Address: Leatherhead Road, Oxshott, Surrey KT22 0JG
Website: daneshillschool.co.uk
Founded: 1947
Number of Pupils: 707
Ages: 3-13
Termly Fees: From £387 (age 3) to £6,984 (year 2-8)
Headteacher: Head of the pre-prep: Mrs Ruth Samson; Interim head of Danes Hill School: Mr Richard Brown
Religious Affiliation: Non-denominational
Contact: 01372 842509 or [email protected]
School Visits: Daily private tours and termly open houses. To book please email above
The Curriculum
Danes Hill School offers a dynamic and exciting curriculum, with the school investing in the very best teaching staff who can engage, encourage and inspire the children. There are specialist teachers in all subjects including languages, creative arts, performing arts, science, sport, art and DT, supported by a dedicated learning support department. The school received a NACE award for its commitment to high-quality provision for more able learners.
Games & The Arts
The facilities, equipment, and breadth of sports offered makes Danes Hill a very special place for children to expand their sporting abilities. There are over 30 sports on offer, including parkour, fencing, scuba diving and cheerleading. The art department encourages pupils to take risks, experiment and explore an abundance of tools, materials and mediums. There are three well-resourced art studios, a design technology classroom and a cookery classroom with two 3D printers, a kiln, sewing machines, CAD CAM equipment and laser cutters. Two performance spaces provide opportunities for all pupils to perform in teatime concerts, productions such as Grease and Madagascar, the Shakespeare Festival and LAMDA examinations.
Pastoral Care
Danes Hill School is conscious of the pressures of modern life and the impact this can have on the wellbeing of children. Ibe Akoh is the school’s full-time counsellor, a role integral to the school community that will allow the pupils to self-refer or simply offer them a place to go if they need to talk to someone. Form teachers are excellent at what they do, and they pride themselves on getting to know each child in their care and being a constant source of support. They are in turn supported by our heads of year and heads of section who help to ensure that we provide continuity of support. Children are encouraged to seek out these members of the pastoral team and feel confident in approaching them with their concerns.
Recent Scholarships
48 senior school scholarships and exhibitions were awarded to Danes Hill pupils last year. The top disciplines were academic and sport with a healthy number of art, DT, drama and music scholarships. Pupils went on to 26 different senior schools with the top destinations of Epsom College, St John’s Leatherhead and Cranleigh School. This is completely consistent with previous years.
Head Teacher’s Philosophy
Childhood is precious, and as adults, we have a true responsibility to our children to make it as special as possible. We want our children to have breadth to their lives, to recognise the importance of sport, the arts, philosophical debate, friendships, teamwork … I could go on. At Danes Hill, your child’s emotional wellbeing will be strengthened by this breadth and they will become rounded and emotionally intelligent human beings. We want them to have great EQ, to learn to be kind and to understand that a Danes Hill education is a privilege that brings with it the responsibility to give back to others. We want to work with you, as parents, to help your children to become thoroughly decent human beings.
Outstanding Characteristics
The school recently surveyed parents; the quality of its facilities is a key factor in the parents’ decision to send children to Danes Hill School. The facilities rival some of the top senior schools – a 24-acre paddock for Forest School, two swimming pools, 14 sports pitches, five science labs, three art studios, a putting green, and a ten-metre-high climbing wall.
