EDUCATION
AWARD-WINNING
ST DUNSTAN ’ S COLLEGE
PREPARES PUPILS FOR THE WORLD OF TOMORROW
St Dunstan ’ s College , south London , has championed a progressive approach to education for over a century , with the opening vision of the school in 1888 being to provide a curriculum ‘ in advance of the present time ’.
The school ’ s first head , Charles Maddock Stuart , was a pioneer in heuristic education , stating that it is not so much what a child knows that is important but more how ( he ) comes to know it – a revolutionary concept for the time . St Dunstan ’ s was one of the first schools in the country to have science and technology laboratories built to service a curriculum with significant time devoted to hands-on scientific and practical experiments .
Today , St Dunstan ’ s modern senior school curriculum builds on the legacy of its founding headteachers . Students enter the school embarking on a Renaissance education , studying a deliberately wide range of academic subjects while proactively developing skills and thinking that will support them for life , and committing to a variety of co-curricular activities in a programme that is embedded into the timetable and structured around the college ’ s values . The school believes that this classically liberal education promotes a lifetime of inquisitive independence , allowing young people to approach new and challenging concepts with courage and conviction , and to be best equipped for an uncertain future .
“ Our world is changing at breakneck speed . A truly globalised future dominated by AI and biotechnology will require different skills and attributes from the young people we are educating today ,” group head , Nick Hewlett explains . “ Our social values are more precious to us than ever before and so are they under threat as we inhabit a society where the art of rhetoric has diminished and the polarised , entrenched view has consumed us , amplified as it is through the platform of globalised cyber-space . We have a duty to respond to this in the curriculum we offer .”
Most recently , the school has won praise around the world for its groundbreaking Stuart Curriculum , which looks at relationships , skills for the future and critical thinking . Stuart lessons have tackled the rise of toxic masculinity and individuals such as Andrew Tate . Speaking about the lessons , Nick Hewlett added : “ As well as having the confidence to react to specific examples such as Andrew Tate , it is important that our teaching is predominantly proactive and enables students to independently understand when views are harmful and dangerous , and how they can protect themselves from being exposed and influenced by them online .”
St Dunstan ’ s bold and brave approach to education has led to the school winning many accolades . Earlier this year , St Dunstan ’ s was named Most Progressive School in South East England at the Private Education Awards 2024 and was awarded the best Diversity and Inclusion in Sport at the Education Choices Awards 2024 , following the school ’ s groundbreaking partnership with Chelsea FC .
In 2022 , St Dunstan ’ s was also named Independent Senior School of the Year at the Tes Schools Awards in London , which are known as the Oscars of education .
In recent years , St Dunstan ’ s has also celebrated the opening of the most significant developments to the school grounds . A new Junior School , STEM Centre for Excellence and Innovation , and Sixth Form Centre was opened . The college ’ s forwardthinking approach is now matched by modern , bright and inspirational facilities . Further planned works over the next few years include an outside area for pupils , named the Plaza , and a developed Sports and Leisure Centre .
“ We really are an independent school like no other ,” adds Nick Hewlett .
Find out more about St Dunstan ’ s College at their upcoming Open Day on Saturday 21 September 2024 , or their Sixth Form Open Evening on Wednesday 2 October 2024 . From September to November , the school also hosts other open events including morning tours . St Dunstan ’ s offers a variety of scholarships and bursaries for students joining at 11 + and 16 +.
Further information and Open Day / Evening bookings at : www . stdunstans . org . uk .
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