A gold standard education

The student council oversees many aspects of school life at DLD College, including community and charity events

Independent schools in Britain are often regarded as the most sought-after establishments in the wider education system, with students keen to reap the benefits of a private education and the outstanding academic record held by many schools in the sector. However, it’s also the achievements and offering beyond the confines of the curriculum which make a school special.

DLD College London is unique. It’s a co-ed day and urban boarding school for 14 to 19 year olds in the heart of London, offering an all-round, holistic education leading to a variety of qualifications. It’s the only school in the country to achieve multiple national awards in one year, in recognition of our wellbeing and boarding provision, innovation in pupil voice and international student experience. To have secured these accolades during a pandemic is remarkable.

We have an inclusive, respectful community, where our core values of tolerance, respect and kindness are the foundations that the school is built on, and these values permeate everything we do. With many different nationalities represented across our student body, DLD is a diverse, inclusive school, allowing core values of tolerance and respect to embed and grow.

Student voice is key to our development, and our student council oversees specific areas of the school, including academic, wellbeing and community and charity events. Student leadership opportunities have enabled pupils to develop and shape various initiatives, leading to an enhanced culture of wellbeing and care.

We believe in the importance of young people having a strong moral compass and encourage all students to engage with the local area through a number of different projects including working at the local city farm and food bank. Students are also involved in campaigns for the local community centre, have supported children’s charities and raised money for our school charity, the Evelina London Children’s Hospital. Our students have reported that they see the value of ‘serving rather than being served’.

At the heart of the college is our awardwinning Wellbeing Centre. We’re proud of our work in student personal development, and to be recognised for our proactive and targeted pastoral care. Through the use of AS (Affective Social) Tracking, coaching methods, mentoring, and our new holistic pastoral care model, our dedicated team supports students in their studies, in creating and maintaining friendships, and learning essential life skills.

We were delighted to win the Boarding School and Special Judges’ Award categories at the Independent School of the Year Awards 2020 in recognition of our outstanding student wellbeing and innovative provision. The judges recognised our school as one that that is “brimming with energy” and “offers something really special in the sector for its students”.

As I reflect on our recent experiences, I see further personal growth and development. The national awards that we’ve won are testament to our staff’s hard work in providing a worldclass education and our students’ resilience and adaptability. We’ve all learnt so much during this unprecedented time – lessons which will stand us in good stead as we move forward. I often talk about character traits such as flexibility, determination and kindness as essentials tools for tomorrow’s professionals, who will lead and shape the future world, and hopefully make it a profoundly better and safer place. Perhaps what we’re all living through will make our students even more successful in this particular quest.

DLD’s London campus overlooks Westminster and the Thames