A Service of Commemoration

Students and staff from the three Dulwich Foundation Schools – Alleyn's, JAGS and Dulwich College, joined together virtually for this year’s special Foundation Schools’ Commemoration Service, celebrating Edward Alleyn’s Foundation. This year, the work of the SCEC (Southwark Community Education Charity) was also celebrated, including the hugely successful and popular Saturday Maths scheme long-held at Alleyn's.

The service, pre-recorded due to Covid-19 restrictions, was led by the Foundation Chaplain Reverend John Watson. Commemorating the Dulwich Foundation, it included readings from staff and students from each school, a wreath laying ceremony and a series of spectacular hymns sung by each of the school's choirs.

You can enjoy the choirs of Dulwich College, JAGS and Alleyn’s School as part of this year’s Foundation Schools’ Commemoration Service from Christ’s Chapel in the pre-recorded video here or by clicking on the image below.

The commemoration was also a chance to recognise the work of local charity the Southwark Community Education Charity (SCEC) which has provided help in literacy, maths and science to local state primary school pupils for more than 25 years and to celebrate Alleyn’s, JAGS and Dulwich College students’ volunteer efforts of supporting the SCEC.

In a confident and passionate pre-recorded video recorded alongside the Commemoration Service, Alleyn’s Year 11 students Eloise and Tom shared their involvement of becoming maths mentors, preparing and delivering sessions to Year 5 pupils from local primary schools on Saturday mornings in the SCEC Saturday Maths Scheme. They talked through the challenges of having to run the sessions online due to Covid-19 restrictions – from overcoming the technical difficulties of not every child having the same technology to building the confidence of the shyer pupils to unmute themselves and get the support they needed.

And they shared their sense of reward and purpose at having been involved. Tom said:

“The Saturday Maths Scheme presented an opportunity for me to do something slightly out of the ordinary and use my Saturday mornings productively and positively. Logging off at 11.30 was rewarding knowing that I’d helped the pupils develop their skills and take their maths further.”

Eloise added: “At a time of such uncertainty, the stability, collegiality and fun that each Saturday brought us all was truly invaluable.”

Hear more about Eloise and Tom’s experiences in the video here or by clicking on the image below. To find out more about the work of the SCEC or to donate, visit their website here.