English

Edward Alleyn enshrined his love of the written word in his instructions for Dulwich to teach, ‘wryting, reading and grammar’ as core subjects. English remains central to the College’s academic curriculum: we view reading and writing as key to the development of creative, informed and independent thinkers. Our aim is that pupils encounter the very best that has been written, and that they are challenged and inspired by the language and ideas they find there.

What we teach

Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9 Michaelmas)

Pupils follow the College’s own curriculum and are introduced to key works in the English literary canon, contemporary writing, world literature and non-fiction texts. In the Lower School, Reading is supported by engaging schemes run by the Raymond Chandler library.

IGCSE (Years 9-11)

The Edexcel IGCSE syllabus is followed in both English Language and Literature, beginning with a Non-Fiction Anthology in the second half of Year 9. All pupils study a Shakespeare play as well as contemporary drama and prose texts, and skills in essay and creative writing are honed through a combination of examination and coursework tasks.

A level (Years 12-13)

 In the Upper School pupils take OCR English Literature A level. The American novel in the period 1880-1940 is a core area of study and pupils read a Shakespeare play as well as a pre-1900 play and poetry text. Varied coursework options engage with the contemporary world through post-1900 prose, poetry and drama: recent writers studied include Salman Rushdie, Carol Ann Duffy, T S Eliot, Anna Burns, Arundhati Roy, Imtiaz Dharker, Philip Larkin and Langston Hughes.

Enrichment

• Dulwich’s Literary Society (‘LitSoc’) meets weekly and is attended by sixth-form pupils from Dulwich, JAGS and other nearby schools. It is complemented by Middle School Further English, where pupils explore beyond the GCSE syllabus. Both groups attract around 20-30 attendees each week.
• The Further English programme caters for those wishing to study English at university, including Oxbridge.
• There are three creative writing groups run by the department, and pupil work is published in a variety of publications including The Alleynian, the College’s school magazine. Pupils regularly enter work in external competitions and Dulwich pupils have seen success in the Orwell Youth prize and Goldsmith’s Young Writers competitions among others.
• Regular theatre trips are organised and a group travels to the York Film Festival each year. Every two years, a trip to New York complements the study of American Literature at A level.

Destinations

Higher Education

Each year around 8-10 pupils opt for English or related courses at universities including Oxford and Cambridge, UCL, Durham, St Andrews and the University of East Anglia.

Careers

The unique combination of academic rigour, communication skills and creativity afforded by the study of English provides the basis for a wide range of careers, and OAs who have specialised in English at the College go on to work in fields such as media, journalism, law, management consultancy, teaching, the creative arts, and many others. The College has produced a number of distinguished writers, including PG Wodehouse, Raymond Chandler, Graham Swift, Michael Ondaatje and Tom McCarthy.