Blog

When a child comes across a question they cannot answer immediately, it can be all too tempting to help them reach the solution as quickly as possible; however, earning to persevere and consider different approaches is a skill that will serve them well beyond the classroom and throughout their lives. What is problem-solving? In maths, […]

Choosing a prep school is a significant decision, but a prep school Open Day should be about much more than just collecting information Knowing which questions to ask can help you get under the skin of a school: how well pupils are known, what happens when a child needs support or greater challenge, and whether […]

A child confidently reading a sentence for the first time; a pupil asking a question in front of their classmates; a moment when a child keeps trying after something has not gone to plan; a younger pupil noticing that someone needs help and offering support.  At first glance, these may seem insignificant; small moments in the […]

How everyday relationships help children feel known, supported and ready to lead A new pupil may not remember every instruction from their first morning. They may, however, remember the older pupil who showed them where to put their sports kit, walked them to the next lesson and made sure they had someone to sit with […]

When parents visit a school for the first time, it is natural to notice the obvious things: the classrooms, grounds, facilities and amount of space children have around them. For a child, however, their experience of the school environment is rather different.  For children, it is about knowing where to go when they need help; having a teacher […]

Starting a new school can bring excitement, uncertainty and more than a few butterflies for both children and parents! For those joining The Downs Malvern or transitioning from Pre-Prep into Prep School, new teachers, classrooms, routines and friendships can make September feel significant. The aim is not to remove every worry or every feeling of new school anxiety, but to help children feel prepared and certain that support is available. Confidence […]

Why Year 8 Matters Before senior school Preparing for senior school is not only about academic knowledge. By the end of Year 8, children need to have developed the maturity to manage themselves and respond positively when things feel unfamiliar.  The final Prep years give children the chance to hone these qualities in a familiar environment where […]

In conversation with Sarah Tsiquaye, Forest School Lead Forest School is often one of the highlights of the week for our pupils. They love building dams in the stream, making objects from natural clay, climbing trees, creating dens in the woodland and searching for bugs beneath stones and stumps.  To them, it feels like adventure. To us, it […]

The Nursery to Prep Pathway: A Smooth Transition to School By Emily Willetts, Head of Pre-Prep When your child starts school, it is a big moment for everyone in the family. It can feel as though the warmth of Nursery is suddenly giving way to something much bigger. At The Downs Malvern, our aim is […]

In an increasingly attention-grabbing world that prizes the “Extrovert Ideal“ (a term coined by author Susan Cain), where being bold, vocal, and outwardly social is often equated with success, quiet children can easily be overlooked. The term Pastoral Care 2.0 is not a formally recognised programme, but is used here to describe a modern, proactive approach to […]

It is all too easy nowadays to live a frictionless existence; every interaction, from the television remote control to the electric toothbrush, is meticulously crafted to ensure that unnecessary effort is minimised and, where appropriate, operating any device is as smooth as possible. To an extent, this insatiable quest for efficiency is human nature. In times long past, cavemen would gather […]

Now fully embracing life at Malvern College, Old Downians, Danai and Lauren, took time to reflect on their experiences at The Downs Malvern, the transition to senior school, and what they are looking forward to next. Both were awarded scholarships at TDM, which gave them additional opportunities to take on responsibilities and pursue their passions. […]