When we applied for our eldest to join Reception, St Dunstan’s presented itself as a school committed to educating well-rounded children. Over the years, however, we have watched that ethos give way to a narrower, results-driven approach, seemingly aimed at competing with schools such as Alleyn’s, Dulwich College and Colfe’s, rather than at nurturing the individual child.
SEND provision has been consistently poor, at times embarrassingly so. The school operates a rigid, one-size-fits-all threshold for progression into the Senior School: a child with diagnosed dyslexia who excels in every subject but one can still be refused a place. Rather than implementing established, evidence-based strategies to support these children, staff simply tell them to work harder. This is not an inclusive approach, and it fails the very pupils who most need thoughtful support.
Sport, once a genuine strength, has been scaled back considerably since we joined and now centres largely on swimming. It no longer compares favourably with other independent schools in the area, and I have come to see the school’s promotional emphasis on sport as more a marketing exercise than a real institutional priority. The same rigid academic threshold applies here too: a child with real talent in sport, music or art can still be excluded from Year 7 if they don’t meet the required grades in Year 5.
Staff turnover has also been high, with a heavy reliance on supply teachers to cover gaps. Prospective parents may find it useful to review the gruelling staff feedback independently, for example on Glassdoor. https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/St-Dunstan-s-College-Reviews-E1883510.htm
Given the school’s location in Catford, with its difficult traffic and a homeless shelter centre nearby, one might reasonably expect this to be reflected in lower fees and a broader, more inclusive educational offer. That has not been our experience. St Dunstan’s continues to position itself against the Dulwich schools, but on the evidence of our time there, it does not match them.
On balance, I would not recommend this school.