The Charter Schools Educational Trust began in 2010 with the academisation of The Charter School North Dulwich.
However, our story has its roots long before that with the opening of this first school in September 2000. Named “Charter’’ after the Parents Charter introduced by the Government in 1991 to extend parental choice and raise standards, The Charter School was born out of a need in the local area, already served by several excellent, but selective independent schools, for a good, non-selective state secondary school, and to base this new school on the provision of an outstanding comprehensive education.
This commitment to non-selective community schools and improving parental choice has only grown stronger over the past 20 years. In 2016, the Trust opened a second secondary school under the Free School programme in East Dulwich, with a commitment to provide specialist places for students with autism.
In 2020, we were joined by our first primary school, Charles Dickens Primary School and Nursery in the north of the borough of Southwark, as the Trust sought to become a home to community schools for children and young people from two to eighteen years old.
The Trust has since grown to eight schools across Southwark and Lambeth, all sharing a commitment to our mission, inspiring and nurturing children and young people in South London to excel through education that transforms lives and strengthens our diverse communities.
