Page 33 - The Badger - Issue 8

THE BADGER Celebrating 125 Years of The Downs
Heads of School Speeches
“ Good Afternoon, Headmaster, Chair of the Governors, teachers, fellow students, friends, and parents.
On this, our last day as Year 8 pupils, I ask my peers to cast their memories back to the day that they joined The Downs Malvern, to the start of their TDM journey.
My TDM journey began in Year 3 and this was the time that I truly became an explorer, experiencing whole donuts and biscuits for the very first time! I learnt to tie my own tie and proudly wore my blazer, keen to explore everything that our school had to offer. Many of us had crossed the road to become part of the Prep school, leaving the Pre-Prep classrooms, Celebration Assemblies, the golden spatula and the weekly certificates to become Year 3 pupils. This was the year when our main focus was show and tell, enjoying breaktimes and filling our sticker charts. We were given the chance to learn to be curious and explore. During Humanities lessons we were taught about the daring adventures along the sandy silk road and how cotton was traded for rich spices. We learnt to become explorers in our own way, the only difference being we traded conkers and sticks, not spices.
Year 4 was different, covid had struck and our life now revolved around an iPad. We learnt to stay entertained in our own way. Whether it was the wellie toss or beanbag throw, we still had fun.
Year 5 and 6 were full of drama. We had our first set of exams! SCARY. We also got to explore the world of Shakespeare in Drama, the Gamelan in music and an amazing hockey tour.
In Year 7 there was the introduction of an all-boys form! Never to be repeated. Our year group explored Cornwall for the first time. Whilst some fought with hay fever, others fought the concept of simple sketching - we had an amazing time thanks to our teachers.
This year was a blur of exams, scholarships, Matilda, sporting events and more recently the amazing Leavers’ Experience. It still seems impossible that time has passed so fast.
Our individual achievements are many and we can all be extremely proud of all of our successes and, most of all, the life-long friendships that have been made. The future isn’t just waiting for us, it’s ours to shape. We have not changed so much from the intrepid explorers that crossed the road from Year 2 to embark on our Prep School journey, only now we are steering a slightly different path, with some of us heading off in different directions, for now, though thanks to TDM we are all leaving with the skills to take on the world!
To The Downs Staff: we would like to thank you for believing in us, challenging us, and guiding us—not just as students, but as people. You’ve been mentors, role models, and cheerleaders. And to you all, whether you have brought joy to our learning, fostered a love of sport, fed us throughout the week, kept us safe and healthy, offered us support and guidance, encouraged us, inspired us, made us laugh or paid our school fees we would like to thank each and every one of you for giving us such fantastic memories that we will take with us to our new senior schools.
The badges on our blazers have now replaced the sticker charts of Year 3, Brock Meadow will soon become an amazing childhood memory, and the donuts, well one whole donut never seems enough! As we finish the year, we look forward to taking forward more than just memories. We shall carry with us the lessons, the friendships, the laughter—even the tough days—as reminders of how far we’ve come.
The end of the year isn’t just a closing—it’s a door swinging open and on the other side are infinite possibilities, and they are ours for the taking. ”
Danai
Head Boy
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