About the Junior School

Welcome to the Junior School.

We believe that lessons should be fun and creative so that your child is excited to learn. Our teaching is immersive; it’s hands-on, positive, and enriching. It is not uncommon to see children in the Junior School learning about fractions by breaking chocolate into chunks, re-enacting the most challenging political rebellions using fruit, or walking around dressed as Egyptians. We find that active learning engages the children’s imagination, enriches the curriculum, and makes learning fun.

Our classes are small enabling our dedicated teachers to nurture and stretch every child and to help them to achieve their full academic potential.

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Meet the Head of Junior School
Brilliant Basics
Our Approach
Awards and Accreditations

Meet the Head of Junior School.

Sally Johnston, Head of Junior School, brings over 25 years of experience in primary education, having held a range of senior leadership positions including Deputy Head, Director of Studies, and Head of English. Prior to joining Downsend, Sally spent eight years as Deputy Head at Surbiton High Boys’ Preparatory School, where she led academic and pastoral development with a particular focus on preparing pupils for the transition to senior education.

Sally's expertise lies in fostering confident, independent learners through a curriculum that balances academic rigour with creativity and emotional intelligence. A passionate advocate for the richness of language and literature, Sally is deeply committed to ensuring all children leave the Junior School with the expressive tools, resilience, and curiosity they need to thrive.

Sally's vision for the Junior School aligns closely with Downsend’s ethos of future readiness - equipping pupils not only with academic proficiency, but also with the communication, adaptability and critical thinking skills required in an evolving world.

Brilliant Basics.

With excellent academic achievement from a wide range of starting points, we have high standards in reading, writing and numeracy and work hard to instil a foundation of excellence in these areas to ensure that children have the bedrock for building their learning as they progress throughout the school. Our academic achievement in Reading, Writing and Maths is excellent, exceeding both National and Surrey averages.

As an innovative and forward-thinking school, technology is embedded in our school as a natural and everyday feature of learning, supporting rather than supplanting the development of children’s basic skills.

Our Results