Day Waterman College is a boarding-only secondary school in Asese, Ogun State (commutable from Lagos), offering the British curriculum from Year 7 through Year 13. Founded in 2009 and modelled on traditional English boarding schools, DWC educates approximately 400 pupils across five boarding houses. The school is one of only three Lagos-region schools offering UK-style residential boarding (alongside Charterhouse and Atlantic Hall). Fees are ₦5M to ₦7.5M annually, inclusive of board.
Fee breakdown
Tuition range
₦5.0M–7.5M
/yr · 2025/2026
Estimated first-year total
₦7.5M
tuition + extras
Sibling discount: 10% off second child; 15% off third and subsequent.
Fees by year group
2025/2026 session — quoted per pupil per year.
Year group
Tuition
Weekly boarding
Full boarding
JSS
₦5,500,000
—
+₦5,500,000
SSS
₦7,500,000
—
+₦7,500,000
L
Lagos.Cool Editorial
2 May 2026 · 2 min read
About this school — Day Waterman College
Day Waterman is the boarding school for families who want the immersive experience without sending their child to the UK. The school deliberately positions itself between Atlantic Hall (Nigerian co-ed boarding tradition) and Charterhouse (full international British branch). The boarding model is structured: prep is supervised, weekends are programmed with sports and activities, and pupils only leave campus three weekends per term. Parents who choose DWC are explicitly buying the boarding pedagogy — not just classroom hours.
Strengths & trade-offs
✓ Strengths
✓UK-style residential boarding at ~40-acre Asese campus
✓Distinctive boarding culture — supervised prep, house masters, weekend programming
✓Cambridge IGCSE + A-Level pathway
✓Recent Oxbridge admissions from Sixth Form
✓Only 3 boarding schools in Lagos region offering full-residential model
✓Structured pastoral care for boarders
✗ Trade-offs
✗60-80 min from Lekki, 90-110 min from Ikeja by road
✗Day pupils not accepted — boarding-only
✗Weekend visits limited to scheduled exeats
✗Application fee ₦80,000
✗Uniform + sports kit ₦180K-280K
Facilities & campus
●40-acre Asese campus
●5 boarding houses
●6 science laboratories
●25m swimming pool
●2 football pitches (1 floodlit)
●Indoor sports hall
●500-seat chapel/auditorium
●Music school + art block with kilns
●Library with 15,000 volumes
Curriculum & exam pathway
Accreditations
• Cambridge International Assessment
• Federal Ministry of Education Nigeria
• Council of British International Schools (associate)
DWC admits via a competitive entrance examination held twice yearly (March and October). The exam covers English, Mathematics, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Candidates also attend an overnight stay at the school as part of the assessment process — an unusual feature that lets the admissions team observe behaviour and adaptability in a residential setting. Sibling priority applies. Application fee is ₦80,000 non-refundable. Year 7 is the primary entry point; Year 9 and Year 12 entry are available subject to space.
Extracurriculars
FootballRugbyCricketAthleticsSwimmingCross-countryMusic ensemble + orchestraDramaDebate societyModel UNDuke of Edinburgh Award
Tuition is only part of the bill. Here's what families actually pay:
Uniform + sports kit (full set)₦180,000–₦280,000
Books and IGCSE/A-Level entries₦150,000–₦400,000/yr
Travel to/from campus₦100,000–₦300,000/yr
Weekend trip programmesincluded in fees
International field trip (Year 11/13)₦800,000–₦2,000,000
Campus & facilities
The 40-acre Asese campus is the largest single school estate in the Lagos region. It includes five boarding houses (three boys', two girls'), academic blocks with 30+ classrooms and six science labs, a 25m swimming pool, two football pitches (one floodlit), an indoor sports hall, a 500-seat chapel/auditorium, a dedicated music school, an art block with kilns, and the Adetiba Library (15,000 volumes). The campus runs on its own borehole water supply and has 100% solar backup for residential blocks.
Asese is approximately 60–80 minutes from Lekki via the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, and 90–110 minutes from Ikeja or Surulere. The school operates an arrival-day transport service from agreed Lagos pickup points at the start of each term.
No — DWC is boarding-only. Even pupils whose families live nearby in Asese or Mowe must board. The school argues that the boarding experience is the product and that allowing day pupils would dilute the residential community.
Pupils have three full weekend exeats per term (typically once monthly) plus the standard half-term and end-of-term breaks. Parents may visit campus most Saturdays for arranged collection or supervised on-site visits. The school enforces a strict no-mobile-phones-during-prep policy.
The school caters for halal, vegetarian, and common allergen-free diets. Severe allergies (peanut, dairy, gluten) require advance notice and a paediatric letter; the kitchen can accommodate with notice. The on-site sanatorium maintains a medical log for all boarders.
Yes — academic scholarships covering 30–50% of fees are awarded at Year 7 and Year 12 entry. The Founders' Scholarship covers full fees and is awarded annually to one outstanding Year 7 candidate from a state school background. All scholarships are competitive and means-tested for full awards.