St Dunstan’s College has championed a forward-thinking approach to education for more than a century.
When our Catford school opened in 1888, the founding vision was to provide a curriculum “in advance of the present time.” Today, that spirit remains central to who we are.
Our Senior School curriculum continues to honour the pioneering vision of our founders while reflecting our modern vision: a progressive community where innovation, integrity and individuality flourish in a culture of academic excellence.
A Tradition of
Innovation
Our curriculum builds on the bold vision of our four founding Headmasters: Charles Maddock Stuart, Frank Forder, John Usherwood and William Hecker. Charles Stuart was a pioneer in heuristic (hands-on) education, making St Dunstan’s the first school in the country to design purpose-built science laboratories for students to discover learning for themselves.
That same ambition continues today. Our pupils explore a wide and rigorous academic core, develop fluency in the digital landscape, and immerse themselves in a rich co-curricular programme. From STEM to the humanities, and from performing arts to entrepreneurial ventures, we encourage every student to embrace innovation, act with integrity and express their individuality.
This ambitious approach not only drives academic excellence but also prepares young people for life – equipping them with curiosity, resilience and the confidence to face real-world challenges.
The Hecker Core Curriculum
From Year 7 onwards, academic curiosity is harnessed and students study a broad range of subjects with specialist teachers who are passionate about their disciplines. Our ambitious Core Curriculum ensures academic challenge, rigour and intellectual risk taking are embedded alongside this commitment to breadth of academic opportunity.
In Years 7 to 9, Lower School students follow this broad curriculum and are purposefully exposed to a wide variety of academic subjects. All students take Sciences as separate subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) from their first day in Year 7 taught in specialised laboratories. Alongside Latin students select one additional modern language from: French, German and Spanish and have the option to take on an additional language in Year 8. In addition to English, Maths and humanities (History, Geography and Religion Philosophy and Ethics) all our students take a variety of creative subjects with stand alone lessons in Art, Drama and Dance, and Music. From Year 9 onwards Design Engineering and Computer Science are introduced to all students as well as the option to study Classical Civilisation.
For the start of Year 10, students choose 10 GCSEs, including the compulsory core of English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, (with 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 team.
The Stuart Additional Curriculum
Our independence as a school allows us to go beyond the traditional syllabus. The Stuart Additional Curriculum develops vital skills for life, focusing on three key strands:
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Thriving in the Future: preparing for careers and opportunities that do not yet exist.
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Connected Lives: understanding relationships, digital citizenship and global responsibility.
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Thinking Without Limits: encouraging creativity, critical thought and intellectual curiosity.
The Forder Co-Curricular Programme
Our Forder Programme is a unique feature of St Dunstan’s Senior School. Each day, students take part in a diverse range of clubs and activities, from sport and outdoor education to music, drama, coding, debating and more. Coached by passionate staff and visiting specialists, pupils are encouraged to try new experiences, pursue existing talents and develop leadership skills.
Find out more about our Forder Programme
The Usherwood Pastoral Programme
At St Dunstan’s, we view pastoral education as a rigorous discipline in its own right, integral to the academic and personal formation of our pupils. The Usherwood Programme is a carefully structured curriculum combining the development of character, resilience, and community values with a research-informed approach to study skills and mental health.
From Year 7, pupils are introduced to the science of how the brain learns. They investigate the role of memory, attention, and distraction, and explore practical strategies to support effective learning. Across the programme, pupils engage with questions such as:
- Why is being active good for your mental health?
- Why is play important for wellbeing?
- How does our brain learn best?
Neurodiversity is a central strand, enabling pupils to understand individual learner characteristics and to celebrate the diverse ways in which people think and work. This is reinforced through poster conferences, ambassador mentoring, and opportunities for peer-to-peer reflection.
Alongside these academic elements, pupils study themes such as positive relationships, responsible digital engagement, and philanthropy, developing both the knowledge and the habits of mind that allow them to flourish in school and beyond.
Leaders have put in place an ambitious, timetabled curriculum which provides extensive opportunities for pupils to acquire the broadest of learning experiences. Leaders have taken great care in the design of this multi-faceted programme which is included as part of the school day.
There are four separate strands; together these provide the full range of curriculum subjects, an extensive offering of broader learning experiences, a programme of teaching skills for the future and one that focuses on building pupils’ wellbeing and self-awareness. The breadth and relevance of this curriculum and leaders’ decision that all pupils participate in these opportunities, is a significant strength.
- ISI Report 2024
A Level Results
This year, St Dunstan's was delighted to celebrate our best-ever A Level results in the school's 137-year history.
LAUNCHING
AI AND
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
Education and Ethics
This year we launch our AI Education and Ethics programme, but we also innovate in pastoral care, wellbeing and in the breadth of our curriculum.
Hero
Academic Excellence
