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
51°28′30″N 0°01′40″W / 51.4749°N 0.0277°W / 51.4749; -0.0277Coordinates: 51°28′30″N 0°01′40″W / 51.4749°N 0.0277°W / 51.4749; -0.0277
Local authority Lewisham
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 (SDC) 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's 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 used to be 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 Forder programme (co curricular activities) is wide ranging and covers areas such as sports, CCF, music, drama, community service and many others. The college offers over 100 activities.

Houses

The first house system was introduced in 1914 to help improve the school's moral and organize sport teams. The houses were named after places near to the school (e.g. Catford, Forest Hill, Hither Green) and pupils were allocated to them based on where they lived.[3] However, after the first World War, where hundreds of boys from the school had lost their lives, the houses were renamed after some of the most decorated pupils that served in the war. The new house names were as follows: Bennett (pink), Goosey (dark blue), Griffiths (green), Johnson (purple), Lane (black), Ross (yellow), Thomas (red) and Wilson (light blue).

Currently, the houses are named after the first four headmasters of the college. They are called Usherwood (Yellow), Forder (Red), Stuart (Blue) and Hecker (Green).[4]

School Song

The school song was written in 1903 with words by A.R. Leese and music by T. Alford-Smith. The original lyrics were:

A thousand names ring through our land,

the chosen ones of Fame,

and Time a captain gave the band

when sainted Dunstan came;

fair Glastonbury's sacred walls

re-echo with this strain,

so everywhere that duty calls

upraise the grand refrain.

One heart, one hand for realm and king,

Dunstonians near and far,

come, make St. Dunstan's praises ring

wherever Britons are. [5]

History

SDC was founded in 1446 in the Parish of St Dunstan-in-the-East, now part of the Tower Ward in the City of London.[6]

In 1446 King Henry VI declared the parish school to be one of the efficient schools of the city.[7] 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.

Old Dunstonian Association

Old Dunstonian Association (ODA) is the alumni organisation for St Dunstan's College.[8] It was founded in 1897 by H.M. Webb and Y. Kirkpatrick.[9]

The association sponsors a number of events for its members and several sports clubs which members can join. The Association and its constituent clubs are run by voluntary, unpaid Boards and Committees. The sports clubs each have their own separate membership and subscription arrangements. The ODA welcomes all former members of the St. Dunstan’s community to join us

The Old Dunstonian Clubhouse and Ground is located in Park Langley mid-way between Beckenham and West Wickham in North West Kent. The Clubhouse and its cottage are set in several acres of Green Belt with facilities for rugby, cricket, football, archery, croquet and hardcourt tennis.

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. ↑ Watson, Nigel. St. Dunstan's College A Centenary History 1888-1988. London: St. Dunstan's Education Fund. p. 67. ISBN 0951409506.
  4. ↑ "St. Dunstan's College House System". St. Dunstan's College. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  5. ↑ Watson, Nigel. St. Dunstan's College A Centenary History 1888-1988. London: St. Dunstan's College Educational Fund. p. 58. ISBN 0951409506.
  6. ↑ Watson, Nigel. St. Dunstan's College A Centenary History 1888-1988. London: St. Dunstan's College Educational Fund. p. 3. ISBN 0951409506.
  7. ↑ St Dunstan's College - About Us - Aims & History
  8. ↑ St Dunstan's College - Alumni - Old Dunstonian Association
  9. ↑ St Dunstan's College - Alumni - History
  10. ↑ ‘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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