Dulwich College Shanghai vs Nord Anglia Chinese International School

	Dulwich College Shanghai Shanghai, China	N Nord Anglia Chinese International School Shanghai, China
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year RMB 141,900 - 399,750	Fees / year RMB 154,000 - 240,000
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 6 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum EYFS (Early years foundation stage), British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP)	Curriculum Chinese National Curriculum, IB (DP), Australian Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 1,466	Pupils 2,500
Typical class size	Typical class size 20	Typical class size 25
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language Mandarin, English
Opened	Opened 2003	Opened 2016
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Dulwich College Shanghai operates two campuses: the Pudong campus is in the Jinqiao area (main site at 266 Lan An Road; DUCKS Early Years nearby at 425 Lan An Road) and is roughly a 15‑minute walk from Lantian Road (Line 9) metro station; the Puxi campus is in Maqiao, Minhang District (2000 Qian Pu Jing Road). Both campus pages list site coordinates and travel guidance; car travel times to the Puxi campus typically range 25–45 minutes from central and popular residential districts and about 40–45 minutes from Hongqiao airport depending on traffic.	Location The school campus is at 1399 Jinhui (Jinhui) Road, Huacao Town, Minhang District, Shanghai (Minhang). The site is in the suburban Minhang area, roughly 15 km from Shanghai city centre and close to the Hongqiao transport hub (airport and large rail interchange).
Stages	Stages The College educates children from Toddlers (around age 2) through Year 13 and is organised as DUCKS (Early Years and the lower years), Junior School and Senior School. DUCKS covers the early‑years phase (approximately ages 2–7); Junior School covers the primary years (approximately ages 7–11 / Years 3–6) and Senior School covers secondary (approximately ages 11–18 / Years 7–13). Admissions and assessment procedures are published by year group on the school's admissions pages. Senior students follow IGCSEs and the IB Diploma Programme.	Stages NACIS serves primary and secondary year groups (generally listed as Grades 1–12 / ages about 6–18). Senior students follow an International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (and international pathways in upper years).
School type	School type Dulwich College Shanghai is a co‑educational international day school for foreign‑passport families, part of the Dulwich College International network. Instruction is in English with Mandarin taught from the early years. Both campuses operate as day schools (no routine on‑site boarding); the College runs a separate short‑term residential programme (Ignite: Switzerland) for a specific year group.	School type The school is co-educational and operates as a day school with boarding options noted in public listings (day & boarding). It is part of the Nord Anglia Education group.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support The College provides English as an Additional Language (EAL) support and learning‑support provision and states it will enrol only students whose documented needs it can meet. Support includes in‑class and small‑group provision and named Learning Support staff; the school assesses previous reports as part of admissions. The Puxi campus describes its learning support as limited to pupils who can access the mainstream curriculum and does not offer a separate specialised additional curriculum.	Additional learning support As part of the Nord Anglia network, the school is reported to provide learning-support and English/Chinese language support and in-class differentiation for students who need it; network schools typically operate inclusion or learning-support teams. NACIS's public pages do not publish a detailed SEN policy online; if your child has diagnosed or complex additional needs, contact the school's admissions or learning-support team to discuss assessments, available specialist support and any external-therapy arrangements.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation The College is part of the Dulwich College International family, founded in partnership with Dulwich College (London) and reflecting British origins and governance links to Dulwich College London. DCI schools are operated within the Education in Motion / EiM group (recent ownership changes are noted on DCI pages).	Country affiliation The school is located in China and delivers a bilingual programme that blends the Shanghai national curriculum with international elements (Chinese and English mediums). It is not an embassy or church school and does not carry an affiliation to another country.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation The College is non‑denominational and does not have a religious affiliation.	Religious affiliation No religious affiliation is stated in the school's public materials; NACIS is presented as a non-denominational, secular bilingual school.
School day structure	School day structure Timings vary by age group. Published typical hours for the Pudong campus are: DUCKS 08:00–15:00; Junior School 08:00–15:30; Senior School 08:15–15:30. Puxi timing information shows early‑years sessions and a typical finish around mid‑to‑late afternoon (many year groups use a 15:30 finish); lunch times are staggered by age. The College runs after‑school co‑curricular activities and on some days offers a later bus for students staying for activities. Full daily routines and the school calendar are published on the campuses' routine and admissions pages.	School day structure Public information shows a typical school day beginning in the morning (students usually register between about 08:00–08:30) with classes running through the day and a normal finish time around 15:30 (exact times vary by year group and by term). The day includes a morning break and a lunch period; after-school activities and later bus departures are commonly offered on select days.
Bus service details	Bus service details The College operates an optional, paid school bus service. Route maps, stop listings and enrolment details are published to parents; the Pudong pages list Main Campus and DUCKS routes and the Admissions team handles route enrolment. The Puxi campus operates its service via an in‑school Bus Service Team, makes routes available from around age 3 upwards, publishes pick‑up/drop‑off and contact details to registered families ahead of term start, and notes government safety certification and at least one bus monitor per vehicle; routes cover much of western Shanghai and new routes are added each year. The fleet has been described as increasingly electric. Example published bus fees and refunds follow the College’s general refund rules; specific route fees and stop information are provided to registered families.	Bus service details The school operates a student bus service; public listings indicate school-provided buses and set routes (details, stops and fees are managed by the school). For exact route maps, pickup/drop-off points, fees and registration procedures contact NACIS Admissions directly — these arrangements are updated each academic year.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application and one‑time fees: Application Fee RMB 3,500 (non‑refundable). Resource Fee (deposit) RMB 15,000 — payable on acceptance, held by the College and refundable after return and satisfactory condition of College property subject to deductions. Capital Development Fee for new students RMB 15,000 (one‑time charge). Tuition (annual amounts published across the College): Toddlers (half‑days) RMB 141,900; Toddlers (full‑day) RMB 274,000; Nursery / Reception / Kindergarten (early years) RMB 305,000; Kindergarten 3 / Year 1 RMB 338,500; Years 2–6 / Years 3–6 RMB 342,000 (Years 2–5 shown in some schedules as RMB 342,000); Years 6–9 / Years 6–9 RMB 366,250 (Years 9 listed at higher bands where published); Years 9–11 / Years 10–11 RMB 390,500; Years 11–13 / Year 12–13 RMB 399,750 (Year 13 listed with no termly payment option in one campus schedule). The Pudong fee information describes the College’s term‑payment surcharge policy: families may pay annually or by term and a 5% annual surcharge applies to term payments (Pudong materials show equalised three‑term instalments calculated with the 5% surcharge). The Puxi pages publish specific term splits and invoice timing (Term 1 invoices around end of May; Term 2 around end of November; Term 3 around end of February) and show some uneven term instalment amounts for the academic year. Additional costs not included in tuition: school lunches, school bus service, school uniform, EAL and additional educational support, technology charges, optional trips, some co‑curricular/external provider activities and specialist external CCAs or private lessons. Example published bus fee: annual RMB 18,900 (term splits published on the site) — the College invoices and publishes exact route fees to registered families. Examination fees for IGCSE/IB and some compulsory in‑school trips are included in published tuition; optional trips and extra services are charged separately. Billing, refunds and payment terms: invoices are issued for acceptance and subsequent instalments; the Resource Fee is refundable as above and the Application Fee is non‑refundable. A full term’s tuition is payable for any term in which the student attends; withdrawal notice deadlines and refund illustrations are set out in the College’s Terms and Conditions. The Pudong pages note possible administration charges for late‑payment reminders (for example RMB 1,000 per reminder). The Ignite: Switzerland residential programme is charged separately (published fee CHF 25,000 per term for that programme). For exact current term amounts, payment methods and campus‑specific billing details families should consult the campus finance contacts and the College’s published fee schedules.	Fee details Application fees - No school-specific application, enrolment or resourcing fees for Nord Anglia Chinese International School (Minhang) are published in the public sources consulted. The school's publicly listed fee pages examined include only tuition figures. Tuition fees (by year group) - Grade 1 to Grade 5: RMB 154,000 per year. - Grade 6 to Grade 9: RMB 180,000 per year. - Grade 10 to Grade 12: RMB 230,000 per year. (These figures are presented as the school's published annual tuition amounts by year group.) Billing schedule and payment terms - Nord Anglia schools operate a three-term academic year (Term 1 late August/early September to December; Term 2 January to March; Term 3 April to June). School fees are generally payable in advance on or before the first day of each term. Where advance payments cover multiple terms, income is recognised across those terms. A full term's notice of withdrawal is commonly required for refund of prepaid tuition at a majority of group schools. Boarding fees (if applicable) - Boarding is indicated as available at the Minhang campus; however, no specific boarding-fee amounts for Nord Anglia Chinese International School (Minhang) were published in the public fee pages reviewed. Other costs (uniform, transport, meals, trips, exams) - The school's published public fee details reviewed list only tuition by year group and do not include itemised charges for uniform, bus, lunch or trip fees for Minhang. Note that other Nord Anglia campuses commonly publish optional/compulsory additional charges (e.g., school bus, uniforms, residential trip or lunch provider charges) as separate line items; those examples are illustrative of the group but are not specific Minhang figures. Refund information - The Nord Anglia group's published terms indicate that, at the majority of group schools, a full term's notice of withdrawal is required for refund of prepaid tuition; this is the group-level practice identified in the materials reviewed. No Minhang-specific refund schedule or refundable deposit amounts were published in the sources consulted. Fee payment options - No Minhang-specific payment method instructions were published in the public fee pages located. Nord Anglia schools commonly accept bank transfers and provide bank details on campus fee pages; for example, other Nord Anglia China campuses publish bank account details for RMB and USD payments. Parents should note that payment timing (advance, termly) follows the term schedule above.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement All students wear a school uniform. In Reception and above students are assigned to a House. At the Pudong campus IB students (Years 12–13) may select their own clothing within the uniform guidelines, and gender-neutral ties were introduced to promote inclusivity. Summer/winter transition periods differ by campus: the Pudong campus uses summer uniform April–November and winter uniform November–April; the Puxi campus uses summer uniform April–October and winter uniform November–March, with reminders issued before transitions. At the Puxi campus, toddlers wear their own clothes but must wear a school hat. Uniforms can be ordered online for home delivery via the Online Uniform Shop (opened for new families 1 August 2023) using a student ID to set up accounts; uniform items must be clearly labelled with the student's full name and class. The Uniform Shop can be reached at 021 3329 9330.	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options Meals are provided by a catering service. At the Pudong campus catering is provided by Sodexo and a set lunch is offered in DUCKS for 33 RMB per day; Junior School lunch is 34 RMB and Senior School dishes are priced 35–45 RMB. The school is nut-free: the Puxi campus states its catering provider does not use nuts and nuts are not allowed in school, and the Pudong campus also enforces a no-nuts policy and labels meals for allergens. Policies on home-packed lunch differ by campus: bringing lunch from home is permitted at the Pudong campus but home-packed lunches are not permitted at the Puxi campus. Lunch timing depends on the student's age.	Food options —
House system	House system The school operates a House system. The Pudong campus has four Houses—Maathai, Curie, Shackleton and Wing—which provide belonging and leadership opportunities; House Captains, Ambassadors and Prefects lead across DUCKS, Junior School and Senior School and House activities include events such as Got Talent. The Puxi campus sorts students on entry into four Houses—Song, Moussa, Yung and Shackleton.	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership The Dulwich Colleges in China are operated by Education in Motion (EiM) under an agreement with Dulwich College London. Governance includes a Board of Management and a Board of Trustees: the Board of Management oversees strategic development and meets four times a year; the Board of Trustees comprises EiM representatives, four parent representatives and one Dulwich College London representative. The Head of College and the Director of Business Administration are ex officio members of the Board of Trustees but do not have voting rights. In 2024 Hillhouse Investment Group acquired Dulwich College International's Asia schools from EiM.	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details Dulwich College Shanghai offers a continuous international curriculum from DUCKS Early Years through Senior School, with specialist programmes in STEAM, Mandarin, visual and performing arts, sports and extensive co‑curricular activities. DUCKS follows the UK Early Years Foundation Stage and is delivered with a dual‑language English–Mandarin approach; the Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong campus also offers a Mandarin immersion pathway from the start, while the Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi DUCKS provision explicitly covers Toddler, Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 (ages 2–7). From Year 1 through Year 9 the school delivers a modified English National / British national curriculum with topic‑based, cross‑curricular learning and specialist lessons or teachers for Mandarin, PE, art, design technology and music, alongside expanding STEAM and technology provision and structured wellbeing and physical‑literacy support. In Years 10–11 students follow a two‑year IGCSE programme (with Edexcel and Cambridge options available on the Puxi campus). Years 12–13 study the two‑year International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP); the Pudong campus description explicitly notes inclusion of the IB core (Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS) and options for a bilingual diploma. Across all stages the College embeds Mandarin pathways (native, second and foreign language strands), an extensive co‑curricular programme, service and awards such as the Duke of Edinburgh, and university and careers guidance as part of its holistic model.	Curriculum details Nord Anglia Chinese International School (NACIS) Minhang is a bilingual school for ages 6–18 (Grades 1–12) that combines the Shanghai National (Chinese) Curriculum with international programmes. For Primary and Lower Secondary (Grades 1–9) NACIS delivers the Shanghai National Curriculum integrated with international approaches, taught bilingually in Mandarin and English across core areas such as Chinese, English, mathematics, science, arts, physical education and STEAM. In Upper Secondary (Grades 10–12) students follow internationally recognised qualifications: the school runs Cambridge/IGCSE-style courses in the 14–16 phase and then offers choices between Cambridge A‑Level and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) for the final two years (the school also references its own NACIS High School Diploma pathway). The IBDP is taught in the standard six‑subject configuration with the DP core (Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and CAS), while A‑Level is provided as the two‑year, subject‑specialist route; NACIS supports external exam entry and university preparation. The formal curriculum is complemented by extensive co‑curricular and partnership programmes (for example collaborations with The Juilliard School, MIT, UNICEF and IMG Academy) and differentiated, level‑based assessment to support bilingual progression.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning Dulwich College Shanghai presents wellbeing as a whole‑school culture underpinned by a Student Wellbeing Framework used across Dulwich schools and by a curriculum that embeds social and emotional learning from Early Years through to the Senior School. Early years provision (DUCKS) explicitly includes Personal, Social and Emotional Development and, at the Pudong campus, begins with a self‑care framework; Junior and Senior curricula cover age‑appropriate topics such as relationships, body and mind, mental health, digital intelligence and growth mindset. Students engage through surveys, peer support, formal leadership opportunities and co‑creation of wellbeing initiatives (for example Prefect and Ambassador programmes at the Pudong campus), and the school emphasises student voice, agency and partnership. Parents are treated as partners via regular communication, workshops and involvement in wellbeing planning. The programme explicitly links safeguarding policy to wellbeing provision and the College uses external digital‑citizenship resources (for example Common Sense Education at Puxi) as part of its digital‑wellbeing teaching.	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) Admission to Dulwich College Shanghai is conditional on the College being able to meet a child’s needs; the admissions process consults families, reviews prior records and may include assessments. The school operates on‑site Learning Support/Additional Educational Needs (AEN) functions that work with classroom teachers, parents and students to provide targeted support; named staff are listed on campus pages (for example Learning Support staff in DUCKS at Pudong and an AEN teacher and a Director of Student Services/Child Protection Officer at Puxi). The College’s definition of AEN explicitly includes EAL and gifted/talented learners. The public pages do not publish a definitive catalogue of specific diagnoses or categories the school will or will not support, and Dulwich College Shanghai is not described as a specialist SEN institution.	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language Dulwich College Shanghai operates EAL provision and assesses applicants’ English as part of admissions (senior‑school applicants whose first language is not English sit an EAL assessment). The College names EAL staff on its site and describes an EAL programme to develop fluency; campuses indicate EAL support availability is limited according to the level and intensity of support required and that the number of students needing EAL in a single class may be managed to ensure appropriate provision. Parents are asked to provide prior language records, EAL is listed among additional services/fees on campus information, and families are directed to Admissions for detailed, individual placement or intensity‑of‑support questions.	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing The College embeds mental health and healthy living across curriculum and pastoral provision and uses a Student Wellbeing Framework/Wellbeing Programme to deliver age‑appropriate lessons, peer initiatives and whole‑school pastoral systems. Both campuses run parent workshops and involve student leadership in wellbeing work; the Pudong campus highlights nutritional/food committees, physical literacy programmes, a Digital Wellbeing focus, a partnership with National Online Safety and a student Digital Safety Leader programme. The Puxi campus operates a Student Services/Well Families approach that offers family support, links to external mental‑health services in Shanghai, publishes workshops and names a Student Services lead and a social & emotional counsellor; it also uses pastoral data tools (for example AS STEER and iSAMS) to identify and personalise support pathways. Private clinical referrals are handled case‑by‑case via Student Services, and safeguarding policy underpins the College’s mental‑wellbeing work.	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding Safeguarding and child protection are described as of paramount importance across Dulwich College Shanghai, with a child‑centred approach informed by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and a Dulwich College International Safeguarding Policy. The College operates mandatory safeguarding training including induction for new staff, safer‑recruitment procedures, regular refresher training, age‑appropriate safeguarding lessons for students and annual safeguarding audits; safeguarding is also a component of external accreditation. The school publishes safeguarding policy documents on its website and directs enquiries to the College for further detail; the Puxi campus names a Child Protection Officer/Director of Student Services as part of its safeguarding leadership.	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview Dulwich College Shanghai operates as one school across multiple campuses, comprising DUCKS, Junior School and Senior School settings with a broad range of shared and campus-specific facilities. The school’s performance and creative spaces include a fully refurbished theatre with two drama black boxes (Pudong), and a 500-seat theatre with additional black-box theatre spaces, an orchestra room and an outdoor amphitheatre (Puxi). Music provision across the school includes music classrooms, a recording studio and five music practice rooms (Pudong). The Puxi campus sits on 40,000 square metres of green land in South Minhang and offers light-filled classrooms and outdoor spaces for play and exploration. Across the campuses students have access to a variety of sports facilities (see sports facilities), outdoor classrooms and shaded play areas, and campus buildings dedicated to early years, junior and senior phases.	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities The school’s sports provision spans multiple campus facilities. Pudong offers a 25-metre, six-lane FINA swimming pool plus a separate training pool, two gymnasiums, a dance studio, a 14,000 square metre grass lawn, basketball courts, large sports fields, shaded external areas and, at DUCKS, a running track and multiple tennis courts. Puxi’s indoor sporting complex is a three-storey stadium with an 8-lane, 50-metre pool on the first floor and a 10m x 10m training pool for younger learners; its 2000 square metre indoor gymnasium is fully air-filtered and can be configured for basketball, volleyball or badminton. Outdoor recreation at Puxi includes all-grass football and rugby pitches, basketball courts and playground features such as climbing nets, climbing walls, slides and swings.	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities Across Dulwich College Shanghai the school supports STEAM, sciences, media, design and library provision with some campus-specific specialisms. The Senior School’s SE21 facility (opened in 2017 at the Pudong campus) is a state-of-the-art centre to support STEAM and entrepreneurship; the Senior School also houses the University Counselling service based in the renovated IB Common room (Pudong). Science provision at Puxi includes labs equipped for biology, chemistry, physics and integrated science. Both campuses feature media and maker resources: Junior School provision includes a film studio with an editing suite (Pudong) and the Puxi campus also offers a film studio with an editing suite and green room; Junior School facilities further include a Maker Space, The Lab (science laboratory), an art room and a fully stocked library (Pudong). Puxi additionally provides IT and design technology facilities, robotics and Lego spaces, and three libraries. DUCKS at Pudong has its own building with a music classroom and library.	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities Co-curricular and after-school programmes run from preschool through senior school and are supported by the school’s performance, music, maker and sports facilities. Arts and performance are supported by theatre spaces (a refurbished theatre with two drama black boxes at Pudong and a 500-seat theatre plus black-box spaces, orchestra room and outdoor amphitheatre at Puxi), music classrooms, a recording studio and five music practice rooms (Pudong). Junior School creative projects are supported by a film studio with editing suite, Maker Space, The Lab and an art room (Pudong). The Senior School’s SE21 facility fosters STEAM and entrepreneurship (Pudong). The school’s CCA programme covers drama, music, sport and art and operates across age ranges; Reception CCA examples include origami, yoga, drama and dance, and DUCKS (Kindergarten) CCAs include chess (Puxi). The CCA programme is supported by a programme booklet (Puxi).	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History Dulwich College Shanghai comprises two campuses. The Pudong campus opened in 2003 as the first Dulwich College International school, launched through a partnership between parents Fraser White and Karen Yung and Dulwich College London; it began with 23 students and has since expanded within the Dulwich network. The Puxi campus opened in August 2016 on a purpose‑built site in Minhang. The college is part of the Dulwich College International family and is operated by Education in Motion (EiM) under an agreement with Dulwich College London; local oversight is provided through a Board of Management and a Board of Trustees that includes parent representatives. At group level in 2024 the operator that develops the Dulwich schools in Asia received new backing from Hillhouse Investment Group.	History —
Community	Community Dulwich College Shanghai serves an active, broadly international community across its two campuses. The Pudong campus reports over 1,600 students from more than forty nationalities and uses a House system (Wangari Maathai, Marie Curie, Ernest Shackleton and Yung Wing) to build cross‑year connections; the campus highlights coordinated pastoral support, student leadership through Houses, and a wide range of co‑curricular activities (sport, music, drama and more). The Puxi campus describes regular assemblies, performances and calendar events such as a Winter Fair and community soirées, and seasonal traditions including a House Sorting ceremony and a Christmas tree lighting. Families are expected to be partners in school life: the college runs parent workshops, curriculum evenings and opportunities to participate in House and charity activities. Both campuses work with the wider Dulwich network and schedule campus and parent‑facing events to strengthen ties between families, staff and the local community.	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association Across Dulwich College Shanghai the parent organisation is called Friends of Dulwich (FoD); all enrolled families are members and many parents volunteer as Class Parent Representatives or serve on a Friends of Dulwich Committee that coordinates social and charitable activities and supports school events. FoD runs newcomer and parent‑connection programmes—welcome coffees, monthly coffee mornings, luncheons and an Ambassador programme that pairs new families with established ones—and organises major community events and fundraising activities. The Pudong campus lists specific FoD events including the Winter Fair, the World Expo (a cultural celebration), a Daddy‑Daughter Ball, Dads & Lads sports activities, a walk‑a‑thon and an end‑of‑year art auction, and ongoing initiatives such as community markets, used‑uniform and used‑book sales and committees that support class reps and year‑level communication; FoD's leadership is organised through a core committee (Chair, Treasurer, parent representatives by school phase and other officers) who typically serve one academic year and produce practical resources for new families (for example a regular "Shanghai Secrets" guide). The Puxi campus works closely with parents through a structured Parents as Partners programme that offers age‑appropriate workshops (for example on managing behaviour, exam stress, puberty and digital safety) and frequent touchpoints such as Parent‑Teacher Conferences and curriculum information evenings; parents at Puxi commonly volunteer for fundraising and event logistics.	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual Dulwich College Shanghai combines campus-level academic structure with a rich co-curricular offer. The Puxi campus has DUCKS (ages 2 to 7), Junior School (ages 7 to 11) and Senior School (ages 11 to 18); Senior School follows the IGCSE syllabus and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). The school takes a holistic, experiential approach designed to help students discover their unique potential, and provides university counselling alongside reporting IGCSE and IB results and university placements. The Pudong campus runs CCAs in Technology, Journalism and Media and supports media engagement beyond the classroom through Dulwich TV (Senior School), the Dulwich Reporter (Junior School) and an Upper School Yearbook editorial committee. Robotics and coding are taught in the classroom at Pudong, with CCAs offering further opportunities to develop those technology skills. Pudong also offers Academic Enrichment and Learn Through Play CCAs—examples include cup stacking, Rubik's Cube and retro-gaming—to nurture independent learning and curiosity.	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative The school places strong emphasis on the arts across its curriculum and CCAs. Visual & Performing Arts are embedded in the Holistic Curriculum at the Puxi campus alongside STEAM/SE21, supporting creativity and performance within the Dulwich framework. At the Pudong campus CCAs emphasise music and drama alongside visual arts, supporting high-level ensemble performances and student-led initiatives such as rock bands. Drama CCAs at Pudong cover acting, stage management and technical roles including AV and costume design.	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language Dulwich College Shanghai promotes an international outlook and cross-cultural understanding. The Puxi campus teaches Mandarin as a language offering within its Holistic Curriculum. The Pudong campus CCA programme includes a Global Citizenship category and a Cultural Enrichment category focused on cultural understanding; the Global Citizenship framework emphasizes respect for other cultures and students are encouraged to participate in at least one GC CCA per year as part of the Value Every Voice ethos.	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies Co-curricular activities at Dulwich College Shanghai provide enrichment and support students in following paths that reflect their choices, abilities and personality, integrating wellbeing, academics and broader development. The Pudong campus runs a wide mix of CCAs—sports (for fun or competition), music, drama and hobby groups—with a majority run by staff. Pudong examples include staff-led programmes such as the Dulwich Football Academy and the Dulwich Swimming Academy and external providers offering tennis, golf, chess and coding. The programme also supports student-led interest clubs such as rock bands and drama crews; past CCA examples include cup stacking, Rubik's Cube and retro-gaming.	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service Service and Sustainability is a CCA category addressing care for animals, people and the planet. Students volunteer with community partners in Shanghai, across China, and globally; activities include gardening CCAs, selling domestically sourced coffee beans, raising awareness for animal shelters, and volunteering with partner organizations.	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional Upper School CCAs are framed around Leadership: Make a Difference, Creativity – Activity - Service, with emphasis on developing decision-making and leadership skills. The CCA pathway supports independent growth across age groups, leading to leadership opportunities in the 15–18 age range. Students may initiate and lead CCAs under staff supervision to develop professional and collaborative skills.	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing Wellbeing is treated as a whole-school culture across Dulwich College Shanghai, developing physical, mental and emotional health and helping students participate in the wider community. Sports and wellbeing are central to the CCA offer at the Pudong campus: CCAs promote physical activity for fun and competition and include internal programmes (Dulwich Football Academy, Dulwich Swimming Academy) as well as external providers for tennis, golf and chess to broaden sporting opportunities.	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision Mandarin is taught through three pathways: Mandarin A (Chinese as a Native Language/CNL), Mandarin B (Mandarin as a Second Language/MSL), and Mandarin C (Mandarin as a Foreign Language/MFL). Wohui (Wo Hui) Mandarin supports Year 1–2 Mandarin as a foreign language, and from Year 3 onwards the A/B/C Mandarin pathways are available under the Wo Hui/Wohui Mandarin model. Dual Language Learning in DUCKS integrates English and Mandarin in daily classroom activities: at the Pudong campus this integration uses two teachers (one for English and one for Mandarin), while at the Puxi campus English teachers lead the classroom with a Mandarin-speaking Assistant Teacher and the DUCKS environment and print are in both languages. At the Puxi campus the primary classroom language is English; non-native speakers there are assessed for English proficiency and supported through English as an Additional Language (EAL) provision. At the Puxi campus, in Senior School Modern Foreign Languages such as French, Spanish and German are offered.	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching Dual Language Learning in DUCKS (Toddler to Year 2) is a fundamental part of student development and values English and Mandarin equally, enabling concurrent language development. In DUCKS the learning environment and print are in both English and Mandarin. At the Pudong campus learning occurs with one teacher focusing on English and another on Mandarin in the same classroom; at the Puxi campus English teachers lead the curriculum with a Mandarin-speaking Assistant Teacher supporting learning. By the end of Year 2, students at the Puxi campus are expected to be fluent speakers of English and Mandarin and able to switch between languages.	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs Mandarin learning pathways provide immersive, technology-enhanced environments. There are three pathways: Mandarin A (CNL), Mandarin B (MSL), and Mandarin C (MFL). Wohui Mandarin supports early Mandarin learning for MFL students. DUCKS provides bilingual immersion through dual-language classrooms; at the Puxi campus the aim is to develop fluent speakers in English and Mandarin by the end of Year 2.	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards Awards and institutional recognitions reported on the two campus websites (each item shows the award name, the date reported on the campus site, and a short note of significance): - China Schools Awards 2025 — Students for Sustainability (Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong; reported Mar 7, 2025): national recognition from the British Chamber of Commerce in China for school‑led sustainability practice linked to the College’s Waste to Wonder social‑enterprise project. - Sustainability & Innovation Award for Social Impact (Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong; reported Apr 29, 2025): a British Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai award (Social Impact category) recognising the school’s Global Citizenship programme and social‑impact initiatives. - Holistic Education Award (Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong; reported Mar 5, 2024): a British Chamber of Commerce in China award recognising the school’s whole‑school approach to academic, social and wellbeing development. - Top position in the China IB Schools League Table (Education Advisers Ltd) — 2024 (Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong; reported Nov 25, 2024): the campus reports a top place in the 2024 China IB Schools list published by Education Advisers Ltd, presented as a national recognition of its IB results. - China Schools Awards 2025 — Pastoral Care Award (Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi; reported Mar 12, 2025): national award recognising the school’s pastoral/wellbeing provision. - China Schools Awards 2025 — Science & Technology Award (Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi; reported Mar 12, 2025): award recognising excellence in STEM/EdTech integration. - Tes Awards for International Schools 2024 — Best Use of Technology (Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi; reported Apr 30, 2024): international sector award recognising notable and practical use of educational technology across the curriculum. - China Schools Awards 2024 — Diversity & Inclusion Award (Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi; reported Aug 14, 2024): recognition for school‑wide initiatives to create an inclusive environment. - China Schools Awards 2024 — Students for Sustainability Award (Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi; reported Aug 14, 2024): recognition for sustainability education and student/community environmental action. - Australia–New Zealand Community Gala Awards 2022 — Sustainability Impact Award (Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi; reported Apr 4, 2022; award dated Mar 31, 2022): community award recognising sustainability programmes and community impact. - British Schools Awards 2021 — Diversity & Inclusion Award (Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi; reported Jan 11, 2022; award year 2021): winner of the inaugural British Schools Awards Diversity & Inclusion category, as reported by the campus. Notes: all items above are drawn from the respective campus websites and are awards given to the institution or its programmes (student‑specific honours were excluded).	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations Accreditations, memberships and test‑centre authorisations listed across the Dulwich College Shanghai campus websites (each note explains what the listing indicates): - Council of International Schools (CIS): global membership and accreditation body for international schools, indicating participation in an external, international quality‑assurance community. - International Baccalaureate (IB / IB World School): authorised to offer IB programmes; this is a formal programme authorisation showing the school meets IB Organisation requirements. - Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC): recognised US‑region accrediting body; WASC accreditation indicates the school meets specified academic and institutional standards. - Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE): authorised centre/provider for Cambridge international qualifications (e.g., IGCSE); denotes approval to enter students for Cambridge examinations. - FOBISIA (Federation of British International Schools in Asia): regional membership supporting British‑style education in Asia and providing access to festivals, competitions and collaboration. - ACAMIS (Association of China and Mongolia International Schools): regional membership organising inter‑school activities and professional development in eastern Asia. - Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award: the school runs the Duke of Edinburgh programme for eligible students (programme offering, not an institutional accreditation). Additional campus‑specific listings and authorisations: - The Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong campus page notes membership of The Heads’ Conference (HMC) — accredited in February 2025 — aligning that campus with a network of British independent schools and subject to HMC inspection and standards. The Pudong page also lists a SAPERE Bronze Award in recognition of its work in Philosophy for Children (P4C). - The Pudong page further states the school is certified to administer external examinations on site (authorisations shown include IB, ACT, pre‑ACT, PSAT and SAT) and to act as a certified test centre for ABRSM (music) and LAMDA (drama); the Pudong page also notes that the school’s Beijing and Shanghai campuses are audition centres for Berklee College. - The Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi campus page lists partnerships/approaches used at that campus: Common Sense School (use of Common Sense resources for digital citizenship) and The Curiosity Approach (an Early Childhood approach). The Puxi page also notes regular external inspection by Dulwich College (Deputy Master (External)) as a network assurance process. Note: some items above are formal accreditations/authorisations (for example CIS, IB, WASC, CAIE), while others are memberships, programme approvals or pedagogical recognitions that the campuses list as part of their affiliations.	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions Start by submitting an online enquiry or application via Dulwich College Shanghai's admissions portal (the site directs families to the OpenApply portal). The College operates rolling admissions and opens applications for the next academic year on published dates (for example, applications for 2026/27 open from 1 September 2025). Include supporting documents at the time of application so the Admissions team can check eligibility against Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (SMEC) rules: passport pages or birth certificate, parents' work and residence/visa documents, and recent school reports or Confidential Teacher Comments where relevant. If you can, book a campus visit or open morning (a virtual tour is available if you cannot visit in person). Bring original documents to Admissions on the day of assessment so the school can verify them in person.	Admissions 1. Be prepared to say which year/grade you are applying for and your preferred start month; Shanghai regulations mean the school will also ask for parental/guardian details early in the process. The school publishes that applications are open year‑round on a rolling basis, so early contact helps clarify current availability. 2. Discover the school — Parents are invited to visit the campus (open days and one‑to‑one visits are available) to see facilities and meet staff; use the visit to confirm whether day or boarding (the school offers both) fits your family. During a visit you can also ask for a copy of the full fee schedule, transport routes, meal arrangements and any grade‑specific entry guidance. Keep notes from the visit (key contacts, deadlines, any special entry requirements) because these are used later in the application and interview stages. 3. Apply for a place — Complete and submit the online application form and upload the required supporting documents; the online form requires two parent/guardian profiles and allows you to save progress and return later. Required documents differ for mainland and non‑mainland applicants — examples include passport/ID pages, household registration or residence permits, recent school reports, birth certificate and (for certain grades) a Chinese/English personal statement — so check the grade‑specific list before you submit. Filling the form fully and attaching the correct documents speeds processing; the school's online form explicitly states incomplete parental information will delay progression. 4. Application review and interview — Once the application is complete the Admissions team will review documentation and contact you to arrange a family interview (and any age‑appropriate assessments if required). Be ready to discuss your child's academic history, language levels (the form asks about English and Chinese proficiency) and any additional educational needs so the school can assess appropriate placement and support. Ask at this stage what assessment format (subject test, interview, or classroom‑based activity) applies to your child's year level so you can prepare. 5. Offer of place — If the application and interview are successful the school will send an official offer by email; the offer letter will set out the place offered, the fee terms, and any conditions (for example final documents or medical/registration paperwork). Read the offer carefully for acceptance deadlines, payment deadlines and notice periods; some administrative steps (e.g. government registration for mainland students) must be completed separately and on time. If you need clarification about any clause in the offer (refundability of deposits, refund conditions, or start date), contact Admissions before paying. 6. Confirm enrolment and pay tuition — To secure the place you must follow the payment instructions in the offer (the school lists annual tuition rates on its site: Primary ¥154,000; Middle ¥180,000; High School ¥240,000). After payment you will receive confirmation and further joining instructions (uniforms, bus registration, lunch account setup, start‑of‑term timetables and any mandatory health/registration forms). If you expect to need a payment schedule, sibling discounts, or flexible arrangements, raise these with Admissions before you accept so they can confirm what (if any) options are available.
Scholarships	Scholarships Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi runs a Scholarship Programme that awards competitive scholarships (open to internal and external applicants for specified year groups) and, for successful candidates, may provide up to a 50% reduction in tuition fees for two academic years. Selection involves application materials, testing (the standard Admissions assessment is used for initial screening), a personal statement and an interview or Scholarship Assessment Day; the programme is time‑bound with published application deadlines and Assessment Days each cycle. The College also offers a limited number of means‑tested bursaries decided annually. Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong's public admissions and fees pages do not list an active scholarship programme for the Pudong campus; parents interested in financial support or merit awards should contact Admissions (specify the Pudong or Puxi campus as appropriate) to confirm current availability, eligibility rules, application deadlines and whether any cross‑campus schemes apply.	Scholarships NACIS Shanghai's public admissions pages (English and Chinese) do not publish a school scholarship or bursary programme on the pages we reviewed. The site and the online application materials focus on required documents, entry procedures and tuition information rather than on financial aid. If you want to explore scholarships, fee assistance or any special reductions (for example for exceptional circumstances or sibling arrangements), ask Admissions directly at apply@nacis.cn — they can confirm whether any internal or Nord Anglia group‑level opportunities are available and explain eligibility and the application process.
Waitlist	Waitlist Dulwich College Shanghai operates waiting lists for year groups where demand exceeds places. Applicants who meet entry requirements are placed on a waiting list and offered places as they become available; the school gives priority to siblings of currently enrolled students and returning Dulwich students. The College also manages offers in line with its Language Support Policy (for example, limits on numbers of students requiring high levels of EAL support) and will consider whether it can meet a child's additional educational needs when offering places. Availability varies by year and term, so apply early for popular year groups and keep in contact with Admissions for updates.	Waitlist The school's website states that applications are accepted on a rolling basis but does not publish a formal waitlist policy or pool mechanics on the public admissions pages. If a specific year group is full, the Admissions team is the best source to explain whether they operate a waiting list, how they prioritise offers, and whether any holding deposit or timed offer acceptance applies. For clarity about current availability and any waitlist practice, contact apply@nacis.cn or the Admissions phone contacts listed on the site.
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