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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Dulwich College

11 replies

S999 · 15/09/2015 03:22

Hi there
Anyone with any experience of applying to Dulwich College London at 8+ please? what was the testing like? What sort of numbers are we up against? Is it a real issue if you don't live locally?
Thanks so much

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Chottie · 15/09/2015 03:54

Hello S999 - my DS went to DC but not until he was at secondary level, so I can't answer the first part of your post. Regarding travelling to school, he went on a school coach, which collected him locally to our home when he was young. When he was older he went on the train.

Regarding sports and out of school activities, I used to go and collect him late some evenings and on Saturdays he rowed, so it was a trip to Putney (I live in south east London).

ladydepp · 16/09/2015 11:18

I had a friend who tried to get her son in at 8+ (or maybe 7+?), he didn't get a place and he's pretty bright. His parents didn't prep him much though, they were just having a go. The Head is trying to move the school away from rugger bugger towards more academic boys so it is definitely not easy to get into.

How far away are you? There are school coaches (you pay extra) covering most of the surrounding areas, and late coaches Mon to Thurs. You may need to do the occasional late pickup and if he's sporty he will play matches most Saturdays (possibly not until he's older).

Original poster

S999 · 16/09/2015 12:26

Thanks so much for your messages, we are definitely prepping my son as we have to move school at 8+.

The early years sound manageable but later on with extra-curricular activities it could get tricky but then that might be the case anywhere in London.

I like the ethos of the school and the head very much.

OP posts:

Taranta · 16/09/2015 18:27

Is your DS at a prep at the moment S999? Ours is at a nearby prep and from what I gather it is getting harder to get into for the reasons ladydepp describes...

Original poster

S999 · 17/09/2015 04:44

Hi there
Yes he's at a British school but we are abroad...however, DS is being prepared. He's pretty strong in maths but as with every 7 year old, never know how he's going to perform on the day!
He is trying a few schools in the central area and south west London. Is your DS sitting the exams?

OP posts:

wandymum · 17/09/2015 10:00

Hi, my DS did 7+ last year (not sure what 8+ is like but I imagine broadly similar).

For DC there was a maths test, reading comprehension, writing a story + interview. He said the DC test wasn't as hard as some of the others he did (e.g KCJS).

We didn't do masses of work beforehand and his school don't prep for it either. There's a website called exam papers plus where you can download practice tests to work through - they are a bit harder than the bond papers so if your DS is ok with those he should be fine.

5 boys from DS's previous school sat the DC test - 2 got offers, 1 was waitlisted and 2 got Nos. It wasn't a particularly academic pre-prep so I would think that if your DS is in the upper half of his year ability wise he should be fine.

Original poster

S999 · 23/09/2015 03:07

Thanks Wandymum we are doing those exam papers, on a good day, he scores really well in Maths and other days, we have to start praying...English is not his strong area...we still have a few months to prepare so I think we will use this time to do comprehensions and compositions but it's so hard to get him motivated. He will do it but quite obviously a rush job and run out the door. Sigh.
Did you find most candidates are from the local area? We live quite far, in central London...

OP posts:

Taranta · 23/09/2015 03:56

Our DS is a good few years away yet from DC entry, currently at Dulwich Prep, but obviously we keep an eye on how 8+ entry goes as that is what DPL boys are geared towards. If you look at DPL leaver destinations (on their website) then year on year they send between 30-40 boys across to DC, so around half of DCs intake of 70 is boys from DPL. But that still leaves half that aren't and the high percentage is obviously skewed by the fact that the prep is just round the corner and the natural place for many parents to want to continue their sons education in the non-state sector in this area.
I see there's the open day coming up soon for DC -a good time for you to inspire your DS maybe? And find out more about the intake while you're at it.

wandymum · 25/09/2015 08:57

Taranta - don't DPL boys usually go straight into DC senior school at 13? I think OP is talking about entry to DC juniors at age 8 rather than in year 8.

P.S we opted for DPL in the end too - DS could not be happier.

Taranta · 25/09/2015 20:41

Yes you're right wandymum re-reading it's age 8 not year 8, silly me...I thought all boys had to take the assessment for entry to DC at 13, it's not automatic entry by any means, is it?!

AnotherNewt · 28/09/2015 14:13

If the boy is at the Junior School of Dulwich College, then yes they have to reach the expected standard to join the Lower School of the College at 11+ and again, boys in the Lower a School have to reach the expected standard to progress to the Middle School at 13+. And it's unusual if they don't. There are main entry points (by the school's own exams) at bit 11+ and 13+.

Boys at Dulwich Prep (a totally different school, despite similar name) would be prepped for the 13+ entrance exam, and a very high proportion of those who sit for DC secure offers.

Dulwich College is a really popular choice at the moment, and is rather harder to get in to - at any point (sorry OP) - than it was even a only a few years ago. But as they have some boarders (though not many, before sixth form) international entry from different systems is a fairly well-trodden path.

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