Acceptance of an Offer
Please note that we are aware that some schools’ timeline for entry is different to ours. If you are holding an offer from another school, and have not heard a decision from us, please contact us for further advice if you have any queries.
Disability and Special Educational Needs
Please notify the Junior School Registrar by Monday 27 October 2025 if your child has any specific learning needs or disabilities, which might affect the administration of the 2026 assessments. Sending any professional reports and recommendations is essential so we can ensure suitable access arrangements are made.
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 applicants; children who will thrive at Dulwich College to the age of 18. Our challenge is to find students with potential whose natural ability will grow with the challenges and breadth a Dulwich education provides.
Online Assessments
The children do not need to do any preparation for the online assessments. These assessments will look at the applicants’ English, Maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning competencies. Ideally, they 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 in place to help all applicants in these assessments.
Reading, reading and reading
Your child should read aloud; he should discuss the stories read, their meanings, any new vocabulary encountered, the feelings of characters and how stories relate to other books, authors and the world around them.
Numeracy
Children should have a good level of numeracy and be able to understand number problems in context. An ability to link topics and use appropriate strategies to explain their thinking will be useful.
Writing
Applicants will be asked to write in response to a given stimulus. We are looking for children who can express themselves clearly and creatively using interesting vocabulary and accurate punctuation. They will not be asked to write a structured story.
Speaking
Applicants will be encouraged to speak about themselves in a one-to-one assessment with a member of the Junior School staff and discuss their genuine interests and enthusiasms and issues around them. Quiet or shy children can very effectively relay the topics that fascinate them with our gentle and supportive staff.
On the Assessment Days
We aim to make the days as normal and as welcoming as possible with our Junior School teachers encouraging and supporting the applicants. Along with the invitation to the assessment days, details will be provided about what applicants should bring and the structure of the day. We offer frequent breaks and provide healthy refreshments to help ensure that your son’s visit to Dulwich College Junior School is positive and memorable.
