The Downs Malvern | The Good Schools Guide

The Downs Malvern
Brockhill Road
Colwall
Malvern
Worcestershire
WR13 6EY
Head: Mr A Cook
T 01684 544100
F 01684 544105
E registrar@thedowns.malcol.org
W www.thedownsmalvern.org.uk
A mainstream independent school for pupils aged from 3 to 13 with a linked senior school
Boarding: Yes
Local authority: Herefordshire
Pupils: 223
Religion: Church of England
Fees: Day £6,933 - £16,599; Boarding £12,567 - £22,050 pa
Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review
Linked schools: Malvern College

What The Good Schools Guide says..

Perhaps what best sums up the timeless charm is the little steam train that runs through the school grounds. The oldest miniature light railway in the world, this is a serious educational tool. The children learn to drive and maintain it. The wholesome environment too is fully utilised – the children are outside as much as possible, soaking in subliminally, we would like to think, the awe-inspiring rolling landscape, but also using it for serious geographical and scientific measurements. The head told us, ‘Care comes first and then education’...

Read review »

What the school says...

The Downs Malvern is a busy, vibrant and successful co-educational preparatory school for boarding and day children, situated on a striking, rural 55-acre campus.

Following an Independent Schools Inspection in May 2012 the Inspectors concluded that, 'The school is highly successful in meeting its aims and offers an excellent educational experience to its pupils. Throughout the school the pupils achievement is excellent and they reach high standards both in their academic work and in a wide range of extra-curricular activities'. ...Read more

What the parents say...

No comments received for The Downs Malvern

Please login to post a comment.

Thank the school

Parents and pupils often have cause to acknowledge the help and support they have received from their schools, for example in helping in the choice of further education or careers. "Say thank you" allows you to send a quick note of appreciation to the school in general or to an individual teacher.

This is a thank you to your school, teacher or careers adviser who helped you to get where you are now.

Please fill in the fields below, which we will transform into a letter of thanks from you to them.

School

School email

Teacher/Careers adviser

Leave blank if you want to thank the school as a whole

About you

Years you were there

Can be left blank but, if you can, think of a few words that will bring a smile.

I would be happy to visit and talk about my job

Other features

All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.

What The Good Schools Guide says

Head

Since 2009, Alastair (known to everyone as Sam) Cook. Previously head of Pembroke House in Gilgil, Kenya, he is a graduate from Westminster College, Oxford. There is something of the gentleman’s club about his study. The comfortable chairs, old school photos and stirring mountain landscapes speak of a man and school at ease with the world. Alastair Cook certainly is that and much more. He has energetically meshed three schools (The Downs merged with Malvern College Prep in 2008) together into a now seamless unit, worked on relationships with Malvern College to mutual benefit and made himself much respected and loved by parents and the children whom he places firmly at the centre of everything. He teaches, does sport with the pre-preps and runs a swimming club. ‘He is always around when the children...

Subscribe now for instant access to read The Good Schools Guide review.

Already subscribed? Login here.

Special Education Needs

Children requiring extra learning support are helped both in the classroom by assistants and have one to one support given by specialist staff. Children are assessed informally by staff at school and where necessary external reports are obtained to assist. The school puts appropriate support into place in consultation with parents. English as a foreign language is taught as part of the timetable for those who require it.

Condition	Provision for in school
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder	Y
Aspergers	Y
Aspergers Syndrome [archived]
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders	Y
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders [archived]
CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia
Delicate Medical Problems [archived]
Dyscalculia
Dysgraphia
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia
English as an additional language (EAL)
Epilepsy [archived]
Genetic
Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory
Has SEN unit or class
HI - Hearing Impairment
Hospital School
Mental health
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment
Natspec Specialist Colleges
OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability
Other SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
PD - Physical Disability
PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health
SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication
SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty
Special facilities for Visually Impaired
SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
VI - Visual Impairment

Zoopla sale properties Zoopla rent properties Hide Zoopla markers

Subscribe for instant access to in-depth reviews, data and catchment:

☑ 30000 Independent, state and special schools in our parent friendly interactive directory.
☑ School exam results by subject and performance GCSE, Alevel or equivalent.
☑ Which schools pupils come from and go onto.
☑ Honest, opinionated and fearless independent reviews of more than 1200+ schools.
☑ Comprehensive catchment maps for English state schools inc. year of entry.
☑ School data comparison by A/B weighted, relative success and popularity.
☑ Compare schools by qualities and results.
☑ Independent tutor company reviews.