St Dunstan’s Education Group and St Christopher’s The Hall are delighted to announce a merger, which will take effect from 31 January 2025.
St Dunstan’s and St Christopher’s have been close neighbours for many years and St Dunstan’s has historic roots in Beckenham, not least through the location of its alumni sports club, which will come into the ownership and management of the group later this year.
Speaking about the merger, Head of St Christopher’s The Hall, Tom Carter, said: ‘From the outset, our conversations with St Dunstan’s revealed a cultural alignment and shared values.
‘Both schools are committed to fostering an environment where every pupil is empowered to develop, reach their full potential, and run their own race. This partnership is a testament to our shared belief in putting children at the centre of everything we do.’
Head of St Dunstan’s Education Group, Nick Hewlett, added: ‘I am delighted to be welcoming another school into our group of like-minded and highly successful schools in south-east London. St Christopher’s is a superb school, and I have no doubt that we will enjoy learning from one another as we continue to trailblaze our forward-thinking approach to education’.
St Christopher’s will be joining St Dunstan’s Junior School, St Dunstan’s Senior School and Rosemead Preparatory School and Nursery which are all part of the St Dunstan’s Education Group.
In recent years, St Dunstan’s has become increasingly known for offering a sector-leading, ambitious and forward-thinking education, with schools within the group winning praise from prestigious award bodies. In 2020, St Dunstan’s was awarded Coeducation School of the Year at the Independent Schools of the Year Awards, which was followed by Senior School of the Year at the Tes Schools Awards, which are known as the Oscars of education, in 2022. Most recently, St Dunstan’s was named most progressive school in London and south-east England in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Rosemead Preparatory School, which joined the group in February 2023, was also awarded Excellence in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the Independent Schools Association (ISA) Awards 2024 and was the first prep school in the country to receive a ‘significant strength’ in its Independent Schools Inspectorate report.
St Christopher’s, which is located in the heart of Beckenham, is known for is high-quality, inspirational teaching, and its commitment to learning through a diverse, inclusive, broad curriculum.
The merger will take effect from 31 January 2025 and both organisations are looking forward to working more closely together and building on their respective successes. St Dunstan’s Group Head, Nick Hewlett, added: ‘I look forward to our London day schools beginning a new chapter in their shared histories.’
St Christopher’s The Hall will host their next open mornings on Tuesday 11 February and Wednesday 19 March 2025.
