Summer 2026 | 19 Many independent schools in the UK have a reputation for prioritising academic results over everything else and leaving pupils unprepared for the real world that awaits them after they leave. Out to change this is Dulwich Prep & Senior, a boys-only school renowned for an in-depth education that nurtures children according to its values and puts their wellbeing and personal development above all. Following the school’s recognition with two awards in this feature, we take a closer look at both its values and its approach to the wellbeing and pastoral care of students. Most Values-Driven Independent School 2026 – London & Excellence in Wellbeing & Pastoral Care 2026 The pastoral care that Dulwich Prep & Senior sees as the start and end point of everything it does is an extension of its values, and it too is seen throughout the school, from the structure of the school day to the cocurricular activities mentioned above. This level of care begins by building partnerships with families, and the school recognises the importance of the relationships between children, their teachers, and their peers, not to mention the relationship between home and school life. Communication is a crucial ingredient in Dulwich Prep & Senior’s outstanding pastoral care structure, seen through the vital link between a child and their class teacher/form tutor. These members of staff spend time with a child every single day, and are the first port of call in ensuring that a child’s social, emotional, and academic needs are all being met. They are, however, far from the last point of contact a pupil has. Appropriate adults are always easily accessible for pupils, be it a school counsellor, a subject specialist, a member of the medical team, or even one of the external therapists Dulwich Prep & Senior invites into the school to enhance its pastoral care and wellbeing provision. Bringing this into the 21st century, the school also introduced ‘Rate My Week’, a bespoke app where boys can communicate with their teachers, provide feedback on the highs and lows of the week, and request personal support if they require it. “Our aim has been and will always be to prepare children for their future and the variety of changes they will experience. We believe that at Dulwich Prep & Senior, we have the best pastoral systems in place to build that confidence and inspire their trust.” Finally, it is worth noting that Dulwich Prep & Senior’s blend of a valuesled education, exceptional pastoral care, and a focus on wellbeing plays a huge role in the top grades it achieves. Since 2020, 95% of boys have secured their first-choice senior school, and more than 350 scholarships have been awarded. This is the icing on the cake for students and their parents, who recognise Dulwich Prep & Senior as a place where boys are not asked to fit a mould and are instead given the space to find their own shape. As a result, the award titles of Most Values-Driven Independent School 2026 – London and Excellence in Wellbeing & Pastoral Care 2026 are fitting of this esteemed location. Contact: Stephen Gudgeon Company: Dulwich Prep & Senior Web Address: https://dulwichprepsenior.org.uk/ oused in one of London’s most stunning locations, Dulwich Prep & Senior is a leading independent school comprising a coeducational nursery and a boys-only education from reception through to GCSE. The warmth of its prep school gives way to a small and encouraging senior school, with the common thread across its education being that it is tailored to how boys develop. What follows is an environment where they can thrive. Dulwich Prep & Senior’s delivery is guided by its eight core values of love, courage, gratitude, humility, justice, service, self-discipline, and honesty, values which form the backbone of the school’s culture and will carry its students wherever they go once they graduate. This values-led framework is especially relevant in today’s world, where too many boys are growing up with mixed messages about masculinity. By encouraging boys to talk openly and honestly about topics like love and humility, Dulwich Prep & Senior is helping them to develop emotional literacy and offer a space where they can understand their emotions and ask for help. The habits they develop here, like the values that the school instils within them, build behaviours that last a lifetime. Moreover, since Dulwich Prep & Senior is a single-sex school, boys are free from the narrow channels of masculinity that often crop up in mixed schools, and they are invited to explore kindness and leadership in a variety of ways thanks to Dulwich Prep & Senior’s extensive co-curricular programme. Opportunities here range from sports to music, creativity, and cognitive enrichment, with clubs on offer including yoga, writing, coding, and dodgeball. H Dulwich Prep & Senior
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