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Dulwich has a distinguished tradition of inspired teaching and genuine scholarship; pupils from the College join the most competitive of universities, in the UK and around the world, and thereafter enter all the major professions, with a high number choosing to work in Engineering, the Health Services and the Law. But we are also alert to the changing nature of work; we expect our alumni to take up a number of jobs not yet dreamt of: to have more than one career and to carve out career paths that would have been unimaginable in their parents’ and grandparents’ generations. Dulwich has a long-standing reputation for producing fine actors, musicians, sportsmen and writers; many of our students now go on to engage in entrepreneurial, technological, cybernetic and innovative enterprises too. A sense of service and of “giving something back” to society is also a motivating factor for many. We believe that more and more will commit to work which will define them as community and service leaders.
Our ethos is one of equality and our values are founded in respect, self-respect and respect for others. We endeavour to help pupils to do the right thing, but they also know they can seek guidance when they face difficulties and that they will receive the support they need.
Our principal objectives are:
- to ensure that all our pupils feel equally secure and valued;
- to offer academic challenges that enable all pupils to realise their potential;
- to provide sporting, cultural, charitable and adventurous engagement for all our pupils to enjoy and through which they can learn to work co-operatively and to lead;
- to nurture a supportive, diverse and inclusive community that encourages a sense of social responsibility.
- Our duty is to ensure that all our pupils are engaged in good learning, both in the classroom and beyond it; both in working towards examined syllabuses and in their free learning.
It is our responsibility to enable Alleynians to be thoroughly well prepared for the challenges of the 21st century and this includes helping pupils set themselves independent challenges - and support others with their challenges. Another part of this preparation is service to the community and an appreciation of its importance. The relationships our diverse and outward-looking community of pupils, staff, parents and alumni build through our partnerships with schools and organisations in Southwark and beyond and through our international network of schools benefit the entire community.
Art at Dulwich College seeks to develop the visual literacy of all pupils, to enliven and complement the academic life of the College in ways that can exist beyond the art studios. Academic excellence is secured through a rich tradition of independent learning and tried and tested teaching, so that our young artists become ever more curious, courageous and original as they engage with the world.
Exhibitions are fundamental to developing creativity; hosting a mix of shows by both student and practising artists further stretches and enriches the student experience, providing the wider cultural free-learning that highly academic students crave. ‘Break-out' exhibitions operate in transient spaces, challenging students to problem solve, be flexible and take risks.
The Art Department supports the idea that while many of our students will go on to study Art, Design and Architecture at university, all students can access the subject to learn skills that are transferable across a wide range of professions, preparing them, in an ever-changing world, to challenge and adapt.
To study the extraordinarily innovative societies of ancient Greece and Rome is to understand the ideas and forces which shaped modern Europe. Delving back, therefore, into the roots of our social, cultural and linguistic inheritance allows us more deeply to understand ourselves while a knowledge of the classical languages of Latin and Greek enriches our own thoughts, ideas and the speech by which we express them.
For this reason, we set great store by the study of the classics which is compulsory in Years 7 and 8, with an opportunity to take the subject further through Latin and Greek up to GCSE and pre-U and Ancient History at Advanced Level. The disciplines of clear thought and measured expression gained through a study of the classics benefit all areas of the curriculum, which is why the classics have been such an important cornerstone of English education from its earliest schools.
Our approach is broadly traditional with a thorough grounding in grammar, syntax and vocabulary. By this means, the boys can understand how any language, including their own, works. At the same time, the study provides a foundation for the study of other Latin-based languages such as Spanish and French. Their understanding of the classical world is enhanced with numerous visits to museums and theatres and trips to local archaeological sites and to the Mediterranean.
The department of 6 full-time staff (from September 2013) has a broad range of academic interests within the discipline and its members have published work on areas including Greek tragedy, classical epic poetry and Roman historiography.
Critical Thinking is a demanding course that aims to refine the core reasoning skills that form the basis of all academic discourse. In particular, these skills include the analysis, evaluation and deployment of argument, along with the evaluation of evidence.
Although it can be easily shown that the development of these skills is beneficial to study at A level and to an even greater extent beyond, particular emphasis on the course is given to supporting university applications, particularly for the more competitive courses, which increasingly involve the assessment of critical thinking skills by means of assessment test, usually taken in November of Year 13. Depending on the university, subjects requiring these papers include Medicine, Law and Engineering and an increasing number of subjects at Oxbridge. Critical Thinking is taught as an A level Plus course in Year 12, and as a Liberal Studies course in Year 13. The number of places is limited, so students are encouraged to take active steps to determine whether they may need to sit an assessment test when they apply to university before opting for the Critical Thinking course.
The Design and Technology department offers an invigorating, challenging and exciting experience for pupils of all ages. Creativity and imagination remains at the core of the subject and lessons are of interest and relevance so pupils are motivated to complete projects to a high standard, bringing both form and function together to produce impressive and useful products.
Boys develop their confidence and a wide range of skills in Design and Engineering through a range of projects. In their first years the emphasis is on the development of key design skills as they grow in confidence and creativity. Later on, they are able to tackle more complex tasks involving a variety of media from the more traditional materials to electronics and computer-aided design and manufacture. Whilst still maintaining the importance of traditional crafts of woodwork and metalwork we are a forward thinking department embracing the changes of syllabus at GCSE and A level, and boys are expected to have significant knowledge of the new technologies helping to broaden their horizons of design in the real world. All studying at GCSE will learn the core content before moving into their specialist area of Electronics or Resistant Materials in Year 11. There are opportunities for boys to design and make products that solve genuine problems within different contexts whilst considering their own and others' needs. It is a subject that compliments so many others, and is often invaluable to their skill set.
The department has five workshops and two computer suites, where boys can use the very latest software for Computer Aided Design and Manufacture, and we have a number of 3D printing machines which are proving invaluable for prototyping and scale modelling at GCSE and A level whilst also being used in the Lower School for technologically relevant and engaging projects. Our extensive design and technology facilities allow for a wide range of activities both as part of the curriculum and for extended projects out of school hours, as seen with Engineering Club. Boys have their first experiences of Design and Technology as a specialism from age 7, and can continue their journey right through to A level. We have many inspired young designers that take their studies to GCSE, A Level, and to university to ultimately pursue careers in design, architecture and the various branches of engineering.
We are continually building links with other schools, product designers and engineers to ensure we are at the cutting edge of teaching this inspirational subject. Boys are encouraged to participate widely in local and national competitions while liaising with our many associates in industry to gain experience of design and technology in action.
Since the College was founded by the actor and impresario Edward Alleyn, a contemporary of William Shakespeare, it is no surprise that drama has always been a vital part of our school life. Alleyn understood the importance of theatre not just to entertain but to enlighten.
The study of drama allows us to explore the ideas that shape the world around us while the practice of theatre, through performance or stage craft, helps the individual to develop poise, confidence and expression.
Drama is offered within the curriculum to the end of Year 9 and thereafter at GCSE and Advanced level. Beyond the classroom, our purpose-built theatre, which sees some 50 or more theatrical events a year, provides all the facilities needed to gain experience in every aspect of production from sound and lighting to directing, design and, of course, acting. A remarkably high number of our pupils go on to careers in the performing arts while the value of Drama and Theatre Studies at A level, as a means of developing important life-skills, is recognised by higher education establishments and employers alike.
Should the UK government regulate Google, Facebook and other ‘tech giants'? Why do so many people sign up for expensive gym memberships and then never attend? Should the Bank of England cut or raise interest rates? And what do the various, possible post-Brexit trade agreements mean for our prospects as individuals and as an economy?
At its most abstract we might say that Economics is the study of scarcity and decision-making: what should we produce, how should we do so and to whom should we distribute the spoils? But that framework and way of thinking can be applied to any number of interesting questions, as illustrated above.
At Dulwich, Economics is offered in the Upper School, allowing students to develop a new view of the World and an insight into the ways in which society operates, from the day-to-day decisions made by consumers and businesses, to the macroeconomic issues at both national and international levels.
Topics studied in detail include:
- How markets operate
- Consumer behaviour and rationality
- Free markets vs government intervention
- Macroeconomic outcomes and objectives: growth, inflation, unemployment, trade
- Trade and globalisation
- Financial markets and their impact on the wider economy
- Macroeconomic and microeconomic policy in practice
The department regularly welcomes expert visiting speakers from a range of backgrounds including business, politics and academia. Students undertake original research, give presentations, and use ICT extensively as part of the course. The department has its own suite of rooms including an ICT suite and is situated in the Lord George Building in the heart of the Upper School. Students augment their wider learning through a range of competitions, conferences and trips every year, alongside weekly meetings of a thriving Economics Society. The subject is very popular with boys in the Upper School, with close to half of students in the Remove choosing to study Economics.
Attendance at weekly meetings of the Economics Society have grown substantially, and students are treated to an impressive array of visiting expert speakers, punctuated by highly enjoyable student-led meetings.
The department has set up its own library for students to use, complementing the healthy selection of reading material available in the Wodehouse library.
The inordinate number of prestigious writers who have emerged from Dulwich over the years is a testament to the importance of English at the College. Our founder, Edward Alleyn, was an associate of William Shakespeare during one of the most inspired periods of literary history and enshrined his love of the written word in his instructions to teach, ‘wryting, reading and grammar' as core subjects.
All pupils take English and English Literature at GCSE and a significant number continue with Literature to A level. We view reading as central to the development of creative, informed and independent thinking, and so pupils are introduced to a wide range of texts by diverse writers, from key works in the English literary canon to contemporary writing, world literature and non-literary and media texts. In short, our aim is that Dulwich College boys encounter the very best that has been written, and that they are challenged and inspired by the language and ideas they find there.
Writing is equally important for accurate, imaginative and confident self-expression. In addition to regular debates, discussions, play-readings and talks, pupil are encouraged to explore ideas and develop their literary skills by contributing to South Circular, an annual volume of short fiction, poetry and essays published by the English Department, and The Alleynian, the College's annual magazine. When they find acquiring the core skills required by English more challenging, teachers liaise closely with Learning Support and dedicated EAL specialists.
The department is equipped with its own screening room, where film can be experienced in an appropriately immersive environment, and boys are introduced to drama both actively within the English curriculum and through links with the Edward Alleyn Theatre. Outside the classroom, the department organises theatre trips, writing workshops, meetings with established authors and various societies, including LitSoc (our literary society), Gothic Society and Africa and Caribbean Culture Society.
Geography at Dulwich equips students with the knowledge and skills to explore the most pressing contemporary environmental and social problems.
The department prides itself on offering excellent teaching that is academically stimulating, forward-looking and innovative.
Many teachers in the department are engaged in their own academic projects and students are taught by genuine subject experts. The department has strong links with top UK universities and is at the forefront of training new geography teachers into the profession.
Our approach to teaching encourages students to think way beyond the exam syllabuses and explore issues that do not have straightforward answers. To this end, our thriving subject societies in the Lower School and Upper School encourage students to develop their own geographical interests. These societies are excellent preparation for Oxbridge, and other top universities, as well as enabling pupils to cultivate a genuine love for the discipline and a curiously about the world.
Fieldwork is also key to our departmental heritage and contemporary approach. Work in the classroom is supplemented by field trips (Brighton and Dorset). Recent expeditions have taken place to Slovenia, Sicily and Cuba.
The department expects many A Level student to continue to study Geography at university. For those students not choosing to study Geography at university, the discipline is highly regarded for conferring a wealth of transferable skills.
History is a voyage of discovery into the past. But the past does not ‘exist' in the way that Paris or petroleum exists. Indeed, the only thing we can say about it with any real certainty is that it does not exist at all: by definition, it is ‘not present'. This may not sound like the most promising of voyages; in fact, it is endlessly exhilarating. We have clues to guide us: like letters, laws, wills, wars, pyramids, rituals, languages – and people, both living and dead, who disagree with us about their meanings. It happened: but how did it really happen? That's the question you must answer.
History teachers also deliver Liberal Studies courses on the American Civil War and the history of art; as well as offering ‘A Level Plus' courses on Nazi rule in Europe, 1939-45, and on American history, politics, and culture.
With such richness in our teaching, History remains one of the largest A Level subjects, with over 60 boys enrolling every year. They achieve excellent results: an average of 25% have attained A* grades over the last five years, and over 90% A*-B. In recent years, three boys have won the Vellacott Essay Prize, administered by Peterhouse, Cambridge; and in 2020 four boys won places at Oxbridge colleges to study History.
Beyond the classroom, History students make visits to sites of historical significance, such as the First World War battlefields and European capitals like Berlin, Vienna, and Budapest. In the August before they return to the Sixth Form, keen historians are taken on a week of outings and expeditions to museums, galleries, exhibitions and sites of interest in London and farther afield; suitable readings are paired with each outing. This is the culmination of an extensive provision for those considering the discipline at university, and for those making an Oxbridge application: Further History seminars run weekly throughout the academic year and introduce boys to a wide range of readings and sources – not least those hosted by the impressive College Archives. The jewel in the crown, however, remains the History Society, which meets in the Masters' Library every Friday at 4PM; these discussions are chaired by the Head of History, but driven by the boys who attend. Recent topics of debate have included ‘History and Memory', ‘Historical Statues and Present Politics', and ‘Conspiracy Theories'; recent outings have been made to the College of Arms and the British Library; and recent speakers have included world-class historians like Rosemary Hill on Antiquarianism, Rod Wye on Deng Xiaoping, Prof. Jane Ridley on Victoria and the Victorians, Michael Bundock on Francis Barber, Prof. Roy Foster on W. B. Yeats, Prof. Michael Collins on ‘the Kenya Emergency', and Prof. Simon Dixon on Peter the Great.
Computer Science continues to thrive at the College and is now taught in five purpose built Informatics Suites in the new Laboratory. Elements of computational thinking, logic and problem solving are taught in Years 7 and 8, both at a theoretical level and more practical with Micro:bits, Raspberry Pis and robotics. Coding in a more graphical format is also covered at this point.
These skills lead to the opportunity to take the recently introduced iGCSE in Computer Science which develops greater programming skills as well as delving deeper into every aspect of computers into today's society. In the Upper School boys can take an A level in Computer Science where they will cover a number of programming languages including Visual Basic and Python as well as HTML, CSS and Javascipt. Shorter courses based on computer game creation are also available for every boy to study.
The College has had much success with the BEBRAS Computational Thinking Challenge with frequent entries on the Hall of Fame as well as victories in other Computer Science competitions. The Programming Club meets weekly to collaborate on various projects, to hear speakers and to talk with several OAs who have embarked on a career in computer science.
Many of the boys go on to study Computer Science at university leading to successful careers in a number of different areas. The teaching of Computer Science at the College aims to give every boy problem solving and logic skills that can be applied to a wide variety of situations and will serve him well in his future career.
At the heart of Mathematical study is the development of the faculties of logic, reasoning and independent thinking. In the Mathematics Department we aim to help all boys to progress within the curriculum but, equally, we work to develop the confident thinking that is the natural outcome of mathematical studies. At the same time we hope to foster an appreciation of the intrinsic elegance of mathematical ideas along with a recognition of their central role in many disciplines. We therefore emphasise the importance of numeracy along with the ability to model real-life problems in a mathematical context.
Boys in Year 7 start by recapping basic numeracy before beginning to build the core topics of algebra, geometry and statistics. This is built upon in Year 9, along with the introduction of trigonometry and set theory.
Around half of the boys in Year 9 follow an accelerated course, making a start on IGCSE work, with around three classes then taking IGCSE alongside Additional Mathematics in Year 11 with the rest focussing on IGCSE alone at the end of Year 11. The aim is for boys to always feel that they are doing mathematics for its own sake and hopefully enjoyment, however, and not just for an examination. In the Upper School boys can chose from A level Mathematics with mechanics or statistics, AS Further Mathematics (one and a half A levels) or full Further Mathematics. Provision is made for the top students to study topics well beyond the syllabus, with extra lessons and outside speakers, including former students of the College, giving talks and masterclasses.
Students regularly choose to participate in the various national mathematics competitions on offer over the year, including the Junior, Intermediate or Senior Mathematics Challenge with the best students going on to the follow on rounds, the Olympiads. Boys also enter national team challenges, plus the London wide ‘Hans Woyda' mathematics competition involving a team of boy from across the year groups. Boys also produce a yearly mathematics magazine, DC Mathematica, containing articles by students and staff.
The Modern Languages Department aims to make boys proficient in the use of one, usually two, and sometimes three languages. This involves not only linguistic competence but a thorough understanding of different cultures.
In Year 7, pupils choose either French or Spanish as their first language which they study to IGCSE. In addition to French or Spanish, all pupils in Year 7 learn Mandarin Chinese. The demand for second and third foreign language study is encouraging: in Year 8, pupils choose to start German or may continue with Chinese. In Year 9, French, German, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish are introduced as options. It is usual for 30% of the Year 11 cohort to sit two language GCSEs with a significant number of pupils choosing to continue to study one or more languages at A level (Pre-U for German).
Communicative proficiency, coupled with intellectual challenge and enrichment through film, literature and other aspects of target-language culture lie at the heart of our approach to language study. Our schemes of work look to teach beyond the confines of the chosen specifications and inspirational teaching brings languages to life whilst maintaining strong linguistic standards. Our well-resourced language laboratory provides intensive practice in the key skills of listening and speaking while eight native-speaker assistants contribute to the achievement of excellent levels of oral competence.
In addition to a strong school-based co-curricular provision that ranges from “Aviation française” in the Junior School, to the “Languages and Cultures Society” in the Middle and Upper Schools, we actively encourage pupils to participate in language competitions and events outside the College. These include the Stephen Spender Translation Prize, London Schools' French and Spanish debating competitions, HSBC / British Council Chinese Speaking Competition, UK-German Connection Young Ambassadors scheme, Goethe Institut German Debating Competition and the UK Linguistics Olympiad. We are very proud of our pupils' success in these competitions. Every year pupils and staff take part in a languages week of activities. In November 2016, the Department ran “Dulwich Linguistic”, which involved the entire student body from Reception to Year 13. The week was highly successful and more details can be found on the Dulwich Linguistic page.
There are currently 16 optional language study visits to France, Spain, Germany, Italy and China for pupils of all ages. It is expected that pupils studying A levels will participate in residential study, a homestay visit or an exchange, all of which are organised by the College.
A measure of the success of language learning at the College is the encouraging number of students who go on to read Modern Languages beyond Dulwich. Pupils looking to study Modern Languages at university are tutored in the literature and advanced culture of their chosen subjects as well as taken beyond the Year 13 syllabus in their linguistic work. Every year, there are candidates for Oxbridge entry in most languages, and the College is proud of the achievements of its linguists who have continued their studies at university and moved into careers where languages are essential.
As an academic subject, Music seeks to engage students in instrumental and vocal performance, composition, and listening and appraising skills.
A broad and comprehensive programme of musical experience is offered and class lessons in Years 7-9 include a wide range of activity-based projects featuring both traditional musical study and skill-based training in score writing and sequencing using Garageband, Sibelius Ultimate and Logic Pro X. In Years 10-13 boys may take Edexcel GCSE and A level courses and these provide the opportunity for advanced study, acting as a preparation for higher education. Edexcel set works, which encompass a wide variety of musical styles, enable boys to discover who wrote what, for whom, and why. In support of these courses there are regular academic seminars given by eminent musicologists and use is made of the College's unique archive of books and eighteenth-century music manuscripts. In addition, there are opera trips and concert visits during the academic year. Performance skills are nurtured by a wide range of co-curricular ensembles and by masterclasses with professional players.
The extensive academic teaching programme is supported by our Visiting Composer Cecilia McDowall, who is able to provide one-to-one supervision for our GCSE and A level students. The Department's Music Technician and Studio Engineer, Isa Khan, provides expert teaching in all aspects of music technology and studio techniques. There is also an annual Composition Competition, which is open to all boys in Years 7-13.
Pupils often continue their musical studies beyond Dulwich, with a significant number of Oxbridge organ and choral awards in recent years, and places to read Music at universities and conservatoires.
In its broadest sense, Politics is concerned with power and the way in which, for better or worse, it is distributed and exercised in society. It is also concerned with people: how they interact, make decisions and settle disputes. The study of Politics, which is offered as an A2 subject in the Upper School, provides a developed understanding of the British and American political environment, as well as the political ideas which have shaped western government and society.
Topics studied in detail include:
- Government and Politics of the UK
- Government and Politics of the USA and comparative politics
- Political ideas, including Conservatism, Liberalism, Socialism and Feminism
The department regularly welcomes expert visiting speakers from a range of political backgrounds. Students undertake original research, give presentations and use ICT extensively as part of the course. Students augment their wider learning through a range of essay competitions, conferences and excursions, including a biennial trip to Washington DC. There is also a thriving weekly Politics Society. The subject is increasingly popular with Upper School students and provides an excellent grounding for degree courses such as PPE, HSPS, Politics, International Relations, Sociology and Journalism.
Religion and Theology explores the spiritual ideas and moral values that have shaped the major civilizations of the world. Through an exploration of the principal faiths, the boys discover how thinkers through the ages have addressed the great questions of life: what is the world, how did it come into existence and what is my relationship to it? The idea is not to adopt any particular faith perspective but, through study and debate, to engage with these fascinating and fundamental questions that broaden the view and enrich the lives of the individual
Religion and Theology is compulsory up to Year 9, with many students opting to continue studying to GCSE, A level and beyond. The Lower School curriculum concentrates on the major world religions (Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism in Year 7; Christianity, Judaism and Islam in Year 8). In Year 9 pupils study various topics including conflict in Israel/Palestine, religion and literature and an introduction to the philosophy of religion. At GCSE students examine the ethics, philosophy and theology of two different world faiths, and at A level boys can choose one of two discreet subjects, either: Religious Studies studying Christian thought, religious ethics and the philosophy of religion, or Philosophy where epistemology, moral philosophy and the philosophy of mind and metaphysics of God are investigated.
Classroom study is complemented with a specialist, up-to-date department library, regular trips to subject conferences, excursions to places of worship and art galleries, debates and talks from outside speakers.
Science is taught by over 25 teachers working within a purpose-designed new science building, The Laboratory, housing 18 fully equipped laboratories, three preparation rooms and the James Caird Hall, an exhibition space and home to Sir Ernest Shackleton's lifeboat, the James Caird. The teaching staff is supported by eight technicians.
These generous facilities and resources allow us to realise our belief that science is an experimental subject and that the best way to learn is by practical experience; at every level almost all lessons involve an element of practical work.
Each class from Year 4 to Year 8 is taught in laboratories specially designed to meet the needs of younger boys supported by their own full time technician. From Year 9, Biology, Physics and Chemistry are taught separately; every boy is taught all three subjects by specialists. Many pupils take IGCSE in all three sciences, whilst some take Double Award Science. A significant proportion of IGCSE students choose to continue with one or more sciences at A level.
There are many opportunities to attend a wide variety of outside lectures and visits. All A level biologists take part in a residential field course at a centre staffed by specialists. Most boys who study Science A level courses go on to university to read medicine, dentistry, one of the branches of engineering or computer science.
We encourage boys to try for places in Olympiad teams which represent the UK against teams from other nations. Many gain awards: Dulwich provided no less than half the UK team for a Chemistry Olympiad on one occasion, and has been well represented in Physics, regularly gaining gold medals and representing the UK team.
The College is highly successful in competitions across all the sports that we teach and we hope that every boy will find a sport which will enable him to maintain health and fitness and in which he should have a chance to represent the College as part of our extensive co-curricular programme. Physical Education is an integral part of the school curriculum from Year 3 through to Year 13. Our Physical Education units of work are designed to underpin this success in terms of movement literacy, physiological development, how to train and psychological resilience.
It is also possible to study the subject at Advanced level where a multi-disciplinary approach encourages the development of different methods of enquiry. The focal points are the performer, the performance and the interaction between the scientific, psychological and socio-cultural theory and practice of the subject.
Physical Education is a unique medium through which pupils can develop physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively. It must be challenging and enjoyable, inspiring a quest for improvement and, for many, a desire for competition. The aim is for all boys to develop, to improve, to perform to the best of their ability and to find at least one sport that will serve them in adult life.
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