Saturday 30th August 2025 • Promotional Content
Education & Schooling Te Modern Family
How St Dunstan’s College Junior School inspires children to be themselves
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Find out more about the Junior School at the college’s upcoming open day on Saturday 20 September 2025
At St Dunstan’s College Junior School, Catford, individuality isn’t just ac- cepted, it’s actively celebrated. From the moment a child takes their first step through the school gates, they’re invited not to follow a set path, but to begin shaping their own. Rooted in the school’s historic motto, Albam Exorna (‘Adorn the white’), St Dun- stan’s College Junior School believes that every child is a blank canvas, full of potential, curiosity and promise. Te school shield, proudly worn
and displayed throughout the Junior School, is more than a symbol of herit- age. It represents each pupil’s person- al journey. At its base, the inscription Albam Exorna encourages children to bring colour, purpose and individuali- ty to their own story. Tis isn’t a place where pupils are moulded to fit a nar- row definition of success. Instead, they’re empowered to explore who they are, pursue their passions and grow into the authentic people they’re meant to become. Central to this approach is the
school’s bespoke Albam Exorna Cur- riculum, a dynamic, forward-thinking programme designed to spark curios- ity and encourage exploration. Here, children don’t ask for permission to be inquisitive, it comes naturally to them. Tey’re encouraged to question, investigate and embrace new chal- lenges with confidence. Tis isn’t just about preparing pupils for the mod- ern world, it’s about equipping them to shape it. Complementing the academic of-
fering is the school’s thriving Forder Programme, which opens the door to an extraordinary range of co-curric- ular opportunities. Whether they’re learning in the open air of the Wood- land Classroom, leading sustainabil- ity initiatives, performing on stage or taking part in the school’s vibrant summer festival, pupils are constantly discovering new interests and hidden talents. Tese moments build resil- ience, confidence and a genuine joy in learning that lasts a lifetime.
Each of these experiences adds a
new layer to the child’s metaphorical shield, each question asked, perfor- mance given, obstacle overcome or idea explored gives shape and colour to their personal journey. Te school sees it as both a responsibility and a privilege to create a nurturing en- vironment where young people can grow as learners and, more impor- tantly, as individuals. By the time they reach the top of
the Junior School, pupils aren’t just thriving academically, they’re confi- dent scientists, musicians, mathema- ticians, artists, athletes, actors and changemakers. Tey’re equipped with the skills, empathy and self-belief to make informed choices about who they want to be and where they want their learning to take them next. Te symbolism of the shield doesn’t
end there. In one corner sits St Dun- stan himself as an artist, musician, scholar and spiritual
leader — an
emblem of the kind of well-rounded, intellectually curious and practically skilled individual the school seeks to nurture. At the top, the mitre sym- bolises achievement, not as a goal imposed from above, but as a natural outcome of a journey rooted in inspi-
ration, opportunity and self-expres- sion. Each year, pupils from across the Junior School participate in national competitions such as the First Maths Challenge (FMC) and the Primary Maths Challenge (PMC). Meanwhile, the Junior School has won a top-three place in the IAPS Art Competition every year since 2022. St Dunstan’s College Junior School
believes that excellence doesn’t need to be forced. When children are sup- ported to be themselves, when they’re trusted to explore and encouraged to lead, excellence follows naturally. Pu- pils leave the Junior School not only in the top quartile nationally for ac- ademic outcomes, but as confident, capable individuals ready for the next stage of their journey, with a richly adorned shield all of their own.
Book at
stdunstans.org.uk
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