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Challenging the Intellectually Curious

Foreword

Whilst as a school we are rightly very proud of the enviable public examination results that our students receive, we also recognise that knowledge does not begin and end here. Coined by the University of Cambridge, the term ‘super-curriculum’ describes academic and scholarly opportunities that lie beyond the curriculum and are not directly related to examination preparation. This might include, for example, essay competitions, study trips, debate, lectures, poetry reading groups or science societies. The benefits to building a vigorous super-curriculum are multiple, not least expanding and enriching the core curriculum by allowing students to pursue new and exciting avenues of study that they otherwise might not have encountered. This is something about which we care greatly.

In order to continue developing our already extensive super-curriculum, we are proud to introduce to you the Elective Programme. This is a collection of six-week modules, or Electives, which are offered by certain members of staff according to their specialist academic interests.

Occupying a double lesson per week, crucially these Electives will take the participant well beyond the curriculum and introduce them to new and exciting ideas. With multiple Electives running at any one time, the girls themselves will select the Elective on which they would like to enrol. Spanning three year groups, Electives will run twice in Michaelmas term and once in Lent for LV and then again in the first half of Michaelmas for UV. For the LVI, Electives will run twice in Summer term.

As well as cultivating a love of learning for its own sake and intellectually challenging the most able, each Elective has been carefully crafted in order to develop and finesse certain highly desirable learning behaviours and skills. These might include lateral thinking, scholarly independence and intellectual flexibility, alongside the ability to forge interdisciplinary connections, discuss complex ideas in an articulate manner and think critically. These are all skills that will last a lifetime and are highly valued by any university, including those that are the most competitive. Indeed, if it is true, as educational researcher Daniel Willingham has claimed, that one cannot teach these skills in a decontextualised vacuum then the Elective Programme becomes a way to instil these traits by anchoring them to specific and defined areas of study or knowledge domains.

It is our overriding aim that the girls who enrol will leave the programme a richer person, that they will discover a new appreciation of the pleasure that learning for its own sake can bring, and that they will acquire the specific skills to continue this well beyond Downe House.

Mr

Tim Breeze Head of the Elective Programme

the three pathways

In order to help with the selection of Electives, we have created three disciplinary pathways, each named after a Downe House alumna who has been recognised for scholarly excellence.

These are all people to whom our girls can aspire and, in their own turn, perhaps they too will inspire academic excellence in the next generation of Downe House students.

Students can select any Elective from any of the three pathways, although they might also think about the benefits of deepening their knowledge and honing disciplinaryspecific skills by specialising in one particular pathway.

Whilst this structure has its logistical benefits, we also believe that our chosen figureheads, and the many others we could have selected, capture the ethos of the Elective Programme. They each represent outstanding scholarly excellence in their respective disciplines and each, in their own way, must have had a keen awareness of the limitless joy intellectual enrichment and discovery can bring.

Choose your own path

Aston Muir Richards

LOWER FIFTH ELECTIVES

MICHAELMAS I (FRIDAY)

MICHAELMAS II (FRIDAY)

LENT (FRIDAY)

UPPER FIFTH ELECTIVES

MICHAELMAS I

LOWER SIXTH ELECTIVES

SUMMER (MONDAY)

SUMMER (FRIDAY)

Girls are not confined to one pathway and can select Electives from any pathway

Mr Alasdair Matthews

Mrs Katharine Henson Ms Diane Slocombe

Miss Eleanor Washington

Mr Graham Bradshaw Mr Alasdair Matthews

Mr Graham Bradshaw Miss Georgie Taylor

Mr Alasdair Matthews

Miss Madeleine Killacky

Mr Graham Bradshaw Mrs Hannah Tostdevine

Mr Tim Breeze

Mr Rick Hollingworth Mrs Hannah Tostdevine

Mr Matthew Rivers and Mrs Katharine Henson

Mr Roy Raby Miss Madeleine Killacky

Aston

THE ASTON PATHWAY

Named after Historian, Margaret Aston (DH 1944–1950), the Aston pathway collates Electives related to the Humanities.

Margaret Aston spent a lifetime researching Medieval History and published many books and articles on the subject, eventually being awarded a CBE for her services to Historical Scholarship, as well as being made a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Fellow of the British Academy.

THE MUIR PATHWAY Muir

Named after Biochemist, Helen Muir (DH 1934–1938), the Muir pathway collates Electives related to STEM.

Helen Muir is best known for her pioneering work into osteoarthritis and was the first woman to serve on the Medical Research Council. She spent much of her career working at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, where she served as its Director from 1977 to 1999.

THE RICHARDS PATHWAY Richards

Named after Anthropologist, Audrey Richards (DH 1913–1917), the Richards pathway collates Electives related to the Social Sciences.

Audrey Richards studied Natural Sciences at Newnham College, Cambridge, before working at both Cambridge and LSE, publishing a multitude of peer-reviewed papers. Specialising in Sub-Saharan Africa, she would become the director of the African Studies Centre at the University of Cambridge and also the first woman President of the Royal Anthropological Institute.

learning journeys

An underlying ethos of the Elective Programme is the importance it places on each girl being able to pursue an entirely bespoke programme of study, where they are given the opportunity to select the topics and areas that most interest them.

This might involve, for instance, following a single disciplinary pathway, which would enable the student to hone and refine subject-specific skills. However, an alternative strategy, equally valuable, would be to pursue Electives from multiple pathways, allowing the student to expose herself to multiple avenues of thought and helping to forge interdisciplinary connections. The former follows a vertical line of enquiry, with the aim being to drill deeply into specific areas of disciplinary knowledge whilst the latter is horizontal in nature, facilitating an exploration of multiple, and perhaps very different, subjects. Both strategies are entirely worthwhile and valuable.

On the next page you will find the specific pathways taken by a member of the UV and UVI during previous cycles of the Elective Programme, Rosi and Ivie.*

ROSI (MULTIPLE PATHWAYS)

The Quest for the Historical Jesus Aston

Virtual Curatorship

Richards

Having a broad range of interests, Rosi started her Elective journey in LV by exploring the Quest for the Historical Jesus on the Aston pathway. This course allowed her to engage critically with historical and theological scholarship, examining the life and impact of Jesus through the lens of evidence and interpretation. In addition, Rosi participated in the Virtual Curatorship Elective, where she explored the principles and practices of museum curation in a digital context.

“IVIE (MULTIPLE PATHWAYS)

An Introduction to Einstein’s Theories of Relativity

Photography

Muir

Aston

Interested in many areas of study, Ivie has explored many different Electives throughout her LV and UV years, including Biomimicry, Environmental Chemistry and Photography. In her LVI year, Ivie continued her Elective journey with Electives on an Introduction to Einstein’s Theories of Relativity and Data Science. Ivie’s choices reflect both a passion for interdisciplinary learning and a willingness to engage with complex ideas across both the sciences and the arts.

The range of electives offered is amazing. From rocket science to cryptography, there’s something for everyone. It’s fascinating to dive into such diverse subjects and learn something new.

Ivie

*The listed Electives were taken in previous cycles and may not be available in this cycle.

lower fifth electives

The Power of China It is Rocket Science

With many experts predicting the 21st century to be the ‘Chinese Century’, acquiring a knowledge of China has never been more important. This Elective will give you just that - an insight into what makes China such a fascinating, unique and mysterious country. We start by exploring some of the milestone events which occurred in China in the 21st century, such as invasions by foreign powers, the shocking policies of Chairman Mao and the way in which China’s rapid economic transformation began. We will then cover a wide variety of contemporary topics exploring Chinese culture, ranging from politics and economics to environment and social issues, including a discussion of Chinese/USA relations and how China is poised to become the global superpower of the 21st century.

Course convener: Mr Breeze

In this elective we will learn about the history of rocketry, from 10th Century China to the modern era. We will study the Physics and Chemistry of rocket science and will discuss the merits and feasibility of propulsion systems mooted in science fiction. We will go on to carry out practical investigations to determine the most effective propulsion systems, how aerodynamics can be used to control direction of travel, and will culminate in the design, construction and testing of your own rockets.

Course convener: Mr Hollingworth

Virtual Curatorship Richards

Art galleries are full of beautiful things, and some not so beautiful but full of meaning. These meanings stand alone but can also be woven together into collections of stories that form narratives telling us about the way we think and live our lives or about the past. It is the job of the curator to tell these stories and, in this Elective, we will curate our own virtual exhibitions. Using a combination of visual analysis, historical context, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and maybe even some geography for good measure, we will consider themes ranging from gender representation and love to humanity’s relationship with nature and religion. We will carefully research and select works of art to tell our stories before using SharePoint Spaces to ‘hang’ our exhibition, complete with audio guide. Finally, we will hone our AI prompting skills to produce a final piece of original digital artwork to highlight the importance of our chosen theme in the world today.

*This course will run for the whole of the Michaelmas Term

Course convener: Mrs Tostdevine

“The ability to explore interesting topics in creative ways and share that excitment with my students makes teaching the electives an absolute pleasure.

Mr Breeze

lower fifth electives

Virtual Curatorship Richards

*This course will run for the whole of the Michaelmas Term

Course convener: Mrs Tostdevine

What would the anatomy of a book look like?

There is, of course, the main text, which the author proudly submits to their publisher. But around this, hemming it in on the page, there are dozens of other texts — page numbers and running heads, copyright statements, marginal notes, pop-up figures, and even doodles — each with their own lively histories. To consider these paratexts — those threshold spaces associated with, but distinct from, the main body of a text — is to be reminded that no book is the sole work of the author whose name appears on the cover; rather, every book is the sum of a series of collaborations.

In this elective we will pull the book apart to examine how the anatomy of the book affects our reading experience. We will look at the ways texts are composed, circulated, and consumed: this means thinking about the connections between literature and its historical, sociological, and cultural environments. By considering the book broadly — from inscriptions, manuscripts and early modern printing to digital media — we will take a deep dive into all aspects of book history as we look at the book both as an object as well as an important field of study.

Course convener: Miss Killacky

The History of the Book Aston

Python for Data Science

Are you ready to unlock the power of data and transform raw information into actionable insights? This hands-on course will not only teach you how to code in Python but also how to apply these skills to real-life scenarios, making you a valuable asset in any field that leverages data, understanding variables, data types, loops, and functions, equipping you with the tools needed to write efficient and effective code. By the end, you’ll not only be proficient in Python but also capable of applying these skills to solve real-world problems, making you a standout candidate for universities and future employers alike, providing you with a comprehensive skill set that is highly sought after in today’s datacentric world.

Course convener: Mr Bradshaw

“One of the most gratifying aspects of teaching electives is witnessing the enthusiasm and energy students bring to the classroom. Their genuine interest and excitment makes every lesson a joy to teach.

Mrs Tostdevine

Python for Data Science LENT (FRIDAY) lower fifth electives

*This course will run for the second half of the Michaelmas Term and the Lent Term

Course convener: Mr Bradshaw

Time’s Arrow

For the last several thousand years, humans have seen and lived through scores of different civilisations. Some have been violent, some peaceful, some authoritarian, some liberal; and many have been different things at different times. But what they all have in common is that, while some a very brief and others last a very long time, none of them lasts for ever. This elective explores why the advances of civilisation do not in fact just keep developing in a constant forward direction. Why do technological, artistic, philosophical and economic gains disappear and need to be rediscovered later? And why do some civilisations seem to go backwards before they eventually disappear? In a time when there seem to be several and severe challenges facing future generations, it is more important than ever to look at the collapses of past civilisations and try to identify how our own future can be made more secure.

Course convener: Mr Matthews

Muir Richards

The Mathematics of Games, Luck and Strategy

Are you intrigued by puzzles, games, or surprising patterns? This elective offers an engaging exploration of the mathematics underlying winning strategies, unexpected probabilities, and inventive game design. Each week, you will engage with a different game — ranging from counter challenges and board games to logic-based card puzzles — and discover the mathematical principles that give players an advantage. No advanced mathematical knowledge is required; only curiosity, creativity, and a competitive spirit are needed.

Course convener: Miss Washington

“Teaching the Elective Programme has been incredibly rewarding. It’s allowed me to see students grow in ways that standard courses often don’t.

Mr Matthews

MICHAELMAS I upper fifth electives

Modern Masterpieces and Meta-narratives

What is the purpose of art? What does it mean, and why does it matter? For millenia art has been associated with religion, but since the Renaissance the focus of art has developed and today there seems to be a bewildering multiplicity of ideas conveyed by artists. In this Elective, we will study and analyse how some traditional genres and subjects of art have been manipulated in the Postmodern age to engage, delight and sometimes bewilder the spectator. We will consider how psychology, philosophy and ideology can affect our interpretation of what we see and assess how the meaning of art can be a reflection of the culture and society in which it is made, but also the way in which it is experienced by the viewer.

Course convener: Ms Slocombe

Mathematics: Discovery or Invention?

How do you build a pyramid? How do you navigate the globe? What is beauty? What do Victorian parlour games have to do with Sat Nav? In this Elective, we will explore how mathematics has developed to solve the problems faced by different generations. From the earliest examples of human record-keeping to the computers that underpin our modern society, mathematics plays an important role. This Elective will provide you with a deeper understanding of the role mathematics plays in our own society and those of the past.

Course convener: Mrs Henson

Muir Richards

Metacognition, thinking and knowledge

The world bombards us with information constantly, and the rate at which it does this to us today is increasing exponentially. How do our brains make sense of this, and enable us to think and learn about the world around us, so that we can exercise control over it rather than it over us? When we talk about our mind, what do we mean? Why are knowledge and thinking different, and why can you not develop skills or creativity without knowledge?

It is almost (though not quite) a uniquely human ability to understand the world around us and be aware that we know and think about it, and this is what enables us to learn and develop to the extent we do as individuals and as societies. In the age of big data and non-stop media, and with an ever-increasing base of knowledge to build on, this course aims to help you understand how you understand, and to help you put yourself in control of your learning and progress - not just at school, but as a being in the world.

Course convener: Mr Matthews

“AstonIt’s rewarding to know that I am helping to instill a sense of curiosity and a desire for knowledge that students will carry with them throughout their lives.

Ms Slocombe

The Life and Times of the Book SUMMER (MONDAY) lower sixth electives

What would the anatomy of a book look like?

There is, of course, the main text, which the author proudly submits to their publisher. But around this, hemming it in on the page, there are dozens of other texts — page numbers and running heads, copyright statements, errata lists, marginal notes and even doodles — each with their own lively histories. To consider these paratexts — those threshold spaces associated with, but distinct from, the main body of a text — is to be reminded that no book is the sole work of the author whose name appears on the cover; rather, every book is the sum of a series of collaborations.

In this elective we will pull the book apart to examine how the anatomy of the book affects our reading experience. By considering the book broadly — from inscriptions, manuscripts and early modern printing to digital media — we will take a deep dive into all aspects of book history as we look at the book both as an object as well as an important field of study.

Course convener: Miss Killacky

Programming for Data and Beyond

Discover how coding can help you understand and shape the world. Through hands-on projects, you’ll learn Python basics including data types, loops, and functions and use them to solve meaningful problems. Gain the skills to think critically, work creatively, and make an impact in today’s data-driven society.

Course convener: Mr Bradshaw

lower sixth electives

The Art of Music: Interpretation and Cultural Influence

Geopolitics of Film Richards

Global politics is shaped by so much more than the people and the democratic process. The political landscapes we see today, and have witnessed in history, have been influenced by the physical environment too. Almost every political evolution has been shaped in some way by geographical considerations. In this Elective we will explore the link between the natural world and politics, quite literally the ‘geography of politics’. We are more aware of this than we think, as we are taught about it through the media, and so these sessions will delve into the representations of geopolitics through film.

Course convener: Miss Taylor

This elective explores a range of interconnected questions, investigating how both internal creative processes and external cultural influences shape the creation, interpretation, and experience of music, including investigating how an understanding of the creative process influences one’s perception of a piece of music and how music reflects the values, beliefs, and attitudes of the time and place in which it was created

Course convener: Mr Raby

An Introduction to Einstein’s Theories of Relativity

We shall start with placing Einstein’s special theory (1905) in its context as the successor to Galilean relativity, but allowing for Clerk Maxwell’s work on electromagnetic waves. Then we will go on to see how its postulates lead to the bizarre and challenging concepts of time dilation, length contraction and mass-energy equivalence. We shall then introduce the notion of four-dimensional space-time as providing an invariant interval for measuring the separation of events, independent of relative motion of observers.

The second part will deal with the generalisation of special relativity to include accelerated reference frames, making general relativity (1915/1916). We shall explore his insight into the fundamental equivalence of gravitation and acceleration and then appreciate how this can then be expressed through geometrical transformations of space-time. We will then see how this geometry leads to a dynamical universe, the idea of a Big Bang and the possible formation of black holes and gravitational waves. Finally, we shall see the application of both special and general relativity in modern technology, such as the accurate functioning of GPS systems, and how gravitational wave astronomy has opened a new window for exploring the universe.

Course convener: Mr Rivers

Throughout history, civilisations have risen, flourished, and fallen — some violently, others gradually. This course examines why human progress is not always linear, exploring how technological, artistic, philosophical, and economic advances are sometimes lost, forgotten, or reversed. By investigating the causes of past collapses, we will consider what lessons can be learned to help secure a more sustainable and resilient future.

Course convener: Mr Matthews

Fragile Giants Richards

ELECTI E Plus

From Sorting to Sat Nav Introduction to Law

Mathematics does not have to be complicated to be useful. Many of the most practical problems require little more than the ability to count and add up. The challenge is the number of calculations that need to be done, which is where computers come in. This Elective will introduce some of the concepts from Decision Mathematics, investigating topics such as algorithms, networks and scheduling. We will be looking at how some of the methods work and if you want a challange, you could even write some code (coding is optional).

Course convener: Mrs Henson

This course will appeal to anyone who is considering law as a degree and/or a career. It has been tailored exclusively for students at Downe by an external tutoring company, Keystone Tutors and comprises a series of four interactive, online tutorials.

The course will introduce the topics covered in a qualifying law degree. This includes the different academic fields, such as constitutional law, land law, contract law and criminal law, the methods of questioning that will be faced and the skills required; both in terms of written work and oral communication and argumentation.

In terms of legal careers, you will be introduced to the routes into careers as a solicitor, barrister, paralegal, or chartered legal executive - as well as other careers that could benefit from the transferable skills gained through the study of law.

INFORMATION:

The expected cost for each student will be £125 (inclusive of VAT), which will be added to the student’s school bill.

The four sessions of the course will be run virtually on MS Teams.

In association with

How to get the most out of the programme

In order to make the most of your Electives, it is important that you approach everything that you do with intellectual curiosity and determination. Here are four practical tips that, if implemented, will ensure you make the most of this opportunity. These are also tips that you can then take into your other lessons.

Be an active learner. This is essential. It is so important that you actively engage with the discussed material rather than being passive. Take notes during the sessions, ask for clarification, engage in debate, ask questions of other students and make connections with other topics you have studied.

Don’t put learning in boxes. Don’t think of the material covered in your Elective as separate to everything else that you learn. Rather, if relevant, bring the knowledge you have gained into your curriculum lessons and forge connections between what is studied in one area and what is studied in another.

Go beyond the Elective. Think of each session as a springboard that will allow you to explore new avenues of thought. After the session has finished and if there is an idea that you found especially interesting, do research it more. This might mean going to the library, reading an article online, or asking a teacher. You can then deepen your understanding of the discussed topics. Don’t let the classroom become the end of your learning.

Reflect on what you have learned. Once the Elective has concluded or even after each session, depending on how much time you have available, make a conscious effort to reflect on what you have discussed. This could be anything from thinking about the material in a critical way to making notes or even writing an essay. This returns us to the need to be an active learner.

Elective overview 2025-2026

LOWER FIFTH Elective 1

Michaelmas I (Friday) The Power of China

Convener: Mr Breeze

Michaelmas II (Friday)

Virtual Curatorship

Convener: Mrs Tostdevine

Lent (Friday) Python for Data Science

Convener: Mr Bradshaw

UPPER FIFTH Elective 1

Michaelmas I (Friday) Modern Masterpieces and Meta-narratives

Convener: Ms Slocombe

Elective 2

It is Rocket Science

Convener: Mr Hollingworth

The History of the Book

Convener: Miss Killacky

Time’s Arrow

Convener: Mr Matthews

Elective 2

Mathematics: Discovery or Invention?

Convener: Mrs Henson

LOWER SIXTH Elective 1 Elective 2

Summer I (Monday) The Life and Times of the Book

Convener: Miss Killacky

Summer II (Friday) The Art of Music

Convener: Mr Raby

Programming for Data and Beyond

Convener: Mr Bradshaw

From Sorting to Sat Nav

Convener: Mrs Henson

Elective 3

Virtual Curatorship

Convener: Mrs Tostdevine

Python for Data Science

Convener: Mr Bradshaw

The Mathematics of Games, Luck & Strategy. Convener: Miss Washington

Elective 3

Metacognition, Thinking and Knowledge. Convener: Mr Matthews

Geopolitics of Film

Convener: Miss Taylor

Fragile Giants

Convener: Mr Matthews

“Learning for the sake of learning is something that is often forgotten in the midst of GCSEs and UCAS applications. The Elective Programme reminds us that there is knowledge outside of the curriculum which is just as useful as the required work. It taught me to be more curious about the world around me.

Participant in Elective Programme

Introduction to Einstein’s Theories of Relativity

Convener: Mr Rivers

Introduction to Law

Elective Plus: Keystone Elective