“Albam Exorna” adorn the white. That’s the motto of St Dunstan’s College. But what does it mean to adorn the white? St Dunstan’s College is a co-educational private day school in Catford. It stands as a beacon of learning and innovation.
St Dunstan’s College history stretches back centuries. A school has been linked to the parish of St Dunstan’s-in-the-East since 1446. It provided education for young boys in the City of London. The school ran until the early 16th century.
In the Victorian era, parishioners sought to re-establish a school. They wanted to meet the highest educational standards. The current Catford site was chosen in 1854. By 1888, St Dunstan’s College officially opened. Architect Edward Middleton Barry designed the main building. It is a late example of Gothic revival architecture in London.
St Dunstan’s College set itself apart with its technical curriculum. The first Headmaster Charles Maddock Stuart emphasized science and technology. The school featured laboratories. Pupils engaged in hands-on education. Mr Stuart said “it is not so much what a boy learns that is important, but how he learns it”.
During the First World War, many students enlisted. 977 former and current pupils joined the war effort. 233 died during the conflict. Their sacrifice is memorialized at St George’s Church in Ypres. It is also remembered at the battlefield at Loos. The Great Hall at St Dunstan’s bears their memory. The College’s memorial reads ‘Albam Exornarunt’. This reminds us that ‘They Adorned the White’. They showed extraordinary service to school and country.
Growth accelerated from the late 1950s. A swimming pool was added in 1955. A dining hall was built in 1961. Its hyperbolic paraboloid roof was one of only four in the world at the time.
St Dunstan’s College became co-educational in 1994. Girls were gradually integrated at all ages. In 2020 significant developments began. A new Junior School building and STEM block were added. The College created state-of-the-art STEM facilities.
The College has received several awards. It won Co-educational School of the Year in 2020. It was named Independent Senior School of the Year at the Tes Awards in 2022.
The school publishes magazines. “The Shield” appears termly. “The Chronicle” highlights yearly achievements.
The Dunstonian Association connects former pupils and staff. It sponsors events and supports current pupils.
Today St Dunstan’s College continues to evolve. It embraces innovation and prepares students for a changing world. It lives up to its motto. St Dunstan’s College adorns the white through education and service.