A warm welcome to Dolphin School. We hope that you enjoy this virtual visit and that it gives you a feel for our school. Below you can scroll through the video tiles to hear more about various aspects of our school, including a message from our Headteacher, Mr Sam Gosden, the academic provision, the specialist provision, our ethos and the admissions process. You can also click on our interactive map to have a ‘look’ into the classrooms and other common spaces. We hope that the Frequently Asked Questions section is able to answer some of your queries, but if you still have questions we would be happy to hear from you. Please contact our Admissions Registrar, Mrs Benson, at admissions@dolphinschool.org.uk and she would be happy to help.
Our youngest pupils begin the Dolphin journey in our Diamonds class which lies alongside the Discovery Room. Here, they are encouraged to be curious about the world, relate well to their peers and develop their understanding through exploration and expression.
Our Lower School pupils in Year One and Two, also known as Pearls and Sapphires, learn to communicate with confidence and creativity in a nurturing and stimulating environment as they expand their learning.
In Upper School there is a sense of challenge and excitement. Pupils develop a love for learning, hone their skills for discussion, debate, research and recall while developing resilience and perseverance in their approach.
Our auditorium is a multipurpose space used for creative weekly assemblies, drama lessons for all, and lavish productions and concerts.
All of our pupils from Reception to Year Six benefit from a weekly indoor sports session in our hall. They participate enthusiastically in dance and gymnastics, and practice the skills which will later be evident in team sports. This flexible space is also used for drama, visitor presentations and parent events.
Our specialist music teachers inspire the children with opportunities for singing, percussion, exploding body rhythms and beat. The music room is one of the spaces in the school for creative activities. Children explore musical dynamics while listening and responding to a range of genres from classical to jazz.
The fascination of scientific experiments is a magnet for our children, drawing them in to the Science Room to develop high quality questions, try and test their hypotheses and present robust results.
In our light and airy Art Room at the top of the school, children learn to express themselves through drawing, painting, clay, collage and print making while learning about effective use of colour and mastering techniques convincingly.
In our garden pupils develop an awareness of the changing seasons as they dig and plant, tend and observe, harvest and celebrate.
While our youngest children explore the delights of the outdoor playground, all our children play outside every day on the common. Pupils enjoy outdoor sports sessions on Wandsworth Common where they have access to the Netball court, develop skills and stamina, play team games and in Upper School compete with other schools. The Upper School children also make use of the Astro turf, off site.
At Dolphin School children can start in Reception class from 4 years old and stay until the end of the primary phase at Year 6. Children may also join the school mid-year in older classes providing there is a place available. We also have our Noah’s Ark Nursery Schools in SW11 and SW18, offering places from 2 years old.
Contact the Registrar on 020 7924 3472 ext 2 or at admissions@dolphinschool.org.uk and she will organise a tour for you. Currently, we are offering 1:1 visits at 16.15 by appointment. To register your child you need to send in the registration form and the £60 registration fee. Your child will then be put onto the registration list.
At Reception level we do not hold assessments. We offer places a year in advance to those registered – siblings first, then Noah’s Ark children, then on a first come first served basis. However, for children joining mid-year and higher up the school, we require reports and a Trial Day where we do internal assessments. We will then decide on whether an offer can be made. Dolphin School welcomes children who would thrive in a mainstream environment. For information on special needs, see specific point below.
This varies year to year; however, we aim to limit the classes to 19.
We are used to having new children join at various stages from a variety of countries, so the children and staff are very welcoming and make huge efforts to get to know a child and to include them in all aspects of school life – both academically and socially. It is a real plus that our classes are not too big so new children feel at home very quickly as a quote from a current parent of a new child shows – “Honestly, it’s such a wonderful school, my son has come out every day this week saying he has had the best day ever. So thank you all for making him feel so welcome”. Our Parents of Dolphin (POD) class reps will get in touch with you to make sure that you as parents also feel welcomed and involved in the Dolphin community – a community which is diverse, international and inclusive.
Children have two daily playtimes on Wandsworth Common, a short walk from the school, which is where the Reception class also have their daily outdoor learning activities.
We offer football, hockey, tag-rugby, netball, cricket, gymnastics, dance, cross-country running and athletics. Throughout the school pupils have two PE/Sport sessions per week. Upper School classes have two afternoons per week of sport with PE teachers and sports coaches, and we also offer sports clubs after school and in break times.
Dolphin is a mainstream school, catering for a range of abilities, including some children with mild to moderate learning difficulties, who are supported by our Learning Support Team. If your child has specific needs or disabilities then please contact the Registrar, to discuss this further.
Academically, we extend our most able pupils, by tailoring our teaching to meet their needs ensuring they work at greater pace an depth. In the Lower School, children work in small ability groups. With Art, Drama, Music and Sports, children can join the after-school clubs and take part in competitions, including the ISA National Sports events, which extend their opportunities to grow in these areas.
This is age dependent. Homework is set from Monday to Thursday and usually consists of Maths, English and another subject. Year One is expected to do 10 minutes, Year Two – 20 minutes, Year Three – 30 minutes and so on. Homework is not set at the weekend in order to maximize family time together and to promote good mental health. Learning is not all about school.
Currently parents send in healthy packed lunches and mid-morning snacks with bottled water.
The school day runs from 08.30 to 15.30 for the Lower School and 08.30 to 15.45 for the Upper School, unless children are attending a club in which case the pick-up times are 16.30 and 16.50. However, during this Covid period, the school day times are slightly different and we currently cannot offer the Early Bird drop off (from 08.00) or the After-school Club (up to 18.00).
There are some bursaries available which are means tested for those who are keen to have their children attend Dolphin School and who may struggle to pay the full fees. If you would like to apply for a bursary, the first step is to visit the school and then request the Bursary Application Form.
Yes, the children enjoy enriching and varied trips, both day and residential (depending on their age). The classes go on between 3 to 5 outings or trips per year. Please see the website for further information.
