Welcome to Downsend School

Inspiring Young Minds. Creating Incredible Futures.

Downsend is an innovative and forward-thinking independent school, with a new vision; to inspire a generation to embrace the future, shaping incredible people who will make change in our world.

At Downsend, we prepare our young people for the future with a creative and problem-solving approach. We think big, we celebrate innovation, and we never hold back.

We are delighted to announce that all four schools in the Downsend family have been judged to be ‘excellent in all areas’ by the Independent School Inspectorate.

Open Days & Visits

Make an Enquiry

Read our 2023 Inspection Reports

Downsend is future focused in a rapidly evolving world.

From Nursery through to the Senior School, day to day life at Downsend is fast-paced, inspiring and immersive. We bring learning to life, providing opportunities for growth at every age.

We're passionate about providing the best, most innovative experience possible. Find out more about our Future Skills Vision below:

Future Skills Vision

Head's Welcome

Meet the Head.

Described by the Good Schools Guide as ‘refreshingly candid, with a knack for getting what he wants’, Ian Thorpe has been Head at Downsend for 10 years. A forward-thinking Head, Ian has been responsible for significant change at Downsend.

His can-do attitude, relentless energy and good humour, coupled with an impressive track record from Chinthurst, City of London Freemen's and Caterham School, mean that Downsend benefits from the best of both worlds – the ability to choose the best of the sector, whilst also innovating to do things differently.

Our Awards.

ISA Awards 2022 for Innovation in Independent Education:

Finalist

Independent School of the Year Awards 2022 for Independent Pre-Prep of the Year:

Shortlisted

Microsoft Showcase Schools Incubator Pathway

Muddy Stilettos 2022 Awards for Most Creative Learning Through Play:

Highly Commended

Common Sense Media School: 2021-2023

Eco-Schools Green Flag Award: July 2022

FACILITIES & LOCATION

Excellent learning locations.

Innovative modern spaces bring specialist teaching to life at the Main School, while Little Downsend offers a home from home for our littlest children, with outstanding outdoor spaces for exploring and learning.

Facilities and Locations

Our cutting-edge Creative Arts Centre opened in June 2022.

Little Downsend Ashtead

Little Downsend Epsom

Little Downsend Leatherhead

Downsend Main Campus

A NEW ERA

A new era for Downsend, welcoming babies to the family.

From September 2023, we are delighted to welcome babies to the Downsend family. Little Downsend Ashtead is opening its doors to children aged 6 months to 4 years.

Little Downsend Ashtead

Passionate and inspiring leadership, down to earth, fantastic facilities and a modern, forward-thinking approach.

– A Downsend Parent

Our Schools

Little Downsend Ashtead (0 - 4 years)

Little Downsend Ashtead is a Nursery and Pre-School for children aged 6 months to 4 years old.

A short walk from Ashtead Village, with its independent shops and cafes, Little Downsend Ashtead is perfectly located for new parents looking for a nursery within walking distance that has a quiet, welcoming presence.

Little Downsend Epsom (2-7 years)

Little Downsend Epsom is a Nursery and Pre-Prep for children aged 2 years to 7 years.

Occupying a beautiful piece of land with a grassy field, garden and play areas, both children's and parent's needs are catered for in quiet surroundings.

Little Downsend Leatherhead (2-7 years)

Little Downsend Leatherhead is a Nursery and Pre-Prep for children aged 2 years to 7 years.

The largest of the three schools, Little Downsend Leatherhead benefits from a huge play area, an acre of grassy fields, forest school, stage and climbing equipment.

Downsend School (8 - 16 years)

Downsend School houses Year 3 to Year 11. Featuring a brand-new Creative Arts Centre, extensive sporting facilities, 25m pool and a wide range of specialist labs and studios, Downsend offers pupils an exciting place to learn. Conveniently located just outside Leatherhead, the campus has a leafy, suburban feel whilst being easy to get to by car, train or bus.

Accreditations

School News

27/02/2024

Year 3 and Year 4 UNICEF Club

Last half term, members of the Year 3 and Year 4 UNICEF Club were expanding their knowledge about the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aligned with the...

Read more
27/02/2024

Downsend Meets – Nick Evans, former All Blacks and Harlequins Rugby Union player visits Downsend School

Our Year 6 students recently had an incredible opportunity to enhance their rugby knowledge and team work skills with a training session from New Zealand born, former...

Read more
21/02/2024

Little Downsend – Transition Event

William Blake’s tiger may have ‘burned bright’ in his famous poem, but today, ‘The Tiger Who Came To Tea’ descended on Downsend to give Little Downsend’s Year...

Read more
27/02/2024

Year 3 and Year 4 UNICEF Club

Last half term, members of the Year 3 and Year 4 UNICEF Club were expanding their knowledge about the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aligned with the...

Read more
27/02/2024

Downsend Meets – Nick Evans, former All Blacks and Harlequins Rugby Union player visits Downsend School

Our Year 6 students recently had an incredible opportunity to enhance their rugby knowledge and team work skills with a training session from New Zealand born, former...

Read more
21/02/2024

Little Downsend – Transition Event

William Blake’s tiger may have ‘burned bright’ in his famous poem, but today, ‘The Tiger Who Came To Tea’ descended on Downsend to give Little Downsend’s Year...

Read more

View All

Follow Downsend on Social Media

Downsend aims to develop and inspire creativity daily and collaboratively. To celebrate art, technology, and design across the Junior School and to empower creative thinking our fantastic Art, Design, and Technology department has organized the Junior School Creativity Day. They prepared a range of astonishing activities to explore the world of art and design, including creating a Tony Cragg-inspired mural using recycled plastic, creating colorful and large paper flowers, designs of enormous outdoor sculptures inspired by Swedish-born Claus Oldenburg and hand-painted healthy eating plates. Students collaborated on their design in groups, they used the traditional methods and their laptops to turn their creative ideas into finished objects. Their vibrant and wonderful creations will be showcased across the school.

#downsendschool #cognitaschools #inspiringyoungminds #creativity #art #artandtechnology #juniorschool #independentschool #tonycragg #clausoldenburg #surreyschools

Downsend aims to develop and inspire creativity daily and collaboratively. To celebrate art, technology, and design across the Junior School and to empower creative thinking our fantastic Art, Design, and Technology department has organized the Junior School Creativity Day. They prepared a range of astonishing activities to explore the world of art and design, including creating a Tony Cragg-inspired mural using recycled plastic, creating colorful and large paper flowers, designs of enormous outdoor sculptures inspired by Swedish-born Claus Oldenburg and hand-painted healthy eating plates. Students collaborated on their design in groups, they used the traditional methods and their laptops to turn their creative ideas into finished objects. Their vibrant and wonderful creations will be showcased across the school.

#downsendschool #cognitaschools #inspiringyoungminds #creativity #art #artandtechnology #juniorschool #independentschool #tonycragg #clausoldenburg #surreyschools

Please join us on Saturday 15 June at 9:30am for our Open Morning.

Discover a more innovative approach to education, in our modern and inspiring school environment. Take a tour of our spacious and flexible learning spaces, including the Linford Theatre and music and drama studios in our new Creative Arts Centre. Take a peek at our sports grounds and our swimming pool. Meet our incredible students and dedicated academic staff and gain an insight into our creative and future-focused curriculum.

Book your place today via link in bio or call 01372 372311 for more info.

Rated ‘excellent in all areas’ by the ISI, Downsend School in Leatherhead is a leading independent day school for boys and girls up to age 16. Limited spaces available in all year groups. Applications are welcomed all year round.

Please join us on Saturday 15 June at 9:30am for our Open Morning.

Discover a more innovative approach to education, in our modern and inspiring school environment. Take a tour of our spacious and flexible learning spaces, including the Linford Theatre and music and drama studios in our new Creative Arts Centre. Take a peek at our sports grounds and our swimming pool. Meet our incredible students and dedicated academic staff and gain an insight into our creative and future-focused curriculum.

Book your place today via link in bio or call 01372 372311 for more info.

Rated ‘excellent in all areas’ by the ISI, Downsend School in Leatherhead is a leading independent day school for boys and girls up to age 16. Limited spaces available in all year groups. Applications are welcomed all year round.

We were thrilled to welcome our community to our latest musical production, Downsend Rocks last Wednesday! Our Junior and Senior school students, along with some of our talented alumni, performed a variety of rock classics such as Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, Coldplay’s ‘A Sky Full of Stars’, Eagles’ ‘Hotel California’ and many more. The collective of our inspirational Music Teachers also joined in and performed one of the songs from Aladdin’s movie, ‘Speechless’ and the Linford Theatre has been filled to the brim once more since the grand opening of our Creative Arts Centre almost two years ago. It was great to see our teachers and non-performing students in the audience, supporting our young and creative musicians. What a great rock gig, a fantastic collaborative effort of creating such a great and captivating musical performance, well done everyone!

#downsendschool #cognitaschools #inspiringyoungminds #downsendrocks #musicconcert #independentschool #surreyschools #creativearts #privateschool #surreyhills #swlondon

We were thrilled to welcome our community to our latest musical production, Downsend Rocks last Wednesday! Our Junior and Senior school students, along with some of our talented alumni, performed a variety of rock classics such as Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, Coldplay’s ‘A Sky Full of Stars’, Eagles’ ‘Hotel California’ and many more. The collective of our inspirational Music Teachers also joined in and performed one of the songs from Aladdin’s movie, ‘Speechless’ and the Linford Theatre has been filled to the brim once more since the grand opening of our Creative Arts Centre almost two years ago. It was great to see our teachers and non-performing students in the audience, supporting our young and creative musicians. What a great rock gig, a fantastic collaborative effort of creating such a great and captivating musical performance, well done everyone!

#downsendschool #cognitaschools #inspiringyoungminds #downsendrocks #musicconcert #independentschool #surreyschools #creativearts #privateschool #surreyhills #swlondon

At Little Downsend Schools we foster a global perspective and brilliant basics in Nursery and from the age of two, our children are learning French. This week we organised French Days where we celebrated French culture with music, food, and games, and even had our own Little Downsend Olympics in anticipation of the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. We followed the Olympic Torch all the way to Paris and participated in running, novelty races, and of course pétanque. Ooh la la, what fun we had!

#downsendschool #littledownsend #cognitaschools #frenchday #frenchlanguage #independentschool #nurserysurrey #surreyindependentschool

At Little Downsend Schools we foster a global perspective and brilliant basics in Nursery and from the age of two, our children are learning French. This week we organised French Days where we celebrated French culture with music, food, and games, and even had our own Little Downsend Olympics in anticipation of the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. We followed the Olympic Torch all the way to Paris and participated in running, novelty races, and of course pétanque. Ooh la la, what fun we had!

#downsendschool #littledownsend #cognitaschools #frenchday #frenchlanguage #independentschool #nurserysurrey #surreyindependentschool

Our Year 10 GCSE Drama students visited Little Downsend Leatherhead and read books to Reception children. They also met Mrs. Mockler, the Reception teacher, and discussed a play they are preparing for Little Downsend children this term at the Linford Theatre at Downsend. The play is inspired by Space, which links with a topic our younger students are currently learning. It was a great visit that helped our students learn more about their audience in preparation for the play.

#downsendschool #independentschool #privateschool #surreyschools #surreyhills #dorking

Our Year 10 GCSE Drama students visited Little Downsend Leatherhead and read books to Reception children. They also met Mrs. Mockler, the Reception teacher, and discussed a play they are preparing for Little Downsend children this term at the Linford Theatre at Downsend. The play is inspired by Space, which links with a topic our younger students are currently learning. It was a great visit that helped our students learn more about their audience in preparation for the play.

#downsendschool #independentschool #privateschool #surreyschools #surreyhills #dorking

Thanks for having us today @stjohns_sport @stjohnsleatherhead ! What a thrilling game for U14s and a score was a nice birthday treat for Mr Hyam💫Happy birthday Mr Hyam!

#downsendschool #RESPECT #TeamDownsend #surreycricket #independentschool #surreyschools

Thanks for having us today @stjohns_sport @stjohnsleatherhead ! What a thrilling game for U14s and a score was a nice birthday treat for Mr Hyam💫Happy birthday Mr Hyam!

#downsendschool #RESPECT #TeamDownsend #surreycricket #independentschool #surreyschools

Earlier this week our Year 3 students visited @butserancientfarm as part of their History topic focused on The Stone Age. They learned about Stone Age housing, made Stone Age jewellery created chalk carvings, and learned how to make a fence using the wattling technique. Everyone had a wonderful day and represented Downsend excellently. Thank you Butser Farm for having us!

#downsendschool #inspiringyoungminds #cognita #privateschool #surreyschools #independentschool #surreyhills

Earlier this week our Year 3 students visited @butserancientfarm as part of their History topic focused on The Stone Age. They learned about Stone Age housing, made Stone Age jewellery created chalk carvings, and learned how to make a fence using the wattling technique. Everyone had a wonderful day and represented Downsend excellently. Thank you Butser Farm for having us!

#downsendschool #inspiringyoungminds #cognita #privateschool #surreyschools #independentschool #surreyhills

On Tuesday, we welcomed Samuel Sze Ming Chan, an influential Hong Kong based entrepreneur, to Downsend. Samuel specialises in helping families relocating from Asia to the UK to choose the best schools for their children. So, after seeing our awesome pupils in action and touring our specialist spaces with Exec Head, Ian Thorpe, Samuel was put through his paces in the cricket nets with our very own Director of Sport, Grant Lawrence. Samuel was also able to spend some time talking to pupils about their experiences of moving from Asia to Surrey and their lives as a Downsendian. We’re looking forward to seeing the video on @britanniastudylink YouTube channel soon!
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#downsendschool #britannia #samuelszemingchan #independentschool #privateschool #surreyschools

On Tuesday, we welcomed Samuel Sze Ming Chan, an influential Hong Kong based entrepreneur, to Downsend. Samuel specialises in helping families relocating from Asia to the UK to choose the best schools for their children. So, after seeing our awesome pupils in action and touring our specialist spaces with Exec Head, Ian Thorpe, Samuel was put through his paces in the cricket nets with our very own Director of Sport, Grant Lawrence. Samuel was also able to spend some time talking to pupils about their experiences of moving from Asia to Surrey and their lives as a Downsendian. We’re looking forward to seeing the video on @britanniastudylink YouTube channel soon!
•
•
#downsendschool #britannia #samuelszemingchan #independentschool #privateschool #surreyschools

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