountant with Deloitte, she audited small businesses, and later took a break to raise her children in France. She returned to work as a freelance finance professional—until one of her clients, Maison Mirabeau, invited her to become their Finance Director. Now based in rural France, her weeks are a mix of planning, budgeting, and adapting to the fast pace of a founder-led company. Tessa’s advice is to stay open to learning and take every internship opportunity: “Accountancy opened doors I didn’t expect. Now, I work for a brand I truly enjoy being part of.”
Nicola Shi
(DH 2016)
For Nicola, Maths is a way of thinking. She enjoyed solving problems beyond the textbook. It wasn’t just about memorising formulas but also applying logic to bigger questions. Later, mechanics and probability at A Level revealed the practical side of Maths that she loves. Her passion for logic led her to study Computer Science at Tufts University in Boston. She interned, advising EdTech startups in Boston before earning a Masters in Management at INSEAD. After a role at Morgan Stanley in London, she returned to Shanghai and began working in Asset Management. In her current role, logic and calm thinking are critical. Markets can’t be driven by emotion, so staying rational is key. Considering the role of AI, she believes it's a useful tool, but it’s still her own logic that leads the way.
Lucy James
(DH 1978)
Lucy is an internationally acclaimed meditation teacher based at the Kadampa Meditation Centre she helped set up in Denver, Colorado. She has studied and practiced Buddhist meditation for over 40 years. As well as editing 23 books for her teacher, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, she also has a blog www.kadampalife.org where she writes about applying meditation and modern Buddhism to improve and transform our everyday lives and societies.
What are your overriding memories of your time at Downe House?
I was at Downe House a very long time ago – we still wore djibbahs! I do have very fond memories of my friends and teachers and going to the chapel for services. One enduring memory was a midnight feast for my dormmates. Discovering us in the attic, our Housemistress cruelly confiscated all our food. So, I organised a raid to get back what was rightfully ours. But we were caught and made to stand in a line before the terrifying Headmistress and told off and gated for a term. Luckily, I discovered Buddhism and gave up my errant ways!
What were your passions growing up?
Before Downe I’d already lived on five continents and been to six schools, so I suppose you could say ‘travel’. One anchor was my love for animals. Not allowed normal pets on account of all the moving, I opted instead to ‘collect’ animals, such as cocoons in Guyana and tortoises in Turkey. Another passion was writing long stories.
What was your first introduction to meditation and Buddhism?
Aged 18, shortly after arriving at the University of York where I was studying English, I stumbled upon a new Buddhist Centre, and out of curiosity tried it out. Soon afterwards I met my teacher, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, who had just arrived in the West from Tibet, via India, and I have never looked back.
Back then, meditation, much less Buddhism, was hardly heard of in the West. My tradition, Kadampa Buddhism, originally from the Tibetan tradition, had only two Kadampa Centers – today it has over 1,400 in 40 countries. It has been pretty epic watching it all unfurl.
How did you end up in Colorado?
After a few years, I was asked to try teaching some meditation courses myself. By 1999, I had joined my partner in Florida where we set up six Kadampa Buddhist Centers, and I became an American citizen. A few years later around 2009, I did a three-year solitary meditation retreat, staying in different places in America, Brazil, and Puerto Rico. Later, back in circulation, I was asked to teach in Liverpool and then here in Colorado, where I’ve been since 2013.
Can you describe a typical day for you?
I teach meditation at the Kadampa Centre here in Colorado to people with all levels of interest and from many backgrounds and faiths – from simple
stress relief and overcoming anxiety, right through to the deepest philosophy and Tantric practices. I also enjoy guiding retreats both in town and in the Rocky Mountains. I’ve been studying and practicing Buddhist meditation for over 40 years now, so I’m also invited every month or two to teach somewhere in America or back in the UK.
My main job for 20 years was editing books for my teacher. These are now studied all over the world and translated into many languages. A few are bestsellers. In my spare time, I also try to write practical articles about Buddhism and meditation in daily life for my blog www.kadampalife.org. This is a free blog, so for a bit of extra cash, I also edit a dermatology journal for a New York company.
How might we benefit from incorporating meditation into our daily lives?
When I started over 40 years ago, people were fairly clueless about meditation, but since then the positive ways in which it affects both the body and mind – for adults and kids alike – has been studied all over the world by educators, psychologists, physicians, and others. Its benefits are no secret to the many generations of meditators, but now modern science and medicine also back up how helpful it is.
Meditation is not just what we do on our cushion or chair – it’s about becoming familiar with wiser and more positive ways of thinking wherever we are, whoever we’re with, and whatever we’re doing. We can all learn to choose our thoughts.
Some of my favourite experiences of teaching meditation have been with kids at Kadampa Centres and schools in England, America and (best of all, as the kids were so natural at concentrating) in South Africa. Meditation is something everyone can learn to do – of course, you don’t have to be a Buddhist to learn – and the sooner we start, the better.
Is there any practical advice you would give someone wishing to try meditation for the first time?
Yes! Approach a meditation practice with confidence, knowing that you already have mental peace inside you. When our mind is not being churned up with uncontrolled or negative thoughts, it is already naturally peaceful –rather like a deep, calm, clear ocean below the turbulence of the waves.
Even ten minutes meditation a day can make a huge difference, though doing it regularly and consistently is key. Our thoughts are not fixed, they are free – we can change them from negative to positive, from sad to peaceful, from confused to insightful, from trapped to liberated. Generally, we start with breathing meditations to settle the mind, and then we can dive deeper into various contemplations that lead to increasing empathy, insight, and wisdom.
For anyone wanting to find out more, Lucy recommends a free ebook about the fundamentals of meditation and Buddhism, called How to Transform Your Life howtotyl.com She also has many helpful articles on her blog kadampalife.org and she would love to hear from any alumnae, especially her old friends. But her best advice is to try and find a good meditation teacher.
“It felt like coming home to find Buddha’s teachings on the mental causes of suffering, how to develop love and compassion for all living beings, and the wisdom understanding the illusory, dreamlike nature of reality.”
Josie Ferguson
(Bonde, DH 2001)
We were delighted to welcome Times bestselling author and alumna Josie Ferguson back to Downe House in September for a DH Links careers talk. She described her debut novel and its journey to publication, inspiring our next generation of writers.
Shortlisted for Waterstones’ Debut Fiction of the Year, The Silence In Between is a pageturner set in Berlin. Critics have described it as a poignant and unforgettable emotional epic. Born in Sweden, to a family of writers, Josie moved to Scotland when she was two and was at Downe from 1995-1999. She loved her time and the intense friendships she forged here, and remains best friends with a fellow alumna.
After Edinburgh University and a vocational degree in Clinical Psychology in Sweden, Josie moved to London to pursue a career in publishing, something she had dreamt about ever since delving into fictional worlds as a child, hidden under the duvet with a torch.
The Silence in Between is actually her fourth novel. Her first taste of writing success was a short poem published while here at Downe. She began her first novel at 18, although she describes it as “really, really bad.” She continued writing and was long-listed for several prizes for unpublished authors, but struggled to secure a book deal for her next two novels. Deflated, she was close to quitting, and did stop writing for about six months. But she didn’t want to give up on her dream, so joined an online creative writing group. Meeting fellow writers was a game-changer and her latest book wouldn’t exist without the generous feedback of the writers she met.
The spark for The Silence in Between came during the Covid lockdown. She was living in Singapore where the borders were closed for two years. The enforced separation from friends and family got
her thinking about a true story she’d come across, where a mother in East Berlin was separated from her sick baby on the other side of the Berlin Wall, after the child fell seriously ill and needed specialist care only available in the West. Once it was finished, she had a feeling this was the one. Having persevered with publishers for novels two and three, her previous determination paid off and it was picked up by Penguin.
She loves to find untold stories that are “lost in the cracks of time,” focusing on women’s lives that might otherwise be just a footnote in the history books written by men. She believes historical fiction can bring the past back to life more vividly than history books, although she reads history obsessively in her quest to get every detail just right. She believes books about the past can change the future and plans to write many more.
Her next book tells the story of the forced emigration of British children right up to the 1970s. We can’t wait to read it.
Josie Ferguson (Bonde, DH 2001)
The Silence In Between Lisette lives in East Berlin, but her new-born baby is in hospital in West Berlin. Under doctor’s orders, Lisette goes home to rest, but overnight the border between East and West closes, slicing the city in two. Lisette is in despair. Her teenage daughter, Elly, hatches a daring plan to escape East Berlin, find her baby brother, and bring him home.
Cover design Beci Kelly
Luna Williams (Wallner, DH 1996)
Alumna Luna Williams is a former commodities broker, and founder of an award-winning women entrepreneurs’ network, the Thrive Club, as well as co-owner of Auto Vivendi, a luxury car club. Luna moved to Surrey to raise her family and as she transitioned into this new chapter, she recognised a gap – not just in balancing ambition with family life, but in finding a community that truly understood the evolving identity of women at this intersection. The Thrive Club was born. It’s a curated space for entrepreneurial women to connect meaningfully, expand their networks, and grow their businesses through shared wisdom, high-value conversation and collaboration.
Auto Vivendi, provides members access to a stunning collection of the world’s best supercars, including Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin. Whilst Luna loves driving supercars, she has a self-confessed lack of knowledge about the inner workings, but she recently undertook an anti-hijack evasive driving course, so she’s well prepared for any eventuality on the road.
Luna has generously offered to make a charitable donation to Downe House for each alumna or parent who joins Auto Vivendi.
Books by our alumnae
Theo Clarke (DH 2003)
Breaking the Taboo
Theo’s powerful memoir describes the traumatic birth of her daughter, alongside the experiences of other parents. With raw emotion, she highlights the taboo surrounding birth trauma that affects 30,000 women in the UK annually. She also shines a light on the reality of balancing motherhood and a political career, revealing the implications for our democracy.
Miranda Hart (Hart Dyke, DH 1991)
I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest with You
Practical, emotional, and funny, Miranda delves into the events that have led her to a path of peace and freedom, both physically and mentally, following a long battle with chronic fatigue and Lyme disease. The ‘treasures’ she learnt during a difficult decade apply to us all and encourage us to live as honestly as our unique selves as we dare.
Marina Hyde (Dudley-Williams, DH 1992) What Just Happened?!
A hilarious look back at the insanity of the years from David Cameron to Rishi Sunak, drawn from Marina’s Guardian columns. Marina delves into all that fell in-between and outside those political figures including Hollywood predators, sporting heroes, media monsters and much, much more.
Cesca Major (Martin, DH 2000) If I Were You
Amy and Flynn are deeply in love but struggle to put themselves in each other’s shoes… that is until lightning strikes on their way to a wedding and they find themselves in each other’s bodies. Navigating family dynamics, exes, spa mornings, dance rehearsals and much more, will this experience make or break their relationship?
Carrie Sellon (Marriott, 1995) Pizza Pete and the Peculiar Professor Pizza Pete and his dad’s magical pizzas are selling like hotcakes, until something goes wrong with the Shrink potion and Anna stays shrunk. EEK! Pete and his friends must track down the elusive creator of the magical potions, Professor Tregoning, to get help. Team Useless must pull off their biggest mission yet, or Anna will have to stay tiny... for ever!
Louise Thompson (DH 2008) Lucky: Learning to Live Again
A deeply personal account of Louise’s struggle with a series of health challenges and lifethreatening circumstances following the traumatic birth of her first child. Louise explores her physical and mental toll, ultimately finding the strength to reframe her experience and rediscover joy.
FROM KENT TO COLD ASH
Downe House was established as a girls’ boarding school in 1907 by Miss Olive Willis, who wished to promote educational excellence within a relaxed but structured framework, which enabled girls to flourish through innovative teaching.
Above Aerial view of Downe House Cold Ash, 1950s
Right Downe House Kent, 1910s
It was also to be an environment where mutual respect between staff and pupils was highly valued and pursued. In the memoir, Olive Willis and Downe House, Anne Ridler notes Downe was to be a place “where life should be normal” and “the girls would not rush about in a feverish attempt to be like the boys,” instead it would offer something better than the average private school of the time, preparing girls for a university education.
Downe House is named after it’s first location, a house belonging to Charles Darwin in Kent. The school remained at Biggin Hill with Darwin as landlord until 1922 when the growing number of students, starting with three and growing to eighty-three, outsized the beautiful house.
Olive Willis purchased the school site in Cold Ash, for £1376, from The Order of Silence, “an esoteric cult which drew heavily on Eastern religion and emphasised meditation, vegetarianism and inner light.” The original site had been created in 1912 and consisted of two farms and a 17th century house. Miss Willis was drawn to the “splendid position on the top of a hill.” 60 acres of woodland, meadow and orchard, and the good train service between London, Newbury, Didcot and Hermitage made it a highly attractive location for a boarding school.
The Main House, now Aisholt, had thirty rooms that each accommodated two beds, cupboards, shelves and a writing desk for each pupil. The Cloisters had originally been designed by James Maclaren Ross and completed in 1915 for the Order. They made excellent classrooms for the students of Downe House. The central door on the western side led to what was the Warden’s House, now the History Block. Ancren Gate and The Lodge at the entrance to the school were used as accommodation for the staff and
boarding houses until 1979 when the House system introduced four main houses: Aisholt, Ancren Gate, Holcombe and Tedworth.
The first new building put up at Cold Ash was a Sanatorium, “the luxury of a coal fire compensated for the rigours of illness.” The San later moved over into the building that is now Tedworth and in 2005, to a new building between what was now AGS and AGN, becoming the Palmer Centre in memory of Miss Elizabeth Palmer, past pupil, member of staff and benefactor to the school.
Over time, more buildings were rebuilt, having been moved over in pieces from Kent by exmarines, under the instruction of Miss Nickel, who joined as a Geography Teacher but soon became architect for the growing school. Into the Cloisters were built the Concert Room and the English and Classics rooms. These rooms are S P Q and R named for Senatus Populus que Romanus, the Senate and the People of Rome, a nod to the classical civilisation of Rome.
When the chapel was rebuilt in 1925, a belfry was added and Old Seniors who had been at Downe House in Kent made a gift of the bell. There was a fire in the chapel in the 1930 and in restoration, the nave was extended and the organ gallery and staircase added.
Since 1922, the school has continued to develop and expand. Many buildings have been added, but the central part of the school remains much the same, familiar to generations of girls who have lived and been educated here. It is a truly special place with a rich history and a line of strong, independent and trailblazing women.
The Order of Silence, 1922
Below
The Opening of the Library in 1929
In 1929, a new library, the Nickel Room, was completed. The oak-panelled walls of the library were carved in a linen-fold design by Miss Nickel and her various carpenters; the dramatic ceiling was her own design.
Library furniture, bookshelves and tables, were made by Messrs Wickens of Newbury and two of their original tables remain in the school. Bright curtains, designed and woven by girls in the weaving room and there was a large log fire-place at the far end.
In June 1929, the library was opened by The Duchess of Atholl. Accounts of the day recall its joyfulness with a gym display, Grecian and Folk dancing outside, and a French play performed. The Duchess gave an impassioned address, describing the library as the centre of the school, emphasising the importance of self-led research and knowledge gained through reading, particularly for woman. She assured attendees that it was a “duty for a girl to think for herself on the things which came under her notice.”
Reading an account of this day almost 100 years later is moving. A decade after WWI and before WWII, the Duchess explained that the task of setting-up enduring world peace is not only a task for “Foreign Secretaries, Prime Ministers and Ambassadors, but for the ordinary men and women,” women such as those who attend Downe House School. She highlighted the role of the library as integral to the execution of this task, enabling and encouraging participants to think for themselves, an “essential of a successful democracy.” She urged the girls not to be led by prejudice or “caught by catch-words,” but be able to “discern between mere assertions and facts, and able to reason from facts as to the real meaning of things.”
Memories of Downe House
A determined and forward-thinking approach for the time, the Duchess’ sentiment that “a knowledge and intelligent view of the peoples of other countries… helps them add their own personal stone to the building of a great temple of peace,” has profound implications today. Perhaps revisiting the Duchess’ address now will encourage us to return to our own libraries, challenging us to research what has come before so that we may learn from the cycles of history. The Duchess states, it is “not failure but low aim that is a crime.”
The passion recorded here speaks to the spirit of the school which has always been focussed on perspective, opportunity, compassion and confidence. Downe has these sentiments built into its bones, making it a place for challenge, progressive-thinking and debate, and to make this world just a little bit better through the women who have come here.
Vicky Hart-Maldonado (Hart, DH 1965) returned to Downe House sparking memories of her school days. She recalled creating a little explosion in the science lab, and less dramatic lessons learning to clean and sew. Free on Wednesday afternoons, she would explore the woods or head out on her bike. She loved the freedom she felt swimming in the open pool, encouraged by a fantastic swimming teacher, who had trained with the British Olympic team. One day feeling cold and sleepy, her classmates hid her under a pile of their winter cloaks without the teacher noticing. They used to scare themselves with tales of ghosts. One apparently lived in a mirror that looked down a spooky long corridor above the Main Dining Room.
Downe House gave her the independence, resilience and confidence to move to Paris on her own in 1966, aged just 16. She later studied languages to post-graduate level and has had a rewarding international career as a translator and conference interpreter, something she has no intention of giving up yet, at 75 years young. After Paris, Galicia and the Bahamas she brought up her family in Venezuela before returning to the UK 11 years ago.
Above Pupils hard at work
Below Gym display
Above Swimming pool, 1920s
The Centenary Campaign
Creating a campus for future generations
Downe House has been educating girls in Berkshire for over a century.
To mark our 100th anniversary of arriving here in Berkshire, we have launched the Centenary Campaign, a long-term strategy to make sure that we continue to be one of the very best schools in the world.
“The innovation needed to solve the world’s biggest challenges will come from diverse teams of talented scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians. This is why we must support under-represented groups, including girls, to thrive in these subjects.”
Dame Emma Walmsley, Parent and CEO GSK
We want our girls graduating today to become the leaders of tomorrow. And we are building new Maths and Digital Innovation facilities to support this aim. Teaching is constantly changing, as is technology. Our new building will provide the modern infrastructure and facilities to give Maths and Digital Innovation the focus they deserve as they become increasingly essential in the world of work that our girls entering.
Our buildings have evolved over time – from the opening of the first science labs in 1912, to the contemporary spaces for study and discovery in the Murray Centre, opened five years ago. Each new facility opens up new opportunities for learning and we believe firmly in continuing to develop our campus to that end.
Maths is our most popular A Level subject and every year we send pupils to top universities to study Maths. We have alumnae breaking new ground in AI, gaming, engineering, robotics and quantum computing, in Silicon Valley and beyond, as well as at top financial firms.
The education enjoyed by pupils today has been made possible in large part by the generosity of support provided by the Downe House community. We are immensely grateful to all those who continue to give generously to the funding of key projects in
support of the School and its students. We welcome gifts of any size – every contribution makes a difference.
A gift of £240 or £20 per month would help us fill our Maths and Digital Innovation teaching facilities with the equipment the girls need, and continue to make our school a top destination for these subjects.
To give please visit: downehousesociety.net/fundraising/donation
Please do contact Hannah Litvack, Development Director: Litvackh@downehouse.net / +44 (0)1635 917732 if you would like to know more.
Jennifer Gosse
(DH 1950) 1932-2024
Jenny first arrived at Downe House as a 10-year-old in 1943 during the war. She recalled having the freedom to explore and the wonderful teaching of English which led her to study English at Newnham College, Cambridge.
She returned to Downe to teach from 19601991, becoming Head of English and Deputy Headmistress.
As a pupil, she remembered sleeping out near the Lily Pond on a camp-bed one night, waking up in the deepest part of the night to see nothing but the black sky full of stars.
During the Second World War Canadian soldiers, based nearby, were allowed to use the girls’ bathrooms. She nearly saw more than she bargained for but another girl stopped her going into the bathroom, just in time.
In her second term, she smuggled white mice into her bedroom where they were rapidly discovered. Sent to explain herself to Miss Willis, she found a stern but not unsympathetic hearing. At Miss Willis’ bidding Alfred Gadd, the school carpenter, made a superb, two-roomed mouse-palace for the menagerie.
“She was a most inspirational teacher and I always looked forward to her lessons. She gave us all confidence and it was clear she loved teaching.”
Eileen Field (Gower, DH 1965)
As a teacher, she inspired her pupils with a love of language and literature. Being a great animal lover, she was delighted to be presented with a tortoise from one class, as Diana Williams (Temple, DH 1965) remembers.
Despite the girls frenzied preparations for her retirement send-off, it was a delightful surprise, with speeches, performances and poetry readings.
“She was also always entirely herself, and she encouraged us to be entirely ourselves.”
Geraldine James (Thomas, DH 1968)
She came from a long line of poets, painters and naturalists. Her great-grandfather was a naturalist who corresponded with Charles Darwin. Her father was also a naturalist and a friend of Siegfried Sasson. One aunt was a suffragette, the other was a renowned painter who worked closely with Walter Sickert and the Camden Town Group and exhibited with the London Group. So, Jennifer’s love of the arts and nature, as well as a certain rebellious streak, were all in the blood.
“For her, learning is a shared journey, and achieving the goal is a shared excitement between pupil and teacher.”
Headmistress (1978-1989), Sue Farr
Jennifer was never far from Downe when she retired. She lived with her former colleague and friend Mary Bellhouse close to the school. She would often head out through the garden gate into the woods with her beloved dog, Ivy, offering treats to fellow dog-walkers along the way. Or she would simply look out of her windows into woodlands that stretch as far as the eye can see, filled with birds, flowers and trees.
“She was a legend.”
Jane Busby (Bagwell, DH 1974)
In memoriam
“Downe is a haven of peace at all times. Wherever you look out of a window, the wise old trees return your greeting, untroubled, and it’s very assuring. At the first opportunity I skimmed up the favourite tree; on some occasions I have been greeted at the top by a pair of frolicking squirrels, which bundle away on my arrival.”
Sheila Shannon (Storr, DH 1944) 1927-2024
Class of
1935 Polly Towill (Godman)
1936 Laetitia Hardie (Wyatt)
1937 Philippa Hill (Pass)
1941 Jane, Lady Portal (Williams)
1942 Diana Hinxman (Dunlop)
Jo Hyde (Moore)
Marcia Newbolt (Winthrop-Young)
Susan Wood (Chenevix-Trench)
1943 Carol Sarsfield-Hall
1944 Sheila Shannon (Storr)
1945 Elizabeth Barclay (Wright)
Sheila Constantinidi (Whittington)
Cynthia Taylor (Acland)
1947 Margaret Payne (Vestey)
1948 Mona Callander (Meldrum)
Elizabeth Campion (Phelp)
Rose Longman (Arthur)
Griselda Rawlinson (Carlisle)
1949 Emily Jacob (Peers)
Janet Spicer
Heather Farrer-Brown (Gale)
1950 Jennifer Gosse
Lorle Sykes (Bratman)
Susan Thompson (Hammerton)
Ann Wilkinson (Waterston)
1952 Ann Chilton (Gough)
1953 Susan Band (Goodenough)
Anne Deshon (Capel)
1954 Alison Burgess (Cummings)
Rosemary Clare Kerin (Milner)
Jane Oliver (Tidy)
Marion Ward
1955 Jennifer Dinnin (Way)
1956 Thea Wells-Cole (Haywood)
Fiona Brookes (Innes)
1957 Alison Bell
1958 Elizabeth Buxton (Abernethy)
1960 Tara Elliot (Weldon)
Rosemary Mahon (Melville)
1965 Kate Robertson (Coleridge)
1970 Rosie Leggo (Bunting)
Clare Prichard (Croft)
1972 Clare Graham (Taylor)
1973 Jennifer Benitz (Hogg)
1976 Harriet Everett (Witherington)
1979 Camilla Brown (Keef)
1992 Sophia Johnston (Kauntze)
2002 Arabella Cooke
2009 Lucy Pearson
2023 Selina Douglas-Home
Honorary Old Seniors
Margaret Couser, Sue Farr, Cecilia Lunn
Laetitia Hardie
(Wyatt, DH 1936) 1918-2024
Laetitia’s years at Downe House were undoubtedly a turning point for her. She had a much older sister so was essentially brought up as an only child. After an unhappy spell at a prep school a long way from her Westmorland home, she discovered at Downe her gift for friendship which was one of the great joys of her life both then and in later life.
She loved everything about Downe, the freedom, the space, the sport, the fun and friends. Above all Miss Willis whom she deemed to be an outstanding individual. Laetitia had a boundlessly curious and open mind. Her life was full of Interest and friendship.
She married the man she loved, without her parents’ approval. He was a doctor, and one of the first people to enter the liberated internment camp at BergenBelsen in 1945. He was indelibly impressed by the many drawings of butterflies that he saw on the walls of the inmates’ rooms which represented the souls of the murdered victims. He spent his remaining years embroidering fine tableaux of many varieties of butterflies.
Laetitia, nicknamed Sneeze at school, was one of a group of senior girls who sailed across the Atlantic in a liner in 1936 to visit New York City and the Niagara Falls. The accompanying member of staff suffered badly from seasickness so the girls, under strict instruction from the bedridden Miss Croft, were allowed out into the bright lights of New York City on their own!
Laetitia spent her final years in a nursing home, from age 99 to 105, and was as well-loved there as she had ever been. Despite becoming physically ever frailer, her mind was always interested in the people around her which drew them to her.
She was laid to rest in Gloucestershire together with her beloved husband. Her Epitaph reads: I thank my God upon every Remembrance.
Margaret Payne
(Vestey, DH 1947) 1929–2023
Born in London in 1929 Margaret lived in Kent before later moving to Suffolk. She attended primary school in the Highlands during the war years, where she loved walking, riding, fishing, sailing and boating. She
always returned to the Highlands for the summers and moved there permanently in 1990. She joined Downe House aged 12, where she made many close friends and later became DHSA Registrar. After school, her brother introduced Margaret to Jim. They were soon engaged, and married in 1954. After time in Australia and New Zealand where daughter Nichola (DH 1972) was born, they returned to England in 1959. They moved from London to Battailes, Great Easton, where they had a son Michael and daughter Philippa (DH 1979). Gardening became a passion, as both a designer and knowledgeable plantswoman. After losing Jim in 2019 and with the onset of the Covid lockdown in April 2020, Margaret set herself the ‘Suilven Challenge’. Having first climbed Suilven aged 15 during the war, ‘MargaretsMountainClimb’ involved climbing the equivalent of 2,398ft on her own stairs, raising more than £435,000 for Scottish charities, for which she was awarded the British Empire Medal.
“There can hardly be a better example of this indomitable spirit than your own magnificent efforts in raising money for vital charities.”
King Charles
Staff obituaries
Sue Farr Headmistress
1978–1989
We were greatly saddened to learn of the recent death of Suzanne Farr in the summer of 2024.
Miss Farr took over the leadership of Downe at a challenging time in its history. Our founding Headmistress, Olive Willis, was a pioneer of women’s education. She loathed the strictly regimented school life so common at the time and founded a school that fostered an independent spirit in her girls. But by 1978, when Miss Farr became Headmistress, the appeal of the school was declining with only fourteen names on the entry list.
At supper on Miss Farr’s first day, she was shocked when she found herself alone at high table and surrounded by the chaos of screaming girls and food flying across the room. After booming over the bedlam, she obtained a surprised silence, followed by a much more civilised meal.
She later discovered a remarkable group of wise and mature Seniors and, when the teachers returned the next day, she found excellent teaching and desire for change. Through her considerable skill, determination and commitment she rebuilt the reputation of the school and ensured it provided the quality of education that the girls and young women of the time deserved.
Among her many innovations she introduced our much-loved House system, with live-in House staff, as well as gowns for Seniors, and oversaw the demise of the djibbah, replacing them with a much more modern uniform.
She shared her love of academia, her love of lacrosse and her love of the countryside and animals with her students who held her in the highest regard. She recruited staff who could help to deliver the vision of an excellent education for girls which was so important to her.
We will always be grateful for the legacy that she left.
Cecilia Lunn
1941–2025
Cecilia Lunn taught Music at Downe House for forty years.
Unfailingly cheerful and friendly, she was one of the most generous spirited people who always wanted to help and support her pupils and colleagues.
She joined Downe House in 1964 as a visiting piano teacher when her father, who was Rector at Yattendon, was the school’s Chaplain. She quickly became a full-time member of the Music Department and in 1970 she was appointed Assistant Director of Music and Head of the Junior School.
Within the Music Department, besides teaching classes, she also gave individual piano, singing and violin lessons, accompanied choirs, helped with operas and musicals, and was the conductor of the Second Orchestra.
Her funeral was held at St Peter & St Paul Church, Yattendon. Musicians from Downe House joined the family to celebrate her life, singing For the Beauty of the Earth by John Rutter with organ accompaniment by one of her colleagues.
Her contribution in the junior houses, her encouragement and nurturing of pupils’ musical talent and the kindness and care she showed to all the girls she knew, endeared her to generations of Downe House pupils.
The Downe House Society brings together our parents, alumnae and supporters under one inclusive umbrella. Our programme of events and activities provide opportunities for you to socialise, network, learn and nurture life-long relationships with the School, and each other.
“Downe House is a school with a ‘heart’ at its centre. A thriving community that supports and nurtures its pupils and places importance on traditional values like compassion and kindness.”
CURRENT PARENT
Cold Ash, Thatcham, Berkshire RG18 9JJ T: 01635 204740 E: foundation@downehouse.net www.downehouse.net
