The Charter School North Dulwich

About The Charter School North Dulwich

The Charter School North Dulwich is a large mixed secondary in Southwark, currently teaching 1,330 pupils against an official capacity of 1,130, meaning it is significantly over its intended roll. This oversubscription is no surprise given the demand: for 172 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 1,131 applications, with 317 families putting it as their first preference. That works out at roughly 6.6 applications for every place, a clear signal of its local popularity. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 20.1%, which is above the national average for secondary schools and reflects the diverse intake typical of inner London. The school has no religious character and is a state-funded academy, with Mark Pain as headteacher. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in 2022, rated it Outstanding across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision — a clean sweep that it also achieved in its previous graded inspection back in 2009.

Academically, the school is a strong performer. Its Progress 8 score of 0.8 is well above average nationally and comfortably exceeds the Southwark local authority average of 0.46, placing it 4th out of 19 schools in the borough. The Attainment 8 score sits at 62.9, and 83.8% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. A high 78.2% of students entered the EBacc, with 62% achieving it at grade 4 or above. The school ranks 188th nationally out of 3,141 schools on Progress 8, putting it in the top 6% of all state secondaries. At A-level, the picture is similarly strong: the average points per entry is 45.19, equivalent to an A- grade, and the value-added score of 0.58 is rated well above average. Over a third of sixth-form entries achieved at least AAB, and the best three A-levels averaged out at an A- grade. The school has an official sixth form with 175 pupils in the most recent data.

The school is well equipped, with facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, playing fields, and dedicated science labs and art studios. Sports on offer range from rowing and rugby to dance and cross country, while clubs include Model UN, Young Enterprise, coding, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The school also lists a broad range of SEND provisions, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate and severe learning difficulties, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, and autistic spectrum disorder. Given its size, strong academic outcomes, and high demand, this is a school that suits families looking for a high-performing, inclusive state secondary with a well-regarded sixth form and a wide co-curricular offer. The nearest other Outstanding-rated school is Harris Boys' Academy East Dulwich, 1.7 km away, but Charter School North Dulwich is mixed and larger, which may be a deciding factor for some.

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