Dear Parent/Guardian,
We recently had the honour of welcoming Seocho-gu Governor Jeon Seong-soo and his delegation to our campus, where we discussed Dulwich College Seoul’s ongoing growth—now at 99% capacity—and shared our successes, such as being ranked Korea’s #1 IB school with graduates attending top universities worldwide. Marking our 15th anniversary, we highlighted our community initiatives, including a Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE)-run international exchange programme and volunteering efforts at a local elderly centre, which Governor Jeon praised as a “win-win” for both the school and the wider community. We also explored new ways to strengthen local partnerships, from future collaborative events with neighbouring schools and churches to potential use of district facilities for student learning. After engaging in an insightful discussion about our vision and progress, Governor Jeon toured our award-winning facilities, even experiencing our famous “Dulwich Drop” slide. Read the full account of his visit in the Whole School section.
On related news, we also had the pleasure of visiting our long-term supporter and district National Assembly member Cho Eun-hee. NA member Cho was not only instrumental in the establishment of our College back in 2010 as a Vice-Mayor at Seoul Metropolitan Government working to attract foreign direct investment, but she is also an avid supporter who has visited our campus and attended school events several times over the years. Most recently, she attended our FDI Policy Roundtable reception at the British Ambassador’s residence in support of recognising the role foreign schools play in attracting – and retaining top global talent. It was an honour meeting NA member Cho, where she reiterated her commitment and support for the College and we discussed how we may collaborate and strengthen our partnerships as we continue expanding our contribution to the local community.
On Wednesday, hosted an IB Wine and Cheese Evening for the parents of our Year 5 and Year 6 students, who will soon be moving up to the Senior School. Ms Pugh and Ms Smith delivered a comprehensive presentation on what lies ahead, while our Head Students shared their personal experiences and advice. The guests were able to mingle with other student leaders and teachers, discussing any questions they had over delicious charcuterie and wine. A heartfelt thank you goes to everyone involved in organising this successful event, from the presenters and student helpers to our catering team, for making the evening so informative and welcoming.
The Friends of Dulwich (FoD) have been busy this week, hosting a Coffee Morning complete with a used book and uniform sale, which drew a fantastic turnout. On Monday, FoD Chair Helena also led a Valentine’s Day flower arranging class, providing a creative and enjoyable experience for our parent community. I would like to extend my gratitude to Helena and the entire FoD team for organising these wonderful initiatives that bring our school community closer together.
I would like to let you know that we will not be offering a Summer School programme this year, as our facilities will be undergoing extensive upgrades over the holiday period. In lieu of our usual programme, we have identified some international summer school options that may be of interest to families. Please visit the Whole School section of this update for further details on these opportunities.
I would also like to invite you to our upcoming Parent Community Forum, where I will share updates on our School Strategic Plan, the CIS preliminary report and survey, MyDulwich parent portal, and our three-year Masterplanning. We will hold both an in-person session on Tuesday, 25 February from 8.30am–10am (light refreshments will be served) and an online session on Thursday, 27 February from 6pm–7.15pm. For more details, please see the Whole School section of this update. I look forward to welcoming many of you to these sessions.
Best regards,
Alison Derbyshire
Head of College