Curriculum
The Remove (Year 12) and Upper Sixth (Year 13)
All pupils choose three subjects to study (four if they are studying Further Mathematics) and every subject follows an A level course apart from Geography and Biology where the Cambridge Assessment International A level is studied.
To guarantee breadth of study, all pupils in the Remove study an Advanced Electives Course and all pupils in Year 13 study a Liberal Studies course.
The Advanced Electives are bespoke, ten-week courses designed by teachers at Dulwich College, James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS) and Sydenham High School which inspire a genuine love of learning beyond exam curricula. They form a core part of the free learning ethos at Dulwich. We believe in preparing pupils for 21st century life by developing courses that are truly interdisciplinary, that straddle boundaries between academic, practical and emotional intelligence and which encourage pupils to think independently.
There are almost 50 courses to choose from that fit broadly into the arts, sciences, humanities, languages and social sciences. The Advanced Electives provide Dulwich pupils the opportunity to learn together with the Year 12s from JAGS and Sydenham High School in a manner which replicates the seminar-style, independent learning of universities and tertiary education. The lack of examination, characteristic of all courses, encourages freedom of thought and intellectual risk-taking.
In addition to their chosen subjects, in Year 13 all pupils follow a Liberal Studies programme, which is run in conjunction with JAGS, with some lessons taking place at the College and others at JAGS. Pupils are asked to choose courses from a wide selection offered by teaching staff, most lasting one term. Some courses are designed to stimulate an intellectual enthusiasm for a new, and often unusual area of study; others to broaden awareness of particular global or topical issues; others, still, aim to develop practical or study skills or give pupils an opportunity to engage in community service. Through these non-examined courses, we hope that pupils will gain a broader view of society and develop an intelligent, well-informed, enthusiastic response to the world around them.
The skills and knowledge developed in both Liberal Studies and Advanced Electives courses will be used by pupils to help them complete an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) or to plan and write an internally assessed essay of 2000 words. These are key components of our Dulwich Diploma, which recognises the academic and co-curricular aspects of a Dulwich education, and is awarded to pupils when they leave the College.
Details of the wide range of subjects currently available can be found in the Upper School Curriculum Booklet which the College publishes annually and is on the College website. Pupils may choose freely from these; the timetable is designed afterwards, to incorporate pupil choice.
There is in addition, a Games afternoon for all pupils, Wellbeing lesson which provide the RSE curriculum and time for private study.
Additional programmes and support are organised to assist those pupils in preparing for competitive university entry including Oxbridge, Medicine and American universities.
