Description
Dolphin School is Independent Secondary school in Selective for kids aged 3 to 13 (Gender - 3 to 13 )
Dolphin School is unique. It is a school where the core values of Freedom, Discovery, Challenge, Confidence and Kindness are lived out each and every day. Whether it is through our extensive and varied trips programme, the subject specialist teaching from nursery upwards, the lack of uniform, or the first name terms between students and teachers, Dolphin is a school that is different, and proudly so.Dolphin exists in the image of its founding days. The curriculum is experiential, teachers have the freedom to explore ideas and topics as they arise, and the children are encouraged to be curious, volunteer their own insights and ask questions. Whenever visitors encounter our students in their learning environments, they comment on the genuine enthusiasm shown by our boys and girls, as they vie for the opportunity to tell the guests what they are studying. I always enjoy showing people around Dolphin, where teachers and students do a better job of selling our school than they ever can, just by doing what they do every day of the week!
Facilities
Early Years
There is a very warm and welcoming feel to the Early Years department at Dolphin. Every child is treated as an individual and the children feel safe and secure in the very happy, stimulating environment. Kindness, making thoughtful personal choices and forming positive relationships with each other is evident when you watch the children at work and play. Developing a love of learning is the main aim of Jane Robinson and her highly experienced and enthusiastic team. She and her team share a passionate belief that the potential of each child is limitless, and this is shown by the excellent progress every child makes whilst in the team’s care.
Lower School
During the child’s time in the Lower School, they are encouraged to be active learners and good listeners. All children have special gifts and talents and the role is to encourage and develop their independence, curiosity and creativity. The teaching is tailored to meet the needs of each child and to nurture every child as an individual. The children are encouraged to discuss and investigate, always moving towards independent thought. We endeavour to give the children the skills to grow into caring, independent-thinking and well-balanced young people. The topic-based approach which includes many hands-on experiences, visitors and day trips, enriches the learning of our children. They aim to extend their knowledge as well as their understanding of others and the future world of which they will be a part.
Middle School
The Middle School is very much at the heart of a Dolphin educational experience; it’s when we put the ‘i’ in Dolphin, developing independent, involved, individuals, building on the foundations established in the Lower School. Children in the Middle School are taught by subject specialists, moving around the school for their different lessons, which means that they learn very quickly from Year 4 to organise their equipment for the different lessons each day. Form tutors are on hand to help and encourage, but the children quickly adapt to their varied days. The children develop their independence through the residential trip programme which sees them participating in 7 trips over the 3 years and includes visits to Dorset, Ironbridge, Boulogne and North Wales. The walking trip programme starts in Year 4, with a day long walk along the beautiful South Downs, moves on to the rigours of the Brecon Beacons for 4 days and steps up again with a Via Ferrata and Striding Edge in the Lake District for Year 6.
Upper School
The Upper School is where children complete their journey with us and they believe it is an important step. At Dolphin we respect childhood and the latter years at Dolphin enable children to enjoy the innocence of childhood for just that little bit longer, whilst being able to take on more responsibility which better prepares them for their onward journey to senior school.The Upper School allows the children to develop their own personalities and characters and to truly express themselves. The children lead the School Council and their individual Houses and have other responsibilities and duties, including leading open morning tours, when they are given the roles of Guardians of the school’s ethos.
Features
Things to note
Music
Music is a unique means of expression and communication that can inspire and motivate. It plays an important part in the personal development of children, reflecting the culture and society we live in, and enabling them to better understand the world and feel part of a community. All children need the opportunity to create, play, perform and enjoy music, to develop the skills, to appreciate a wide variety of musical forms, and to begin to make judgments about the quality of music.
Dance
In Dance children are encouraged to be active and creative, using their own ideas with a given stimulus. Dance offers children an opportunity to expand their movement possibilities and to enhance their physical skills, with an appreciation for a variation of genre, music and dance style.Dance is integral to a child’s learning, strength and development and helps them to express a thought or feeling by physical release. It also develops their co-ordination and musicality. In addition, it promotes a healthy lifestyle, as the children are physically active in every dance lesson. The aim is to make every dance lesson enjoyable, challenging and creative whilst passing on a passion for dance and music and giving opportunities for performance.
Sport
At Dolphin we aim to use sport to instil values in our children. These include cooperation, tolerance, sportsmanship and responsibility, which children will be able to learn and develop in and outside the classroom. They would like children to aim to have high aspirations and as a school they celebrate sporting success and excellence. The school also aims for every child to have a future in sport, whether it is as the next Jonny Wilkinson or playing football for their local team. Therefore through offering a wide range of sports and activities they hope to harness a child's interest in a particular area, and enable them to develop their talents and abilities.
Clubs
The school offers an impressive array of after-school clubs, which are renewed termly, with the majority included in the school fees.Clubs include but are not limited to; team sports, cookery, team-building skills, forest activities, bridge, chess, programming, orchestra, yoga, ballet, keyboards, cross-stitch, art, board games, judo, ukulele, book club, poetry and creative writing. Most clubs are run by the school staff who have other passions outside their teaching specialism.
Extra Curricular
Please check the school website link for details.
6.72 miles
