We wholeheartedly thank St Dunstan’s for giving our children and community the vital opportunity to cultivate team spirit, foster collaboration and enhance engagement in sports activities.
Head of Rathfern Primary School
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In October 2023, St Dunstan’s College won the Independent School of the Year Award for Outstanding Fundraising Achievement, one of the most prestigious awards to receive in the educational sector.
ST DUNSTAN’S COLLEGE
WELCOME
Welcome to this review of St Dunstan’s College Charity, Community and Partnerships work for 2023-2024.
St Dunstan’s today is an educational charity whose purpose is to offer more to its Lewisham community than an independent education for those with the means to access it. As a values-rooted organisation, St Dunstan’s believes in a broader educational purpose that supports the ongoing aspirations for the betterment of Lewisham and its residents. Furthermore, we believe that as an educational charity, our pupils, staff and parents benefit from such work, and that it aligns with our forward-thinking approach to education in seeking to promote high achievement without arrogance, and as a consequence of the values-driven, broad and liberal education we proudly offer.
It is therefore with great pleasure that I present this summary of our community and partnerships work for the past year. I hope you enjoy this snapshot of all that we have been able to achieve. We are very proud of our long-standing partnerships in the Lewisham Community and we would be delighted to hear from you over future collaborations that align with our objectives.
With sincere thanks,
Mr N P Hewlett Head
OUR COMMUNITY REACH
£195,000
Total investment from St Dunstan’s College
2000
Total number of Lewisham residents at The Catford Weekender
Total number of community events
27
3217
Total number of children reached
745
Total number of hours in the community
223
Total number of hours given by our sport coaches
Total amount of funds raised for charitable causes
£27,750
Outreach and volunteering activities during 2023-2024
• Brent Knoll partnership
• Care Home drama performance
• Chelsea Football Club partnership
• Dalmain FC Girls football
• Dalmain State Primary School Outreach Programme
• Fordmill Workshop
• Higher Education and Careers Convention
• Kilmorie State Primary School Outreach Programme
• LAMDA lessons
• Lewisham Care Homes events
• Lewisham History Society
• Lewisham Sport Schools
• Lewisham Youth Games
• London Youth Games
• LYLA
• Mamma Kind
• Rathfern State Primary School Outreach Programme
• STEM event
• The Catford Weekender
• Ukrainian bursary students
• Ultimate Frisbee
• XLP
SPOTLIGHT ON LYLA
Lewisham Young Leaders Academy supports Black African, Black Caribbean, and dual heritage children aged 6-16 from underrepresented backgrounds by providing leadership skills through positive role models, historical exploration, and informal academic support.
A themed curriculum is followed each term, developing the 12 leadership traits (bearing, courage, decisiveness, enthusiasm, initiative, integrity, judgement, knowledge, loyalty, perseverance, responsibility, unselfishness) and learning is intentionally not overly academic focused.
The Lewisham Young Leaders Association has been operating from St Dunstan’s College since its inception in 2019. St Dunstan’s together with its local grant partner, The Elizabeth Trust Fund, also support LYLA financially.
In September 2023, LYLA won the prestigious Educational Excellence Award at the Charles Gordon Trust Awards in recognition of the outstanding educational programs and dedication of the LYLA team.
Luke Golding is a mathematics teacher at St Dunstan’s College and also LYLA coordinator. He says of his experience:
‘From the moment I stepped through the doors, I was greeted with warmth and enthusiasm by the staff, creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. One aspect that stood out to me was the dedication and passion exhibited by the LYLA team. It was evident that they had put in countless hours of hard work to ensure they were positively impacting and making a difference in the lives of young people. The impact LYLA has had on the community was truly remarkable. Through their various programs and initiatives, they have successfully empowered individuals and fostered a sense of unity and support.’
Mr Golding, Teacher of Mathematics
Luke Golding received the LYLA’s Marcus Garvey Award in January 2024, acknowledging his sustained dedication to the students of LYLA tutoring maths on most Saturday mornings.
Our Sixth Formers visited LYLA, including our Head Student and Deputy Head, who shared insights on life in Sixth Form and how they manage their busy schedules, balancing sports, music, academics, and wider responsibilities at St Dunstan’s College. The students also had the opportunity to ask questions about A Level subject choices and university applications.
Additionally, Sixth Form students in Year 12 volunteered as maths tutors, assisting Year 11 students in preparing for their external exams. This collaboration proved mutually beneficial for both LYLA and St Dunstan’s students, with everyone enjoying the experience.
‘It was a very great experience working with my peer. We managed to overcome a topic she found quite tricky hopefully making her a bit more confident when answering similar questions. We got along really well and I hope I can work with her in the future.’
Feedback of the experience from Noah Oladele-Ajose Y12 student
St Dunstan’s Year 8 student, Rachel ‘Hope’ Limba has been volunteering on Saturday mornings at LYLA. She says:
“LYLA is an extraordinary and enriching environment where learning extends beyond the conventional boundaries. It offers a platform to forge friendships, embark on exciting trips, and engage in captivating workshops. Here, your mind is nurtured to think beyond limitations, encouraging constant exploration. Your unique talents are celebrated, fostering a sense of belonging akin to a close-knit family. Anticipating each weekly visit fills me with excitement, as it equips me with invaluable tools for navigating daily life. Every session brings forth fresh opportunities for growth, which I deeply appreciate.
LYLA serves as a powerful motivator for black youth, empowering them to overcome obstacles and strive for the most promising prospects. Being part of this remarkable community is a true blessing, one that should be cherished with gratitude.
INTERVIEW WITH NAHEEDA MAHARASINGAM HEAD OF RATHFERN PRIMARY SCHOOL
Although we are developing links with many local state primary schools, including Dalmain, Kilmorie and Rushey Green, to name but a few, Rathfern Primary School and St Dunstan’s College have worked closely together for over 20 years.
Hundreds of Rathfern pupils have over the years learnt how to swim in the College’s swimming pool, enjoyed their sports days at the Jubilee Ground or performed many end of year school concerts in our Great Hall. More recently, some of our Sixth Formers have also attended Rathfern on a Tuesday to help with reading in Year 2 and 3. It is fair to say that we have a rather special relationship with the Rathfern community.
Rathfern pupils and school community have benefited enormously from working with St Dunstan’s for a number of years now.
From the weekly use of the swimming pool which enables our children to learn to swim (a vital life skill), as well contributing to their mental and physical health and well being to young Dunstonians helping our children to cultivate a love of reading.
Every year St Dunstan’s generously facilitate our Sports day by permitting the children and families to enjoy a memorable day at their Jubilee sports ground. The sports venue is fantastic, just a short walk away from our school with wellmaintained fields, facilities and a great atmosphere.
We want to express our sincere appreciation for the exceptional service, expertise and genuine support which enabled us to organise such a memorable sports day. We wholeheartedly thank St Dunstan’s for giving our children and community the vital opportunity to cultivate team spirit, foster collaboration, enhance engagement in sports activities and have a truly joyful day.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE CATFORD WEEKENDER
The Catford Weekender is a community festival in Lewisham which was launched for the first time in June 2024 by St Dunstan’s College.
It was supported by many local sponsors, including 4TY Planning Ltd, Judge & Priestley solicitors in Blackheath, Woodfall Opticians, Munchkins and Studio One Pilates.
The Catford Weekender was a resounding success and surpassed all our expectations in terms of numbers and impact.
• Over 2000 people attending across 4 days at 15 events
• Nearly 300 local performers, including choirs, bands and soloists creating 15 hours of live music
• Residents from 3 Lewisham Care homes attending a quiz and tea party
• 250 pupils from 9 local state schools participating in a joint community choir
• 40 local artisans selling their work in 2 craft market sessions
• 2 youth music programmes curating over 4 hours of live music from local young people
• A free magic show attended by 400 parents and children
BIG SUMMER SING
OVER 150
PRIMARY SCHOOL AGED PUPILS INVOLVED
Lara Marcinkiewicz, St Dunstan’s Junior School Head of Music, coordinated a powerful community choir for the third year running, as part of our end of year Festival, involving 6 local primary schools and over 150 young singers.
All attended a short vocal workshop under our Big Top before rehearsing under their own choir conductor during the afternoon. All six schools came together for an evening performance in front of a large audience of around 500 parents, carers and friends invited for the occasion. A huge choir with all performers on stage performed two finale songs accompanied by a band of drumkit, keyboard and bass guitar.
“All the children had a wonderful time and it was a great experience for them.Your team was so supportive and the set up with accompanist and band was fantastic.”
Member of staff from Ivydale
“It was a great occasion and the children really enjoyed themselves. It’s such a lovely opportunity for them to sing with other children.”
Member of staff from Holy Cross
Schools involved in the Big Sing
St Dunstan’s College Junior School
Rosemead Preparatory School
Haberdasher’s Hatcham Free School
St William of York Catholic Primary School
Ivydale Primary School
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School
FOCUS ON COMMUNITY SPORT
Lewisham School Sports Partnerships
Dave McLaren and Graham Curtis run the Lewisham Sports Partnership from St Dunstan’s Jubilee Ground. During 2023-24 they have run 7 separate events, totalling 550 young people being active and competitive:
Lewisham School Games
Over the past 12 months, the Lewisham School Games have seen 865 pupils enjoy sport at our Jubilee Ground:
Primary School Netball 94
Year 3/4 Boys Football 138
Year 5/6 Girls football 141
Year 5/6 Boys football 130
Year 7 Boys football 80
Year 2 Football 68
Year 5/6 Tri Golf 119
Year 5/6 Hockey 95
22 schools attending 10 players per squad
11 schools attending 10 players per squad
attendances
in total
SPOTLIGHT ON GIRLS FOOTBALL WITH XLP
The XLP Sports Project delivers weekly two-hour football training sessions for young people. Around 40 participants between the ages of 15 and 25 attend our girls only Wednesday sessions, a unique opportunity for female footballers to play together. XLP sessions also include tournaments, one-to-one mentoring, and holiday trips and activities.
‘Our partnership with St Dunstan’s College has created an opportunity for us to begin the growth of our girls’ football projects.
To inspire future generations of girls in sports, we’ve taken them to various football matches, which was a first-time experience for some.
A great outcome from the sessions is that three of the girls will be attending their first professional football trial, whilst another has just completed an England FA Talent ID Day.’
CHELSEA FOOTBALL PARTNERSHIP
A Game-Changing Partnership Empowering Lewisham’s Youth Through Sport
In a landmark move, St Dunstan’s College has joined forces with Chelsea Football Club to deliver life-enhancing sporting opportunities across Lewisham. This groundbreaking partnership, launched in January 2024, brings the expertise of Chelsea FC Foundation directly to our community, with two full-time officers now based at the Jubilee Ground. Working in close collaboration with our sports department and local partners, these professionals are set to elevate every aspect of sporting provision.
The partnership has already made significant strides, with Open Morning Events delivered to capture the interest that this partnership has sparked and showcase the opportunities that lie ahead. Over 100 children and families attended to get a taste of the high-quality coaching that Chelsea are renowned for in their work with young players. The Chelsea FC Officer also immediately joined the Lewisham School Games Committee along with our Head of Football, Mr Palmer, and worked in partnership to deliver a full programme of sporting competitions for local state schools. Twelve schools took part across the series of eight competitions, which saw over 1000 children benefitting from the very best that sporting competition has to offer at the Jubilee Ground.
Looking ahead, we aim to expand this initiative further. Chelsea FC has committed to hosting finals days at their state-of-the-art Cobham training facility, offering our young athletes an unparalleled experience; they will work with other local agencies to enhance senior school competition in the same way that they have the Junior School offering; and work with our team of specialist coaches to provide high quality weekly PE sessions for local partners.
‘Sport is a crucible for character development. It teaches young people about themselves –how they face challenges, work with teammates and opponents, thrive under pressure and about the culture they perform within. Whilst developing the individual, sport is also uniquely placed to bring communities together. Chelsea FC shares our vision of sport as a life-changing force and our commitment to realising its potential in Lewisham. We’re thrilled about the opportunities this partnership will bring to our community’
Assistant Head, Co-curricular, Danny Gower
SHOUT OUT FOR JUNIOR FUNDRAISING
The St Dunstan’s College Junior School has raised a total of between May 2023 and July 2024, for the following organisations
Salvation Army
£25,000
Lewisham Foodbank
Poppy Appeal
Children in Need
Save the Children
MND Association
MammaKind
Sport Relief
Motor Neurone Disease Run
with MND Patron, Kevin Sinfield MBE
In December 2023, 15 Junior School pupils accompanied by three teachers, were invited to run the ‘extra mile’ with Kevin Sinfield in his 7-in-7challenge: seven ultra marathons in seven days in seven different cities.
The pupils cheered on Kevin as he ran, they listened to his passionate talk to the MNDA volunteers, charity supporters and MND sufferers, and then joined him in running a mile. The day was fabulous and will no doubt be remembered by all forever.
MammaKind
Junior School pupils were invited to drop off their many bags of pre-loved childrens’ clothes to the Salvation Army Centre in Lewisham, for the charity Mammakind.
An assembly included an interview with Kelly, the founder of MammaKind, which is a charity that provides local mothers with essentials for themselves and their children.
FRIENDS OF ST DUNSTAN’S 2023-24
It’s been a wonderful year for the Friends of St Dunstan’s, the PTA of the College, organising our usual four spectacular events for the College community; the academic year curtain-raiser Cheese & Wine Evening, the festive Christmas Fair, the fun but competitive Quiz Night, and the ever-popular Summer Fete, held alongside the College Festival. This year, Friends also supported the College Development Office in organising the first ever Ball for parents, helping to raise £20,000 for the Bursary Fund. A truly busy year.
From our four events and the Friends College Shop, which sells
second-hand uniform and other College merchandise, Friends raised an incredible £38,500 over the year, which will be put towards future projects and initiatives for the benefit of the pupils and the wider College community.
This year, financial grants and donations were given to Lewisham Foodbank (part of The Trussell Trust), the Junior School Reading Champions book fund, and leavers parties for Years 6 and 13.
As we look forward to 2024-2025, our focus remains on putting on fun, social events for the enjoyment of all members of our College community, supporting the College Shop; a vital resource for parents and pupils, and raising funds to enhance College life as well as championing local and national charities our community wishes to support.
Friends of
VOLUNTEERING WITH LEWISHAM LOCAL
The College is working very closely with Lewisham Council through the Lewisham Local, an organisation dedicated to improving the lives of local residents through community-driven projects. Projects include, for instance, Lewisham Food Bank, which provides essential supplies to those in need, Grow Wild, which fosters community gardening and green space development and Local Youth Services, which support and engage young people.
Our Trinity Term was marked by a remarkable commitment from St Dunstan’s student volunteers: students dedicated more than 100 hours to events such as the Charity Carnival, Swimathon, Cyclathon and Bake Sale, raising a total of £1,500 for various causes.
The collective efforts of our volunteers and Lewisham Local have made a significant positive impact on our community, and we look forward to continuing this fruitful partnership during next academic year.
SPOTLIGHT ON COMMUNITY EVENTS
Lewisham History Society
The local Lewisham History Society has been using our Jubilee Ground Hall for their monthly meet for years with only a hiatus during the Covid lockdown.
The topics are wide and varied and around 30 local residents meet every month for a talk followed by a Q&A.
Higher Education & Careers Convention
In November every year, the College’s Career Department organises a Higher Education and Careers Convention which all our Senior State School partners are invited to attend.
We welcomed around 150 external students from Bonus Pastor, St Matthew Academy, St Ursula’s, Conisborough and many more Lewisham schools. Pupils were able to attend workshops, speak to University representatives or simply spend time in our Careers Fair hosted in the Great Hall.
Other events we run in the Lewisham community include...
• Munchkins
• Champions Theatre Arts
• Phoenix Players
• So Last Century Vintage Fair
• Catford Weekender
Year 5 STEM Challenge Afternoon
In March 2024, St Dunstan’s welcomed more than 80 children to the College from 10 local schools for a Year 5 STEM Challenge Afternoon. During the event, the students took part in a carousel of science activities in our STEM Centre for Excellence and Innovation, with our Senior School students helping. The event was a great opportunity for students in the local area to take part in scientific sessions and experience large laboratories and facilities.