St Dunstan's College

St Dunstan's College
St Dunstan's (2016) by D. Long. This is the front entrance to the College.
Motto Albam Exorna
("Adorn the white")
Established 15th century
Refounded in 1888
Type Independent day school
Headmaster Nicholas Hewlett
Chairman of Governors Sir Paul Judge
Founder King Henry VI
Location London
SE6 4TY
England
Coordinates: 51°28′30″N 0°01′40″W / 51.4749°N 0.0277°W / 51.4749; -0.0277
Local authority Lewisham
DfE number 209/6032
Staff 90
Students 880
Gender Co-educational
Ages 3–18
Houses 4
Colours Maroon & Royal Blue
         
Former pupils Old Dunstonians
Website St Dunstan's College

St Dunstan's College is a co-educational independent school in Catford, London, England. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, and was an all-boys establishment until 1994. Located on an urban site in Lewisham, many additions have been made to the original Victorian building complex, including a large glass-walled dining hall utilising a hyperbolic paraboloid roof requiring no internal supports,[1] the prototype for a similar structure in the city of Calgary in Alberta in Western Canada. Sports facilities include an onsite sports hall complex, swimming pool, netball courts, five courts and extensive playing fields for such an urban location. The pre-prep and prep schools are in separate buildings on the same site. The pre - prep school was formerly the residence of a previous Headmaster.

The school consistently achieves above average examination results at all levels.[2]

A wide range of subjects are offered, with drama and economics indicated as being strong in the most recent Independent Schools Inspectorate report. A large number of sports and games are played, and some pupils have played at an international level. The former programme (co curricular activities) is wide ranging and covers areas such as sports, CCF, music, drama, community service and many others. The College currently offers over 100 activities.

Houses

Houses are named after previous headmasters. Usherwood (Yellow), Forder (Red), Stuart (Blue) and Hecker (Green). Previously the houses had been named after eight former pupils who died in the First World War: Bennett (pink), Goosey (dark blue), Griffiths (green), Johnson (purple), Lane (white), Ross (yellow), Thomas (red) and Wilson (light blue). The Wilson house tie of the time, with light blue stripes on a black background, was virtually indistinguishable from an Old Etonian tie.

History

St Dunstan's College (SDC) was originally founded in the 15th century in the Parish of St Dunstan-in-the-East, now part of the Tower Ward in the City of London.

In 1446 King Henry VI declared the parish school to be one of the efficient schools of the city.[3] The school was re-founded in 1888 on a green field site in Catford in the Parish of Lewisham but still maintains strong links with the City of London and the Parish of St Dunstan-in-the-East.

SDC made the front page of Peace News in 1970 after a demonstration on Speech Day organised by members of the Schools Action Union (SAU) who had formed an activist cell at the school. The cell targeted the then headmaster Richard Pedley who was venomously disliked by some pupils. It has been claimed that Pedley is the only English public school head ever to have suffered the embarrassment of a demonstration in front of pupils, staff, governors, and parents at a Speech Day. Some Old Dunstonians have suggested that this precipitated a sharp decline in his health leading to his death in March 1973. There has also been a (so far unsubstantiated) allegation that one master may have been poisoned by an aggrieved pupil who had links with the cell. The late 1960s and early 1970s have been called a "troubled time" for the school.

Notable Old Dunstonians

References

  1. ↑ Cherry,B and Pevsner,N "London 2: South: The Buildings of England",Yale University,1983,pp418
  2. ↑ "BBC News, School league tables 2004, St Dunstan's College". BBC News. 2004-11-02. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
  3. ↑ St Dunstan's College - About Us - Aims & History
  4. ↑ ‘JUDGE, Sir Paul (Rupert)’, in Who's Who 2012 (London: A. & C. Black, 2012), online page (subscription required), accessed 5 June 2012
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