Boarding Prospectus 2021

Dulwich College Boarding Prospectus

Boarders’ FAQ There are many questions parents want to ask when considering boarding for their sons. But what do boys want to know before they choose a boarding school? We asked a group of nine Dulwich boarders – junior and senior boys from all four houses – the questions they had before coming to Dulwich. Here are their top 12 questions and answers:

What are the rule around electronic devices? Phones, tablets and laptops are all fine and we are expected to act responsibly. You obviously can’t stay up all night using them otherwise the Housemasters will have something to say... Are we allowed off campus on our own? Yes. During the week junior boarders can go out locally and some can visit London at the weekends with permission of their Housemaster. Senior boarders can sign themselves out when they go out locally during the week but if they want to go up to London they need their Housemaster’s permission beforehand. Curfews are 9pm for junior boarders and 11/11.30pm for senior boarders. When is bedtime? Junior boys are encouraged to be in bed between 9.15pm and 10pm (depending on which year group they are in) while seniors’ bedtimes are 10.45pm during the week and around 11pm at the weekends. What do we need to do before we arrive? It’s worth labelling your clothes and sports kit. Bring your own towels too. You can bring your bed linen if you prefer, though that is supplied. There’s a school shop on campus so you can buy your uniform when you get here, although if you’re a senior you can wear your own suit so you will probably want to purchase that beforehand.

What are the boys like at Dulwich? Open minded, energetic, welcoming, humorous, intelligent.

What’s the food like? Pretty good and there’s lots of it – not just at mealtimes but between meals too if you’re hungry. There are vegetarian and vegan options and we’re encouraged to talk to the Catering department about what we like to eat and they’ll devise menus for us. We’re allowed sweets and takeaways once a week. No nuts are allowed in the boarding houses. What’s the Dulwich area like? There’s a cinema in East Dulwich as well as shops and cafés. Dulwich Village is within walking distance, with a park, café and places to eat. It’s easy to get around by bike so bring one if you’d like to. What happens at week-ends? It’s much more free flow at the weekends. We have breakfast in our houses – fresh fruit, bacon sandwiches, pastries and pain au chocolate – and then we might have a trip organised, such as paint-balling, going to see a football match or a trip to the beach. Usually though we head up to Central London as it’s so easy to get there plus there’s always loads to do, even if it’s just wandering along the South Bank when it’s a nice day. Are there special boarders’ events? Each year we hold an International Day which showcases food and culture from around the world to the wider Dulwich community that includes pupils, teachers and parents. Every Christmas there is an amazing dinner in the Great Hall (just think Hogwarts), and in the summer term we have fantastic barbecues in the gardens.

What nationalities are there in the boarding houses? There are around 20 nationalities and currently these include American, British, Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, Thai, Polish, Singaporean, Russian, Ghanaian, Turkish, Sierra Leonean, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Canadian, Taiwanese, Australian, French and Sri Lankan. What musical and sporting opportunities are there after school and at the week-ends? All the boarding houses have a piano and you can take instrumental lessons either during the school day or afterwards. You can set up your own band and rehearse in the Pod – a sound-proofed room by the Music School which has amps and a drum kit – or in the boarding houses. There’s an Orchard House band that plays at boarding and school events. Boarders have automatic membership of the Sports Centre so you can do any sport you like or just go to the gym and do weights and machines if you prefer. Sometimes we go before school if we’ve got other after-school commitments. There are sporting fixtures every Saturday plus house competitions such as tennis, football, rugby and badminton. What are the rooms like? The junior boarders share – anywhere between two to five boys depending on the size of the room and their age – while senior boarders in Ivyholme and Blew House have their own en-suite study rooms. They’re comfortable and you can put up posters and pictures to make it more like home.

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