Frequently Asked Questions
Below are a number of questions that families often ask members of the Admissions Team.
Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi accepts students from 2 years old to 17 years old (applying for Toddler class through to Year 13). Our students are placed in the appropriate year level on the basis of the child’s age before September 1st in the year of application.
Our College is academically selective and as an international school, is permitted to enrol students with an overseas passport or overseas birth certificate. We enrol students who are likely to thrive in the College’s academic programme. The primary language of the classroom is English and to ensure our students receive the support they need, we assess the level of English of non-native speakers. Please contact our Admissions Team to find out more about eligibility.
Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi will limit the number of children requiring English as an Additional Language (EAL) support in each class.
What is English as an Additional Language (EAL)?
Our English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme is designed to enable students who have had little exposure to English to develop fluency and competence in the language so that they may benefit from the curriculum offered at the College. We limit our enrolment of students needing EAL support according to the level of support needed. The College may limit the enrolment of students in the same class coming from the same country, or whose mother tongue happens to be the same language. We do not limit the number of non-native English speakers in the Toddler classes, as at this age, all children are learning the building blocks of our shared language.
What are Additional Educational Needs (AEN)?
Students with Additional Educational needs are those who have been identified as requiring either support or enrichment at some level throughout all or some of their time at the College. This includes those students who will benefit from extra English language support (EAL) or who may be described as ‘gifted and talented’.
Does the College offer Learning Support and facilities for students with special educational needs?
Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi does not offer an additional curriculum to those with special learning needs. However, our teachers and EAL Specialists may be able to provide assistance to students who find particular aspects of the curriculum challenging. We enrol students with learning challenges when the information available indicates that our staff and services can meet the student’s learning needs.
When should I apply for a place at the College?
We welcome applications all year round and students may join the College any time throughout the academic year. Waiting lists may have to put in place for some year groups, so parents are encouraged to apply early for a place at the College. Please click here to apply.
Please describe the admissions tests and assessments.
Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi is an academically selective school.
Families applying for places for children under the age of 7 are asked to meet with one of our experienced Early Years teachers. This is so we can learn about your child and ensure that they will benefit from the education we offer.
Families applying for places in Year 1 and Year 2 (children aged 5 to 7) will be encouraged to share their literacy and numeracy skills where appropriate. Families will be asked to provide reports from their child’s previous school or kindergarten as well as a confidential report from their previous class teacher. Wherever possible, we also like our students to enjoy a brief visit in the appropriate year group.
Families applying for places in Years 3 to 6 (students aged 7 to 11) are asked to take the Cognitive Ability Test (CAT), which consists of verbal, quantitative and non-verbal assessments. We also require those students to do a written English Assessment. Our academic staff will review test results, previous school records and the confidential report. Students may also be asked to spend some time in a class. Students who may require additional educational support, including English as an Additional Language, will need to sit additional assessments to allow us to further evaluate their readiness for the curriculum and College environment.
I do not plan to visit Shanghai before we move. Where can my child be tested?
Academic assessments can be arranged at your child’s current school if you are living overseas.
Do you have a waiting list?
Where there are more qualified candidates than places available, we establish a waiting list and offer placements to students as and when they become available.
How are admissions prioritised?
We enrol students in accordance with the spaces available in the appropriate year level. When few places are available, we will give priority to the siblings of enrolled students. Other applicants are allocated places in accordance with our Language Support Policy.
Does the College offer school lunches?
Yes.
Do you accommodate children with food allergies?
All dishes offered by our catering provider are clearly labeled to make it easy for students to recognise the food on the menu. Further, Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi is a nut free school. Our catering provider does not use nuts in any of its dishes. We require parents and staff to refrain from taking food containing nuts into school.
Can my child bring lunch to school?
No.
What time do the children eat lunch?
The timing of lunch depends on the student’s age and timetable.
Do you offer bus service?
Yes. The College operates a comprehensive bus service for children in Nursery (age 3) and above. We currently run 17 bus lines covering the vast majority of western Shanghai, included the most popular residential compounds for our families. New bus routes are added each academic year, and we endeavour to provide the shortest, most convenient routes for the families within our community. Please speak with the Admissions department for a detailed list of all currently operating bus routes.
Where do your teachers come from?
Our teachers are predominantly from the UK, as well as other English-speaking countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the US. All teachers are fully qualified with a minimum of two years of teaching experience. Our expected average is around 8 to 10 years’ experience.
What specialist teaching do you have?
The College has specialist teachers for Art and Design, Computer Studies, English, Humanities, Mathematics, Mandarin and other modern foreign languages, Music, Sport and Science.
Are there opportunities for new parents to become involved in the College?
Yes, as a member of the parent organisation called Friends of Dulwich and/or as a volunteer in the classroom.
Is Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi involved in any projects in the local community?
Service initiatives are a core focus for our community, and one of the key strands of our Global Citizenship Competency framework. Our students, staff and parents are regularly engaged in a wide variety of service initiatives. Some examples include our ambassador school partnership with the charity Educating Girls of Rural China (EGRC), our fundraising for Veal Reyoung school in Cambodia through our partnership with United World Schools, our collaborations with Elevated Honey Co. in Yunnan, the Shanghai Roots and Shoots Million Tree Project, beach cleanups with HandsOn Shanghai and many more.
In addition to these, we welcome parents to volunteer at school, and you will regularly see parents coming into campus to volunteers in reading lessons, cooking classes and more. Life in the Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi community is vibrant and diverse and we look forward to even more community projects in the future.