Downsend School
Downsend School is a private school located in Ashtead, Leatherhead and Epsom, Surrey, UK. Founded in 1891 as a non-denominational preparatory school for boys since 1927 aged 8 to 13, it is now a school for boys and girls, and takes on pupils from 6 to 13 years of age. Unusually the school does not have charitable status, being run as a profitable business by Cognita Limited (chaired by Chris Woodhead). Downsend's headmaster is Mr Floyd Steadman, previously head of Salcombe Preparatory School, another School in the Cognita Group. The sports ground is on site. Though the school goes from 6 to 13, there are also 3 lodges which admit children from 2½ to 6. Downsend school costs £3310 - £4010 a term.The schoolDownsend is situated at 1 Leatherhead Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 8TJ, just outside of Ashtead. Its lodges are in Epsom, Leatherhead and Ashtead, all surrounding the main site. Much of the main school is new and has been recently added. There are roughly 100 students in each year for the main school and then slightly fewer in the Senior School (years 7 and 8) due to some students leaving after the 11+ exam to go to secondary school. The structure of the school is as follows: years 2-4 are the Junior School, headed by Mrs Kirsty Keep. Pupils then automatically ascend into the Middle School (years 5-6), overseen by Mr Adrian Dunning, and then may continue into the Senior School, with Mr Karl Newland, at the age of 11 for two more years to prepare for 13+ Common Entrance examinations to local schools such as St Johns, Epsom College and City of London Freemen's School.