Lower School Academic Scholarship Journey

ST DUNSTAN’S COLLEGE

Lower School Academic Scholarship Journey

Lower School Academic Scholarship Journey

WELCOME FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOLARS

AtSt Dunstan’s, scholars are courageously curious and have the confidence to try, fail, succeed, and learn. Our academic scholarship programme is challenging and stimulating, and designed to set scholars up for success at St Dunstan’s and beyond.

We pride ourselves on building relationships based on individualised knowledge of our scholars. We aim to inspire these talented young people to delve well beyond subject specifications or schemes of learning.

The Academic Scholarship journey through the Lower School (Years 7 to 9) has been carefully cultivated and developed with the purpose of inspiring scholars’ academic curiosity and encouraging them to stretch and challenge themselves further through a range of different enrichment opportunities.

Mrs Sophie Mitchell Head of Scholars

What does it mean to be an Academic Scholar at St Dunstan’s College

Academic Scholars at St Dunstan’s can expect a dynamic and personalised programme, right from the start of Year 7. Some of the features of which we are particularly proud include our series of Opening Minds lectures from various experts across a range of subjects, termly Scholars’ Huddles as an opportunity for Socratic discussion, and the opportunity to explore creative research projects under the supervision of an expert teacher.

We offer scholars several benefits as a result of their engagement with the programme. In Years 7, 8 and 9 scholars’ trips run regularly, including to the British Museum, the British Library, the Design Museum, Somerset House and the Greenwich Observatory. These exciting opportunities for learning outside of the classroom greatly enhance the experience of Academic Scholarship at St Dunstan’s, and contribute to the social experience of the scholarship programme, as students are given the opportunity to engage with a diverse group of experts.

Programme

Support and challenge for scholars to extend their learning outside the standard curriculum with three elements:

Scholars’ Huddles Trips Seminars

Symposium

For each year, the four elements are focused on a specific theme which has been identified as relevant to the group

Group topics

Year 7

Leading Change

Year 8

Diversity of Expression

Learning how to appreciate, enable and lead change

Year 9

Engaging with a Global World

Developing the skills to communicate through a multitude of media

Understanding and engaging on current affairs

Opening Minds

‘The scholarship programme was a really effective way for me to make new friends and build my confidence. I’ve found other students who have common interests, and it’s been a lot of fun! We get to go on trips that have really enhanced my learning, like our trip to the Royal Institution’s Science labs’

Jessica – Year 7

Academically rigorous lectures are delivered by experts in their field, on subject matter beyond the College’s core schemes of learning. These lectures are designed for students to engage with fresh and innovative content and to challenge their thinking of the world around them.

Academic scholars are supported to engage effectively with these by attending pre-lecture information sessions, which help them access these challenging and often more abstract theoretical ideas. Scholars also attend post-lecture seminars to prompt deeper analysis and discussion. This year we have welcomed lecturers on a range of topics, including:

• Curiosity in Science

• Confidence in Culture

• Compassion - The Power of Literature

• Marketing Creativity

• Courage and Performance

Scholars’ Huddles

InYears 7 and 8, Scholars’ Huddles provide a nurturing environment for students to discuss and debate challenging topics as well as explore different ways of thinking.

These opportunities, led by a wide range of senior staff at the college, allow students to explore topics from outside the core curriculum in a focused and robust way, and to develop higher level thinking and problem-solving skills. These have included an analysis of intellectual life more broadly, or focussed on how to lead a self-guided tour around a museum, how to evaluate information in an increasingly online world, and how to present an academic research project to an audience of parents and peers.

Moving into Year 9, and having further developed academic confidence, these events become more akin to a traditional university seminar, with small-group discussion and close questioning on particular topics.

‘From fascinating trips to lively discussions, the Academic Scholar’s program has really enriched my learning at St Dunstan’s and inspired me to be the best I can be’

Poppy – Year 7

Scholarship

Enrichment Trips

Each year, scholars are invited to attend stimulating day trips to enhance their learning. These trips are sandwiched between small group sessions led by an expert teacher which enables scholars to debate, discuss, and develop their thinking further. Recent scholars’ trips have included sessions with the Museum of London to learn about the experience of Generation Windrush, and visits to the British Library, L’Oreal Young Scientist Centre, the Design Museum, Somerset House, and the British Museum.

India Scholarship Exchange Programme

We are proud of our ongoing scholarship exchange programme with Delhi Public School as a core part of a scholars’ journey. When our students visit Delhi, they spend their mornings in lessons with their exchange partners and afternoons learning more about the local area in Delhi. Our scholars especially enjoy the opportunity to discover more about the culture and history of Northern India, and experience a different way of learning in a new cultural environment. This is further enhanced by day trips and excursions, including a visit to the Taj Mahal.

Symposium

The highlight of the year for Academic Scholars, taking place during the St Dunstan’s Festival - in Year 9 and 10 our scholars choose an academically rigorous project to complete on a subject of their choice. The choice of subject is driven by their curiosity and students are supported by the Head of Scholars to guide them through the process. The project is then presented in the Scholarship Symposium as part of the St Dunstan’s Festival for the whole community to celebrate the hard work and creativity of our Scholars.

Some of our scholars’ projects in recent years included looking at the following questions:

• How does music affect the human brain?

• Are there more windows or more doors?

• How (and should) we return stolen artefacts?

‘Being a scholar is all about finding out who you are. You explore different parts of your academic interests and try to challenge yourself in new ways. Overall it’s been a collaborative experience and I’ve gained lots of support from my friends and teachers’

Deen – Year 8

Lower School Academic Scholarship Journey

Inorder to provide an experience that is as supportive and developmental as it is robust and challenging, we put great care into the sequencing of the topics we discuss at Scholars’ Huddles. Aligned closely to our college values, the programme addresses the following themes and questions:

Leading Change (Year 7)

Learning how to appreciate, enable and lead change

Greenwich Observatory Energy in Photography (V&A) Skateboard Exhibition (DM)

Diversity of Expression (Year 8)

Developing the skills to communicate

The Missing Thread (Somerset House)

Kings’ College lecture on AI

Sharing session (run in year groups)

Engaging with a Global World (Year 9)

Understanding and engaging on current affairs

Burma to Myanmar Power and Politics of Textiles

Students will have an increased understanding of current affairs. They will feel increasingly confident in researching and discussing complex current affairs topics. Scholars’ Excursion

Once a term the group will come together and 6 nominated students will share and present an artefact (press clipping, website, blog, podcast) that they have found interesting relevant to the topic relevant to the Year Pillar (with the topic shared the month before).

Teacher / Head of Scholars led Internal Talk (run in year groups)

Once a term: Sharing a relevant podcast/video which relates to the year group theme, with students required to undertake a self-led activity as a reflection.

Students will be able to recognise change and seize the opportunities it brings.

Students will be able to effectively communicate their ideas to peers and have an appreciation of different forms of expression. Skills developed will help students to make the most out of opportunities they seek

Attendance at a wider programme run by Mr Elmes

What’s next?

The Scholarship Team

As academic scholars transition to the Middle School (Years 10 and 11) they join the Aiming High Programme, run by our Oxbridge mentors and other senior staff.

This is an exciting and challenging super curricular lecture, seminar and trip programme, which gives our most academically able student the chance to extend themselves well beyond the classroom and start tackling ambitious academic topics that will equip them for higher education at the most prestigious institutions.

Topics this year have included:

• Science and climate

• The “replication crisis”

• The anatomy of a poem

• What great thinkers have come before us?

• Critical thinking now

We have an expert team of staff at St Dunstan’s working with our academic scholars.

Head of Scholars – Mrs Mitchell

Mrs Mitchell studied Civil Engineering at the University of Bristol. Upon completing her MEng, she worked as a Structural Engineer and had the opportunity to work on many innovative and challenging Central London developments including a RIBA award winning school, spending time as both a design and site engineer. Through her chartered status with the Institute of Civil Engineers, Mrs Mitchell led outreach programmes as a STEM Ambassador, sharing her interest in Mathematics with the next generation, and mentoring junior colleagues.

Deputy Head Academic – Mr Holmes

Mr Holmes studied Medieval and Modern Languages (German and Portuguese) at Wadham College, Oxford, where he was also a Choral Scholar. During his Year Abroad, Mr Holmes spent time in Angola, Portugal, and Brazil, as well as being employed as an English Language Assistant at a German Grammar School for 9 months. After finishing his Oxford degree, Mr Holmes undertook a second BA at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, studying Theology and Philosophy as an Exhibition Scholar.

Director of Teaching & Learning

- Miss Riddle

Miss Riddle studied History at Hatfield College, Durham, before completing an LLB at the College of Law in London. Following a successful career in corporate law working at international firms based in London and Prague, Miss Riddle returned to the study of History, completing an MA at King’s College, London. Miss Riddle has extensive experience mentoring students through the Oxbridge admissions process for a broad range of subjects, as well as overseeing preparation for the LNAT for entrance to numerous universities. She offers guidance to support students in developing the critical thinking and problemsolving skills required for success in Law applications. She also has extensive experience supporting students who to gain entry to the top American universities.

Oxbridge Mentor (STEM) – Dr Currie

Oxbridge Mentor (Humanities, Arts & Languages) – Miss Tournes

Dr Alastair Currie, our Oxbridge coordinator, studied Natural Sciences at Trinity College, Cambridge including an exchange year at MIT. He completed a PhD in Particle Physics at Imperial, followed by several years of postdoctoral work building and running underground detectors to search for galactic dark matter. Dr Currie has taught and mentored many undergraduate and postgraduate students, specialising in statistical and computational problems in experimental physics.

Miss Tournes read English Language and Literature at Christ Church, University of Oxford, specialising in Shakespeare and Early Modern Drama in her final year. At university she was an Admissions Subject Representative, mentoring A Level students through each stage of their Oxford applications. Miss Tournes has comprehensive experience of the Oxbridge Admissions process: as a prospective undergraduate herself, as a voluntary facilitator for the University of Oxford, and as a Teacher of English who has mentored students through every stage of their Oxbridge application journey, across a wide range of subjects.

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