Welcome to the Junior School at Downsend – Years 2 to 6

At Downsend, we believe that lessons should be fun and creative so that your child is excited to learn. History does not come alive for children from the pages of a dusty book, comprehension of fractions does not last past break if the experience is not memorable. Our learning 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.

Brilliant Basics

Downsend is an innovative, forward-thinking school, but this is never at the expense of brilliant basics. 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.

Personalised Learning

Every child at Downsend is an individual, and we work with each child to put a plan in place for their learning that allows them to fulfil their full potential. We identify their strengths and areas for improvement with ongoing reviews of progress. Our Gifted and Talented Scheme, RAISE, stretches the children who need an additional challenge, taking their learning to the next step. For those who need support in some areas, our Learning Support Team work closely with children to put an action plan in place.

Specialist Teaching

We are incredibly lucky to have a Junior School Team that join us with inspiring educational backgrounds. Children in the Junior School benefit from Specialist Teaching in Maths, Science, English, and Reasoning, adding depth and breadth to the subject area from an early age.

In 2021, Downsend was awarded the Primary Science Quality Mark by the University of Hertfordshire and the Primary Science Teaching Trust. Click to learn more.

Mastery of Concepts

We use a transformational approach to teaching, which enables children to master concepts, developing their fluency in a subject area without having to resort to rote learning. By using this approach, we inspire a deep, long-term, and adaptable understanding of concepts and theories.

Inspiration that knows no bounds

We never forget that our aim is to ‘inspire young minds’. To us, this means giving children unforgettable opportunities to be inspired by life changing people and experiences. In the last year, the Junior School children have spoken live to NASA astronaut Colonel Douglas H. Wheelock, participated in a live event with renowned author, Michael Morpurgo, and had an audience with the CEO of W Series Racing, the pioneering women’s racing series. We will always seek out those very special moments to inspire our children.

Strong Focus on Values

We work hard with the children to instil values that will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives. Our values include honesty, endeavour, accountability, respect and teamwork.  We blend a traditional focus on good manners, with emotional intelligence, to create well-rounded, charming young people.