The Downs Preparatory School

25 Days of The Downs, reason #11: Moving Up Morning 🙌

For one morning only, children get exactly what they’ve been asking for all year…to be in the year above!

As it turns out, it looks rather fun 🚀

This week, pupils spent time with their new teachers, met their future classmates and discovered what life has in store next September 👏

reason #12: Creativity! 🎨 👩‍🎨 🖼️

There are few things more joyful than a child standing next to their artwork and waiting for you to notice it.

Actually, that’s not quite true…

Usually they’re not waiting 😅

They’re enthusiastically pointing at it from across the room!

This term, our Art Gallery has been bursting with creativity, showcasing the imagination, skill and individuality of our pupils.

Today’s reason to love The Downs: celebrating creative expression and giving every child a chance to shine 🎨

A huge thank you to Mrs Rice and Mrs Toogood for helping our pupils realise their full creative potential 🙌💛🌳

s

25 Days of The Downs, reason #13: our amazing teachers 🙌

We suspect most people think teaching involves a lot of teaching… and it does. But it also involves finding lost ties, deciphering playground politics, fixing costume emergencies, answering questions that begin with ‘this might be a silly question but...’ and knowing exactly when a child needs encouragement.

Teachers are remarkable people 🤌

Partly because they educate children.

And partly because they do all the other things too 💛

Today, on we’re saying a huge heartfelt thank you to the teaching staff who help make The Downs what it is. Hear from some of our wonderful parent community share their thoughts 👏

Non Sibi Sed Omnibus 💛

25 Days of The Downs, reason #16: Forest School! 🌲🌳🪾🏕️

Children have an extraordinary ability to find adventure where adults see... well, a collection of sticks 🫡

A morning in Forest School might involve den building, problem solving, teamwork, exploring, creating and discovering.

At The Downs, we believe the best learning doesn’t always happen sitting at a desk!

Sometimes it happens while balancing on a log, investigating a bug, building a shelter or figuring out how to work together to solve a challenge.

With the help of Miss Impey and our 60-acres, confidence grows, resilience develops and curiosity is always encouraged 🙌🌳🍂

Down the Drive 8 - 13 June 2026 🌳🦍📚

Featuring Year 6s intriguing visit to learning all things road, home and fire safety 🤓; Jumping Beans, from , on a toddle round our 60-acres with Mrs I!; a visit from an Old Charltonian, having his first tour down the drive in over 40-years! (thanks to our History Squad for their support 🙌); Reception coming face-to-face with the Gruffalo in Forest School 🐭; Year 4 learning all things bio-diversity and quadrants 🧐; a buzzing Year 2 class after an afternoon visit from a bee expert and his hive 🐝!; Year 8 results celebrations, wahoo! 🌟

Happy weekend all!