Dulwich College: The Junior School A GSG School
- Dulwich College: The Junior School
Dulwich Common
London
SE21 7LD - Head: Dr Toby Griffiths
- T 020 8299 8432
- F 020 8693 6319
- E [email protected]
- W www.dulwich.org.uk
- An independent school for boys aged from 7 to 11.
- Boarding: No
- Local authority: Southwark
- Pupils: 227
- Religion: Church of England
- Fees: £24,693 pa
- Open days: Check school website
- Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review
- ISI report: View the ISI report
- Linked schools: Dulwich College, DUCKS Kindergarten and Infants' School
What The Good Schools Guide says..
An all-rounder – academics have improved considerably and other bits still brilliant. Natural movement on to the College means that exam pressure does not dominate, so boys can do their best without worrying about passing or failing. Outstanding pastoral care (we’re not surprised given the nurturing approach more generally). We got a strong sense from parents that their sons were treated as individuals and that the school invests time and energy in getting to know the boys. Issues dealt with sensitively. Teachers are…
What the school says...
Dulwich College Junior School is very much a part of the College but great care is taken to provide an environment appropriate to the age of the boys. They are taught by teachers who understand the needs of this age group. As well as providing academic challenge, boys are actively encouraged to participate in the co-curricular life of the College; there are many lunch time clubs and activities including Lego club, gardening, karate, rugby, newspaper club, chapel choir, orchestra, design technology and drama. In addition, they are members of one of the College Houses and participate enthusiastically in a range of House competitions: teambuilding day, the House conker competition and House chess are all firm favourites. Boys enter the Junior School primarily at the age of 7 but there is also a small entry at age 8, 9 and 10. The Junior School, like the rest of the College, is academically selective. The expectation is that the boys will move to the Lower School at age 11, following the 11+ examination. ...Read more
Do you know this school?
The schools we choose, and what we say about them, are founded on parents’ views. If you know this school, please share your views with us.
Please login to post a comment.
Sports
Rowing
Fencing
What The Good Schools Guide says
Head
Since 2013, Dr Toby Griffiths. Educated at Whitgift School and the University of Edinburgh; holds a doctorate in educational psychology from Oxford. Six years as deputy headmaster at Lanesborough School in Guildford. Has also taught at St Paul's Juniors and The Dragon, where he was boarding housemaster and head of maths. Part of a teaching dynasty: father taught at Whitgift for 38 years, mother was a prep school head, brother is headmaster of Norwich School (they were hockey blues together at Oxford). Considered teaching psychology, but from the moment he experienced the Dragon, ‘all bets were off’ – loves the ‘energy and enthusiasm’ of the junior school age group.
A relaxed manner and a ready laugh, he gives the impression that he’d happily chat all day (and so would we). Doesn't talk about the school in that rather earnest way that we often see elsewhere. Parents enthuse: ‘approachable and responsive’ and ‘really shows an interest in the boys’.
The green spaces of Dulwich made moving to London easier. Lives nearby with wife, Vicky, and four children: a son in sixth form at the college, a daughter doing GCSEs at nearby Sydenham High and two ‘terrific’ little boys, the older of whom is about to start at DUCKS.
Master of the College is Dr Joe Spence (see separate review).
Entrance
Around 45 places available at 7+, with about a third coming from DUCKS. Six to nine places in each of years 4 and 5. Register in the autumn preceding year of entry. Assessment process starts with online reasoning and group activities. From this, shortlisted applicants are invited for literacy and maths assessments constituting mini-lessons and one to one sessions – ‘We’ll talk about something unfamiliar that the boys have to think about’.
Working towards a more inclusive admissions process by using investigations and open-ended questions that parents or private tutors can’t anticipate – looking for ‘intellectual sparkle’. Boys need to be on top of the year 2 curriculum, but ‘we’ll forgive the odd gap’. Want to remove advantage that boys from a pre-prep might previously have had over primary school applicants.
Over three applicants per place; increasingly seen as the start of the College. A moment of pride for each boy as he is handed their first DC tie on induction day. Eclectic list of feeders at 7+ representing both independent and maintained sector schools.
Exit
Almost everyone goes on to the College. In the extremely rare cases where there are concerns, extensive dialogue over several years regarding where they would thrive. Ultimately still the parents' decision. Parents very happy with the way that the transition to DC is managed.
Our view
An all-rounder – academics have improved considerably and other bits still brilliant. Natural movement on to the College means that exam pressure does not dominate, so boys can do their best without worrying about passing or failing.
Dr Griffiths has done a lot to break down hierarchies and ensure that boys experiment with a range of activities. ‘They should be everything and do everything – they will be a rugby player, a musician, a scientist’. No need to choose between a swimming gala and orchestra practice: ‘we’re breaking down the preconceptions of “I’m sporty, therefore I don’t like music”’, says head. ‘There’s plenty of time in a 10-year journey for those elites to reach their national standards – we don’t need to set that identity in concrete when boys are eight. Specialisation can happen when they’re ready for it’. Believes that putting boys ‘on pedestals’ creates ‘an underclass’, so that while some are being celebrated others are thinking 'I’m not sporty' or 'I’m not clever'. Knowing that their place at the College is safe allows boys the freedom to find their feet without feeling fraught. Charmingly, all year 6 boys are prefects, rather than an elite group. We found the approach compelling.
Academics have come up in recent years – junior school boys are now on a par with new joiners to the College in year 7. School recently placed in top half dozen nationally for Junior Maths Challenge performance. Teaching time has increased by 40 minutes per day. Head thrilled with staff appointments, many of whom have come from positions of responsibility elsewhere to join DC as a classroom teacher. Curriculum initially taught by form tutors with specialists for French, art, DT, music and games; additional specialists in later years. Banks of devices throughout the school for use in lessons.
Dr Griffiths comes to life when talking about how boys learn, explaining to us the difference between ‘deep learning’ (‘interesting, enjoyable, fun’) and ‘surface learning’ (rote learning). The concept of ‘free learning’, fundamental to Dr Spence’s vision at the College, filters down through the junior school, with lots of opportunities for the boys to take ownership of their work. Annual rite of passage is the Great Exhibition when year 6s choose one of the UN Global Goals and develop mini-projects around it, mentored by year 12s. Staff, parents and boys from the college visit at the end of the summer term, when each boy exhibits on his own stand, ‘like an American science fair’. ‘Their expertise and passion is so inspiring,' says the head.
Parents say that homework is ‘purposeful’, ‘accessible’, and ‘never set for the sake of it’. Extension tasks for those boys who want them and help for those who take longer to grasp certain things. No holiday homework – other than when preparing for the 11+ exam. Homework diaries have been scrapped, post-lockdown, in favour of an online learning platform.
Effective rewards system – kindness leaves adorn the kindness tree in the hall; house point cards and commendation certificates presented weekly in assembly. ‘Inclusiveness abounds, but there’s room for competitiveness, and the boys are keen to do their best’, says the head. Nonetheless, house points doled out for effort as well as for achievement. Written reports grade effort and attainment, but dialogue around grades with boys focuses only on effort to ensure a positive focus on how hard they are working, not the marks they are achieving.
Low levels of SEN. Everyone screened for dyslexia on entry to year 3. Some may be referred for further testing and diagnosis. Four learning support teachers shared between the junior and senior schools (helpful continuity when boys move from year 6 to year 7). Teachers work with individuals and small groups to provide extra support wherever it’s needed. Lots of differentiation in lessons and homework to ensure work is targeted appropriately. Less than two per cent receive EAL support, but many from multilingual families.
Seventy acres of fields are enough to keep any small boy happy and there is no shortage of sport. The school has shaken off competitive culture – ‘We don’t want there to be winners and losers’. All boys play rugby, football, hockey and cricket and everyone has the opportunity to play in fixtures, both extra and intra school. Aim is for boys to represent the school in every sport so that ‘everyone gets to go on the coach and shake hands with the opposition’. Elite boys do very well (football strong). Plenty of other options – dance, gymnastics, swimming and athletics all part of the curriculum. ‘I could tell you about individual successes but that’s not who we are,’ says the head. An annual residential trip for every year group – a highlight for many.
Music department first rate. All the boys learn a stringed instrument in year 3 and a wind or brass instrument in year 4. Some 40 per cent have individual lessons. Opportunities galore – ensembles, orchestras, choirs. ‘We all love singing,’ says Dr Griffiths, ‘and we sing a lot’ – each year group performs regularly as a choir. Drama characteristically inclusive: everyone performs annually, with major productions in years 3 and 6. Recent performances of The Lion King and Peter Pan, performed in the Edward Alleyn Theatre, looked enormous fun.
These boys are readers – the library has 8,000 books and a full-time enthusiastic librarian who insists that books are not just for book week, that she never tells everyone to ‘shhh!’ and that ‘life’s too short to finish a book you’re not enjoying’. Art projects line the walls – currently interpretations of Lichtenstein, Matisse and Miro, alongside work inspired by a trip to the Design Museum.
The chapel choir and chamber groups meet regularly and one of the swim squad practices is at the crack of dawn. At lunchtime a host of clubs includes madrigal and chapel choir (both invitation only), karate, tennis, book club, chess, sewing and various music ensembles. After-school clubs have been extended (there are over 80 in all) and run until 5pm, with after-school care available until 6pm. Boys can do their prep in homework club or try their hand at Russian, cycling, magazine club or French aviation (mais bien sûr!).
The location on the southerly edge of the college campus in a peaceful backwater just a stone’s throw from the South Circular and station makes drop-offs and collections pleasant. The building itself is modern and handily adjacent to the lower school, with wide corridors upstairs and spacious classrooms. Year 3s have their own playground.
We were impressed that year 6 boys led us solo on our tour of the school. It speaks volumes. Parents, too, speak of this level of trust between boys and teachers. Boys seem to feel listened to and have seen their ideas put forward to the school council come to fruition, such as more play equipment for the playground.
Outstanding pastoral care (we’re not surprised given the nurturing approach more generally). We got a strong sense from parents that their sons were treated as individuals and that the school invests time and energy in getting to know the boys. Issues dealt with sensitively. Teachers are ‘responsive’, ‘good listeners’, ‘empathetic’. Constructive, supportive approach to behaviour: lots of praise, lots of house points, lots of positive reinforcement. Clear system of strikes, warnings and detentions in place ‘but they will always step in to stop that from happening’, explains one parent. Excellent school lunches – banoffee cake seems to be a favourite.
Inclusivity and community service central, and built into the curriculum. Every year group has a focus (eg year 4 look at poverty in the UK). Joined-up approach – at harvest festival time the boys collect food to take to the local food bank, travelling on the P13 bus and spending the morning with volunteers sorting food. Year 5s organise a Christmas party for local alms house residents. ‘Not just cake sales and dressing up days where they give a pound – instead, the boys are giving their time and seeing how lucky they are’. A week of International Women’s Day celebrations. Black History Month is jam-packed full of events and thought-provoking discussions.
Families represent a rich social mix. Pupils are predominantly from the area and fairly representative of south east London. Some travel from further away on the school bus network that DC shares with JAGS and Alleyns. Parents mix happily – school gate is not at all cliquey, we’re told. School proactively seeking to increase diversity – social, ethnic, financial – in line with the college’s ambitions to widen access. Many say there is no type for whom the school particularly caters; ‘It’s tough to see what kind of child the school wouldn’t be suitable for.'
Money matters
A few academic scholarships at 10 per cent of the tuition fees. Means-tested bursaries may be available for the very able whose families fulfil the financial criteria.
The last word
‘They have welcomed us with open arms’, said one mum, ‘and we feel grateful everyday.’ Dr Griffiths describes his pupils as, ‘bright, happy boys who bound around the school’. Superb academics, a ‘join in’ attitude and a heart of gold – what better way for your son to start his Dulwich adventure?
Special Education Needs
The Learning Support Department offers assistance and support to pupils who are able to access an academic curriculum, but who may need extra help to fulfil their potential. We celebrate and respect neurodiversity. We are experienced in supporting pupils with diagnosed learning differences including dyslexia, autism; however, not all the pupils we support have a diagnosis.
Condition | Provision for in school |
---|---|
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder | |
Aspergers | |
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders | |
CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia | |
Dyscalculia | |
Dysgraphia | |
Dyslexia | |
Dyspraxia | |
English as an additional language (EAL) | |
Genetic | |
Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory | |
Has SEN unit or class | Y |
HI - Hearing Impairment | |
Hospital School | |
Mental health | Y |
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty | |
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment | |
Natspec Specialist Colleges | |
OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability | |
Other SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | |
PD - Physical Disability | |
PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty | |
SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health | |
SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication | |
SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty | |
Special facilities for Visually Impaired | |
SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | |
VI - Visual Impairment |
Leavers' destinations
School | Year | Description |
---|---|---|
Dulwich College | 2023 | Majority to the senior school |
Who came from where
School | Year | Places | Scholarships | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
DUCKS Kindergarten and Infants' School | 2023 | 17 | Linked school | |
Eaton House Belgravia | 2023 | 5 |
The Good Schools Guide newsletter
Educational insight in your inbox. Sign up for our popular newsletters.