‘Adorn the White’: St Dunstan’s College achieves its best A-Level Results in 138 years as students forge every path from Oxbridge to the Army.

On the crest of St Dunstan’s College, in Catford, south east London, three quarters of the shield are left deliberately blank. It is a physical expression of the College’s 138-year-old motto, Albam Exorna (‘adorn the white’), an instruction to every pupil to make their own mark, in their own way. This year’s leavers appear to have taken it literally: as St Dunstan’s celebrates the best A Level results in its history, with 28% of grades awarded the top A* grade, its students are heading everywhere from Oxbridge and Medical School to the Army, a City degree apprenticeship and a conservatoire.

This year, 92% of all grades achieved were A*–B, while an outstanding 29% were graded A* and 70% of grades were A*–A, maintaining the College’s exceptional academic performance and reinforcing its reputation for educational excellence.

While the grades are exceptional, they are only part of the story at St Dunstan’s. The College’s approach is built around developing the individual as much as the academic; young people who leave not only with exceptional qualifications, but with the confidence, character and curiosity to chart a path that is genuinely their own. The result, the College says, is a school rooted in its South London community but preparing its students for a world well beyond Catford.

Speaking about the record-breaking results, Jade McLellan, Head of Senior School at St Dunstan’s College, said: “These results are a tremendous achievement for our students and staff, and one which reflects the ambition, curiosity and resilience that defines our school community. We are incredibly proud that our young people have secured such outstanding outcomes whilst embracing everything that makes a St Dunstan’s education distinctive.

“We are committed to developing confident, compassionate and capable young people who are prepared not only for university, but for meaningful lives and careers beyond it. Seeing our students progress to such an exciting range of destinations is a great measure of that success.”

Six pupils achieved at least three straight A*s. But it is the breadth of what happens next that tells the fuller story, each leaver forging their own path:

T’iama achieved 4A*s and is heading to LSE to study Data Science “I feel lost for words. I joined St Dunstan’s in Year 12 and since then they have helped nurture my passions. The school environment is very caring and welcoming and there’s a wide variety of subjects. Teachers always made time for me if I needed help. They also really helped me with supra curriculars and encouraged us to focus on ourselves as individuals not just academically.”

Julia (left) achieved 3A*s and goes on to study English Literature at Durham University “I’m feeling really overwhelmed with joy and I’m really grateful and happy that all the hard work paid off. The community here is so lovely. I joined here in Year 7 as a Drama Scholar, and I had no idea that in seven years I’d be leaving with an A* in Drama. St Dunstan’s has prepared me in every way possible for the next step in my journey, so I don’t feel scared at all!”

Patrick (left) achieved A*A*A and is embarking on a gap year before Medical School “I joined St Dunstan’s in Year 12. It’s been a whole mass of opportunities since. The teachers were completely supportive of what I chose. Everything I needed to function and thrive is here. This school has given me the opportunity to go places.”

Matilda achieved A*AA “I got into Loughborough, my first choice, to study Natural Sciences, but I will be taking a year out to join the Army as an Officer and I’m so excited about all of it. I joined St Dunstan’s in Year 7 and it’s been an amazing journey – I’ve done so much. The school has so much to offer. It’s not just about the academics, it’s about the whole person and who you can become.”

Rafferty achieved 3A*s in Maths, Physics & DT and is heading to the University of Manchester to study Electrical Engineering. “I’m really pleased with myself. I didn’t expect it. I’ve had a great time at St Dunstan’s. It’s a very welcoming place to be and I enjoyed A Levels, studying the subjects I love. I feel I’ve grown a lot as a person as well as learning a lot.”

Matthew achieved 3A*s and is going to study Economics at the University of Warwick “I’m over the moon to be honest. The teachers here are so caring – they want you to do well and they believe in you, which means you can believe in yourself. The community here is immense. I couldn’t see myself being anywhere else – it’s such a big part of my life now. There’s so much joy and happiness, which is encapsulated today – all the smiles on everyone’s faces and all the joy is just amazing to see.”

Alex Brewer, Head of Sixth Form, added:”Today’s results tell only part of the story. What makes me most proud is seeing each student leave with a destination that genuinely reflects their ambitions, whether that’s Oxbridge, Medical School, a conservatoire, Art Foundation or a highly competitive degree apprenticeship.

“The world our students are entering is changing rapidly, and it is our responsibility to ensure they are equipped for it. Alongside academic excellence, we place real emphasis on developing the skills, adaptability and confidence that will enable our students to flourish throughout their careers.”

Opportunity remains central to the College’s ethos. Around one in twelve St Dunstan’s students currently benefit from means-tested bursary support, enabling talented young people from a wide range of backgrounds to access an independent education.

Outgoing Head of School, Emmanuel, who joined St Dunstan’s Sixth Form from a local comprehensive school through the College’s bursary programme, will now embark on a degree apprenticeship with leading private bank, UBS. He said:

“St Dunstan’s really opened my eyes and exposed me to different things. Leaving now as outgoing Head of School is honestly a bittersweet moment because I’ll miss everyone here, but it’s also exciting to go onto a new chapter and see what the future holds.”

This year has also seen the College receive a string of external accolades, the most recent being from The Telegraph who awarded St Dunstan’s its highest ‘Very Good’ rating for value among independent schools, placing the College amongst the leading schools in London for the quality of education delivered relative to its fees. Awards received earlier this year include Top 100 in The Times Parent Power league table, a commendation for London School of the Year (Independent Schools of the Year) and wins for both Academic Excellence and Sporting Development (Private Education Awards), recognising the breadth of its provision beyond examination results alone.

If you’re interested in St Dunstan’s College, join their upcoming opens days on Saturday 19 September for the whole school and 1 & 15 October for Sixth Form.