The wonder of the Dolphin journey starts in Reception, where pre-prep aged children are welcomed into our unique and nurturing community. We have a two form entry into the school, with small classes enabling the children to be valued individually. Each class in the Lower School (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) benefits from both a talented class teacher and a dedicated teaching assistant who work together to create a supportive learning environment. A broad, balanced curriculum allows us to celebrate and value creativity, whilst giving the children plenty of time to develop at their own pace, with teaching tailored to the needs of each individual but laying the foundations for academic rigour.
“This is a place where I can be myself.”
Dolphin Pupil
Our Lower School pupils benefit from subject specialism in PE, Music, Drama and Spanish. Technology is also regularly integrated into lessons through the use of chromebooks and our state-of-the-art interactive whiteboards.
Within the structured school day, our pupils quickly gain self-confidence and enthusiasm for learning. Emphasis is placed on trying their best, being kind and respectful to others, and having fun at school!
We value the natural world at Dolphin and make the most of our access to leafy Wandsworth Common. Children in the Lower School are on the lush green common twice a day for break times and for outdoor PE lessons. In Reception, the children have extended outdoor learning modules which afford them plenty of opportunities to explore the wonders of our world.
“I am so grateful that my children get an opportunity to play on the great expanse of the common each day. It really is a blessing!”
Dolphin Parent
We are proud of our reputation for having a happy and nurturing school environment. Time is taken to help children understand their feelings and manage situations that they may find difficult. We also work hard to build a caring, family-style environment where our happy pupils flourish in their learning and personal development. The atmosphere in the Lower School stems from our carefully considered life education program which delicately examines our relationships between self, our community, the world and faith.
We encourage strong links between school and home through our start of year ‘Launch’ evenings, weekly drop-ins, Parent-Teacher evenings, a comprehensive year end written report, and an ‘open door’ policy.
For more detail about life in Reception or, in the rest of the Lower School, please refer to our Reception Handbook or our Parents’ Handbook.
