From Our Head of College

Letter from Our Head of College

Welcome to the Dulwich College Seoul community!  

I am excited and honoured to be the new Head of College and am proud to be the first woman to hold this position in the school’s 14-year history. Originally from New Zealand, I moved to Asia 10 years ago and found the experience so rewarding that I never left. I have been part of the Dulwich Family of Schools since 2014 and could not be prouder of all the wonderful students I have had the privilege to teach and support.  

I began my Dulwich journey at Dulwich College Suzhou, where I spent several years leading the IB Diploma Programme, before moving to Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong where I served as Head of Senior School. It’s been heartening to run into some of my old students from Suzhou and Pudong who have since graduated from university and are active in the local Korean alumni chapter as full-fledged professionals and global citizens.  

I'm excited to work with our talented team and bring my extensive experience, passion for excellence, and dedication to nurturing global citizens to this dynamic and diverse school community in Seoul. I am pleased to report that, for the first time, all three senior academic leadership positions within the College are held by women. This milestone reflects our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion. 

The moment I first stepped onto the campus, the energy was palpable, and I was immediately struck by how friendly and enthusiastic our students, staff and parents were in welcoming me. It was clear to me that aspiring to be “the kindest school in the universe” wasn’t just a slogan.  

Dulwich College Seoul was established in 2010 as part of a growing family of Dulwich schools in Asia under the Education in Motion group, which operates schools in Bali, Switzerland and the UK, with Bangkok scheduled to open in 2026. As an international school with British roots, we have 700 students from 46 different countries aged three to 18.  

Our school's purpose and values are deeply aligned with those of our family of schools throughout Asia under Dulwich College International. Our shared Latin motto, "Detur Pons Mundo," meaning "Building Bridges to the World," encapsulates our commitment to fostering global connections and understanding.  

Everything we do is to work toward our long-term vision, where our students, parents and staff will build a more just, equitable and sustainable world. Every day, we seek to inspire students to grow as global citizens who make a positive difference in the world. Our values permeate day-to-day activities, and include excellence, kindness, sustainability, diversity and community. 

At Dulwich College Seoul, we pride ourselves in providing the very best personalised learning and support to every student based on their strengths, interests, and needs. This year, we are excited to introduce Film and Psychology as new subjects for the first time in the school’s history. Our exceptional faculty come from all over the world and have a wealth of experience and passion for their respective subjects. Our stellar team of counsellors are always available to guide students through any concerns they may have, ranging from how to adjust to a new environment as a new student to how to manage time more efficiently to thrive in our culture of academic excellence. Our comprehensive approach to individual care, combined with our robust safeguarding policies, creates a nurturing environment where students feel safe, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential. 

Having Dulwich Colleges in Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou, and Singapore connects our students to their peers through diverse enriching opportunities such as academic Olympiads, sports competitions, student leadership conferences, Model United Nations and arts festivals, that help them grow as global citizens. Our student body of 700 means our students get personalised attention from teachers who play to their strengths and interests. 

We continue to be deeply committed to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in class as well as outside of the classroom. We value kindness, respect, humility, and generosity, as well as acceptance and fair treatment of all people in our community, and we aspire to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We have an audacious goal of being the kindest school in the universe. We encourage our students to aspire to the 10 IB Learner Profiles including being risk-takers, open minded, principled, and caring, to name a few. 

Our rigorous and holistic IB Diploma Programme gives students a well-rounded, personalised education that focuses not only on academic excellence but also on critical thinking skills and community service. Our graduates go on to attend some of the most prestigious universities in the world, including Columbia, Dartmouth, MIT and Juilliard in the US and Cambridge and Oxford in the UK.  

If you are a prospective parent and are wondering whether our school is right for you and your child, we invite you to ask one of our nine parent ambassadors directly and get their honest feedback through a chat program here. They come from all over the world, speak multiple languages and have children in various year groups so you will find a parent in a similar situation as yourself. Our friendly parent ambassadors will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have about school life. 

If you are exploring our school for the first time, I invite you to click here to embark on a virtual tour of our wonderful campus. Please note that we are in the process of refilming the video introduction, so you may still see our previous Head of College, but it will be updated soon.  

It is wonderful to see our campus bustling with activity, laughter, and fun. I am excited to continue building on the strong foundations of our school and leading our community into a bright future. 

Kind regards, 

Alison Derbyshire  
Head of College