Introduction
Dulwich College is a highly-regarded independent day and boarding school in London. Dating back to 1619, it provides an intellectually stimulating atmosphere alongside a wide range of cutting-edge facilities, including a swimming pool, a sports centre complex, tennis courts and acres of playing fields. [1]
Maintaining exceptionally high academic standards, Dulwich delivers an enriching curriculum. Students are encouraged to participate in in-class activities and embrace learning while benefitting from outstanding teaching in languages, technology, sciences, humanities and many other disciplines.
The programme of co-curricular activities helps Dulwich maximise the benefits of the academic experience by expanding the quality of school life. Theatre, museum and gallery visits are organised frequently, boosting boys’ cultural understanding in parallel with their social skills. [2]
Pastorally, Dulwich aims high, catering for pupils’ needs both comprehensively and effectively. The school even owns a Medical Centre, which opened back in 1997, where four registered nurses and a medical centre assistant provide the cohort with extensive support. [3]
Dulwich maintains a keen awareness of the evolving nature of work and anticipates that its alumni will embark on various careers, some of which might be currently unforeseen. The expectation is for students to carve out professional paths and engage in entrepreneurial, technological and innovative pursuits, upholding the establishment’s esteemed legacy.
The College also aims to instil a deep-rooted sense of societal service and the desire to give back to the community. In this way, Dulwich maximises boys’ altruistic qualities and helps develop their empathy for the hardships of the less privileged, grounding the educational experience in genuinely humane perspectives.
Dulwich College 13 Plus (13+) Deferred Entry Information
Address: Dulwich Common, London SE21 7LD
County: Greater London
School type: Independent day and boarding school for boys
Email: the.registrar@dulwich.org.uk
Telephone: 020 8299 9263
Open days: In the Summer and Autumn terms
Exam date: December
Exam type / Board: Bespoke online test (and essay)
Open Days for Dulwich College 13 Plus (13+) Deferred Entry
The school hosts Open Afternoons during the Summer and Autumn Terms, offering prospective parents and students an opportunity to discover the College’s facilities via guided tours. These events usually start with a welcome speech from the Head and end with refreshments. Advance booking is required. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
Dulwich College 13 Plus (13+) Deferred Entry Admissions
To be eligible for the 13+ deferred entry examination, your son must be registered with the school by the deadline in September of Year 6.
The entrance examinations, held the following December, are composed of three parts. Two of these are computer-based assessments, while the third evaluates English writing proficiency.
Successful candidates are then invited for interviews in January. It’s important to note that the quality of your son’s most recent school report will also impact the admissions decision.
If your son excels in the assessments, he may receive an offer. To confirm his place, you will be required to pay a deposit.
Dulwich College 13 Plus (13+) Deferred Entry Scholarships and Bursaries
For those applying for 13+ deferred entry, Dulwich offers Academic, Music, Art and Sports Scholarships, covering from one tenth up to one third of the total fees. Scholarships can be supplemented by a bursary, which can notably enhance their worth.
Bursaries are awarded based on financial need, considering various aspects of your financial situation such as gross income, assets and savings. To understand the school’s specific criteria for the provision of bursaries, please click here.
Dulwich College 13 Plus (13+) Deferred Entry Exam Format
As part of the 13+ admissions process for deferred entry to Dulwich College, your child will be assessed using an online test, which consists of:
a) Part 1 – Adaptive Section. Lasting one hour, it features questions that adjust in difficulty based on the student’s responses. Part 1 assesses the following areas:
- Mathematics: problem-solving questions and questions featuring diagrams/charts.
- English & Verbal Reasoning: multiple-choice questions that gauge reading comprehension, grammar and punctuation skills, as well as vocabulary and the comprehension of contextual meaning.
- Non-Verbal Reasoning: questions that assess the ability to reason using shapes, space, diagrams and images.
b) Part 2 – Non-Adaptive Section. Lasting for 40 minutes, it consists of questions with a fixed difficulty level. Part 2 consists of the following modules:
- Puzzles & Problem Solving – comprises engaging interactive puzzles and diagrams, and questions that students are required to answer by typing their response in a box.
- Creative Comprehension – includes multiple-choice questions derived from text, maps, diagrams, timetables and charts.
There will also be an English writing paper, assessing spelling, punctuation and a range of other skills. Marks will be awarded for good use of imagination, creativity, form, purpose, organisation, cohesion and sentence structure.
How to Prepare for the Dulwich College 13 Plus (13+) Deferred Entry Exam
One of the best ways to prepare for a competitive entrance exam is to use our practice tests. Getting to know the types of questions and the format of the actual exam will help boost your child’s confidence.
Aside from becoming familiarised with the exam format, our practice tests will ensure that your child responds to the questions in an efficient and effective manner.
They also provide an excellent opportunity for your child to practise working under time pressure. Whilst doing the tests under timed conditions, children can get used to answering questions quickly, with a close attention to detail.
Our practice tests are thoroughly researched and up-to-date. They are designed to reflect the demands of a competitive entrance exam and are successfully used by many thousands of students every year.
Dulwich College 13 Plus (13+) Deferred Entry Exam Practice Tests
Online Practice Tests
Our comprehensive mock tests closely mirror the Dulwich 13+ Deferred online assessment, replicating its structure, timings and question types. Each test has distinct content but matches the difficulty level of the actual exam, enabling easy tracking of your son’s progress. Click the links below for more details.
13+ Dulwich College Practice Test 1
13+ Dulwich College Practice Test 2
13+ Dulwich College Practice Test 3
13+ Dulwich College Practice Test 4
13+ Dulwich College Practice Test 5
13+ Dulwich College Practice Test 6
13+ Dulwich College Practice Test 7
13+ Dulwich College Practice Test 8
13+ Dulwich College Practice Test 9
13+ Dulwich College Practice Test 10
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13+ Dulwich College Tests 1-10 Bundle - Save 30%
✅ Alternatively, you can choose a bundle of five of our recommended full practice tests for the Dulwich College 13+ online exam and still save 25%. Select the relevant bundle below to learn more:
13+ Dulwich College Tests 1-5 Bundle - Save 25%
13+ Dulwich College Tests 6-10 Bundle - Save 25%
Online Skill Practice
Our Skill Practice exercises target specific question types featured in the Dulwich College 13+ exam, providing a focused approach to effectively boost your child’s performance in particular topics. These exercises are perfect for honing specific skills and enhancing your child’s scores.
13+ Dulwich College Mathematics
13+ Dulwich College Creative Comprehension Pack 1
13+ Dulwich College Creative Comprehension Pack 2
13+ Dulwich College Puzzles & Problem Solving Pack 1
13+ Dulwich College Puzzles & Problem Solving Pack 2
Use the code ppdiscount at checkout for a 10% discount on orders over £80 and a 20% discount on orders over £200 if you don’t buy a bundle.
English Exercises
We strongly recommend the following 11+ resources to assist your child in preparing for the creative writing section, given that the Dulwich College 13+ deferred entry exam is taken in Year 6:
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended English resources for the Dulwich College deferred entry exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
Dulwich College English Bundle
If you’d like to have your child’s writing assessed and marked, you may be interested in our Writing Marking Service. Please click here to learn more.
Use the code eppdiscount at checkout to get a 10% discount on orders over £70 and a 20% discount on orders over £250 if you don’t buy a bundle.
Interviews
This 11+ guide covers all the key concepts your child needs to be aware of for the Dulwich interview, held while your son is in Year 6:
11+ Interviews – The Complete Guide
Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions have been included in Dulwich College 13+ past papers. The information provided about Dulwich College is believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the article.
Please note that Exam Papers Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and resources, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Dulwich College.