What are we looking for in the Dulwich College Junior School Assessments?
It is important to stress that we are looking for potential in the boys; boys who will thrive at Dulwich College to the age of 18. Our challenge is to find boys with potentialwhose natural ability will grow with the challenges and breadth a Dulwich education provides. There are four areas of good practice for boys preparing for our assessment, all of which can and should be achieved through normal schooling.
Reading, reading and reading
Ideally, your son should be reading aloud to others as well as to himself; he should discuss the stories read, any new vocabulary encountered, their meaning and how they relate to other books, authors and the world around them.
Mathematics
Boys should be thinking about questions forwards and backwards so that they can understand and link topics. If they are given the answer, what was the question? They will be given questions and problems in forms they might not have seen before; can they apply their knowledge to these novel questions?
Writing
We are looking for boys who are able to express themselves creatively and accurately. Some awareness of writing an interesting and well-structured piece within 20-30 minutes is an excellent preparation for our assessment. This will not be a story. We will talk to the boys about a stimulus (e.g. a video or picture) and they will then be asked to write about it in some way. The initial discussion will take the form of a mini-lesson, which will give very clear ‘success criteria’ for their writing. Checking for spelling, punctuation and grammar is to be encouraged. Please be reassured that a teacher will be on hand to support and prompt your son, if he requires it during the task on the assessment day.
Speaking
Boys will be encouraged to talk about themselves in the chat with the member of staff, discuss their genuine interests and enthusiasms, share what they are reading and what they enjoy doing in their spare time. We are looking for boys who have a spark and a passion. Quiet or shy boys can very effectively relay the topics that fascinate them with our gentle and supportive staff.
Reasoning
The boys do not need to do any preparation for reasoning (e.g. non-verbal), although some familiarisation with these type of questions may increase confidence for the uninitiated. Ideally, the boys will have used a computer with a mouse beforehand, but this is not a barrier to doing well in these assessments. We have the support and means to help all boys in these assessments. If your son has never used a mouse before, please do share this in your application, so we can ensure the necessary support is available on the day.
On the Assessment Day
We aim to make the day as normal and as comfortable as possible with our friendly teachers encouraging and supporting the boys. The boys will enjoy a morning similar to a typical school day and will be settled in with games before they start their papers. The day will include an outside play break and healthy refreshments. We hope to provide the boys with a positive and memorable experience of their visit to Dulwich College Junior School
