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- Ten Years of Dulwich College (Singapore)
- Melanie Ellis
What is your favourite/ are some of your favourite memories of working at DCSG?
I have very fond memories of the first year, even though it was busy and a little chaotic. All of us, students, staff and parents, were starting something unique. We did not know each other yet, and had not yet established our norms, but we were all committed to making it work and I think that feeling of potential and excitement only comes at the very start of something special.
Why is Dulwich College (Singapore) special to you?
I have been involved in its growth; I've watched the student body go from 66 in Years 7-8 to 1325 across Years 7-13. I've been part of three new spaces being opened for teaching and learning. I've made some incredible friendships with staff and with families, and more personally, my two children have called it their school for the last 10 years.
What are your hopes and aspirations for the school's future as it enters its second decade?
This has to be about thriving. Nick has said for a while that we are no longer new, and in our College systems and approaches we are not, but I have felt that as a Senior School we have not yet stopped growing. This will come soon, and this is the moment where we can stop, take stock, and properly look at each other and what we do to move into the next phase of development; one in which we focus on the things that have impact, one in which 'how we are' with each other, and with ourselves, is as important as what we 'do'. I am also hoping that we can look at the student learning experience through a different lens - still expecting the rigour and attainment we have come to expect, but with more of a connected, conceptual lens to build fluency and creativity across all subjects to problem-solve for the future. As one of my favourite poets said in a talk I attended - 'creativity is not the monopoly of artists'. We will need creativity in all disciplines, and across disciplines, to tackle the problems of our future.
In what ways have you seen the students and alumni's lives positively impacted by their experiences at the school? Are there any specific success stories that come to mind?
Many of our alumni talk about the IBDP, and how the benefits of it are felt in the first years of their undergraduate study. The breadth offered by this (as well as further down the school), according to them, has allowed them to connect their study at university to the wider world, and to other areas of knowledge. They have also talked about the academic rigour of this standing them in good stead for university in terms of the learning as well as the organisation for learning required to succeed.
Is there a message or reflection you'd like to share with the school's students and their families as part of this celebration?
Always learning, always growing. Thanks for trusting us with the care of so many of the students who have been with us from 2014 - 2024.