Chair of Governors: Mrs Kate Kelleher
Head Master: Miss Louise Davidson
Deputy Head: Mr Ed Matten
Assistant Head: Mr Piers Young
Head of Early Years: Dr Christopher Halls
Head of Pre-Prep: Mrs Shelley Whitehead
Head of Lower School & DSL: Mrs Karen McDonald-Tuckwell
Head of Middle School & SENDCo: Mr Sasanka Velagapudi
Head of Upper School: Mrs Loren Carville
Bursar and Clerk to the Governors: Mrs Caroline Skillings
Director of HR: Mr Paul James
Head of Professional Development: Miss Jeannie McElroy
Age range. Boys 2–16, Girls 2–4.
Number of children. 789 boys, 23 girls.
Fees per term (2024-2025). Day fees £5,700–£9,455, inclusive of lunch (there are no compulsory extras).
For over 140 years, Dulwich Prep has stood as a leading preparatory school, inspiring generations of boys and, through its co-educational Nursery, young girls, to pursue their dreams. The school remains committed to excellence in boys’ education and is evolving with the launch of its senior section (Years 9 to 11) in September 2025. This development marks a significant chapter in the school’s history, which will now serve boys from ages 2 to 16 and girls from ages 2 to 4.
Dulwich Prep & Senior offers an exceptional teaching and learning environment with high-quality, subject-specific facilities. The campus spans two main sites, Alleyn Park (Years 1 to 11) and Gallery Road (Nursery & Reception), set in 29 acres of grounds, of which 25 are sports fields and woodland. Its location offers a unique blend of a countryside feel within the suburbs of one of the world’s most vibrant cities.
The school values of Love, Courage, Gratitude, Humility, Justice, Self-Discipline, Service, and Honesty, are the foundation of everything they do. These principles create a nurturing environment that develops each child’s mind, heart, and character. They promote a culture of possibility and excellence while fostering empathy and encouraging pupils to become future leaders and changemakers in society.
The wellbeing and happiness of the boys are top priorities. Each boy’s sense of belonging is crucial for his and the school’s continued success. Boys are challenged academically in their pursuit of excellence, with each boy supported as he discovers his talents and explores what he is good at. Pupils leave having experienced the very best in pastoral care, teaching and learning, enjoyed the most dynamic and demanding academic and co-curricular programmes, and having made friends for life.
The youngest pupils start their journey at the Early Years site on Gallery Road; set in five acres of fields and woodland, the superbly equipped, award-winning building enables children to enjoy the best introduction and foundation to learning. From Year 1, boys transition to the Alleyn Park site.
Like London, the Alleyn Park site comprises a mix of older and more modern buildings. There is a six-lane, 25-metre indoor heated swimming pool, a 275-seater concert hall, a self-contained music school with an outdoor stage, a gleaming multipurpose sports hall with a climbing wall, a bespoke art studio with kilns, a drama studio, outdoor amphitheatre, cookery suite, and stargazing observatory. Dulwich Prep & Senior’s four playing fields are a short walk away, and the school offers a small flexi-boarding provision to support families as part of their wraparound care provision.
Whilst the school operates as a single school with a unified vision, it is structured into five distinct sections, each catering to specific age groups. This enables Dulwich Prep & Senior to deliver a tailored educational experience that meets the unique needs of every pupil and prepares them for the next stage of their journey, regardless of when they join.
Most pupils leave at the end of Year 8 (13+), and over the past seven years (2018-2024), boys have transitioned to over 50 different senior schools. For the academic year 2023-2024, 93% of leavers achieved their first choice; schools of note include Brighton College, City of London School, Dulwich College, Eton College, Harrow School, St Paul’s School, Westminster School, Whitgift School, and Winchester College. A total of 36 scholarships (21 Academic, 2 Art, 4 Music and 9 Sport) were won by Year 8 boys. Whilst striving for excellence, exam successes, and scholarship results are important, it is the pupils’ character that sets them apart and often makes them the first choice of many senior schools.
Dulwich Prep & Senior offers something different; it is not ‘just’ an all-through school and will strongly continue to support families in finding the right school at the right time for their son, supporting the transition to senior school or sixth form in Year 7, Year 9, and Year 12.
Some of the opportunities available to our pupils are:
••Sport has an inclusive approach, enabling every pupil to be involved and find a sport that resonates with them. Competitive fixtures include Football, Rugby, Athletics, Swimming, Water Polo, and Cross Country.
••More than 550 individual music lessons take place every week, and boys have the opportunity to perform regularly in a range of groups and ensembles. 90% of pupils play one instrument, with many playing two.
••Over 30 music groups regularly perform, with many also appearing on the programme for gala concerts at prestigious venues such as Southwark Cathedral.
••There are over 150 weekly clubs and extracurricular activity sessions, stimulating the boys’ intellectual and sporting interests. From Lego to Light Sabers, there is something for everyone.
••Residential trips for pupils in Years 4 to 8 within the curriculum built into the fee structure; these include outdoor pursuits trips to Wales and cultural visits to York. The school also offers a range of holiday trips, from skiing or sailing and sports tours to South Africa to Geography trips to Iceland.
••Drama productions and performance opportunities are peppered throughout the academic year, showcasing anything from the foundational skills of performance through structured play to exploring spatial awareness, role play and creating characters through storytelling to singing and dancing in musicals.