Helping parents settle into the Dulwich Community
Excellence inside and outside the classroom Learning is at the heart of Dulwich College and the Junior School, referred to as the ‘primacy of the classroom’. In practice this means our academic expectations and standards are very high. This is not measured simply in terms of results and attainment, crucially it is seen in the attitudes of the boys in the areas of study and knowledge beyond the curriculum. Throughout their time at the College, boys are given intellectual opportunities and experiences designed to encourage curiosity as well as a deep and independent enjoyment for learning. Learning at Dulwich is by no means confined to the classroom; annual examples include themed Symposium Days with lectures by internationally-known academics with seminars led by experts in their fields, A-level
• After the boys’ Induction Afternoon, we host a New Parents’ Evening, which provides an introduction to staff members and a helpful briefing on the school day, uniform, music lessons, extra curricular activities, after-school care, the coach service and more. Over drinks, parents can chat with their son’s Form Tutor and fellow Form parents. • Reps from The Friends of Dulwich College (our ‘Parents Association’) host an introductory coffee morning on the first day of term to welcome new families to our community. • Shortly after the start of term, all parents are invited to a Social and Curriculum Evening to learn the plans for their son’s Year Group (academically, pastorally and from a co-curricular perspective) and to offer another chance for new parents and staff to get to know each other.
plus courses studied alongside the A Levels are used to delve deeper into the subjects, scholars’ groups and our off-timetable weeks explore different themes under the titles, for example, Dulwich Creative/ Inventive/Linguistic/Political. The Junior School starts the free-learning journey with our own age-appropriate Symposium, shared with a local girls school. In addition there are Dulwich special subject weeks, trips, workshops, academic House competitions and an emphasis on approaching research projects in the most creative, widest way (eg boys can write songs, stage a puppet show, devise a board game or construct a model to demonstrate their newly gained knowledge on their chosen topic). Throughout the Junior School, the boys will have many opportunities to engage in project work to develop their academic curiosity, independence and creativity. We now have Forest School across the Junior School. Free Learning culminates in the Year 6 “Great Exhibition” in which the children answer their own questions about the UN Global goals in the form of several mini-projects, an ‘action’, and presentation to parents and children.
“The settling procedure, environment and teacher / child relationship has exceeded my expectations. I see my son happier and flourishing in his class, wanting to learn and not disappoint . I’m very pleased for him.”
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