This week the CIS visit offered a wonderful reminder of the strength of our community. The CIS visitors highlighted the remarkable sense of belonging at Dulwich College Seoul, noting our expert teachers, articulate and curious students, caring parents, and an inspiring school spirit. Self-reflection is essential for continuous improvement, even in small but meaningful ways, time together to focus on ways to make our school even better is always appreciated.
Our students have been as busy as ever. Thursday marked the first House chess tournament, where Mr Okeowo emerged victorious. However, the students gave him a real challenge with their strategic play, demonstrating not only skill but also determination.
The newly formed High School and Middle School Student Councils have already started engaging with their peers, gathering feedback on belonging and shaping the strategic focus for the year. We look forward to their assembly next week—student voice is a crucial element of our college and reflects our commitment to listening and learning together.
Student council names:
KS4: Erin P, Homin L, Eliz H, Arav S, Ray Y, Seoyoon S, Jioh C, Kris L, Bea K, Kunho J, Karan M
KS5: Jane L, Diana N, Milva T
Meanwhile, our IB students are preparing for life beyond Dulwich. This week, they explored practical skills like budgeting, sourcing ingredients, and cooking simple but satisfying meals. Although not quite ready for culinary competitions, they planned and prepared their dishes with great care—perhaps some of these will make it to your home kitchens soon!
Our students’ dedication to sports remains strong as the volleyball season draws to a close. The girls maintained their winning streak, showing determination and teamwork to finish tied first overall. The boys’ team fought hard to secure second place. For all our teams this was an excellent achievement amongst a strong field of schools.
In addition to sports, students are preparing for several upcoming events, including Ga-Eul, a student-led debate taking place this Saturday, and the History Bee and Bowl, where students from across the school will showcase their historical knowledge on 2 November. They are also gearing up for Planet Hack on 1–2 November, a fantastic opportunity to apply their learning in innovative ways.
Looking ahead, we remind you that next week, 23 October, is the Parent Rep meeting. Please share any questions or suggestions with your representatives so we can continue building on the partnership between school and home.
We are still looking for a Year 11 Parent Representative, if you would like to volunteer please email me.
| Year Group | Parent Rep | Email Address |
| 7 | Mariana Skok | mariana.skok@gmail.com |
| 7 | Aeri Kim | aeric.kim@gmail.com |
| 8 | Liz Banks | elisabethannbanks@gmail.com; |
| 9 | Lily Sommers | lily.sommers@hotmail.com |
| 9 | Nandita Vora | nandita.feb84@gmail.com |
| 10 | Jenny Zhang-Kim | polarjen@gmail.com |
| 11 | Any volunteers? | |
| 12 | Liz McCarthy | preetimccarthy@gmail.com |
| 13 | Jemmie Kim | jemmieuno@gmail.com |
| 13 | Helena Kim | kimhelena@hotmail.com |
Thank you, as always, for your support and involvement in our vibrant community.
Dates for your Diary
- 22 October Year 12 Cooking Challenge
- 23 – 27 October Dulwich Shakespeare Festival in Shanghai
- 23 October SS Parent Rep meeting
- 24 October 11.40am Dyslexia/ADHD Awareness Assembly
- 12 November all day PTSC #1
ISCMS 2025 – auditions open now!
ISCMS (International Schools Choral Music Society) is a music festival which brings together students and teachers from International Schools across Asia and The Middle East to make exceptional music in some of the best concert halls in the world. The Dulwich group has been associated with the festival since the beginning, and pre-covid, students have been attaining places at ISCMS since Dulwich College Seoul first opened to Senior students.
This year, the festival will be taking place in Wellington College Shanghai, then the final concert will happen in The Shanghai Oriental Arts Center between Thursday 20th February and Sunday 23rd February. Flight times and schedule to be decided later in the term.
Students from Dulwich College Seoul are invited to take part in ISCMS as a chorus member, or audition to be part of the orchestra or big band. Last year, students performed Beethoven’s Mass in C, Bernstein’s Candide Overture and special commissioned work by Deborah Pritchard, Kandinsky Songs. This year, the repertoire will be:
- Lambert Rio Grande for choir and orchestra
- Brahms Schicksalslied (‘Song of Destiny’ for Choir and Orchestra)
The ensembles are led by world class conductors and composers in Bob Hasty, David Squire and Nathaniel Gao. Please refer to www.iscms.net for full information about the entire festival.
To apply, please register for ISCMS, then you will later be contacted by the orchestra manager about submitting an audition video.
How to apply:
- Register for ISCMS
- Some of the questions refer to ABRSM exam grades. If you do not take exams, or are unsure of what standard you are, please ask Mr Knights about this before you submit your application.
- Once you have registered for ISCMS, if you have applied for the Orchestra or Big Band, you will be contacted by the Orchestra manager about submitting an audition video.
- If you are auditioning to be part of the Big Band or Orchestra, the deadline for submissions is 31st October. Applications sent after this date will not be considered.
Auditions
If you would like assistance with your audition video, or selecting repertoire, please ask Mr Knights. As mentioned, the deadline is 31st October. The videos should be thoroughly prepared to stand a good chance of attaining a place in either the big band or the orchestra.
This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a truly world-class international school festival,, and I hope to see many Dulwich College Seoul students take part as either a chorister or instrumentalist. Please let me know if you decide to audition, and good luck to those of you who apply!
Previous Festivals:
If you would like to see what ISCMS is, please watch the following YouTube videos below:
Many thanks, have a good day and good luck in your application!
Middle School KAIAC Champions
U15 Girls – Champions
The U15 girls finished their season in spectacular fashion, claiming the championship title at the end-of-season tournament hosted at TCIS. Their success was driven by standout performances across the team, starting with Sofia S, whose leadership both on and off the field was exceptional. Jiwoo C led the attacking line with relentless energy, constantly pressuring the opposition and creating numerous scoring opportunities. Clara G contributed with powerful and determined runs, driving the team forward and keeping the opposition on the back foot. The team’s unity and determination were evident in every match, culminating in a well-deserved crowning as KAIAC Champions!
A special thanks to MS Birch and Mr Novak for their work in coaching the girls this season.
U15 Boys – 3rd Place
The U15 boys battled their way to a respectable 3rd place finish, showing great team spirit and individual talent throughout the tournament. Michael K was the cornerstone of the midfield, controlling the tempo of the game and providing key passes. Sky S was a constant threat, scoring many goals with his powerful shots. In goal, Emile Lambrecht delivered a commanding performance, despite being two years younger than his teammates. His dominating presence kept the team in contention throughout. In defence, Jihoon Back was a powerhouse, consistently reliable in stopping the opposition.
The boys’ most thrilling match was a 5-5 draw against the eventual winners, TCIS. Though the boys didn’t clinch the top spot, they can be proud of their effort and performance against the tournament’s champions.
Both teams represented DCSL with distinction and gave their all in this exciting end to the KAIAC Football season. Now the focus moves to our most prestigious event – The FOBISIA Games!
Go Leopards!
UCC Coffee Morning Poster
SSAEM Peer Mentoring
The Year 12 and Year 13 students are re-introducing the new SSAEM peer mentoring program for this term!
‘SSAEM’, which roughly translates to ‘tutor’ in Korean vernacular, is designed to help younger students (Year 7 to Year 11) with academics and other things relating to the senior school. It can be a great way to gain insight into IB students’ perspectives on school and also to discuss topics that are more suitable for a mature student body.
Mentees will be joined up as either single sessions (one mentor and one mentee) or double sessions (one mentor and two mentees), depending on the mentees’ choices. Scheduling for meetings will happen individually via email between the mentors and the mentees, which can happen anytime from lunchtime to 4.30pm after school.
For students wishing to become mentees for this term, please fill out this form.
We look forward to seeing more students sign up!
The Year 12 and Year 13 SSAEM mentoring group.
The Ambassador Platform
We’re pleased to share “The Ambassador Platform” with our community—an interactive chatting app that’s been connecting prospective parents with our dedicated community of parents. Our team of parent ambassadors has been doing a great job engaging with potential families, sharing personal experiences, and offering advice to showcase why Dulwich College Seoul is a great choice.
This platform is not only useful for prospective parents but also a helpful resource for our current parents. They can easily start a conversation with our experienced parent ambassadors to get answers to any questions they may have about Dulwich College Seoul’s school life. Click here to start chatting and learn more about our community and the enriching experiences at Dulwich College Seoul for your family!