Dwight School London in Barnet

Every year, Dwight School London kicks off the first term with a residential trip for all our Senior School students. This is a great way to form long-lasting bonds within the classroom. On these trips, they learn new skills, challenge themselves to take risks and explore activities that seem tough, and collaborate to solve puzzles.

Check out the full photo album at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=DwightSchoolLondon&set=a.785666793568707

Little Lions Nursery is one of the only nurseries in the UK giving our children a chance to experience the IB Primary Years Programme from just 3 years old.

At the moment, our Little Lions have been working on a Unit of Inquiry about 'who we are'. They had fun looking at themselves in the mirror and drawing self-portraits. Then, they drew each other and noticed some similarities and differences between them and their friends!

Aaaaand we're BACK! It is so exciting to see all the children back in school and ready to learn. We can't wait to see what adventures lie in store...

Mr Bowry and Mr Parkin were really excited to welcome everyone at the school gates!

We're so pleased that the sun came out to help make our New Student Ice Cream Social a fantastic event! We love running this event before school every year to introduce our new joiners to our warm welcoming school community 💙

Exciting news! Our beloved English teacher, Mr Dickenson, has just published his third book: HOYDEN (a boisterous girl). We are very proud to have a published author contributing his expertise to our English department.

As with the previous novels, Mr Dickenson says that the IB ethos runs strongly through the book, with his daily lessons inspiring the core of the novel.

"If you've been in class with me," says Mr Dickenson, "then, to some degree, you'll have had some input into this novel. The central message was generated from units of work from our English department - exploring disadvantages women and girls continue to endure.

"The book's origins spring from the solitary, archaic word I stumbled across many years ago which I use as the title. Hoyden. A boisterous girl.

"From observations I’ve made as an English teacher for many years and research for the novel, it appears that still, today, women and girls continue to linger in the shadows while men and boys remain very much front and centre. I like students who are a tad boisterous – those who make noise. Especially the girls."

Find out more at: https://tony-dickenson.com/

And now, from our oldest cohort to our youngest...

As we say farewell to the Class of 2023, we'd also like to celebrate the future Class of 2037! Congratulations to our N4s, who have just graduated from the Little Lions Nursery 🦁

Have lots of fun at Big School!

Well done Noah for scoring over 40 points in his Diploma! His hard work and perseverance paid off with an amazing result.

Scoring 40 points out of 45 or higher is equivalent to 3 A*s at A-level and is only achieved by a small percentage of students worldwide. We are thrilled to announce that 20% of our cohort managed to attain over 40 points this year.

With Noah's remarkable results, he has been accepted into the prestigious University of St Andrew's to study Computer Science! St Andrew's is currently the top ranked university in the UK.

Incredible work from Daamitha, who has been accepted into the Russell Group university King's College London to study Biomedical Science! We can't wait to see what amazing things you do with your degree. 🔬

Dwight has a strong STEM programme, with a focus on supporting innovation with initiatives like this year's global Dwight Sparkathon. We also support inquiring young scientists with our annual STEAM scholarships.

We are really pleased to see Nikhil graduate as the student who has been with us the longest - an incredible 13 years! He will be embracing the global nature of the IB by attending the University of California in the States.

"I felt relief when I saw my results, but overall very proud of the work I had done to get these amazing grades," says Nikhil. "I am closing this chapter of my school life with great accomplishments and heading to California (UC Irvine) knowing that the IB will give me course credits that will put me above and beyond my non-IB peers. Supportive teachers and classmates really contributed to these results!"

As an all-through school, we are one of the few schools in the UK offering a full IB curriculum from the age of 2, all the way up to age 18. Nikhil was with us for the Primary Years, Middle Years AND Diploma Programme, and in that time has contributed greatly to Dwight. From his leadership as the Student Council President to just seeing his smile light up the halls of Jubilee, he will be missed!

Natalie studied four subjects to Higher Level during her Diploma course, a rare feat that is only achieved by a tiny subset of IB graduates around the world.

During the DP, students study six subjects from across at least five different categories. Usually, three of these are studied at Standard Level, and three at the challenging Higher Level - but Natalie studied the maximum of HLs allowed!

The IB is structured to give a more holistic understanding of subjects, with a focus on identifying cross-curricular connections in learning from the Primary Years Programme all the way up to the Diploma Programme. As part of this, the DP requires students to study a diverse range of subjects rather than specialising their knowledge early in life.

This allows our students more opportunities to find their interests and Spark of Genius, as well as giving them a firm basis for adapting to new job fields later in life. Natalie exemplifies this IB ethos and we are so proud of the hard work she put in to all her subjects!

Last week marked Results Day for our DP graduates. We are so proud of all the amazing work the Class of 2023 have put in over the past two years!

We are delighted to announce that with an average score of 35, our graduates have beaten the global average for the sixth year in a row! 20% of the students entered for the Diploma scored over 40 points (the equivalent of 3 A*s at A Level).

We'd like to share with you just a few stories that have emerged from our latest crop of graduates...

First up: Natalie!

Our Year 11s bid farewell to the school year in a dazzling display of festive fashion! Year 11 parents can join the live stream link in their inboxes to see the magnificent Jubilee Hall transformed for an unforgettable celebration.

We are thrilled to share that our Y9-Y12 Mandarin students had a wonderful school trip to Chinatown! We immersed ourselves in the rich culture and language, experiencing authentic Mandarin while indulging in a delicious Chinese meal. It was truly a day filled with fun, education, and lasting memories!

Thank you once again for your support in providing such enriching opportunities to our Mandarin students.

Students from Years 7-11 have outdone themselves with their incredible entries for the ISA Sports Design Challenge. We were blown away by the sheer creativity and the unique interpretations of this fascinating theme.

We're thrilled to announce that Tabitha (Year 11) has had her entry chosen as the winning design in the athletics category. Her masterpiece is now on display in the online gallery on the ISA website: https://www.isaschools.org.uk/arts/art/sports-cover-design-competition.html

Last Monday, our D1 students took part in an exciting academic writing workshop at the British Library. They were guided through the whole process of the essay writing, gaining invaluable skills that will undoubtedly aid them as they embark on their Extended Essays this summer.

With the internal assessments looming in D2, our students are now well-prepared to conquer any writing challenge that comes their way. Looking forward to reading the great ideas they will bring in September!

What have our students been doing in Paris over the past couple of days?

Let's check in with Ms Veschi and Ms Danvers...

"Voilà nos champions! First we started with a great morning in the 6th biggest stadium of Europe! Vraiment sympa notre visite!

Today, after some morning shopping at the local market, we headed back to the château to prepare some lunch. We made authentic crêpes! 😋

To fully experience French cuisine, we visited the Fromagerie and learnt about the art of making cheese and the tools needed to make Brie de coulommiers et Tomme. We've had such a lovely day!"

Keep your eyes peeled for updates on the other amazing experiences our students are enjoying as they explore French culture 👀

Bonjour!

Some of our Senior School students are currently immersing themselves in the beautiful culture of Paris, as they explore the city and learn more about the language they are studying.

We're currently on our way to Stade de France after a delicious breakfast with a few "pain au chocolat et croissants".

The day ahead promises to be full of wonder and adventure, as we visit the iconic Montmarte and Sacre Coeur. Our students are thrilled to be experiencing such a rich and vibrant culture, and we can't wait to see what else Paris has in store for us!

Year 9 and 11 girls in action during the Summer Fayre at Coppetts Wood!

Service as action is a key component of an International Baccalaureate education. Students are encouraged to take action through community or personal projects to make a difference.

On Sunday, some of our students demonstrated this by volunteering to help run a local fayre. The funds raised supported an excellent cause - protecting and preserving our door-to-door Coppetts Wood Conservation area 🌳

The Junior School Sports Day is off to a strong start! From triple jump to egg and spoon races, our students are reaping the rewards of their practice on our fields🏆

Thank you to our Senior School student volunteers, making sure the whole thing runs smoothly!

We found so many caterpillars in the woods during Forest School this week! Our Little Lions Nursery cubs had a lot of fun enjoying the freedom of playing in the woods and doing a minibeast hunt 🐛

Forest School is an important part of our curriculum, as it gives children a chance to explore, direct their own learning, and take risks. This builds resilience and confidence, as well as promoting an appreciation for nature and our beautiful planet!

Get ready to be blown away by the artistic of our students! Competing in the ISA Digital Art Challenge has given Years 7-13 a chance to create incredible creative and innovative works. The students were given the freedom to explore any subject that piqued their interest using digital technology. From digital drawings to photo editing, these young artists have truly outdone themselves.

We're thrilled to announce that Zac, a Year 9 student, has snagged the top spot in the Key Stage 3 category. His masterpiece is now on display in the online gallery on the ISA website. Check it out at: https://www.isaschools.org.uk/arts/art/digital-art-competition.html

Cross-cultural collaboration at its finest: Dwight London and New York unite for an exciting student exchange! Dwight New York's Grade 5 class has joined us from across the pond to learn a bit about London, and today got a sneak peek at our Year 6's PYP Exhibitions 👀

Stay tuned as our Year 6s fly out to America next week for our turn of sightseeing and global learning!

Rev up your engines for our STEM visit to the world-famous McLaren Technology Centre!

Our goal at Dwight is to help students realise their Spark of Genius ✨. This week, it was our future engineers' turn at the wheel as we took 16 students with an interest in a career in engineering to McLaren's state-of-the-art facility.

To showcase the role of women in engineering, we had three amazing female engineers in the driver's seat, taking us on a tour of the aerodynamic 1/6th scale wind simulator, carbon fibre area, chassis build and the promenade. We finished the day by meeting the Senior Design Engineer, the mastermind behind McLaren's incredible creations!

🌎 Last year, the IB partnered with Dwight Global to pilot the FIRST fully online Diploma Programme.

Can an online education match or surpass in-person teaching? Can it provide transformational experiences for educators and students? Virtually join the IB, Dwight Global and King’s InterHigh as we explore the question: "Online education for a better world - is it the future?"

Sign up for the free webinar on Thursday 25th May at 2:30pm (BST) ➡️ https://bit.ly/3B084sA

Unleash your inner pharaoh! 🎨

Students from Years 7-11 have outdone themselves with their incredible entries for the ISA Ancient Egyptian Art Challenge. We were blown away by the sheer creativity and the unique interpretations of this fascinating theme.

We're thrilled to announce that Maleha (Year 7) and Eliza (Year 10) have made it to the final selection, in the top 25 of over 200 entries! Their masterpieces are now on display in the online gallery on the ISA website: https://www.isaschools.org.uk/arts/art/ancient-egyptian-art-challenge.html

We're thrilled to have been selected as a case study by the Independent Schools Association! The article showcases the remarkable results of our innovative approach, which earned us the ISA Award for Excellence and Innovation in Early Years 🏆🎓

Read the case study here: https://bit.ly/dslawardwinning

Last Friday, we celebrated the global nature of our school with a spectacular showcase of linguistic skills in our Language Acquisition Assembly!

From confident speeches to captivating performances, the spirit of collaboration and respect for our wonderful diverse community was clear. A big shoutout to our talented language teachers and students who continue to inspire each other on their language learning journey.

A big day for Year 12 today!

They started the day with a great session delving into the wonderful array of opportunities at Cornell University (thank you Kyle for making the trip to Dwight School London to talk about admissions with us).

They then traveled to the Natural History Museum, London. Year 12 Biology students were looking for evidence for evolution - including identifying pentadactyl limbs and vestigial limbs in the giant blue whale skeleton which is currently in the main hall. Meanwhile, ESS students hunted for examples of biodiversity within biomes by taking images of different species of flora and fauna from throughout the world.

Apply for Reception at the leading international school in London. We provide personalised learning with excellent student-teacher ratios and a nurturing environment designed to create healthy, well-rounded students.

Book a place at an Open Day at dwightlondon.org/open and find out more about why we're rated as an ISI 'Excellent' school and proud winners of the ISA Award for Excellence and Innovation in Early Years.

Join us in celebrating our tree-planting success! Our plaque is now up on the map, showcasing our dedication to the environment. Our students have been hard at work with our "tree twinning" project, which has resulted in a whopping 4000 trees planted - double our original goal!

We're proud to have made such an impact in our local community and across the globe with our partners in Nepal. Let's keep the momentum going and continue to .

Check out the plaque: https://queensgreencanopy.org/map-education-hub/qgc-map/ #/?id=15101

Last week, our Year 12 students travelled down to the ExCeL London for the UCAS Exhibition, a chance for them to learn about all the different avenues open to them after they leave Dwight. There was a smorgasbord of university, apprenticeship and career opportunities, with over 100 universities and colleges represented.

Overall, it was an incredibly informative and inspiring day for the students, who left feeling excited about their futures!

Last week, our Year 7 and 8 Mandarin classes "spiced" up their language classes with workshop on Chinese cooking at the Ming-Ai (London) Institute.

They mastered the art of Chinese cuisine with a variety of Hoisin style dishes with chicken, tofu and plenty of different crunchy vegetables... whilst learning Mandarin words at the same time!

We had such a fabulous time, full of incredible team spirit and delicious Chinese meals! Well done Year 7 and 8! 太棒了！👨‍🍳👩‍🍳🥢🍛