We advocate the power of love and service by encouraging our pupils to make thoughtful contributions that uplift others. This fosters an environment where pupils support one another, building a culture of mutual respect and collaboration. Through acts of kindness and service, our collective passion creates a ripple effect that enriches lives and spreads joy far beyond our school.
BY ACTING WITH LOVE & SERVICE, THESE VALUES CREATE OUR HOME FOR KINDNESS AND COMMUNITY.
We inspire our pupils to pursue their aspirations with unwavering courage and seize every opportunity to learn and grow. This cultivates self-discipline in our boys, encouraging them to prioritise long-term achievements over short-term gratifications. They learn to take responsibility for their actions, seek help when needed, and strive for excellence in all they do.
BY ACTING WITH COURAGE & SELF-DISCIPLINE, THESE VALUES CREATE OUR PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE AND GROWTH.
We teach our pupils to empathise with others, to be respectful, and to be accepting of another’s perspective. This ensures that everyone feels valued within our close-knit community and that our boys understand that greater satisfaction can come from helping others. Our pupils understand the power of gratitude and humility and how they are key to having a happy and fulfilling life.
BY ACTING WITH GRATITUDE & HUMILITY, THESE VALUES CREATE OUR MINDSET FOR RESPECT AND APPRECIATION.
We champion honesty and justice, urging our boys to embrace truth and authenticity in all aspects of their lives. This empowers our pupils to act with integrity, be upstanding in their beliefs, and communicate their perspectives respectfully. Our boys develop a strong sense of justice, understanding and advocating for what is right.
BY ACTING WITH HONESTY & JUSTICE, THESE VALUES CREATE OUR SPIRIT FOR BRAVERY AND INTEGRITY.
HEAD MASTER’S WELCOME GREETING
For over 140 years, Dulwich Prep has stood as a leading preparatory school, inspiring generations of boys and, through our co-educational Nursery, young girls, to pursue their dreams. As we evolve, we remain committed to excellence in boys’ education, and our co-educational nursery, with the launch of our Senior School in September 2025. This development marks a significant chapter in our history, as we become Dulwich Prep & Senior, now serving boys, from ages 2 to 16 and girls, from ages 2 to 4. It is a privilege to introduce you to this exceptional school, set in 29 acres, where values, character development and academic achievement are central to our mission.
Our core values of Love, Courage, Gratitude, Humility, Justice, Self-Discipline, Service, and Honesty, are the foundation of everything we do. These principles shape a nurturing environment where each child’s mind, heart, and character are developed, fostering a culture of possibility and excellence. Woven into the fabric of every year group and experience, our values are explicitly taught to nurture empathy and encourage our pupils to become future leaders and changemakers in society.
At Dulwich Prep & Senior we set high expectations. Our goal is for every child to develop into an independent thinker with a strong sense of justice, prepared to become a responsible global citizen. With empathy and compassion at the core of their decision-making, our boys are equipped to face a rapidly evolving world with resilience and adaptability, both during their time here and beyond.
While we operate as a single school with a unified vision, we structure our community into five distinct sections, each catering to specific age groups. This allows us to deliver a tailored educational experience that meets the unique needs of every pupil and prepares them for the next stage of their journey, regardless of when they join us.
Dulwich Prep & Senior offers flexibility in educational pathways. We support transitions to senior schools at 11+ and 13+, while also providing the option for pupils to remain with us through Years 9 to 11, facilitating a smooth transition to sixth form post-GCSE.
We believe in working closely with parents to embed our values ethos, as these principles are key to fostering the character development and emotional intelligence necessary for success in today’s fast-paced society. We are confident that when values are instilled, academic excellence naturally follows. This is reflected in our recent achievements, with over 300 scholarships awarded between 2020 and 2024, and 93% of our leavers securing a place at their first-choice senior school.
We want our pupils to leave us having experienced the very best in pastoral care, teaching, and learning, having enjoyed the most dynamic and demanding academic and co-curricular programmes, and to have made friends for life.
Our greatest success will always be measured by the character of our pupils.
Thank you for reading our prospectus. We hope that it will provide you with a snapshot of life at Dulwich Prep & Senior, but there is no substitute for seeing the school in action. We would be delighted to welcome you for a visit. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like to find out more about our inspirational community. To arrange a tour, please get in touch with our Admissions Department.
I look forward to meeting you soon.
RECEPTION NURSERY
FLEDGLINGS (2+), NURSERY (3+), AND
RECEPTION (4+)
Children begin their exciting journey through Dulwich Prep & Senior at our Early Years site. Set in five acres of fields and woodland, our superbly equipped, award-winning building allows us to provide children with the best introduction and foundation to learning.
Our number one priority is the wellbeing and happiness of our pupils. We foster a calm and gentle atmosphere marked by mutual respect between adults and children. Teachers and Early Years Practitioners encourage children to praise, listen and take turns. This develops the children’s kindness, honesty
and empathy, giving them a sense of security and belonging. We recognise that children who feel confident in themselves and their abilities are more likely to be self-motivated learners. All our children are treasured as individuals and are encouraged to explore their unique gifts and strengths to achieve their full potential.
We nurture the children’s natural curiosity, creativity and critical thinking. This is done indoors through daily fun play-based tasks and in our outdoor learning environment, including weekly lessons in our woodland. This helps them become independent and to think for themselves.
Initiative is praised and the resulting self-confidence helps children develop a positive attitude towards learning, enabling them to succeed. From Reception, we are dedicated to our role as a school for boys, and our professionals are experts within this field. Our staff carry out research focused upon strategies that enhance boys’ engagement with the curriculum and are driven by tangible evidence for effective practice in the classroom, in music, in the Arts and in the various sports opportunities.
SCHOOL PRE-PREP
YEAR 1 (5+), YEAR 2 (6+) AND YEAR 3 (7+)
Pupils transition seamlessly to the Alleyn Park site and join the Pre-Prep in Year 1, where their education becomes more formalised, and they enter our House System, known as ‘Legends’. We encourage pupils to develop and build upon their abilities in all areas of school life and to take pride in their achievements.
Within the structured school day, pupils quickly gain independence, self-confidence and an enthusiasm for learning. Emphasis is placed on trying one’s best, being kind and tolerant of others and their points of view, and developing the school’s values. Our innovative and exciting curriculum encourages our pupils to develop all the characteristics needed for effective learning.
Following Reception, we continue with our in-house synthetic phonics programme to master reading fluency and literacy skills. Our school day mainly consists of English
and mathematics in the morning, with science, Topic, and the Arts in the afternoon. The class teacher delivers most of the curriculum, but we have specialist teachers for physical education, games, swimming, music, drama, modern foreign languages, Life Skills (PSHCE), and computing.
Our pupils’ studies are interspersed with exciting trips, events, and several co-curricular clubs during the school day.
The Pre-Prep is housed in a bespoke building with its own playgrounds but benefits from access to the other fantastic facilities at the Alleyn Park site, including the music school, cookery suite, sports hall, swimming pool, and science labs. We work hard to ensure that the Pre-Prep’s nurturing, positive, and friendly environment allows all our pupils to flourish under the supportive guidance of their class teacher and classroom assistant in Years 1 & 2.
From Year 3, pupils are expected to develop a sense of independence and confidence in self-organisation. The atmosphere buzzes with a stimulating curriculum, complete
with the thrill and challenge of residential trips. Each pupil is assigned an iPad, with their use integrated across the curriculum to enrich further learning. Year 3 in Pre-Prep is often the year in which each child’s natural strengths inside and outside the classroom begin to come to the fore, and our wider co-curriculum opens up to boys during this year.
Older pupils from other parts of the school demonstrate the value of Service by assisting our Pre-Prep pupils with reading and play. They often collaborate on topics or projects, leading by example and encouraging the younger children in their learning.
We aim to create confident pupils with a firm sense of belonging and wellbeing, enabling them to transition smoothly to Lower School.
SCHOOL PREP
YEAR 4 (8+), YEAR 5 (9+) AND YEAR 6 (10+)
In Lower School, we continue to identify and support the development of each boy’s natural strengths and talents, and pupils may be found writing a script ready to edit and present or carrying out a science investigation. You might also encounter a choir rehearsal, rugby practice in full flow, a pupil curled up with a book in the library, or a lively philosophical debate.
The class teacher or form tutor looks after our children pastorally, and in Year 4, the class teacher teaches most subjects. From this secure base, our pupils branch out to experience the variety of opportunities and resources the school offers, with specialist sports, drama, music, art, design technology, computing and modern foreign languages tuition.
Most Lower School pupils will learn to play a musical instrument and so be able to enjoy playing in one of the many musical groups, from the Strings Ensemble to Junior Voices.
As boys move to Year 5, we continue to develop their independence and encourage them to assume greater responsibility for themselves, their possessions, and their work. Our pupils are challenged to pursue excellence while embracing the full range of facilities and opportunities that Dulwich Prep & Senior offers. It is an exciting time filled with confidence and anticipation.
Pupils receive lessons from subject specialist teachers across the curriculum. A more comprehensive range of academic subjects is taught in sets to recognise every individual’s strengths. Pupils continue to use their iPads and take greater responsibility for using them as a tool to support their learning. Preparation for various senior school 13+ pre-tests or 11+ tests in Year 6 is carefully balanced in the curriculum.
Our pupils delight in opportunities to represent their Legend or the school in sporting fixtures and begin to hone their natural strengths inside and outside the classroom. We support and encourage them in this process as they prepare to transition to Middle School. Ultimately, we aim to have
confident and well-rounded pupils. The school values are central to all we do, and our pupils are regularly celebrated for demonstrating them.
The co-curricular life at Dulwich Prep & Senior is second to none, and the opportunities available to our pupils in Lower School are exceptional. There are clubs to suit every taste, whether a boy is a budding cook or rock climber, a hopeful chess player or simply keen to sample ‘Lightsaber’ training for the first time. Musical groups and sports teams are extended, with more concerts and inter-school fixtures arranged.
Residential trips take place in Years 4, 5, and 6, providing an opportunity to learn outside the classroom. From Year 5 onwards, pupils can also aim to collect the annual All-Rounder badges, which celebrate their commitment to our broad co-curricular programme.
SCHOOL PREP
YEAR 7 (11+) AND YEAR 8 (12+)
Middle School comprises Years 7 & 8, which for some pupils will be their final years at Dulwich Prep & Senior. Fantastic opportunities await them as they become role models and lead our values ethos across the rest of the prep school.
Building on the independence fostered in Lower School, we encourage pupils in the Middle School to take on responsibility for all aspects of the school experience. There is also an expectation that pupils are now self-motivated in giving back to the community and initiating whole-school charitable activities.
We have a programme for boys to mentor younger pupils and assist with or lead clubs and activities in other school sections. Middle School pupils also perform duties that help with the day-to-day running of the school.
Pupils continue to take advantage of the significant breadth of the curriculum and the co-curricular programme offered at Dulwich Prep & Senior. We effectively balance the preparatory nature of this part of our school and ensure that all pupils are academically ready for the external and internal exams that take place in the spring and summer terms of Year 8.
We offer numerous senior sports teams, music groups, and drama opportunities, which we actively encourage our pupils to pursue alongside their studies. In Middle School, pupils continue to have the chance to build on their collection of All-Rounder badges, with one available each year to celebrate their commitment to the broad co-curricular programme. In Years 7 & 8, pupils also enjoy residential trips and enjoy a series of cultural and educational visits, lectures, and projects.
At Dulwich Prep & Senior, to mark the end of their preparatory journey, whether staying on in our senior section or transitioning to another school, the Year 8 post-exam programme experience is second to none. It includes opportunities to learn and develop new skills and prepare for their transition to senior school.
The journey to date has been personalised, and each pupil has their own pathway to carve. Some may be seeking recognition of excellence through a scholarship or exhibition, and others trying to win a place at one of the excellent local or national schools our children depart to.
Ultimately, we aim to have confident and resilient pupils ready to transition to Senior School. Our tailored pastoral and academic support programmes help each pupil progress through this challenging and exciting period. Pupils complete their preparatory schooling at Dulwich Prep & Senior fully equipped for a seamless and happy move to the next stage of their educational journey.
SCHOOL SENIOR
UPPER SCHOOL: YEAR 9 (13+)
YEAR 9 (13+)
Our Senior School will open in September 2025, and it will offer a different, more bespoke educational journey through Years 9 to 11. The Senior School offers families and their sons a smaller and more personal educational environment with class sizes that are smaller than the average (24+) in local Senior School and other independent schools within the M25.
We offer a familiar environment where boys are known to the staff and where they can benefit from a continuity of academic education from Year 7 in the Prep School to GCSEs in Year 11. This enables them to focus on a rounded breadth of education and get a great head start on the GSCE curriculum. Our curriculum and co-curricular provision will balance content and skills-based learning that fosters creativity and develops outstanding independent study, collaboration, communication, and presentation skills.
The smaller, more personal educational environment offers an increased teacher-to-pupil ratio, which can be transformational in enabling a strong start to boys’ senior education. It will enable both pupils and staff to build further on strong relationships that come with the mutual trust, respect, and insightful knowledge of each pupil. It will ensure that boys continue to develop excellent study habits, the attitudes, and attributes needed for success, fulfilment, and happiness.
Every child will have a flight path with targets shared with them. Tutoring will be honed to ensure that pupils are conscious learners and fully utilise the value of Self-Discipline and Excellent Learning characteristics to their advantage to achieve their very best.
Boys that choose to stay to GCSE will be supported by teachers who know the boys well, and staff provide exceptional levels of support for every individual’s next step in a context that enables pupils to thrive at a critical point of their educational journey and emotional and physical development.
INCLUSION BELONGING EQUITY, DIVERSITY,
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
We celebrate differences, recognise individuals and tailor our support to their needs. We value diversity and believe that equity should permeate all aspects of school life.
These differences can include the language spoken at home, housing, culture, family structure and life experiences, to name but a few. In addition, our curriculum teaches cultural humility and provides opportunities for pupils to appreciate their own culture and celebrate the diversity of others.
Our school is a diverse community with over 30 different nationalities. We aim to meet the needs of everyone by acting as role models and behaving and talking to others as we would like them to treat us. We have a joint staff and parent Diversity and Inclusion Committee and are actively working to ensure our staff
body is representative of the pupils and families we serve. Our Parent Panel works closely with the school to enhance the Dulwich Prep & Senior experience.
Our community invites a sense of belonging and togetherness that is enhanced by the relationships between the staff and pupils and among the children. Mentoring programmes, peer support, Mental Health Champions, restorative justice, vertical tutoring, and ‘big readers’ are just some ways we invite the children to interact with each other, teaching the life skills of patience, understanding, inclusion and kindness.
Our values of Service and Humility help our pupils see beyond their horizons to the world outside. The charitable works grow year after year, initiated by the children who, at this young age, have already understood the impact their contribution can make.
Skills & Strategies
We welcome pupils with additional educational needs or disabilities, providing that we can support them appropriately within the school to access the curriculum. We consider these individuals as twice exceptional. We advise parents of children with additional educational needs or physical disabilities to discuss their child’s requirements with us before they come to us for an assessment and to provide us with Educational Psychologist or medical reports where available.
For any child identified and diagnosed as neurodiverse, we work closely with the family to provide the appropriate level of support to enable them to reach their potential at no extra cost. We want our school to be inclusive and actively choose not to refer to ‘Special Educational Needs’ but to ‘Skills and Strategies for Learning’. Our Skills and Strategies team is integral and based in every school section.
Our Skills and Strategies team staff have expertise in working with pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties, including dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and organisational difficulties. Children diagnosed with a specific learning difficulty receive support in individual or small group lessons, with mathematics support provided in class.
Children receiving regular learning support have a pupil support profile accessible to all teaching staff. All pupils receiving learning support are encouraged to undergo an updated external assessment in Year 7. This is to provide prospective senior schools with tailored information regarding a child’s progress, as well as strategies to support learning and to confirm the entitlement to exam concessions, such as extra time and laptop use.
PASTORAL WELLBEING
At Dulwich Prep & Senior, pastoral care is at the heart of all we do. We recognise its importance in underpinning every element of your child’s education. Children will perform at their best when they feel confident and safe. A child’s trust is not an automatic right; it is a child’s gift and a privilege that the staff at Dulwich Prep & Senior respect. Our years of experience working with boys ensures that we understand the unique physical, emotional and developmental challenges they face. We work with every child individually, giving them the skills and support necessary to equip them for their future.
Relationships
The expectations of 21st-century society can weigh heavy on our children and their parents, and the relationships we build with our families are integral to our success. From your child’s first steps into Early Years through to their final path in Year 11, we know that the class teacher or form tutor is the vital link in our pastoral support system. As the adult who will see and engage with your child on a daily basis, they are building a relationship that will provide support and stability throughout the year.
The Head of Section oversees your child’s pastoral and academic progress throughout their time in Early Years, Pre-Prep, Lower, Middle and Upper School. Their wealth of experience can provide a reassuring overview and consistency to families as pupils transition through school, and they lead weekly assemblies, gathering their section together to celebrate success and embrace the spiritual, moral, cultural and social aspects of their education.
Heads of Year are fully involved in teaching Life Skills (PHSCE) across their year group, so they know every child personally; they offer a further layer of pastoral support and experience to the children, parents and staff. From Year 3 to Year 11, the Head of Year oversees a term-time residential trip, ensuring that pupils and staff are provided with time out of the classroom to build and foster new relationships and strengthen existing friendships. These experiences, away from the school, provide a truly unique opportunity for children to learn and grow with the support of the teachers who travel with them.
As pupils progress into Lower and Middle School, they embrace the full range of inspirational specialist teaching that Dulwich Prep & Senior offers. The form tutor, however, remains the crucial adult in your son’s daily school life, starting with Form Time at the start of every single day. We know the value of that routine, and we recognise that consistency is key to your son’s wellbeing in school.
Pupil Voice
We recognise the importance of our pupils’ voices, and Dulwich Download is the bespoke questionnaire we created for our pupils so that they can communicate with their teachers, give feedback on their weekly highs and lows, and request personal support if desired. From Year 1 to Year 8, this meaningful link between staff and pupils builds a bond that our pupils value highly.
Our aim has always been to prepare children for their future, and we believe that at Dulwich Prep & Senior, we have the best pastoral systems in place to build that confidence and inspire their trust.
Nutrition & Food
There is an excellent focus on eating a healthy and balanced diet at Dulwich Prep & Senior. Pupils and staff enjoy a wide variety of ingredients and cooking styles; the menus feature an array of delicious soups, freshly baked bread, wholesome main courses and scrumptious puddings, and a wide range of fresh salads and fruit. All meals are freshly made onsite using farm-assured meat, sustainable fish and seasonal fruit and vegetables. Staff regularly eat in the dining hall with pupils, and the Head Master lunches with a group of pupils weekly.
Wellbeing Support
All staff are aware of and care deeply about the emotional wellbeing of our pupils. We have a designated Mental Health & Wellbeing Lead who works across the entire school and is supported by many staff who have trained as Mental Health First Aiders. We underpin our provision with specific wellbeing lessons on topics such as mindfulness throughout our pupils’ journey at Dulwich Prep & Senior. We know that the strength of our pastoral care comes from understanding our children and prioritising their wellbeing – and we listen. Our School Counsellor is available throughout the day for pupils to drop in and supports us in our drive to improve our pupils’ wellbeing by helping children who may need specific emotional support from time to time.
Our wellbeing suite is a calming space where pupils are encouraged to work through any worries and feel safe and supported. The suite is designed to promote wellbeing, where each child can turn up and relax, play games, draw, chat, and, if they want, share their thoughts and feelings. We also have our fantastic and devoted school nurses always on hand to provide exceptional care when it is needed in our purposebuilt medical room.
Workshops, group sessions, parent partnerships, and one-toone therapy are all part of our in-school wellbeing provision, creating an ethos of acceptance and a climate of awareness and respect. Pop-up meditation, yoga and mindfulness sessions are run for children who need to take a moment and reset during their day. These activities are part of the full and exciting enrichment programme we offer.
OVERVIEW CURRICULUM
Foundation Subjects
English
We aim to open the minds of our pupils to a world enriched with literature. We want to share with them a variety of texts from the traditional to the contemporary, from poetry to plays, and to encourage curiosity and a lifelong love of reading, developing their imagination and creativity. Pupils are given regular lessons where they gain the skills to have a confident and well-mastered voice, both written and oral. With a spacious and well-stocked library at the centre of the school, our pupils know that reading is an integral part of their daily life. We offer abundant enriching literature-based activities, including school and national writing competitions, visiting authors, book week, family book club, Shakespeare workshops and speech competitions.
From Nursery to the end of Year 4, children are taught in their form classes, with the curriculum delivered through thematic topics. From Year 5 upwards, pupils are taught in sets by specialist teachers.
Maths
We foster a supportive and stimulating learning environment where pupils flourish and enjoy mathematics. Our mathematics curriculum is predominantly based on the national curriculum for England, which is then thoughtfully tailored to meet our pupils’ needs. We encourage the playful exploration of mathematical ideas, allowing pupils to experiment, question, and deepen their mathematical understanding. Confidence and resilience are built through carefully selected resources, with problemsolving and mathematical thinking at the heart of our curriculum. Our teaching methods blend traditional techniques with modern innovations, recognising the significant role technology can play in enhancing learning when used effectively. Each lesson is dynamic, purposeful, and designed to foster a sense of enjoyment and curiosity.
Science
We aim to support pupils’ curiosity and creativity to become problem-solvers and lifelong learners keen to know more about the world around them. We engage and challenge pupils through the ISEB syllabus, tailoring the concepts to our pupils’ needs with a focus on investigative skills. We utilise many applications to supplement and improve the pupils’ learning, including iPads to record their experiments and upload videos. Pupils are treated to talks from scientists and trips to lectures and museums. Our pupils are encouraged to share their knowledge through a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) Day, where the pupils dress up as scientists and recreate experiments for their peers. They are also treated to live experiments from a visiting scientist, including rocket launches.
Modern Foreign Languages
Studying a foreign language at Dulwich Prep & Senior provides our pupils with an opening to other cultures. The Modern Foreign Languages curriculum intends to support the broader school curriculum through a cultural exploration of the francophone and hispanic world through the teaching of social topics as well as the language. We offer our children in Years 1 to 4 the opportunity to embrace two languages: Spanish and French. At the end of Year 4, pupils, with the guidance of their teachers, choose to deepen their knowledge in either French or Spanish. We use traditional methods, new strategies, and resources to ensure that our pupils are engaged and excited by their lessons. As pupils develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, they can begin to express themselves with increased confidence, independence, and creativity.
Computing
We aim to encourage pupils to become confident digital learners by utilising a curriculum that covers digital literacy, computer science, and information technology. Pupils use technology as a tool for learning across the curriculum. Through coding, they can develop their computational thinking and problemsolving skills. E-safety plays a vital role, and children understand how to be safe online. There are numerous opportunities to engage in computing-related competitions throughout the year. We loan our pupils iPads for use across the curriculum. Children share iPads in Nursery, Reception, Year 1, and Year 2. From Year 3 upwards, pupils have a device each. All pupils use learning platforms, such as SeeSaw and Showbie, which allow them to upload files and access resources both in and outside the school.
Reasoning
Reasoning is taught from an early age, starting with an integrated approach by including the discipline as part of the curriculum. As our pupils move to Year 3, ‘Thinking Skills’ become more embedded within the core subjects, English and mathematics. Our pupils then progress to having one dedicated verbal and non-verbal reasoning lesson each week in Year 5 and the autumn term of Year 6. Some pupils in Year 8 also have a weekly reasoning lesson in the autumn term. This provides valuable preparation for senior schools’ entrance examinations, which often require reasoning assessments or skills.
AT EVERY AGE EXCELLENCE
Humanities
Geography
We aim to spark a critical understanding of the physical and human relationships that play both a constructive and destructive role on our planet. Our scheme of work is based on, but not exclusive to, the Common Entrance and scholarship examinations and thus covers the main themes required for these curriculums, including key geographical content such as global locations, map reading, and weather and climate. Geography lessons embrace vital geographical skills such as analysis, interpretation, comparisons and contrasts, and fieldwork. The department runs a biannual trip to Iceland. The trip covers a considerable amount of the curriculum, from tectonics and geomorphology to green energy and environmental impact.
History
History focuses on our shared humanity and school values. Through studying the past, we actively hone our social conscience to seek a more just world today and tomorrow. We nurture passionate and compassionate historians, exploring the diverse experiences of humans across time and place. We are critical and reflective thinkers, developing our conceptual history skills of chronology, cause and consequence, change and continuity, significance, interpretation, diversity, debate, analytical essay writing and questioning evidence such as ‘fake news’.
Classics
Latin is introduced at the beginning of Year 5, and most pupils continue with the subject until the end of Year 8. In addition to building a knowledge of the language, pupils are invited to recognise the significance of Latin and ancient Rome in shaping modern European languages and cultures. We aim to build excitement and relevance around the subject whilst our pupils begin to learn aspects of the Latin language itself. We strive to get all pupils to Level 2 Common Entrance whilst the most ambitious may reach a standard equivalent to GCSE. Ancient Greek is also available to Years 7 and 8 as part of our enrichment and club provision.
Philosophy
Pupils are first introduced to philosophy in Year 3 and continue to explore the subject through Years 4 and 5. Using a combination of the Philosophy for Children (P4C) and the Philosophy Circles programmes, we aim to increase purposeful communication and active listening while providing opportunities for pupils to be collaborative, creative and critical thinkers. Pupils are taught to agree and disagree with an argument productively and respectfully. They rehearse the skills of making their points of view understandable to others and building on one another’s ideas. They also learn to be comfortable grappling with a question that does not necessarily have a single, fixed answer.
Religious Studies
Religious Studies cover a breadth of faiths and worldviews. Pupils start their journey in the Early Years, understanding culture, faith and identity through assemblies and celebrations of religious festivals. This knowledge matures to include a deeper understanding of Christianity and world religions such as Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Sikhism. Throughout Years 7 and 8, the focus shifts to philosophy and ethics with an introduction individuals like John Stuart Mill and Immanuel Kant and theories such as utilitarianism and deontology, among other topics such as crime and punishment. We encourage pupils to voice their opinion and share their beliefs respectfully whilst encouraging metacognition and critical thinking. In addition to learning about religion, pupils also learn from religion and apply worldviews to contemporary issues. Each part of the curriculum lends itself to Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development, which is embedded throughout.
LEARNING A LOVE OF
Creatives
Art
The extensive art curriculum allows children to express themselves in our well-equipped art studios inclusively and creatively using a range of media to explore drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, 3D work and other visual art disciplines. After-school art clubs and workshop events are offered, allowing pupils to develop their own personal projects or continue with extension exercises related to class projects. We also offer specialist focus to our most talented artists, who frequently receive scholarships and awards when heading to their senior schools. Celebrating the work created in lessons is also important to us, where an Artist of the Week is presented to children across all sections of the school. Further art endeavours are celebrated in the Head Master’s Art Competition that runs annually and produces some outstanding work responding to themes relating to our school values. Visiting artists also inspire, allowing creative minds to flourish and with the opportunity to exhibit at the Head Master’s house as part of our partnership with the Dulwich Festival Artists’ Open House. The efforts and excellence of pupils’ work are also honoured and exhibited around the school, and with official exhibitions.
Music
We offer a fantastic and wide-ranging music curriculum. There is something for everyone, from singing pop songs and hymns in class assemblies to participating in one of the 32 different music groups, choirs, and ensembles. Over 90% of pupils from Year 2 upwards play at least one instrument, with a large proportion taking on two. Instruction in music theory is also available. More than 30 visiting instrumental teachers deliver over 550 individual instrumental and theory lessons, which take place weekly in the purpose-built Music School, which includes a 300-seat concert hall, 12 teaching and practice rooms, a fully equipped Music Technology Studio and a classroom furnished with iMacs. Pupils can participate in our Pupil Concerts four or five times a term, and each section of the school produces its own concert twice a year. The highlights of the musical calendar are our Christmas Service and Spring Choral Concert, which take place at prestigious external venues. Our pupils have an outstanding record of receiving music scholarships and awards from senior schools.
Drama
Drama equips the pupils with valuable skills in empathy, communication and self-esteem through a lens of dramatic, social and historical contexts that challenge and inspire. Drama is taught from Year 1 onwards, focusing on kinaesthetic learning experiences through which pupils can engage in collaboration, problem-solving, critical thinking and enrichment of self-expression and imagination. Pupils start with the foundational skills of drama through structured play. Exploring spatial awareness, role play, and creating character through storytelling, language and listening skills forms the basis for pupils to flourish in various performance opportunities.
Upon reaching Lower and Middle School, pupils will extend their capabilities by focusing on ensemble and stagecraft, creating dramatic meaning, and evaluating dramatic action by studying specific theatrical styles. Theatrical styles include realism, melodrama, physical theatre, epic theatre and documentary drama. This culminates in Year 8 with a two-week-long intensive drama workshop in which the pupils create a live performance with a theatre professional. We involve as many pupils as possible when casting plays, by including a chorus, a backstage crew, set designers, ushers and even pupils who assist in photographing, recording the rehearsals and final show. This enables all pupils to learn different skills and for everyone to have the opportunity to shine.
Design Technology
Our pupils start by experimenting with structures, textiles and mechanisms with their class teachers and then come into the well-equipped workshop from Year 4, where they learn to use hand and machine tools with care. In Years 4 & 5, we focus on handson making, and from Year 6 onwards, we follow an iterative design process. The pupils also use 2D and 3D design and manufacturing computer programs along with laser cutters and 3D printers. We want our pupils to be environmentally aware and consider how they can use design to help tackle real-world problems sustainably. We participate in a range of external activities, such as the Victoria & Albert Museum Innovate Challenge. They learn to work in teams, share and discuss ideas and develop beneficial skills in critical thinking, creativity and collaboration, which will also help them in other subjects and beyond.
Nutrition & Food
From Year 1 onwards, we offer pupils the opportunity to gain cookery experience through timetabled lessons, break time sessions or after-school clubs. We recognise that involving children in food preparation from an early age has many benefits. Whether learning the fundamentals of cooking, broadening a child’s worldview through the food of different cultures, demonstrating the tangible benefits of reading by being able to understand and follow a recipe, or seeing food as more than just the finished product, it underpins the development of key life skills, nutritional awareness and healthy living.
Sport
We promote an inclusive approach to sport, enabling every pupil to access physical activity. We champion the ability to play sports creatively, with intelligence and passion, and we promote the skills and behaviours required for teamwork. All our sporting efforts at Dulwich Prep & Senior are driven by our school values rather than being results-focused. We have specialist sports teachers and coaches who deliver engaging lessons and effectively balance a mixture of physical education, swimming and games across the timetable. Our fixture lists include many top schools in London, Surrey and southern England for midweek and Saturday fixtures. We also enter several regional and national competitions. These competitive fixtures happen in football, rugby, cricket, athletics, swimming, water polo, and cross country, with our main sports (football, rugby, and cricket) being taught as part of the Games curriculum. Through physical activity, we aim to develop many transferable skills and build the foundations for a lifetime of health and wellbeing. Participation in sports enables the development of valuable skills, from adaptability and resilience to cooperation and mental agility.
ENRICHMENT CO-CURRICULUM
Clubs
We offer an enriching and broad variety of over 150 co-curricular clubs and activities. All pupils from Year 1 upwards are encouraged to participate. Some are by invitation only, such as musical groups or sports squads, but most are open to any interested pupil. In Years 1 and 2, clubs are run during the school day. In Year 2, we begin to introduce clubs as an after-school option with a limited number of physical and creative clubs being offered. From Year 3 onwards, clubs run during break time, lunchtime, and after school from 4.00 to 5.00pm. The clubs span a breadth of interest, ensuring physical, academic and creative opportunities are available to all the pupils. There is usually no additional club charge unless an external instructor is used. Clubs are grouped into five categories: sports, music, creative, academic, and cognitive enrichment. Examples include Amnesty International, Big Band, Card Games, Chamber Music Groups and Ensembles, Coding, Documentaries Squad, Dodgeball, Drumming, Greek, Guitar Group, Jazz Band, Orchestra, Lego, Rubik’s Cube, Snooker, Table Tennis, Young Writers and Yoga.
Our extensive enrichment programme provides our pupils with numerous and varied opportunities to build lifelong friendships, delight in their shared experiences and care for those around them. Participation in the co-curricular programme at Dulwich Prep & Senior is designed to be inclusive and is encouraged and valued.
Day Trips, Residentials & Tours
Trips provide us with lasting memories from our school days. We have a large selection of day trips on offer as part of the curriculum throughout the school. From Year 3 upwards, pupils also participate in residential trips, which are included in our school fees. Trips outside of term time, however, come with additional costs. Residential trips include outdoor pursuits trips to Wales and cultural visits within the UK to places such as York. In addition to term time trips, we offer a range of holiday trips, both sporting and cultural, and these include ski or sailing trips, sports tours to international destinations such as South Africa, Italy, France and Spain, as well as cultural trips to Iceland and the Azores.
Day trips include short visits that exploit the wealth of local resources and places of interest in and around Dulwich, London, and the South East. Trips provide an opportunity to venture out from the classroom and enjoy the world beyond the school gate. At Dulwich Prep & Senior, we firmly believe that these visits enrich the education and development of our pupils; they are fundamental to what the school has to offer. We are determined to continue providing opportunities away from the classroom for pupils to enhance their learning and boost their understanding of themselves and the world in which they live.
Community & Philanthropy
Charity, for us, is the combination of the values of Love and Service. Pupils choose a local, national, and international charity to support each year. It is essential that pupils understand the benefits of service and charity and can see the impact of their actions. Previous examples include: the Early Years fundraising for Comic Relief through a pre-loved toys and books sale; Pre-Prep pupils playing a charity football match and donating their pocket money to support an international education charity in Cambodia; Lower School pupils undertaking a sponsored readathon during the holidays raising money to help those in other countries gain access to education; and Middle School organising their own “Big Night Out’, sleeping rough to raise funds for the homeless.
Your son’s journey is far from finished when his time at Dulwich Prep & Senior ends. Our pupils go on to the very best schools in the country, many of them with awards.
BEYOND DPS
Most of our pupils leave us at the end of Year 8 (13+), and over the past seven years (2018-2024), we have seen pupils transitioning to over 50 different senior schools. For the academic year 2023-2024, our leavers all secured a fantastic destination senior school, with 93% achieving their first choice; schools of note include Dulwich College, Eton College, Harrow School, Tonbridge School and Whitgift School. A total of 36 scholarships were won by Year 8 boys.
Whilst there can be no doubt that striving for excellence, exam success and scholarships are important, it is our pupils’ character that sets them apart and often makes them the first choice of many senior schools. The values that we work hard to instil in our pupils, and that underpin everything we do during their journey through our school, are also the qualities that will allow them to continue to thrive beyond.
Dulwich Prep & Senior is the ‘Launchpad for Life’.
LEAVERS’ DESTINATIONS
Scholarship Offers by School & Type
Brighton College
Charterhouse
Christ’s Hospital School
City of London School
Cranleigh School
Dulwich College
Eton College
Harrow School
Lancing College Overseas Royal Russell School Sevenoaks School
School
ADMISSIONS INFORMATION
Admissions Department Contact Details
Mrs Olivia Patton, Acting Head of Admissions
Mrs Claire Austin, Registrar
Phone: (+44) 20 8766 5525
Email: admissions@dulwichpreplondon.org
Assessments
All assessments are conducted individually or in groups and are as informal as possible. The majority take place between January and March, with 4+ and 13+ taking place in November. Please visit our website for further details. www.dulwichprepsenior.org.uk
Bursaries
We offer a limited number of means-tested bursaries to new applicants to the school who would otherwise not be able to come to Dulwich Prep & Senior. The award of a bursary is first determined by academic assessment. In addition, there is an application form to establish the appropriate level of financial support. Documentary evidence will form part of the evaluation process. Bursaries are reviewed annually and may be adjusted or introduced if parents’ circumstances change during a pupil’s time at the school.
Entry Requirements
At Dulwich Prep & Senior, our primary aim is to educate and develop each pupil to the best of their ability. For this reason, we will look at a pupil’s academic potential, conduct and attitude when making admissions decisions, and we may request a reference from a pupil’s current school. We want to feel confident that every pupil will be happy and thrive within our school and that they will be able to access the curriculum. Our standard minimum for admission is above the average level of attainment for each age group, based on the National Curriculum. After registering an application for a place for their child, parents will be kept fully informed by the Admissions team on the progress of the admissions process.
Equal Opportunities
Dulwich Prep & Senior is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in its admissions practices.
Flexi-Boarding
This provision is an extension to our existing wraparound care offer (@38), with 9 beds to support families with boys in Years 3 to 8 who may, for example, need to be away for work during the week or care for a relative. It also allows us to provide the boys with a taster of boarding should you be considering it as a senior school option. Flexi-Boarding is available Monday to Thursday and is closed Friday night and the weekends.
Middle School Awards
The Adkins Sports Award recognises and celebrates drive and participation in non-curriculum sports. The Middle School Music Award honours and recognises an individual child’s desire to succeed in music and promotes musicianship inside and outside the school. The awards offer a 5% fee discount for the duration of a pupil’s time in Middle School to support broadening interests for children preparing for their move into senior education. Both existing and prospective pupils are eligible to apply.
Other Charges
There are very few extra charges. However, the fees for individual music lessons will be invoiced directly by peripatetic music teachers at a rate of £25.50 per lesson. In addition, certain voluntary co-curricular clubs and activities attract charges according to the activity involved. Any school trips which take place during the holidays are charged separately.
Overseas Applicants
We welcome applications from overseas pupils and can arrange for an assessment to be carried out at a prospective pupil’s current school where appropriate. To cope with the academic and social demands of the school, pupils must be fluent English speakers. Usually, pupils should have been educated in English for at least one year before joining the school. We do not teach English as an additional language and are unable to support Tier 4 visa applications.
Payment of Fees
Fees are due in full no later than the first day of the term to which they relate. They can be paid by direct debit, direct bank transfer, or cheque. We accept childcare vouchers for children under the age of 5 for fees, Clubs, and our Extended Day Provision. After the age of five, childcare vouchers can only be used towards paid clubs and wraparound care (@38). Please be aware that we do not participate in the government’s 30-hour free childcare scheme.
Payment of Fees in Advance
The school operates a scheme which enables a capital sum to be paid in advance to meet school fees. A small discount may be available depending on the prevailing bank interest rate. Further details may be obtained from the Bursary.
Progression
Most of our pupils’ progress from one section of the school to the next; we do not have any internal tests to determine whether or not they may continue at the school. The only exception to this is our Fledgling boys, who will undergo an internal 4+ assessment as we do not assess for 2+ entry. However, in certain circumstances where a child is not able to access the curriculum, we may recommend that another school would be more appropriate. In these circumstances, the school and parents work in partnership to find a school where the child can thrive.
Registration Fee and Deposit
A registration fee of £125 is payable upon submission of the Registration Form. The offer of a place at the school is conditional on the return of the signed Acceptance Form, the Contract for Educational Services, and the payment of a deposit of £1,850 (for a Prep place) or £3,500 (for a Senior place). This deposit will be set against the final fee account but is otherwise non-refundable.
Sibling Discounts
A small discount is included on invoices for siblings with three or more children at the school.
Sibling Policy
Many siblings join us, and we welcome them wherever possible. However, sibling admission is not automatic, and we may recommend a different school environment if we feel that would be in the child’s best interests.
Termly Fees
School fees are reviewed annually. The school reserves the right to increase fees whenever necessary but will always give at least a term’s notice of any fee increase unless exceptional circumstances make this impracticable. Fees cover normal curriculum tuition, most clubs and activities, and lunches. In Years 3 to 8, fees also cover the cost of one residential trip each year.
Transport System
Our transport system is another example of our desire to help parents meet the demands of increasingly busy family and working lives. We organise a walking bus to alleviate congestion at drop-off time. We also have an arrangement that allows our pupils to join the Foundation Schools’ coach Service organised by Dulwich College, Alleyn’s, and JAGS.
Wraparound Care
Increasing numbers of parents use our wrap-around care provision called ‘@38’. Depending on age, pupils can be dropped off at school as early as 7.00am and collected as late as 7.30pm. Full details and charges for this service are available on the school website.
