Deepening Dulwich Bonds: Cameron Pyke’s Visit to Dulwich Puxi
Last Thursday we welcomed Dr Cameron Pyke, the Deputy Head of Dulwich College London. Dr Pyke's visit is the part of our continuous efforts to ensure each school not only meets but also exceeds the high standards Dulwich is known for worldwide, to maintain and enhance the strong, authentic connections across the Dulwich family, embodying the true spirit of Dulwich education.
During his visit in Dulwich Puxi, Dr Pyke met with various groups, including the leadership team, teachers, students, parents, and operational staff, fostering a comprehensive understanding of our school’s dynamics. These interactions are crucial for aligning our educational practices with those of Dulwich College International and adapting them to meet the unique needs of our community in Shanghai. One of the most notable parts of his visit was his involvement with the Senior School students through Oxbridge interview practice, highlighting our dedication to preparing students for the most important aspects of their educational journey.
This time also marks an invaluable opportunity to learn from Dr Pyke’s expertise, especially in academic rigour and student development. His insights into enhancing these areas help us continually improve and adapt our strategies to provide the best possible educational outcomes for our students.
Evaluating Academic Rigour and Excellence
Q：I understand that Dulwich College London has an extremely high standard of academic rigour, evidenced by the outstanding A- Level success over the years. What do you believe underpins the success of an A-Level curriculum and your students in their 6-Form years？
Quoted by Cameron Pyke
Deputy Head of Dulwich College London
First, the Quality of Teaching is very important in any school. I've been at the school this morning both in Primary and Senior and what strikes me about this school is how well teachers know their students. We know that if a teacher knows a student well, and understands his or her strengths, and areas that the pupil finds challenging, that can make a huge difference. I think the quality of what goes on day to day in the classroom over time pays off.
Additionally, the school culture contributes significantly. It's what you might call the soft skills that you get from school, being able to solve problems by working as a team, being able to cope with pressure, being able to speak up when you don't understand and being reflective are crucial.
All these components—the quality of teaching, the rich co-curricular activities, and the supportive school culture—come together to create an environment where students can truly thrive. And let's not forget the pivotal role of parental support. Being a parent myself, I understand the delicate balance of giving children both the space to grow and the assurance that they have unwavering support. This triangle of school, teachers, and parents forms what I consider the golden triangle of a student’s educational journey.
Strategic Teaching Alignment
Q：Our elective programme at Dulwich Puxi was inspired by the Free Learning programme, which emphasizes the joy of learning a discipline and exploring the synergies between different subjects in all their richness and complexity. Could you share how this programme parallels with students’ experiences and its impact on their academic attainment？
Quoted by Cameron Pyke
Deputy Head of Dulwich College London
We see our role at school as supporting and guiding students to get the best results they can. But more than that, we want them to thrive at university and to thrive in life. And that means to be happy, to be successful, but to be good international citizens. And we believe that what we're trying to do at school is to get children to think about their subjects in an open-ended way.
Both A-Level and IB are excellent qualifications, that they're just perhaps different. But what Dulwich College London does as an A-Level school is that we supplement what goes on in the A-Level curriculum with a sort of series of courses which aren't examined, but through which students developed these, what I call transferrable soft skills. We were delighted that we worked with the team here three years ago on developing a set of courses which were going to give students the sense of learning being a lifelong journey.
I interviewed two Year 13 students before. I was really interested to know what they've done outside the classroom to explore their interests because that is what all universities are looking at. There's a world beyond the narrow focus of the exams. So that is an area that we worked on. It is great for students' well-being that they're not just narrowly focusing on exams because of the world they are going to inhabit professionally. They will constantly think about problem-solving in different contexts.
Preparing Students for Global Challenges
Q：In an ever-evolving global landscape, what key skills and competencies do you believe Dulwich College International instil in our students to prepare them for the future? For example, I know you support Cambridge exam preparation for DCI and have been involved with some of our students today？
Quoted by Cameron Pyke
Deputy Head of Dulwich College London
Firstly we need to provide students with an environment which is caring and compassionate if they have values that will help them to navigate the world. Being kind to people and having an ethical sense of what it means to be an international citizen is important. If you look at what this school does (holistic education). Students are learning to work with different people and I think the ability to work as a team, to solve problems with a team is going to be one of the most important skills in their lives living in an ever-changing world. We're also trying to give them the flexibility, skills and values that are going to enable them to have, fulfilling happy lives. Providing students with the skills to face challenges and deal with them, they instinctively look at finding solutions to the problems.
Dr Pyke’s visit reinforces our ongoing efforts to ensure that a Dulwich education remains synonymous with excellence, both in academic rigour and holistic education. As we look forward, we remain committed to the ethos of Dulwich College International, striving to equip our students with the pragmatic skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a rapidly changing global landscape.
