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

• Matthew d'Ancona, former editor of The Spectator and columnist for the Sunday Telegraph
• William Boon FRS, chemist
• Brian Brolly, showbusiness entrepreneur, and co-founder of the radio stations Jazz FM and Classic FM
• Sir William Castell LVO, Chairman of the Wellcome Trust and a Director of General Electric and BP
• The Rt Hon The Lord Drayson, PC, businessman, entrepreneur and former Defence Minister for Procurement
• Martin Evans, Nobel Prize winner for his work in the field of genetics
• Michael Geliot, opera and theatre director, former Director of Productions for Welsh National Opera
• Michael Grade, CBE, Baron Grade of Yarmouth, Executive Chairman of ITV
• Hubert Gregg, broadcaster, writer, stage actor
• The Very Revd John Hall, Dean of Westminster
• The Rt Revd Dr David Jenkins, former Bishop of Durham
• Frederick Henry Johnson, VC, recipient of the Victoria Cross in the First World War
• Sir Paul Judge, business man^[4]
• Sir Stephen Laws KCB, QC, former First Parliamentary Counsel
• The Very Revd Ivan Neill, Chaplain General of the British Army and Provost of Sheffield
• Steve Nieve (né Steve Nason), musician, Elvis Costello and the Attractions
• Matt Salter, former captain of Bristol Rugby
• Robert Stanford Tuck, DSO, DFC, fighter pilot and test pilot
• Chuka Umunna, Labour MP for Streatham
• Clifford Wilcock, OBE, engineer and politician
• Dave Gelly, OBE, musician, journalist, critic and author

References

External links

• - St Dunstan's College
• Independent Schools Inspectorate report
• Profile on the ISC website