BEYOND DOWNE

Beyond DowneHouse

“…Downe has achieved for my daughter

something which many parents dream for their

child; to help them discover their gifts and

passions in life.”

“Downe House has moulded me into the person I am and without that I would not have had the opportunity to attend

such a prestigious College…from the lifelong friends I have made to the education I received….without the experience the

Downe House community has given me I wouldn’t be

where I am today.”

“Downe House has challenged me in a way that I otherwise would not have experienced….I know I have achieved what I have because of the School environment and the support I was given

by all the staff.”

“Downe House has prepared our

daughter thoroughly for whatever comes next!”

“While our daughter has been with you she has learnt how

to be positive in any situation. She is organised and capable and feels able

to achieve her goals in life.”

“…I was given the confidence

to work hard and strive for what I really wanted to

achieve.”

“…that transformation from shy nervous 11

year olds into confident outward looking young ladies with the world at their feet is wonderful

to see.”

“Downe House made me realise and fulfil my potential, encouraged me to succeed and

supported me in every decision I made.”

“Whatever my daughters choose to do now will reflect all the

many talents and qualities the School has developed and instilled in them and each in their own way –

they will do that justice…”

Dame Alice Rosemary Murray, Lady Barbirolli, Mary Midgley, Elizabeth Bowen, Priscilla N

apier, Anne R

idler, Audrey R

ichards, Lena Townsend, H

annah Wright,Jenifer Har t, Lady Aileen Fox, Sophie Conran, Lulu Guinness OBE, G

eral

dine

Jam

es O

BE, L

aura

Sol

on, C

lare

Bal

ding

, Dai

sy B

erke

ley,

Loui

sa R

eeve

,

I have always been very conscious of the wonderful

contribution that Downe House alumnae make

wherever they go and of our need to celebrate

this more. This publication is designed to do

exactly that by profiling individuals who

are at different stages in their careers. I

am very grateful to all those who have

agreed to contribute so readily. Our plan

is to make this an annual publication

as there are so many stories to share. I

have no doubt that, as well as simply

being interesting in their own right,

these accounts will inspire future

generations to believe that, with hard

work and commitment, in keeping

with our ethos, there really is little

that cannot be achieved!

I hope that you will enjoy this

first edition.

Mrs Emma McKendrick Headmistress

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tsMIRANDA HART (DH 1991)

What career you saw yourself in aged 16: I had always dreamed of getting into comedy and being an actress, but didn’t think it was a realistic option so I remember toying with the idea of being a PE Teacher. I also considered being a secretary for an MP and seeing if that would lead to some kind of political career. A Levels studied: Politics and Geography. I gave up Biology in the first term of Sixth Form and regretted not doing 3 A levels as it limited my University options. Did you take a gap year? If so, what did you do? Yes. I did a 3 month secretarial course in London. My mother forced me in to it and I thought it would be ghastly! But she was right; being able to touch type was the most useful thing I have ever learnt. I then went to Australia and New Zealand for 6 months.Undergraduate degree: University of the West of England in Bristol - Politics Other qualifications: One Year Post Grad Course at ALRA (Academy of Live and Recorded Arts)Career path since graduating: A PA and Office Manager in the charity sector (Macmillan Cancer Relief, SPARKS and Comic Relief) from leaving drama school (1996) until 2005. During which I wrote and performed comedy sketches on the London pub circuit and went to the Edinburgh Festival every year. In 2001 I got my first television role in ‘Smack the Pony’. In 2002 I got two adverts which paid for some travelling trips to Australia and South Africa as I presumed the acting route would never really happen and wanted to do something different. I returned and thought I would give it a final go to push for the acting work and wonderfully started getting some auditions for things like ‘The Vicar of Dibley’ and ‘Absolutely Fabulous’, which I got. One little part led to another and slowly I was being recognised by comedy casting directors. I finally got a big break in 2005 with the female lead in a sci-fi sitcom on BBC 2 called ‘Hyperdrive’. I was then able to give up temping. I then got roles in ‘Nighty Night’, an ITV comedy drama called ‘Monday Monday’ and got my own series on Radio 4 called ‘Miranda Hart’s House Party’. I continued to do stand-up and sketches on the comedy circuit and kept writing and eventually got a deal with a producer in the BBC who said I could write a script that they would try and pitch to BBC 2. I came up with the sitcom idea for ‘Miranda’. We got a pilot, then a series commission. I did it on Radio 2 and then wrote the TV scripts. It first went on air 15 years after I first went to the Edinburgh Festival.

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arts Current occupation and details about the nature

of your job/work: Comedy writer and performer and actress. I am currently writing Series 3 of my sitcom ‘Miranda’ for BBC 1.Future plans: It’s the kind of job that you never know what is going to happen, how long you will maintain some kind of popularity, so for now, I am working hard and hoping for a long career in a job I love. (Although I should warn aspiring actors and writers and comedians – it is HARD WORK!) My aim would be to do more straight drama acting, as well as a possible stand-up tour. Words of advice: It’s important to listen to your parents and teachers for their advice and ideas on what you should do when leaving school as they have vital wisdom and experience to learn from. However, only you know what really sets your heart on fire. Only you know what you really want to do. So be brave and follow what you feel you will be good at, and really want to do. There is no point beginning a career if your heart isn’t in it. Jobs should be vocations, they shouldn’t be about money, or recognition, or what you feel society is asking of you. You should do something that fires you up, be in an industry that you feel you can make a difference in. So don’t be wild and unpractical but do be bold, think big and go for it!

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SUSIE GREENWOOD née de Boinville (DH 1978)

I had no idea what I wanted to do when I was at Downe. I just had a very happy time. I was on the cusp of it becoming more accepted that “girls” had a career and didn’t just become a secretary and then get married....I took Art, History of Art and English for A level: I really hope that I can inspire future Downe House girls with what I did. I didn’t have a gap year but my art enabled me to travel because of the flexibility and I always came home inspired and I then painted like mad for exhibitions etc. I went to the Cambridge College of Arts and Technology, as it was known then, though art school was hopeless in those days. I would

STRONGLY recommend that students do a classic training and go to Florence or some such place, if they can, to really learn how to draw perspective, etc., then they can go mad with their imagination with that training on board. If you are lucky you can make a fortune BUT learn how to market yourself. It’s hard because it’s so personal, but you can make a perfectly good living.The best thing about being an artist is that you are never bored. There is always so much inspiration out there and you always have your independence financially. I found my niche with portrait painting, especially dogs and horses. If you can do children you’re made!! I can’t!! So follow your dream. It’s hard work but all things can be hard work so “work HARD”!

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KITTY NORTH (DH 1978)

What job/career you saw yourself in aged 16: I knew I was going to be an artist.A Levels you studied: English, Art, History of ArtDid you take a gap year? I completed my A levels at 16. My mum thought I was too young to go to Chelsea School of Art straight after school. I spent a year at Hartwell House (business finishing school) where I was lucky enough to be given the King’s Room to paint in (now one of the main hotel suites) and appreciated the nice surroundings and fellow students. Yes I was too young to go to art school in London... Undergraduate degree: Chelsea, Brighton, post graduate at ManchesterCareer path since graduating: Many jobs to support the art; teaching, exhibiting, catalogues and books. I am currently bringing out a range of crockery and designing a website for festivals.Current occupation: Full time artist which includes many different aspects in an age where technology is important too. Future plans: Painting London commissions around the country.Words of advice: Follow your dreams, be adaptable, don’t be afraid to ask for help - no one minds five minutes here and there. Be prepared to work for nothing. If you are any good people will want you to stay.

CLARE MICHELL (DH 2002)

What career you saw yourself in aged 16: Doctor A Levels studied: Chemistry, Biology, Italian, General Studies (English for AS)Undergraduate degree: Medicine (MBChB Hons) Other qualifications: BSc (Hons) in Physiology, Membership of Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) Career path since graduating: Junior Doctor in London training scheme, and now half way through my General Practice training.Current occupation and details about the nature of your job/work: GP trainee working in Croydon, London. I have 18 months left of training before (hopefully) qualifying in July 2013.Future plans: Work as a GP abroad (doing some humanitarian work for a few months possibly), continuing my interest in Expedition Medicine (currently working as a Doctor on worldwide expeditions including Mt Kilimanjaro and treks in Nepal), and finally settling down to work in a GP practice. Also keen to be involved in Medical Education and teach in Medical Schools.Words of advice: Medicine is a vocation and requires a lot of commitment. You need to be able to cope with exams on a yearly basis, and work longer hours than many of your peers doing other subjects at University. However, at the same time, your fellow medics are often fun and outgoing, and whenever the opportunity arises, they certainly know how to have fun! A career in medicine is the most rewarding and fulfilling one I can imagine. You have the privilege of being invited into patients’ lives and meeting and working alongside a wide range of interesting people from all walks of life. Every working day is different, and once qualified as a Doctor, the variety of specialties you can get involved in is endless. 6

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“medicine is a

vocation and

requires a lot

of commitment...”

TAMARA GALL (DH 2001) What job/career you saw yourself in aged 16: I had been thinking about medicine since initially choosing my GCSEs as I wanted to be sure I could still apply without physics GCSE. Surgery had been my ambition from about this stage. A Levels studied: Biology, Chemistry, Maths Undergraduate degree: Medicine at University of Edinburgh 2001-2007 Other qualifications: 1st class BSc (Hons) Physiology (Edinburgh University); MRCS (Eng) (Post-graduate surgical exams)Career path since graduating: Two years as a junior doctor in the NHS; six months working in trauma surgery in South Africa; two years as a core surgical trainee in London.Current occupation and details about the nature of your job/work: I am on a surgical training programme in London. I am a senior house officer at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington currently and applying for my registrar training post, which will (hopefully) start in October. We change hospitals and sub-speciality every six months or so. I have been involved in more than 500 operations and happy performing many

alone. As surgical trainees we are encouraged to be involved in research throughout our training and I will likely do a two year MD research job in the next few years.Future plans: To get a six year registrar training post before becoming a consultant. I hope to be able to remain in London as a consultant in either upper GI surgery or trauma and emergency surgery or to perhaps sacrifice excitement for a nice life and work in a day-surgery unit.Words of advice: I remember being told at school to only apply for medicine if I was absolutely sure that this was all I wanted to do and to be prepared to work exceptionally hard. I did want to be a surgeon but I was never 100% certain at that stage and so don’t be put off if you’re wavering a little. There are a lot of different pathways in medicine including medical specialities, surgery, anaesthetics, psychiatry, GP or more laboratory based specialities or research. Finally a word of warning - you will always have a comfortable salary as a doctor but you will never be particularly rich so do not do medicine for money.

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LUCY BRAIN (DH 2001)

What career you saw yourself in aged 16: Medicine A Levels studied: Biology, Chemistry, Physics Undergraduate degree: Medicine MBBS at Newcastle Other qualifications: DRCOG, MRCGP, DFSRHCareer path since graduating: I worked in Sunderland hospital doing my F1 and F2 jobs. I then decided to follow a career in General Practice so did a further 3 years of training split between hospital and surgeries in Sunderland and County Durham.Current occupation and details about the nature of your job/work: After taking 5 weeks off in August 2011 to explore SE Asia I started work as an 8 session salaried GP in a practice in Houghton-Le-Spring. If everything goes to plan I will become a partner in September 2013.Future plans: I am planning to become a trainer so I can supervise medical students and GP registrars placed in my practice. I am possibly going to take my family planning training further and learn how to fit contraceptive implants and coils. Words of advice: Medicine is a long course; make sure you are prepared for the commitment and the financial burden. There were a couple of times where I questioned my decision during 3rd and 4th year of the degree but now I am glad I stuck at it as I absolutely love my job. Medicine offers such a diverse future and the benefits of reasonable job security. However you need to be prepared for constant criticism in the press etc... Also learning, portfolios and exams are on-going and as things progress we are supervised and assessed more and more frequently so the end of university is not the end!

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What job/career you saw yourself in aged 16:I was very lucky in that I knew what I wanted to do at that point in my life. Becoming a doctor was always an integral part of me and the decisions I made were with that goal in mind. Meeting new patients every day, listening to their problems and trying to solve them always seemed like an exciting career path to me.A levels studied: Physics, Chemistry, Biology and MathematicsUndergraduate degree: MA (Cambridge), MBBS (Imperial)Other qualifications MRCP part 1 Career path since graduating:I worked as a foundation year one junior doctor at a busy district general hospital rotating through three different specialties (spending four months in each rotation): trauma surgery/orthopaedics, gastroenterology and general surgery. It was a tough step from being a student to becoming an official doctor where your decisions counted (always under a watchful eye from your senior), prioritising the seemingly endless jobs that were expected of you and somehow managing to fit in a social life after accounting for your weekend on calls/night shifts/late finishes and early starts was almost impossible at first. This is where I learnt the art of efficiency and prioritisation. Always room for improvement though! Current occupation and details about the nature of your job/work:I’m currently a foundation year two junior doctor and I’ve just finished a rotation in obstetrics and gynaecology which I absolutely loved! I worked with a fantastically inspiring team specialising in women’s health from helping manage their pregnancy and safe delivery of their baby on labour ward to cancers in the perhaps older population. I assisted in operations such as caesarean sections and hysterectomies, was the first port of call for most patients with obstetric/gynaecological problems in A and E, explained their management and sometimes had to break bad news for example when they had a miscarriage. It can potentially be emotionally upsetting at times, but you learn to compartmentalise work and ways to

manage stress - whether it be seeing friends/family/that special someone, training for a sponsored cycle ride (which I have perhaps madly decided to do) or playing a musical instrument in a local orchestra. I also teach medical students, participate in research projects and attend conferences/study days. There are lots of unsociable hours of work and challenging situations but the reward of a grateful patient saying thank you is more than enough to keep me going. I’ll be moving onto neonatal paediatrics soon in a specialised intensive care unit. Future plans:After two years of rotating through different specialties as part of my foundation training, I’m aiming to specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology. More specifically a career in maternal and foetal medicine - managing high risk pregnancies, seeing patients with complex medical problems before they are pregnant right through to a hopefully successful delivery of their baby and any potential problems afterwards. Constantly learning about new management therapies and diagnostic tests is exciting and challenging - all part of the job.Words of advice:Deciding on a career path can be daunting at first but there are a multitude of options out there, some perhaps less conventional. The careers department is a great resource! Downe House made me realise and fulfil my potential, encouraged me to succeed and supported me in every decision I made. Applying to medical school didn’t seem like an impossible task after speaking to former Downe House pupils who had successfully been through the process. Looking back, I was privileged to have so many opportunities open to me. Make use of all the fantastic resources available to you and never be afraid to ask for help or support in realising and achieving your dreams - getting into Cambridge to study medicine was mine.

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What job/career you saw yourself in aged 16: Journalist or Actress A Levels you studied: English, History, Drama (AS Italian) Undergraduate degree: English Literature, Oxford University Career path since graduating:All in book publishing (fiction): Receptionist / Editorial Assistant / Assistant Editor / Editor / Senior Editor / Editorial DirectorCurrent occupation: I am the Editorial Director (Fiction) at a new start-up publishing company, Head of Zeus. My job is to find and acquire new fiction authors, edit their text, package them correctly, mastermind their publicity & marketing campaigns, and keep an eye on publishing trends and audiences. We are a very small company so I also find myself doing receptionist duties, sales, and making coffee for everyone. Future plans: To stay at Head of Zeus, developing a list of authors. My goal is to develop at least one author into a massive global brand.Words of advice: I got very lucky in that I fell into publishing almost by accident, and discovered it was a perfect fit. But many of my friends are changing careers in their late twenties, having spent too long in a job they don’t like. It’s incredibly difficult to know what you want to do before trying things out, so my advice is - don’t feel you have to stay in your career just because it was the job you chose first. Instead, use your first job as a testing ground to find out what career you actually want. Lastly, if you want to get ahead, just tr y really hard. Bosses recognise it and reward it.

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SARA SCRIVENER (DH 1990)

What job/career you saw yourself in aged 16: I saw my future

career as being involved with an environmental agency or animal

welfare charity. I don’t think the City featured on my radar at all; in fact

I often try to remember if I even knew what the City was when I was

16 – I don’t think I did.

A Levels you studied: Economics, Politics, Geography, General Studies

Did you take a gap year? If so, what did you do? I spent 6 months

working for Directory Enquiries, waitressing and washing up, saving

enough money to spend the next 6 months in Kenya looking after

orphaned elephants and rhinos in Nairobi Game Park.

Undergraduate degree: BA (Hons) Economics and Politics,

University of London, Goldsmiths’ College

Other qualifications: PhD in Extreme Juggling of Motherhood and

Career

Career path since graduating: On graduating I joined JPMorgan’s

Investment Bank doing Trader Support. After 4 years I joined Bank

One as a Business Analyst for Investment Banking Operations, then

joined Abbey National Treasury Services as the head of the IT

Programme Office. In 2003 I rejoined Bank One, which merged with

JPMorgan soon after and I have been there ever since. I had my son in

2005 and my daughter in 2007 and I now combine a full time career

with motherhood.

Current occupation and details about the nature of your job/work: I currently run a global team within the Rates Middle Office for

JPMorgan Investment Bank. Middle Offices support Traders and their

primary responsibility is to manage trades along their lifecycle, from

booking, confirming them, running profit and loss and everything

in between. I run business as usual teams in London and North

America which are responsible for drawing up the legal agreements

for structured interest rate derivative trades. I also head a couple of

Strategic Programme and Change Management teams in London

across vanilla and exotic rates trades.

The business as usual part of my job is highly pressured with

responsibility for issuing legal documents to financial institutions

globally. The economic climate since 2008 has ensured that

markets react differently from one day to the next and there are

periods of intense activity in this space. The Strategic Programme

and Change Management part of my role entails managing an

agenda of projects within the Middle Office. This could be anything

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CLARE DUFFIELD née Davies (DH 1982)

What job/career you saw yourself in aged 16: No real idea, thought maybe a vet but was not really a scientist so realised that was not

really a starter!

A Levels studied: History, History of Art, Social Biology, General Studies

Undergraduate degree: Durham University - started with History & Politics eventually got a 2:1 in General Studies (chosen subjects -

Anthropology, Russian Studies and Greek & Roman Civilisation

Career path since graduating: Public/Investor Relations - starting in corporate and moving into financial specialising in international mergers &

acquisitions. 1987-2001 worked for major consultancies including Brunswick, Lowe Bell financial, Dewe Rogerson in the UK, US and Asia (based

in Hong Kong)

Current occupation and details about the nature of your job/work: Retired from the city and started a family. Now beginning to help

individuals on CV writing, Personal Statement formulation and interview preparation and planning.

Words of advice: If you do not have a clear idea of where you are heading, don’t worry but try and get as much exposure/experience in the

meantime in different sectors to begin to help you determine which direction you are headed. Doing a secretarial course in my year off was

the most valuable asset as it meant that I had a qualification so could “temp” during university holidays i.e. earning money quicker than my fellow

students, more time for travelling! It also meant I was able to work in a number of different corporate environments which helped channel my

thoughts on future career paths.

Too much time taken trying to plot a path too far ahead can take your eye of the ball and at the end of the day your exam results be it school

or university are key to determining whether or not you get in through the front door for an interview - so don’t lose that focus! 11fin

ance

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kingfrom upgrading systems, preparing the Bank for new Financial

Regulations, reviewing internal controls post fraudulent activity in

other banks (Soc Gen, UBS).

As with many Investment Banks, there is global element to my work,

with a great deal of contact with colleagues in New York, Hong Kong,

Tokyo and Mumbai - where much work has been outsourced in

recent years. I travel a fair amount during the year, mostly to New

York, but have been lucky enough in my career to visit the other

countries too.

Amazing technology means that I am able to have a certain amount

of flexibility in my job. I work from home on Fridays which enables

me to do school runs and I would never miss a class assembly or

sports day.

Future plans: My future plans range from the very short term; a siesta

on a Sunday afternoon (the ultimate luxury); a winter sunshine holiday

during February half term to slightly longer term such as working

from home twice a week. In the next few years I am considering

moving into consultancy and working on six month contracts which

will enable me to be at home with the children when they start

preparing for Common Entrance exams.

Words of advice: Women have an amazing choice in how they

live their lives today, but every one of us should remember that

“having it all” is personal to each one of us and no-one should ever

feel pressured into making a life choice that they are not completely

happy with. There are times when my husband is away on business,

I have an urgent work issue and the school sends home a note that

my children have to bring in a cake for a sale the next day. At times

like this, I almost feel breathless wondering how I am going to make

everything happen, but generally I manage not to let anyone down!

My advice for any woman embarking on her career today is

• Getafootinthedoorofacompanyyouwanttoworkfor.Either

do work experience, intern or temp; basically start building up your

CV as soon as you can and there is nothing wrong in using your family

and friends as contacts. Once in, network like crazy so that you build

a good list of people you can approach later.

• Isee100sofCVsayearandmakeadecisionbasedonthefirst

3 lines of each one, so make sure you capture the reader’s attention

upfront. Make sure there are no spelling mistakes, about 30% of CVs

I see contain a mistake.

• Don’tbeputoffhavingchildrenforthesakeofyourcareer,ifyou

want to combine both, there are ways to make it work, just keep an

open mind.

FRU HAZLITT (DH 1980)

What job/career you saw yourself in aged 16: I very definitely wanted to be an actress and in fact only went into media sales originally whilst I was “resting” and “waiting to be spotted”. Technically I am still “waiting to be spotted”! A Levels you studied: English, History and Latin Undergraduate degree: BA Hons English & Drama - Goldsmiths College Career path since graduating: Straight after university - I set up a TIE (theatre in education company) company called Gigsaw. Did brilliantly for a year and then went bust. So whilst waiting for something else to come along - I went into selling space for various trade magazines at Centaur Communications and after a couple of years ended up as Ad Manager. Then went to the Guardian Media Group for a while and then onto Capital Radio as a Sales Manager and after 3 years became Commercial Director. I then did 6 years at Yahoo - first as European Commercial Director and then as MD of Yahoo UK. I returned to radio as Chief Executive of Virgin Radio in 2005 and then in 2007 went on to become Chief Executive of GCap Plc - ( the newly named merger between Capital Radio Group and GWR). Current occupation and details about the nature of your job/work: MD of Commercial Online and Interactive with responsibility for all platforms and revenues across the business. Also, a non-Executive Director of Betfair and Chair of the WLG (Women’s Leadership Group at The Princes Trust). Future plans: Stay happy. Words of advice: Make plans but do NOT feel you have failed if they go wrong. Keep in touch with your Downe House friends, mine are the best I have ever had. Be brave - an army of lions led by a sheep will always be defeated by an army of sheep led by a lion!

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What university did you attend? Magdalen College, Oxford

What course did you do? English Language and Literature

What other things outside of your course did you do while at university?Because I wanted to be a journalist, I worked a lot on the University radio station and

wrote occasionally for the student papers.

I presented a radio show and worked on the station’s management team.

I also volunteered for the Oxford Access Scheme and contributed to events within college.

What did you do after you left university? I did nine months of work experience at a local radio

station in Guildford, while also volunteering for Basingstoke Hospital Radio. I’d also always wanted to

work in a shop, so I did too that in between radio work.

After building up my CV for a year, I did a post-graduate diploma in journalism, which lasted for three

months. After that, I applied for every journalism job I could find (classic car magazines, orchestra

in-house magazines, aerospace magazines), and was offered a job at a trade paper that focuses on

the metals markets.

I spent four years there, eventually becoming a deputy editor. In my time there I reported from all over the world including from the

Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe. I also chaired conferences and broke multibillion dollar mergers and acquisitions stories.

What are you doing now? I work in Singapore for Dow Jones Newswires, still writing about commodities markets. I moved to Asia a year

ago for personal reasons, but as a commodities journalist it’s the most active and exciting market to be in.

Words of advice: For anyone wanting to be a journalist, I know it looks difficult and that jobs come along about as often as unicorns,

particularly during a recession. I think the main things are to be open-minded about what kind of a journalist you want to be, and to make

yourself as versatile as possible in terms of the media you can use. If you can take photos and video, drive a radio desk and write snappy

copy, you’ll be much more valuable and cost-efficient to your prospective editors.

Don’t be put off by the idea of local papers, trade papers or jobs that look secretarial rather than editorial. That we all have to start

somewhere is truer in this trade than most. I didn’t enjoy making porridge for the breakfast DJ at 96.4 The Eagle, but the chance to be in

the newsroom was what made it worthwhile.

GEORGINA BLACKWELL (DH 2004)

What job/career you saw yourself in aged 16: I didn’t really know

to be honest but probably something related to publishing and

the media.

A Levels studied: History, English, Spanish (French to AS)

Undergraduate degree: Modern History at Oxford (St Edmund

Hall)

Career path since graduating: I spent almost 2 years interning at

various newspapers and magazines - The Week, The Independent,

Standpoint, CNN, Forbes.com and Tatler before getting a job at

Vanity Fair as their Editorial Coordinator in the London office.

Current occupation: I’ve been at Tatler for a year now as the

Editorial Manager on the supplements desk. We put together all

the Tatler Guides - collating content, producing shoots and helping

to edit the final supplement. I also work on the Interiors pages in

the main magazine.

Words of advice: Don’t necessarily apply to work at just the ‘big

name’ companies - you will gain more experience working for

smaller, boutique set ups and then hopefully the big guys will hire

you at a later stage. Don’t be too grand to photocopy or get coffee

- and double check the order before you run to Starbucks.

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LIZZIE FANE (DH 2004) has been identified as one of Britain’s brightest young business brains. She launched ThirdYearAbroad.com, offering advice on living, studying and working abroad, after she experienced difficulties abroad during her third year at university. The Independent newspaper featured 10 successful young British entrepreneurs, some of whom are Virgin Media Pioneers who were offered support, mentoring and peer-to-peer guidance in setting up their businesses.

What career you saw yourself in aged 16: I wanted to work on the legal side of International

Art Crime! I’d watched The Thomas Crown Affair on repeat, and wanted to learn how to

forge works of art so that I would be also be able to detect them (while dressed as Faye

Dunaway). I think my A Level choices say it all... A Levels studied: Italian, Art, History of Art

and AS Chemistry.

Did you take a gap year?: No, sadly not. In hindsight I wish I had, but I thought my year

abroad during my language degree would make up for it. It did - and changed my life in the

process! But I would have liked to have had a year to grow up a bit before I started university.

Undergraduate degree: MA (Hons) Italian and History of Art at The University of Edinburgh.

Career path since graduating: I started a company while I was at university, so when I graduated

I needed to get experience working in a startup environment. I began with quite a technical

job at mydeco.com, founded by lastminute.com’s Brent Hoberman, and then worked for a

work experience company to learn about PR, marketing, building a network from scratch and

event management. These experiences gave me the confidence to launch ThirdYearAbroad.

com in January 2010, and I’ve been working on it full-time ever since! Current occupation and details about the nature of your job/work: I am the Founder of ThirdYearAbroad.com, an

information and support network for students who work, study or volunteer abroad during

their degree course. We’re building a community of university students who are all studying

languages and/or moving abroad for the first time, so when particular problems crop up (with

accommodation, jobs, language, insurance, banking, etc.) we help to create new products to

solve them (such as YearAbroadInsurance.com), based on our own experiences. It’s a really,

really creative job - I draw and design for the site, make marketing materials, come up with fun

competitions, write features and newsletters and do a lot of wordplay, alongside developing

new business ideas. Future plans: I have all sorts of plans for the business, but I’m really working

to ensure that in future I can travel a lot, maybe move to Italy, help a lot of people, promote

language-learning and have a huge amount of fun in the process. Words of advice: If you want

to start a business, then solving a common problem that you have personally experienced is a

great place to start. There is an absolutely mesmerising amount of support for startups in the

UK and there’s no better time to begin than while you’re a student with no kids, no mortgage,

lots of free time and a student loan to fund your idea.

In November 2011 Lizzie won a prestigious ‘Future 100’ award. The Future 100 Awards recognise

the success of young entrepreneurs aged 18-35 who demonstrate entrepreneurial flair and

innovation in progressing a responsible business venture.

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MARY WESTLAKE née Gomme (DH 2001)

What career you saw yourself in aged 16: Teacher, Journalist, Art Historian/Curator

A Levels studied: English, French, History of Art

Undergraduate degree: BA Joint Honours degree - French and History of Art at University of Bristol

Other qualifications: Post Graduate Certificate in Education at University of Roehampton;

Masters in Education at University of Hertfordshire

Career path since graduating: After gaining a Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate I moved to

Buenos Aires to teach adults English.

I returned to the UK to begin my primary teaching career as a classroom teacher, then became a curriculum

coordinator and subsequently trained as a facilitator for teachers to improve their practice.

Current occupation: Joint director of RECRO, a London based eco workshop company founded in

2010. We aim to inspire primary school children to become lifelong sustainable citizens through creative

workshops that work holistically to integrate different curriculum subjects and skills. We also lead whole

school change to cut energy, resource and water waste. Our focus is predominantly in primary schools but

we do run occasional community workshops or sometimes workshops at home.

Setting up my own business has been a rollercoaster ride! We are still in the early stages which means life

is unpredictable but also incredibly exciting as we watch our business grow.

Future plans: We are hoping to expand RECRO’s services in schools, at home

and across London. This would mean managing a RECRO team within

the primary sector and exploring opportunities in other areas, for

example, secondary schools.

Words of advice: Explore a variety of career choices as early as

possible through work experience and internships. A range of

working environments will help you to realise your strengths and

weaknesses and to settle on your career decision. Find out whether

you are suited to your chosen profession by asking friends and

family about their experiences so that you can weigh up the pros

and cons according to the lifestyle you might be looking for.

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THEODORA CLARKE (DH 2003)

What career you saw yourself in aged 16: Journalist and/or Museum Curator then Director.

A Levels studied: English Literature, History of Art, Chemistry and Russian for AS

Undergraduate degree: BA in Combined Studies (English Literature, History of Art, Politics) at Newcastle University

Other qualifications: MA in Contacts and Contexts in Russian Art c. 1905-1945 at The Courtauld Institute of Art. I am currently studying

for my PhD in History of Art at the University of Bristol. My doctoral thesis is entitled ‘Art in Exile: Katherine Dreier and the Russian

Avant-Garde in America, 1920-1953’.

Career path since graduating: Whilst at university I worked every Christmas and Easter holidays as a ski instructor for the École Suisse

de Ski in Verbier, Switzerland. As a graduate I was headhunted to work in financial recruitment in New York for a British firm building out

their private wealth management division in North America. After the credit crunch of 2009 I then returned to the UK to start my PhD

in History of Art at Bristol University. Whilst researching my doctorate I founded a new successful website called Russian Art and Culture

which provides the best news, articles and reviews on Russian art in the UK. It has been ranked the 22nd most popular arts blog in the

world by Google in its first year (www.russianartandculture.blogspot.com).

Concurrent to my studies I also helped to set up a new company called Lifestep

which helps graduates to become employable. Outside of academia and business

I have maintained my interest in politics. I am on the approved candidate’s list

for the Conservative Party at the next General Election and I was the London

Youth Organiser for the No to AV campaign for the referendum in 2011. I also

sit on the national executive for the Conservative Women’s Organisation.

As a freelance journalist I write on politics and culture for The Huffington Post,

New Culture Forum and Total Politics.

Current occupation: I have been with Lifestep (www.lifestep.co.uk) since inception

as a new company after the financial crisis of 2009 helping graduates to become

employable. My role is to design and deliver our core products including courses

on CVs, how to write a good covering letter, interview techniques and networking.

I also do business development and build relationships with our clients who include

schools, universities, employers and recruitment agencies. I also helped to

design our website and implement our social media strategy.

Future plans: To build our business and to help as many young people as

possible to start out on a successful career. I also hope to finish my PhD

before the next election and to stand for Parliament as an MP in 2015.

Words of advice: The Downe House motto is that we can achieve

anything. I think this is absolutely true! My experiences at Downe instilled

in me self-belief and determination; I believe that anything is possible

if you work hard and set yourself achievable goals. Motivation, enthusiasm

and drive have been as important to my life and work as getting good

academic qualifications. First of all work out what you enjoy and

what you are good at then be persistent and go for it. That for me

has been the key to having a successful career.

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What job/career you saw yourself in aged 16: I saw myself being a lawyer A Levels studied: Mathematics, Economics and Philosophy & Theology Undergraduate degree: MA Economics and Systematic Theology, from the University of Edinburgh Career path since graduating: I went straight into film production. I had started worked in short films whilst in my last year and found I had a knack for production coordinating and logistics. I’ve worked on larger productions and in production jobs with increasing levels of responsibility, the most stressful being production coordinator on a low budget feature film shot in Edinburgh, the most glamourous being a location marshall on the parts of the Captain America shoot in Fife, and one of the most interesting being a researcher on An Island Parish for Tiger Aspect. Separate to freelance production work, I started a production company Blue Iris Films in October 2011 with a good friend and colleague. We’ve been supported as a company and individually by a variety of different schemes and talent labs at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Rotterdam International Film Festival, and continue to learn the power of global networks and co-productions, whilst at the same time getting to know and really enjoy working with clients in Edinburgh on more local-reach jobs. Current occupation and details about the nature of your job/work: Production managing and producing corporate or bespoke, and event coverage video content, as well as developing short films, feature films, small web series, later this year some radio content and offering a script report service too.Future plans: To branch into making successful feature films with Blue Iris Films; to earn a living solely making films / freelancing on other peoples’ films. Words of advice: The film industry is small, and incredibly active online, so you can begin research at home. The BFI issues reports all the time, the BBC has a ‘college of production’, Skillset has pages and pages of information on different roles within the film industry, so a lot can be found online to inspire you. There are many making-of documentaries around, short film opportunities, forums and interviews with practitioners and info on specialist cinemas or movie groups in your area. You can practise uploading tiny films you’ve made to youtube and Vimeo, and cruising around Apple Trailers to watch trailers for films. If you want to get into TV, make sure you watch a lot. If you ever feel nervous about not knowing what you’re talking about, make sure you allay your fears by researching / looking at maps / looking up people, etc. It’s all there online. If you haven’t done a vocational course, try and get in touch with local universities or film/production schools. And sign up to lots of free or cheap film events, even if they look rubbish, so you start discerning what people are trying to teach and talk about.

SARAH WAGHORN (DH 2003)

What job/career you saw yourself in aged 16:To train as a doctor and pursue life as a surgeon

A Levels studied: Maths, Chemistry, Biology Undergraduate degree: An MEng(Hons) in Integrated

Engineering at Cardiff University

Other qualifications: Numerous leadership qualifications through my RAF training, and currently working

towards a BSc in Engineering Management (Civilian recognition of my RAF engineer training)

Career path since graduating: I was sponsored by the RAF for my final 3 years at university and then

joined up as an Engineer Officer. Since training I have spent 18 months as a Bomb Disposal Operator

(BDO) on 5131(Bomb Disposal) Sqn; travelling all over the UK and abroad. Following this I was posted for

6 months to the Falkland Islands looking after Armaments and also as a BDO.

Current occupation and details about the nature of your job/work: I am now posted onto XI Sqn which

flies the newest fighter jet the UK has, Typhoon. I’m based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire as a Junior

Engineering Officer (JEngO) and am responsible for generating aircraft from the engineering side. In the last

12 months I have spent 3 months deployed to Italy, supporting operations during the most recent conflict

in Libya, and am about to deploy for a month to Oman on Exercise.

Future plans: Whatever the RAF has in store for me! I’m unsure how long I will remain in the RAF and

continue to keep up to date with potential jobs as a civilian.

Words of advice: Don’t be disheartened if everything doesn’t go to plan and pursue as many different

activities you can to broaden your experiences.

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JULIA LYNCH WILLIAMS née Friend (DH 1983)

What job/career you saw yourself in aged 16: a vet A Levels studied: Maths, Physics and Chemistry

Undergraduate degree: BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Nottingham University Career path since graduating: I joined Esso as part of their graduate programme and did many jobs with them in the

7 years I was there before I left to join a shipping company. The shipping company sent me to Nigeria,

Singapore and the States. I then joined National Power to help set up electricity trading in the UK in 1997

and have been with the company ever since. I have done many jobs in the company and in 2000 National

Power was bought out by one of the largest utility companies in Europe - RWE. I was the Director of Energy

Services for their UK retail arm, RWE npower and in 2010 was asked to head up the RWE renewables

business in the UK. Current occupation: I am now Managing Director of RWE npower renewables. We

develop, build and operate wind farms, hydro and biomass electricity generating plant in the UK. We are one

of the largest renewable businesses in both Europe and the UK and RWE invests over 1 billion euros a year

in renewables across Europe. I spend a lot of my time working with people in government, local authorities,

NGO’s and other interested parties such as landowners. I also sit of the board of RWE’s Polish business.

Future plans: to stay in this industry and continue onwards and upwards!

Words of advice: I have two: (1) It’s as helpful to know the things you don’t want to do as it is to know the

things you do, (2) Never feel guilty about working when you have children (if that is what you want to do),

you only borrow them and as long as they are happy they grow up to be great kids!

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REBECCA OLDFIELD née Castle (DH 1991)

What job/career you saw yourself in aged 16: Chemical Engineer A Levels studied: Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Chemistry and A/S German Gap year: I worked to gain work experience in an industrial Research and Development role (with GEC Marconi, making semiconductor lasers!), and I spent 3 months working in Germany to improve my language skills, working in a quality control lab for a company making building materials. Undergraduate degree: BA Natural Sciences at Cambridge (Pembroke College) Other qualifications: PhD in Materials Science (Cambridge University) Career path since graduating: After my PhD in Jan 2000, I joined Infineum, which is a joint venture between ExxonMobil and Shell. It is a petrochemical company which makes additives for petrol, diesel and motor oils. I have worked for Infineum ever since! I started as a research and development scientist, developing new additives for use in car engine oils. In 2002, I started a 2 year ex-patriate assignment in the US, working closely with Infineum customers to design new transmission fluids for automatic gearboxes in cars, buses and lorries. In 2004 I returned to the UK (to get married) and continued working on transmission fluid development, based back in England. I took on my first supervisory role at this point. In 2006, I moved to a group leader position, managing a group of 25 people, all working on developing new engine oils for cars and trucks. This was extremely challenging – my first experience of “achieving through others” which is very different from doing everything yourself! In 2009, I moved out of our research and development function, to manage a single business unit within Infineum – this was totally different from working in R&D – I had to learn a lot about finance, pricing strategies and marketing in this role.

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Current occupation and details about the nature of your job/work: In 2010, I moved into

my current role: Supply Strategic Planning Manager. I am responsible for developing options

for how we could supply our products to customers in the future and determining what we

would need to change now in order to achieve this. I am also responsible for managing the

balance of supply and demand for product in the short term, which can be quite a stressful

occupation at times!

Future plans: There are still many opportunities within Infineum for me to develop new skills

and gain experience. So my plan is to continue building up my knowledge of the different

parts of the business within Infineum, but you never know what else might come along!!!

Words of advice: Always aim to do your current job to the best of your ability, then the next

job takes care of itself. This is also true while you are at school and university – always work

hard on the current stage you are in, and the next piece will fall into place more easily. When

you start work, be clear about what really motivates you: is it money, is it making things, is it

running a business, is it learning different skills, is it just getting out of the house having a chance

to socialise with other adults?! Whatever it is, make sure that your

job offers you what you really want, and don’t try to have all

of these at the same time, it probably isn’t possible. One

of the hardest decisions you might face in your working

career is whether to work, or be a mother, or both. There

is no right or wrong answer to this – it is a decision

that only YOU can make for you. Think hard about what

makes you happy, and have the courage to do whatever

is right for you, irrespective of what others around you

might be doing. Everything is possible, if you are willing

to make it work.

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ANTONIA KINGSLAND (DH 1988)

Ambition at 16: A forensic scientist or a weather girl on the television! A Levels studied: Maths, Chemistry, Geography and General Studies Undergraduate degree: Oxford Polytechnic (now Oxford Brooks University): Chemistry and Physics Career path since graduating: I didn’t graduate. I left university as it didn’t feel like the right path for me; the competition for forensic science was fierce! •Didagraduatesecretarialcourse(harderworkthanmyAlevels!),andthenstartedworkingforasmallfirm of Management Consultants near Winchester; started as their dogsbody, ended up working for the MD as his PA within 3 months. •Nanniedfor2monthsonLongIsland(NewYork),andasaresultbecamePAtoaLiteraryAgentwholived in London but spent 2 months every summer in the Hamptons on Long Island. Worked for him for four years, including 3 summers out on Long Island with him and his family. •PAtotheheadoftheAdvancedTechnologyPracticeatKornFerryinLondon.•PAtotheheadoftheLondonofficeatMcKinsey(arenownedglobalmanagementconsultingfirmwith approx. 80 offices in 40 countries). •ManageroftheLondonPAsatMcKinsey(agroupof60),overseeinghiring,firing,annualreviews,allaspects of HR, training and development. •ExecutiveAssistanttotheWorldwideMDofMcKinsey,basedinLondonbutextensivetraveleverymonth to Asia and the US. Also office manager for the MD’s office and managing a small group of Assistants including my own. •ProjectworkforMcKinseyonvariousglobalinitiatives.Current occupation and details about the nature of your job/work: •NewglobalroleatMcKinseyforourExpertPersonnel.•Futureplans:Keeplearning,keepdoingaroleIfindinterestingandchallenging, keep working with people I find inspiring on a daily basis.Words of advice: •Askquestions,evenifyouthinkitmightbeastupidquestion;thechancesareitisn’t!•Developgoodrelationshipswitheveryoneyouworkwithorinteractwith,not just those you think might promote you or help advance you up the ladder. •Beopentogettinginvolvedininitiativesthatareoutsideyourusualremit.•Takeresponsibilityforyourowndevelopment.

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law REBECCA NORRIS (DH 2004)

What job/career you saw yourself in aged 16: Musician/actress

A Levels studied: Music, English Literature, Italian, Theatre Studies

Did you take a gap year? Gap year 1: Following university, I spent time working in the legal department at DeutscheBank and

then travelled in southern Africa (including legal work experience).

Gap year 2: After completing my Bar qualifications I spent a year working as a lawyer specialising in

prison law and human rights in Kingston, Jamaica and then returned to London to work in the legal

department of Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Undergraduate degree: Law at Cambridge University

Other qualifications: Bar Vocational Course

Career path since graduating: I pursued a career at the independent Bar by undertaking a pupillage

at a set of chambers specialising in criminal defence work and international crime.

Current occupation: I am now employed as a barrister in an international law firm where I specialise

in commercial litigation, including international fraud and bribery.

Future plans: To gain knowledge and experience in the commercial world whilst maintaining my

commitment to human rights work and supporting young offenders.

Words of advice: Always aim high but make your choices based on what you enjoy.

FRANCES ADAMS née Montgomery (DH 1988)

A Levels studied: English, French, History of Art Undergraduate degree: History of Art ,Trinity College, Dublin Other qualifications: MA Courtauld Institute, Medieval HistoryCareer path since graduating: Teaching History of Art, Publishing, BBC Worldwide - Creative Director of their Consumer Products division, Shine TV - Creative Director.I am currently the Creative Director for BBC Worldwide Consumer Products where I am responsible for an extensive portfolio of entertainment, family and kids brands including Doctor Who, Top Gear, Lonely Planet, Dancing with the Stars, the FA, Teletubbies, Deadly 60 and Charlie & Lola.In April 2012 I will join the Shine Group where I will be responsible for establishing a creative vision across Shine Group’s in-house and third party properties, working with existing 360° Brand and Commercial teams, group division’s Shine Network, Shine Digital and production companies to achieve this for global formats including MasterChef, One Born Every Minute and The Biggest Loser. Future plans: To continue to work in MediaWords of advice: Be prepared to start at the bottom and work your way up. Always remember that the year ahead is more important than the 10 years behind you.

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JO NASH (DH 2002)

What job/career you saw yourself in aged 16:

I wanted to be a famous spy! I think the fact that I wanted to be a ‘famous’ spy says a lot about my understanding

of the job – basically I’d read too many John le Carre novels!

A Levels studied: English, History, Spanish

Undergraduate degree: Modern History at Worcester College, Oxford University.

Other qualifications: I am currently studying for a History MA at Birkbeck University in London.

Career path since graduating: I worked for a tiny charity which helped the homeless and I also did a number

of internships and work placements in various things – journalism, private equity, events – I was a late starter so

I had to try a few things out to find out what I really wanted to do!

Current occupation and details: I now work as Researcher to Iain Duncan Smith MP, a fascinating job which I

am very lucky to have, and I’ve been doing this for over 3 years now. I manage his constituency, which means I

manage all the local campaigns he gets involved in and his media profile on a local basis. I also write speeches

and newspaper columns for him. The best bit is probably the election campaigns – I managed Iain’s 2010

election campaign, which involved travelling all over the country with him (as his chauffeur and general bag-

carrier!) and being on the road for 6 weeks which was a lot of fun.

Future plans: I want to finish my History MA and then I want to

write biographies of interesting and controversial women from

the nineteenth century – Lady Caroline Lamb would

make a great subject.

Words of advice: Have a completely open mind –

I never saw myself working in politics when I was

at school so you just never know. Also I think

working for somebody you really respect and

like is very important – much more important

than what you actually do when you sit down

at your desk! What I do on a day-to-day basis

almost doesn’t matter to me because I get

on with my boss so well and I respect

him so much and I think that’s what

really matters.

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DH LINKS is a new joint venture between the Foundation Office and the Careers Department offering networking links and a focal point for any current students, recent leavers or alumnae who want to share or receive careers-based knowledge, guidance and information.

DH LINKS will incorporate many different initiatives including:

• Acentrallymanageddatabaseforalumnaetofillinapersonalprofileincludingdetailsabouttheir own career paths; alumnae and current girls will be able to access this using unique log-in details and passwords.

• CareerseventsatDowneHouseforcurrentgirlsintheformoftalksfromalumnaeabouttheir career pathways, jobs and business ventures.

• Professionalclustergroups/networkingeventsinvariouslocationsforalumnaewhoareinasimilar careers; recent leavers (probably at University) will also be invited.

• DHLINKSgrouponsocialnetworkswithinformationabouttheprofessionalandnetworking benefits of joining these for alumnae unfamiliar with social networking.

• Internshipoffersandbusinessadvertisingbyalumnaeforcurrentgirls,recentleaversandfellow alumnae.

More details will follow on all the above events and initiatives ~

For more information, please contact Laura Ogilvie-Jones: 01635 204722

dhlinks@downehouse.net DH LINKS group DH LINKS

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“My experiences at Downe instilled in me

self-belief and determination; I believe that anything is

possible if you work hard and set yourself achievable goals.”

“If you want to get ahead, just try really hard. Bosses recognise it and

reward it.”

“Keep in touch with your Downe House

friends. Mine are the best I have

ever had.”

“Be prepared to start at the bottom

and work your way up. Always remember that the year ahead is more important than the 10

years behind you.”

“Looking back, I was privileged to have so many opportunities open to me. Make use of all the fantastic resources available to you

and never be afraid to ask for help or support in

realising and achieving your dreams.”

“…only you know what really sets your heart on fire. Only you know what you really want to do. So be brave and follow what

you feel you will be good at, and really

want to do..”

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“Jobs should be vocations, they shouldn’t be about money,

or recognition, or what you feel society is asking of you.

You should do something that fires you up, be in an industry that you feel you can make a difference in. So don’t be wild

and unpractical but do be bold, think big and go for it!”

Think hard about what makes you happy, and

have the courage to do whatever is right for

you, irrespective of what others around you might be doing. Everything is

possible, if you are willing to make it work.

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“I left Downe House with the feeling there

was nothing I could not achieve.”

Downe House, Hermitage Road, Cold Ash, Thatcham, Berks RG18 9JJ

Tel: 01635 200286 www.downehouse.net