Wellbeing

We are committed to providing a holistic education for all our pupils and see our academic and pastoral work as interrelated and complementary. We believe it is vital that, alongside achieving their academic potential, our pupils learn skills and have experiences that enable them to thrive and flourish during the school day, away from the College and in the years beyond Dulwich. Our community wide emphasis on wellbeing, together with age appropriate wellbeing lessons equips our pupils to do this. Wellbeing at the College is separated into six strands: emotional health, spiritual health, physical health, living in community, healthy living and preparation for the future.

We have a wide reaching, comprehensive programme

Between joining the College at Year 7 and leaving at the end of Sixth Form, a Dulwich boy will have approximately 100 hours of timetabled time specifically focussed on supporting and improving his wellbeing. Boys between Year 7 and 11 have one period of curriculum time per week set aside for Wellbeing, which are led by a team of around 30 Wellbeing teachers, while boys in the Upper School have a Wellbeing carousel that operates during form tutor time. Form tutors lower down the school also play a major role in supporting wellbeing.

Our programme covers a huge range of age-appropriate topics including; friendships, bullying, mindfulness, resilience, financial literacy, campaigning, sexting, pornography, mental health, domestic survival, sexual health and careers.

Wellbeing at the College is broad and includes the whole community

All five of the Dulwich Foundation schools are committed to promoting Wellbeing, from the babies in the Kindergarten right through to the Upper School. This is done in a vast array of different ways from having a ‘worry tree’ in the Junior School to the peer mentoring scheme run by sixth formers for younger pupils. A specific Wellbeing programme is in place for boarders.

We understand that a healthy community involves all its members and we seek to enhance staff wellbeing as well as supporting parents in their vital role.

Wellbeing as a concept

In addition to the formal Wellbeing programme, we have a vast array of structures and people in place to provide support. Our form tutors and year heads are often the first point of call for boys and parents but in addition we have an on-site counsellor, a medical centre, a Chaplaincy team, a weekly drop in service for boys, a peer led mentoring service, a vast community service programme and charitable fund raising. Boys are supported and guided as they make decisions about the future by our Beyond Dulwich team.

The Yelcho Room 

The Yelcho Room is on the first floor of the Medical Centre and is open every break and lunch time. All pupils are welcome to drop in and talk with one of our Listening Staff and Counsellors about anything. The Yelcho Room is intended as a safe and containing space for pupils to express any worries or concerns and to discuss any topics no matter how big or small.   

The Yelcho Room is named after the Chilean steamer Yelcho. In August 1916 the explorer Ernest Shackleton, an alumnus of Dulwich College, sought out the tug Yelcho in his fourth attempt to rescue his crew left stranded on Elephant Island. It remains one of the most daring rescue missions ever documented.