The College was founded in the 15th century in the Parish of St Dunstan-in-the-East, part of the Tower Ward of the City of London. In 1888, the school was refounded in Catford, South-East London. It became co-educational in 1994.
Buildings. The College is located on a 15-acre site three minutes’ walk from Catford and Catford Bridge railway stations. Facilities include an imposing Great Hall, a well-equipped Learning Resource Centre, Performing Arts Centre, three state-of-the-art ICT suites and a brand-new Junior School, STEM block and Sixth Form Centre which opened in 2021. The College celebrated the opening of the Performing Arts Centre in April 2022. The Performing Arts Centre is home to the Music, Drama and Performing Arts departments and features large studios, practice rooms, LAMDA spaces and a MAC classroom for musical tech. The Performing Arts Centre is also home to the school’s 170-seat theatre which stages large-scale productions, conferences and community events. There is also a Wellness Centre for physical and mental first aid, counselling, chaplaincy and peer mentoring. To complement extensive playing fields on site, St Dunstan’s has a sports hall, fully equipped fitness rooms, floodlit netball/tennis courts and an indoor swimming pool, along with a 20-acre sports facility on nearby Canadian Avenue called the Jubilee Ground. This site provides playing fields, multi-use games areas, a gym, dance studio and function rooms, further enhancing the sporting and other facilities available to its pupils and the wider community. The College also has two climbing and bouldering walls. One is a lead climbing wall made from real rock, including crack and abseil ledges. The second, donated by the Friends of St Dunstan’s, is a moonboard made for bouldering. It is fitted with an LED system and is fully Bluetooth compatible, allowing students to create their own routes and challenges.
Organisation and curriculum. The College educates boys and girls from the ages of 3 to 18. The Junior School comprises a nursery class for 20 children (3+), a Pre-Prep Department for 120 children aged 4–7 and a Prep Department of 160 children aged 7–11.
In the Junior School, great emphasis is placed on letting children learn in a friendly, caring and stimulating environment. Pupils study a broad curriculum and participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities. The Head of the Junior School is a member of IAPS (see entry in IAPS section). The Senior School, with a total of 849 pupils, comprises Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9), Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11) and Key Stage 5 (Years 12 and 13). A considerable choice of subjects is on offer – Art & Design, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Classical Civilisation, Computing Science, Design & Technology, Economics, English, Drama, Geography, History, Latin, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Music, Philosophy, Religion and Ethics, Physics, Psychology, Sport and Exercise Science. Alongside the academic curriculum sits an additional curriculum named the Stuart Curriculum which covers three key strands of Relationships (including Sex Education), Skills for the Future (including Careers guidance) and Critical Thinking and Rhetoric (including Public Speaking and Debating).
The College is a vibrant, academic community with a friendly atmosphere. It values cultural diversity and has a reputation for high academic standards and excellent pastoral care. This continues into the Sixth Form where students are supported to achieve outstanding academic results (89% A*–B in 2025), while developing each individual’s distinctive talents and skills. This philosophy has been the basis for the College’s flagship St Dunstan’s Diploma programme – a flexible, innovative and exciting programme designed to inspire, challenge and assist all Sixth Formers achieve their unique ambitions and potential.
Pupils have the opportunity to join a very broad range of co-curricular activities through its Forder Programme. It forms a central part of each school day with activities taking place during a dedicated timetabled period. This allows all pupils to immerse themselves in creative, active and service activities along with opportunities to develop leadership skills and a greater understanding of the wider world for the older year groups.
Combined Cadet Force. The CCF is extremely popular and comprises the Royal Navy Section, the Army Section and the Corps of Drums. Typically, cadets join the CCF in Year 9 and by Year 11 become responsible for training younger cadets. The activities undertaken are designed to develop qualities of leadership, resourcefulness, self-reliance, responsibility, confidence and a sense of community service.
Community Service. The College has a strong tradition of service and involvement with the local community. Pupils from Year 9 upwards form a Community Service group that provides various types of help and support to the local community.
Drama. There are opportunities for pupils to be involved in drama productions to suit all ages and abilities. These range from small-scale informal performance to larger whole-College musicals. Pupils can study towards and be entered for LAMDA examinations. The College hosts an annual 10-day Festival in the summer.
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. The College has very strong numbers of pupils involved at all Award levels.
Music. Pupils from all parts of the school participate in a variety of choirs, orchestras and instrumental ensembles. Pupils have the opportunity to perform at a wide variety of events, both at the College and at a number of prestigious London venues including St John's Smith Square and Cadogan Hall.
Sport. The chief sports are hockey, football and swimming. Pupils also have opportunities to take part in cricket, rugby, cross-country running, netball, rounders, tennis, basketball, badminton, sailing, golf, fitness training and yoga.
Entrance. The main entrance points are at the age of 3, 4, 7, 11, 13 or 16. Admission to the College is competitive in all years with the exception of the Nursery, and depends on academic ability and the demonstration of potential. At 11+, an Entrance Examination is held annually in January.
Entrance scholarships. Scholarships are offered for academic merit and also for excellence in Music, Sport, Art & Design and Drama. Means-tested bursaries are available. There is also a Design Engineering Scholarship available at 16+.
Fees per annum (2025–2026). Nursery, Reception & Years 1–3: £17,649–£21,836; Years 4–5 £23,630; Year 6: £26,030; Senior School £27,261. Fees include VAT.
The Dunstonian Association. The DA has 5,000 members. All pupils subscribe to the DA while at school and automatically become life members when they leave.
The Friends of St Dunstan’s. This parent–school association works to support the educational, social and extracurricular activities of the school for the benefit of all pupils. All parents are automatically members of the Friends of St Dunstan’s.
Charitable status. St Dunstan’s Education Group is a Registered Charity, number 1208941.
Governors & Staff:
Governors:
Chairman: Dr Rupert Evenett, MBE
Safeguarding Link: Dr Rupert Evenett
Dr Andrew Cairns, MRSC MIMMM
Mrs Lindsay Curtis
Mr Ed Enzor
Rev Nicol Kinrade
Mrs Helen Lowe
Mr Nicholas Lyons, MA
Mr William Muirhead
Mr David Probert, BA Hons, MBA
Mr Tom Shave
Mr Navdeep Sheera, MA, MBA
Clerk to the Governors: Mrs V Hearn
Chief Operating Officer: Ms S Hutt
Chief Finance Officer: Mrs S Pearson
Senior School Academic Staff:
St Dunstan’s Education Group Head: Mr N Hewlett, BSc, PGCE
Head of Senior School: Ms J McLellan, MSc, MA
Deputy Head (Academic): Mrs E Latham, BSc
Deputy Head (Pastoral): Miss L Clewley, BSc (Designated Safeguarding Lead DSL)
Head of Junior School: Miss L Whitwood
Head of Sixth Form: Mr A Brewer, BA
Co-curricular and Staff Development: Mr D Gower, BSc
Director of Teaching and Learning: Miss H Riddle, MA
Assistant Head Academic: Mr T Rattle, MA
Assistant Head, Student Progress and Culture: Ms S Thomas
PA to the Group Head: Mrs V Hearn
PA to the Head of the Senior School: Ms H Domokos
PA to the Head of the Junior School: Miss D Jackson
Director of People: Ms L Fitzgerald
Director of Philanthropy and Alumni Relations: Mrs I Blake-James
Director of Estates and Commercial Activities, Mr M Sandberg
Director of Digital Services: Mr J Hanson
Director of Marketing, Admissions and Communications: Mr J-L Squibb