The annual Dulwich College Free Learning week is now well established and eagerly anticipated, and the politically themed 2017 event did not disappoint. The aim was to encourage our students to be thoughtful, informed, and active citizens. In a time of such political uncertainty, we want our pupils to be able to make sense of the world around them and have the confidence to go out and make a difference. Throughout the week, students were encouraged to have their say , through debating competitions, giving speeches at ‘Speakers Corner’, contributing to the suggestion boards for what Brexit and the Budget should look like, a school-wide daily vote on issues from prisoner incarceration to nuclear weapons, and much more.
put together a model of how our economic system works and discussed how politicians can influence the distribution of resources in our society. The highlight of the day was actor Pip Utton, who stole the show with his captivating performances as both Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler, which was enjoyed by pupils from across the age ranges. ‘The Winston Churchill portrayal was brilliant; hilarious and historically accurate. His speech gave me the shivers.’ Hasan, Year 11, on An Hour in the Company of Winston Churchill. On Day 2, Junior School pupils enjoyed a thought- provoking assembly on refugees, and what home means. Year 10 pupils were asked to challenge the status quo of society with speakers from The Advocacy Academy and Amnesty International showing our students just what a difference People Power can make. Lunchtime events ranged from Lionel Barber OA giving an insight into how Westminster works, to Lower School boys debating the merits of lowering the voting age. After school The Fawcett Society led a brilliant workshop with DC boys and JAGS girls on suffragist history and contemporary women’s issues. The day ended with a lecture-concert on The Politics of Music and the Role of the Composer . Dr Cameron Pyke provided a historical perspective into what it was like for Shostakovich and Prokofiev to compose in the Soviet Union, before outstanding performances from the DC Piano Quintet, a piano sonata by Luis Pares, and a joint DC-JAGS Chamber Orchestra performance with some 56 performers.
The week started with a bang with assemblies on topics ranging from refugees to Soviet composers. Lower School pupils were given an introduction to Superpowers and encouraged to focus not only on ‘hard’ power, but also think about the ‘softer’ powers that play such an important role in modern politics. Year 9 pupils enjoyed a workshop led by the team from the charity Economy , who helped students as they Pupils ‘have their say’ during Dulwich Political.
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