Page 2 - The Badger - Issue 8

THE BADGER Celebrating 125 Years of The Downs
Welcome from the Head continued...
The 2024/2025 academic year has been one of notable success, and it all began in earnest at the start of the year when we discovered The Downs Malvern had been shortlisted in the Independent Schools of the Year Awards as a finalist in the ‘Small Independent School of the Year’ category. This was an accolade in itself, and to then clinch the winner’s trophy a little later in the term was a fitting recognition of the hard work the staff have put into making the school the success it is today.
In the Autumn Term, we also welcomed a number of new staff and pupils who immediately adapted to the school’s inclusive community and adopted the school’s values of Kindness, Respect and Courage.
One of the most important developments the school has seen in recent years was the opening of ‘Mini Malvern’ Nursery. Under the watchful eye of Sandy Munden as Nursery Manager, as well as Alex Sigley as Head of Pre-Prep, the Nursery has truly been
a sensational success. With waiting lists already
in operation, the youngest pupils are enjoying the wonderful spaces that have been created from the transformation of the Old Library, Pre-Prep storage spaces and remodelled classrooms.
The Spring Term provided much of the academic backbone of the year, with the scholarship season reaching its zenith and the Year 8s being put through their paces in a wide range of disciplines. The outcomes speak for themselves, with a record 37 scholarships and awards being achieved by 22 pupils to seven different schools in academia, music, art, sport, all-rounder, drama and DT. These achievements reflect the busy and involved life at the school as
well as the high standards that all pupils aspire to achieve. We also enjoyed the Senior Production of Matilda Junior, which had us all quaking in fear at the formidable Miss Trunchbull, as well as singing along to the joyful earworm of the song When I Grow Up! At the end of the Spring Term, we welcomed our newest additions to our developing smallholding - six healthy
Oxford Sandy and Black piglets - after Pancake, one of our school pigs, gave birth. The children were delighted to meet them when they returned to school in April.
The Summer Term has been something of a vintage year, with a record number of cricket matches played, heatwave after heatwave providing wall-to-wall sunshine, and some fantastic expeditions enjoyed by all pupils. Our keen school gardeners enjoyed success at the Three Counties Showground, winning the highest accolade of a Highly Commended Garden at the RHS Malvern Spring Show, as well as an award for the best use of recycled materials. We also witnessed two superb performances of the Junior Production of Pantastic, the Peter Pan musical, again revisiting the themes of an endless childhood and a sense of wonder and rich imagination.
The end of the Summer Term saw the school achieve yet more national accolades. In the final week of term, we learned that we had won the Muddy Stilettos award for Excellence in STEM, relating to our use of coding, robotics, DT and the steam railway - to name but a few examples of how the children are engaged with this important aspect of education here at TDM. We have also discovered that we have been shortlisted for the award for ‘Independent Pre-Prep of the Year’ in the Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2025... winner to be announced in the Autumn Term!
This has very much been a year to remember, and we look forward to doing our very best to continue this rich vein of form well into the next academic year and beyond!
Andy Nuttall
Headmaster
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