Equity and Respect

Introduction from The Master

Two of the primary duties of Dulwich College are:

to ensure that all our pupils feel equally secure and valued; and
to nurture a supportive community that encourages a sense of social responsibility.

In March 2021 allegations were published on the website Everyone’s Invited, in an Open Letter from a recent alumnus and in the publication of a blog by a recent leaver describing his experience of racism while at the College. The behaviour described is distressing and entirely unacceptable; we condemn it unreservedly.

This led us to enhance our current provision and to develop a bespoke and robust response to effect change. We recognise that the impact of cultural change will take time to become deeply embedded, not least where the issues we are facing are widespread and societal; and that most importantly, this will happen only if we work together and take shared responsibility for the actions of our children.

Our ethos is one of respect and support for others in all we do and we are, as a school, committed to gender equity and to the elimination of discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, race, age, disability or religious belief. As a boys’ school the first thing we must do is listen to what women and girls are telling us about their experiences and their concerns.

The Independent Review - Behaviour, Culture and Safeguarding at Dulwich College - commissioned by the Governors was completed in May 2022. The Review was conducted by the INEQE Safeguarding Group and led by Jim Gamble, a former Chief Police Officer and the founding Chief Executive of CEOPS (the Child Exploitation and On-line Protection Centre) and the report's recommendations have been shared with parents, staff and alumni. We have already acted on many of the INEQE recommendations and are working hard to implement others.

The recommendations have led us to identify three key areas for specific attention:

Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and the Wellbeing Curriculum
The promotion of equity, diversity and inclusion
Further embedding a Safeguarding culture

Using that framework, I invite you to read our summary document which highlights some of the work that was undertaken in anticipation of the findings of the INEQE review and that is underway as a response to the INEQE report and ISI Inspection of November 2021.

The wider Ofsted state and independent schools' and colleges review (published on 10 June 2021) can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted.

The great majority of Dulwich College pupils are considerate and respectful towards others; they are acknowledged to be grounded, reflective, and curious and engaged with the world. Our confidence in them is undimmed and we will do our utmost to uphold their reputation whilst addressing the actions of those whose behaviour we condemn.

Dr Joe Spence
The Master

26 May 2022

The Diversity and Inclusion Alliance

Dulwich College is committed to working against discrimination and exclusion. With a focus on Race and Ethnicity, Gender Allyship and LGBTQ+, we are building a school of equity where every pupil feels they have a place and where their skills, talents and contributions are recognised. Our actions focus on:

Recruitment and retention
Staff and parent training and workshops
Pupil’s workshops and development
Curriculum Development and wider learning
Counselling, mentoring, and reporting

For more information about our work in this area, please explore our Diversity & Inclusion page.

Our Policies

Please see our Policies section, and in particular (but not only):

Mental Health Policy and Guidance

Online Safety

Safeguarding (Child Protection)

Sharing Nudes and Semi-Nudes (Including Sexting)

Wellbeing

Whistleblowing

How to contact us

If you are a pupil, alumnus, parent, former parent, member of staff or former member of staff and would like to talk to us about a safeguarding issue, current or historic, please contact us at safeguarding@dulwich.org.uk.

The NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000 is open Monday to Friday 8am – 10pm or 9am – 6pm at the weekends or online or by email 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

_{Updated: 31 March 2022}