Social Impact

Kindness and Respect are two of our core Dragon values, extending far beyond our immediate relationships. We want our young people to understand their place in the world and their impact on it. We foster a culture of social responsibility and activism and hope to ignite an enduring commitment to positive action.

 

 

The Dragon has a long history of philanthropy, but how can we help nurture and shape free-thinking global citizens of the future, and ensure we have a positive social impact as a whole organisation, as well as individuals?

The foundation for this, we feel, is recognising that social impact can take many forms, from fundraising and volunteering, through to questioning the root cause of injustices and actively seeking solutions. The broad range of activities and partnerships we undertake as a school is instrumental in expanding and deepening our understanding of this. 

Our programme falls into the following four main areas below and you can read more in our new Social Impact Report.

 

Pupil Engagement

Engaging in social issues takes head and heart. Galvinised by an array of talks, visitors, academic and co-curricular activities, Dragons are encouraged to share their ideas and opinions, make choices, and build and lead their own social impact projects from a very young age.

Charity Partnerships and Fundraising

The key to the success of our charity partnerships and fundraising efforts is that they are all pupil-led. Our students choose three Charities of the Year for the Dragon School to support, and every child is involved in a Year Group Fundraiser to support these organisations. Our children, staff and parents also help to support dozens of other charities via the annual Dragon Christmas Charity Sale, our national appeals for Comic Relief and Children in Need, the Restless Development Schools Triathlon, and many personal endeavours.

 

School and Community Partnerships

It’s important to us that our children feel embedded in the local Oxford community. We work closely with a number of local primary schools, including Windale, Pegasus and Orchard Meadow, to co-design collaborative opportunities for children and staff to learn with and from each other, including music, drama and art workshops. We also support the local community through our Community Dragons Quest activities and our Christmas shoebox collections. We help to tackle food poverty in Oxford via our Dragon Community Larder and our kitchens, who distribute 250 hot meals per week to vulnerable people across the city.

The Dragon is proud to be a member of the School Partnerships Alliance.

 

Transformational Bursary Programme

Our extensive and thriving Transformational Bursary Programme is aptly named; every year, it supports up to 25 children to attend the Dragon and access an education they wouldn’t be able to otherwise. We’re also proud to offer a number of 110% bursary places as part of our membership of the Royal National Children’s Springboard Foundation (RNCSF) network of schools.

Our impact in numbers in 2023 – 2024

Community

Over 900 Dragon pupils and staff involved in annual fundraising activities for local, national and international charities.

Participants

Over 250 children from ten local primary schools took part in a range of events including musical theatre and orchestral workshops, STEM days and much more. 

Hot meals

6,800 hot meals were made by our kitchens and distributed to vulnerable people in partnership with Oxford Food Hub. 

Partner with the Dragon

If you are interested in finding out more about our Social Impact programme, or would like to be considered as one of the Dragon’s community or charity partners in the future, please complete our partnerships form, contact us on [email protected], or download the print-ready PDF here. Please note, applications are now closed for the 2025/26 academic year.

Our Social Impact Ambassadors are proud to announce…

Dragon Charities of the Year 2025 – 2026

Flexicare

Flexicare

Flexicare provides a free, fully flexible, specialised sitting service for families with children with disabilities.

Registered Charity Number: 1172635

Dreams Come True

Dreams Come True

It is their mission and purpose to bring joy, happiness, smiles and magic to some of the most deserving children in the UK today. The children to whom they deliver their dreams live in poverty and have a serious illness, disability or life-limiting condition. 

Registered Charity Number: 800248

 

Horatio's Garden

Horatio’s Garden

Horatio’s Garden nurtures the wellbeing of people after spinal injury in beautiful, vibrant sanctuaries within the heart of NHS spinal injury centres.

Registered Charity Number: 1151475

 

A Dragon Impact

Presenting a snapshot of the vibrant and dynamic range of activity that takes place over the school year, our inaugural 2023/24 Report is a great place to learn more about our #DragonImpact.

Read the Report

Discover the Dragon

Book an Open Morning

There's only one way to properly experience the Dragon, and that is to come and see us in action. We hold Open Mornings every term at both the Pre-Prep and the Prep.

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How to apply

When it comes to education, one size doesn’t fit all. Finding the right school is a highly personal, two-way process and our Admissions team are on hand to answer any questions you have.

Call us on +44 (0)1865 315 405 / 413.

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Discover Quest

Dragon Quest is our thrilling enrichment program where children learn new skills and try out new things, reaping the benefits of a school that places equal weight on intellectual, emotional, social, and physical development. Some of the activities have direct academic benefits, others are focused on building friendships and life skills.

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