St Dunstan’s College revamp reaches landmark moment
A 132-year-old school’s biggest revamp in its history has reached a landmark stage after being delayed by lockdown.
St Dunstan’s College celebrated the topping out ceremony for its new buildings on Friday.
The new development is due to open in April 2021, to include a junior school, science, technology and maths centre, and a sixth form centre.
The ceremony, traditionally held when the last beam is placed atop of the structure, was due to take place earlier this year but was delayed due to coronavirus.
During the afternoon, a group of junior and senior students were given a socially-distanced tour of the new build by the Willmott Dixon team and the college’s bursar, Clair Wilkins.
Junior pupils got to tour the junior school area learning about the new classrooms and exciting outdoor learning spaces.
Senior school students got to visit the STEM side and the new sixth form centre, which will feature a new café and independent study area modelled on
university campuses.
Mrs Wilkins said: ‘We can’t wait for our next visit, when hopefully coronavirus restrictions will have been lifted and we can really celebrate this huge achievement.”
Headmaster Nicholas Hewlett said: “This represents the most significant redevelopment of our college sites since our foundation in Catford, in 1888.
“I feel sure our founders and benefactors would be proud of the innovative new buildings that are being constructed, as records show they were intent that a St Dunstans education should be ‘ahead of the current time.
“As one of the first schools in the world to have invested in science and technology laboratories, it seems fitting that 130 years on, we are creating state of the art STEM facilities for the next generation of Dunstonians.”
Pictured top: The topping out ceremony
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