Dean Close School

The Academics:

A-Levels and GCSEs on offer.

Dean Close School is not overly selective and achieves very decent exam results considering: in 2023, 55% of GCSE results were As and 38% of A-Level results were As. Very respectable indeed!

One special highlight is product design. The school sports a state-of-the-art design and technology department. We saw some very high quality designs including modern desks, lamps and even an electric car.

With regards to languages Dean Close School has German, French, Spanish, Latin and Greek on offer.

Boarding

60% of pupils board. Six boarding houses exist, all refurbished thanks to a 20-year investment programme. Day pupils are part of a boarding house and are allowed to stay two nights a week at school.

Exeat weekends exist and are compulsory.

Strengths

Dean Close School has a phenomenally strong sports department. Stand-outs here are the incredibly successful hockey (19 national finals in the last five years!) and equestrian offer with show-jumping, eventing and dressage.

As mentioned above Dean Close School has a very strong product design department with great facilities, passionate teachers and very engaged pupils. The arts department deserves similar accolades!

Music is a further forte here with a celebrated choir, several orchestras and over 50 major music performances, ranging from symphony-orchestra performances to lunch-time recitals.

We are also fans of the school's interesting extracurricular activities. The most recent addition we are very excited by is the new cooking school that even includes an Introductory Food and Wine Certificate!

Last but not least, Dean Close School is a refreshingly unpretentious, friendly school in a highly attractive urban location!

Weaknesses

The compulsory exeat weekend can be a logistical challenge for international families needing to find accomodation for their child.