DLD College London
DLD College London is a co-educational independent boarding school, part of the Alpha Plus group, providing education to pupils aged13-19, in London. REQUEST INFORMATION..
KEY INFORMATION:
DLD College London offers GCSE, BTEC, A Level & IFP curriculum. They deliver a strong IELTS & EAL for international students. Full boarding is offered on site in their Central London grounds, catering to both UK & international students. DLD College London has an established Special Education Needs (SEN) provision specialising in dyslexic, dyscalculic, dyspraxic learning differences. Read more below ...
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HISTORY:
Davies, Laing and Dick (or DLD as it’s now known) was founded in 1931 to provide tutoring for Oxbridge and Colonial Service entrance exams. Though many changes in education have taken place in the numerous decades that followed, our vision and fundamental aim of helping individual students to achieve their academic potential has remained the same.DLD College London is a co-educational, independent day and boarding school of diverse thinking and influences. Housed in a futuristic building with cutting-edge facilities and with 5* urban boarding on-site, it sits opposite the Houses of Parliament on the vibrant South Bank. London is very much our classroom! With a caring, supportive and student-focused environment, our students benefit from amazing learning and teaching opportunities with many progressing to join some of the finest universities. Our multi-award-winning provision will be available to students age 13-19 when our new Year 9 opens in September 2023.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR:
Their super curricular programme encompasses Academic Societies which are scheduled in response to the academic aspirations of the DLD students. In addition they run a number of competitions throughout the academic year.
ENGLISH SUPPORT:
The College offers Academic English to all international students as standard within their timetable. The College is also an IELTS test centre. Students will study IELTS until they achieve their necessary grade for progression to University.
SIZE:
DLD College London has a total of 300 pupils of which 169 in the senior school are Boarders. The College has a total of 223 international students. The earliest age to Board at DLD College is 14.
POST-16 QUALIFICATIONS:
DLD College London offer a wide range of A Level courses, helping our students achieve their potential and making certain that they achieve the best possible academic qualifications.Their A Level courses are normally taught over two years. There are opportunities to study Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Economics, Chemistry and Physics over 18 months starting in January (minimum 5.5 IELTS score required). Further subjects may also be available over 18 months subject to discussion and agreement at interview. In addition, one year retake options are available.
PRE-16 QUALIFICATIONS:
They offer a two-year experience for students in Years 10 and 11 to gain renowned qualifications which span a broad range, from well-established traditional subjects to those that are cutting-edge and innovative giving a strong basis for further study and A Level choices as well as the world of work. Students will study a core set of GCSEs and are then able to choose between traditional GCSE subjects or BTEC awards in Business, Performing Arts, Sport and the ground-breaking new Esports BTEC. The BTEC qualifications are equivalent to a GCSE, recognised by universities and provide a real insight into the many career opportunities that are available in these industries, thereby informing future study choices.We also offer a one-year programme which focuses on a selection of traditional subjects that properly equip students for progression to the A Level programme.
ACCOMMODATION:
DLD College London is the only school in Central London with Boarding in the same building. Living immediately above the school, we want our boarders to feel that this is their ‘home away from home’, and to that end their holistic, all-round pastoral care is delivered through their small House communities, each led by one of their team of Resident Houseparents, who can be contacted 24/7. Their commitment to our students’ personal development was commended in their 2019 ISI Inspection, with 100% of boarders telling them they felt safe, happy, and at home there with them.Their amazing city centre location means they can offer activities and trips which are second to none. If they go to the theatre, they go to the West End. A concert? The Albert Hall. A football match? Wembley. Unlike some other boarding schools, they encourage boarders to be able to explore London safely, with support structures in place to keep everyone safe, and to get the most out of living in the most exciting city on earth
PASTORAL:
At DLD College London, wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do. Dedicated wellbeing staff and services contribute to their award-winning pastoral care by providing a safe and happy environment underwritten by trust and respect. They aim to support and nurture students to grow and develop as confident young people within the DLD community and beyond.
‘‘I usually wake up at 7:30am as my lessons start at 8.50am. I leave my room at around 8.20am to have breakfast. I usually have breakfast with my friends and never feel lonely at DLD.
After breakfast I grab a coffee from the Grumpy Mule Cafe. I usually have about 3 to 4 double periods a day. My first lesson starts at 8.50am and ends at 10.10am. between lessons I have about 15 minutes break. Some days I do not have a second lesson, so before my tutor period at 11.45am I have free-study time, which is an opportunity to do some homework or some additional study on my subjects.
I meet with my personal tutor for 15 mins, every day. We usually talk about my studies, any questions I have, discuss my progress and how I can improve. On Tuesdays, my whole tutor group gathers and we all have a tutor period for 40 mins when we either watch a presentation, DLD production news bulletin or any important messages that need to be delivered to all students.
After that I have lunch, most days it is at 12pm, but sometimes if I have a lesson it might be later, at about 1pm. Some days I go straight to lessons after lunch, but most days I have free time between lunch and lessons and as I am a boarder it gives me time, to go to my room, pack my stuff for the next two lessons and relax.
At 2pm my afternoon lessons start and last up until 4.55pm, with one 15 min break between.After lessons have finished I go to to my academic societies – business and finance on Tuesdays and film and media on Thursdays. On other days I do Co-Curricular Activities after school. On Mondays I do singing, Tuesdays I join the band club, Wednesdays is boxing, and on Fridays I rest.
The day is usually over at about 6pm for me, when I head over to the Global Kitchen to have dinner with my friends. Some days, we go out for dinner or order takeaway, but it is always fun to be around so many people.
After dinner, we usually hang out in the Atrium – it is our common place where we play games, pool, playstation, badminton and watch movies. It is always great fun to watch a movie and eat some hot popcorn made by houseparents.
Some nights I stay in my room or in my Huddle common room, and cook dinner with friends in our kitchen. Every Wednesday I am in my room at about 7.30pm for a room visit from my houseparent, Emma and we discuss any issues that I have.
I have to go and register by 8.30am down at the houseparent desk. I have breakfast in the Global Kitchen and on weekends we all have brunch, which is always delicious.Sometimes on the weekends we have an online HIIT workout with our Head of Sports and Co-Curricular. Other days, we go out and if the London weather is good, we are lucky to walk all day. There are hundreds of places to go in London. Me and my friends’ favourite is Covent Garden – this is the place we go to most and we love the ice cream there.As we live in boarding we also have some curfew times, which luckily for us on the weekends are up until 11 pm, but on usual week days we have to be back home by 10pm. In front of school we have a cycling station, where you can hire bikes and go cycling around London.In my free times and sometimes between lessons I take a bike and cycle for an hour around local areas – sometimes I even cycle up to Notting Hill and back. Being a boarder is very convenient in everything you do, I just go back to my room, take my shower and then return back to my lessons.Sometimes I would go with a friend for a walk in Hyde Park, next to Buckingham Palace, which is just about 5 minutes away.Being a boarder is an amazing experience which I would never give up on. From evening movies in the Atrium, to brunches on the weekends and pyjama Huddle parties, there is nothing better than being a boarder at DLD!’’
LIFE AT DLD College London
We have been helping overseas students gain entrance to DLD College London for a number of years now, progressing to high profile careers in the UK. Find out more about this school below.
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