Academic Programme
An Independent School Like No Other
St Dunstan’s College has championed a forward-thinking approach to education for over a century, with the opening vision of our Catford school in 1888 being to provide a curriculum ‘in advance of the present time.’
Our modern Senior School curriculum builds on the legacy of our four founding headmasters; Chales Maddock Stuart, Frank Forder, John Usherwood and William Hecker.
Our first Headmaster, Charles Maddock Stuart, was a pioneer in heuristic (hands-on) education, designing the College to have science laboratories for students to discover learning themselves, the first school in the country to do so. The subsequent headmasters diversified our curriculum further introducing outdoor activities and sport, building on student resilience and creativity and developing them as individuals.
Students entering the College embark on an educational journey of curiosity, studying a wide range of subjects as part of our renaissance curriculum, developing the skills to fully utilise all the digital world has to offer, and committing to a variety of co-curricular activities.
We believe that this wide-ranging, ambitious, and forward-thinking approach to education sets up a lifetime of inquisitive independence, allowing our students to approach new and challenging concepts with courage and conviction.
The Hecker Core Curriculum
We teach a broad range of subjects from Year 7 onwards, with students engaging with subject specialists who are passionate about learning and teaching throughout their time in the Senior School.
The Stuart Additional Curriculum
Our independence as a school allows us great opportunities to go beyond the Core Curriculum syllabus; our Additional Curriculum teaches students vital skills for wherever their futures take them, and prepares them for adult life. Our Additional Curriculum covers three key strands of relationships, skills for the future and critical thinking and rhetoric.
The Forder Co-Curricular Programme
Our broad offering of clubs forms a vital part of our education of students, which we proudly cement as a central part of each school day; we encourage our students to engage with new and developing interests throughout their journeys with us, coached and mentored by specialists.
The Usherwood Pastoral Programme
Our forward-thinking pastoral care programme develops students’ wellbeing, mental health and resilience; their understanding of neurodiversity; and their compassion for each other and for the community. Our state-of-the-art Wellness Centre, home to peer mentoring, counselling and physical and mental health first aid services is the flagship hub for this programme.
More about the Hecker Core Curriculum
Students in Year 7 explore a wealth of content, from Aristotle to Zoology, following our renaissance curriculum, each taught in dedicated and specialist classrooms and by expert teachers.
Students take:
English, Mathematics; Biology; Chemistry; Physics; Computer Science; Classics (including Latin); Geography; History; Religion, Philosophy and Ethics; Art; Design Engineering; Drama and Dance; Music; Sport and Exercise Science and Games; and Modern Foreign Languages .
In Year 10, students choose GCSEs, from 10 core of English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, and Further Mathematics as an optional extension, and Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics through either the Double or Triple Science pathway). The remaining subjects are chosen by students with careful guidance from our teachers and futures department.
Find out more about the Lower School Academic Scholarship Journey at St Dunstan's College
Find out more about Scholarships at St Dunstan's College