Nestled in the charming village of Dulwich, South London, Dulwich Prep London is proud to have a distinguished history in preparatory education dating back to 1885. As the largest independent boys’ prep school in the UK, its rich history reflects a steadfast dedication to both academic excellence and holistic development.

Dulwich Prep London’s ethos is firmly rooted in a values-driven education. Boys are encouraged to foster a sense of love and community from an early age, and to apply this to their work, play and personal growth. Life at the School is punctuated with opportunities to show gratitude, seek justice, show humility and exercise self-discipline. Dulwich Prep London boys have a unique ability to show great courage, and a strong pastoral care system encourages pupils to reach for their goals in a setting where they can fail safely and learn quickly.

With a student body increasingly diverse, the School welcomes families from a multitude of backgrounds, with nearly half the students hailing from non-white backgrounds. A remarkable 42 different languages are spoken in students' homes, creating a rich tapestry of cultures and experiences that enrich the School's vibrant culture.

Dulwich Prep London consistently achieves impressive results, establishing itself as a symbol of excellence in preparatory education. The School’s values, ethos and approach to learning are distinctive and serve to set it apart. Eight core school values are taught to foster empathy and are the motivation for boys to become agents of change in society. Expectations are high, and the School aims for boys to become independent thinkers with a sense of justice, a strong moral compass, and the capacity to adjust to our rapidly evolving environment as thoughtful global citizens. Excellent Learning characteristics are key to their academic excellence. They have been designed to equip pupils with twelve essential problem-solving skills which will benefit them in their senior schools and future working lives.

This year, Dulwich Prep London's Year 8 boys won a total of 41 scholarships, and all boys have secured a strong destination senior school, with 95% achieving their first school of choice. The School's extensive enrichment programme provides its students with numerous and varied opportunities to build lifelong friendships and shared experiences. With 808 students this term, Dulwich Prep London remains committed to excellence.

Looking ahead, a major building programme promises to further elevate the School's facilities, ensuring a bright future for generations of students. In May 2023, the Board decided to extend the age range for boys from 3-13 to 2-16 in September 2025, prompting substantial changes to the estate. As a result, the Board actively seeks to bolster its expertise to meet these evolving needs and broader objectives. This term, a flexi-boarding unit will be introduced, alongside ongoing reconfiguration of the main reception area, scheduled for completion by the October half term.

Dulwich Prep London is governed by a Board of Governors, entrusted with the dual responsibility of ensuring the best education for the School's students and upholding its charitable objectives. The Board meets at least twice each term, and each of the Governors has specific oversight responsibilities at the School.

Governors at Dulwich Prep London are responsible for providing strategic leadership and oversight in various areas, including education, finance, and property development. They possess a commitment to the School's values, contribute expertise from diverse backgrounds, and work collaboratively with school leadership to ensure its continued success.

As it enters this next phase of change, Dulwich Prep London seeks to appoint a new Governor to join its Board, who will bring senior, strategic-level experience in Property & Estates.

Dulwich Prep London encourages candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds, including Architects, Chartered Surveyors, Civil Engineers, and Property Consultants, provided they possess significant experience in estate management at a strategic level. As the School will be expanding its student intake to include additional year groups, there will be major works surrounding the reconfiguration of the school grounds. Successful candidates will therefore be able to collaborate effectively with the Head Master and Bursar to offer valuable insights, guidance, and oversight on property development and significant construction projects. They should demonstrate readiness to tackle challenges and a proactive, hands-on approach to their responsibilities. Ideally, candidates should showcase a solid understanding of construction within the context of the education sector. The successful candidate will be able to bring together various stakeholders across different major capital development projects and will be prepared to make a time commitment exceeding the termly board meetings to make site visits and attend meetings with professionals advising on the development of the School buildings, members of the School and the Board.

First-time non-executives are strongly encouraged to apply, provided they are able to demonstrate a good understanding of the governance role. Above all, candidates must feel a genuine sense of alignment with the Dulwich Prep London's mission, values and ethos.

For further information about the Board of Governors, please click here.

This role is unremunerated, and reasonable, pre-agreed travel expenses will be reimbursed. There are two in-person full Board meetings per term held at at 6pm mid week at School and an annual away day held offsite on a Saturday at the end of September. Governors are also expected to make themselves available to attend major school events, inspect properties or advise on ad hoc issues when possible, as well as making occasional school visits. The appointment is initially for a four-year term, which is renewable for up to an additional four years, with the possibility of a final two-year extension at the Board's discretion. In exceptional cases, Governors may serve beyond a maximum of ten years.

Dulwich Prep London is keen to ensure that its governing body reflects its schools' communities. The Board welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, belief or disability. As those from an ethnic minority background are currently under-represented on the Board, applications from those individuals would be particularly encouraged. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. In line with the Equality Act 2010, however, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.