EYFS children confidently explore their classroom and outside space, benefitting from well planned and engaging activities available to them.
Inspection 2022
Noah's
Nursery 2-4 Years
School Nursery 2-4 years & Reception to Year 6
Located on the Northcote Road, Dolphin School Trust is a small, independent co-educational 2-11 Christian school, which thrives on our motto: Love, Wisdom and Truth. At the heart of our ethos, these values embody our approach to develop meaningful, authentic and powerful relationships with the children and each other in the school All our children know each other and their teachers extremely well, enveloped in a family environment which supports their educational and
personal development, whether joining us in our nurseries or leaving at the end of Year 6. We make it our first priority to get to know your child and encourage them to feel that Dolphin School & Noah’s Ark is their ‘second home’
To ensure each child feels safe and cared for and that they belong, we nurture secure attachments with loving, skilled teachers in order to foster independent, positive and creative learners.
Having small group sizes allows all children to be fully known and encouraged, supported and challenged at their own level. Their individual strengths are nurtured and developed to become agile and able pupils
Our learning environment balances aspiration with warmth, kindness and praise Children are at the heart of the curriculum which provokes a high level of engagement for critical thinking and a creative approach to finding depth in our learning. We give children strong foundations and positive attitudes to learning by helping them develop the necessary skills and knowledge they need for a life-long love of learning They have a very local and global understanding of their worlds, navigating pitfalls and pressures with resilience and confidence.
e ethos of Dolphin School and Noah’s es a greater framework for character nt than meets the eye, where ee positive and excellent behaviour at every turn - being kind, supportive other and communicating with grace ence
eraction with peers and adults is key ool and nurseries Dolphin School & k children are immersed in a world of r each other and respect for their community.
Being physically active gives our Dolphin School & Noah’s Ark pupils the release they need to burn off energy! With Dolphin School sports staff visiting the nurseries, children enjoy specialist physical activities each week, developing their hand-eye coordination, core strength and skills such as throwing and catching
We know that exercise and the great outdoors are brilliant ways to keep our focus, improve mental health and keep physically healthy. We pay for a dedicated space on Wandsworth Common which allows us to make full use of our outside learning curriculum - in all weathers!
Our playgroundhas no walls or concrete,but itdoeshavetrees,mud,sticks andbugs!
Singing & performing, role play games and storytelling are just some of the ways we prepare children for the first stages of reading and writing. These activities help children to hear different sounds, understand characters and narratives, join in with phrases and increase their vocabulary. In Reception, high-quality phonics teaching builds on from this strong start. The skills of hearing, identifying and using the patterns of sounds or phonemes to read written language are practised daily
Alongside this, creative opportunities to develop core strength and fine motor skills provide a foundation for emergent writing. Children are given individualised opportunities to develop finger strength through activities like manipulating dough, completing puzzles or threading blocks onto a rope, before learning correct letter formation in Reception.
Meaningful writing activities allow children to capture their thinking and structure it for a range of purposes and audiences, whether this be writing party invitations, a set of instructions or simple stories based around their specific needs and goals.
Nursery and Early Years curriculum, iscover their world through creativity. e play stimulates a comforting and rich ent for a child to explore through their nd reception years, leading to wonder ement. Activities are carefully designed te the acquisition of language and skills, communication, sharing, and evelopment
earn to sing, to dance, to act, and to s helps to grow their confidence and kills - whether in front of the class or groups, their creative journey starts very beginning.
The ability to express oneself in a way that others understand is a fundamental life skill that young children love ‘growing into’. We take the time to listen to each child and allow them the space to make their thoughts, ideas and feelings known
We know that young children’s conversations often jump from topic to topic and understand that sometimes they just need a bit more time to think! Pretend play is a great way to develop language skills and that can be in the home corner while preparing a meal, during small world play while making up a story or in the role play area while finding the right tool to repair a car.
Stacking blocks, finger rhymes and counting cars that go into a garage are some of the many ways that Early Years Maths takes place at Dolphin & Noah’s Ark. Our creative approach to developing early Maths skills allows our children to subtly build and refine their Maths knowledge during any particular task.
Comparing sizes, arranging things in patterns and asking about how many pieces left are everyday Maths opportunities. It is amazing how many Maths conversations take place at tidy up time
During our parent advice sessions, we encourage families to talk about Maths around the house, perhaps counting the eggs when baking, recoginising numbers at the bus stop, or counting houses in the car on the way to school. Whatever the activity, there's always an option to talk about counting!
Book a visit by completing our online enquiry form or contact our Admissions Registrar, Mrs Benson.
Talk to other parents?
Come to an assembly? Receive regular updates?
For entry beyond Reception, children are invited to the school for a Trial Day.
(We are non-selective for children joining us in Reception)
Tour with the head Meet pupils See lessons in action
After your initial visit, complete an application form and return it with the registration fee.
The school will be in contact with regard to an offer of a place.
A wonderful nursery that genuinely cares about bringing out the best in each and every individual pupil. The teachers and staff are incredibly kind and nurturing and the smaller class size means each child gets the support they need. I loved that transition to Reception is to the classroom next door.
Our community.
I'm a parent of children at Dolphin School and can't rate it highly enough. The school consistently turns out happy, considerate, thoughtful and engaged children The entire school staff are unfailingly lovely - as evidenced by the huge smiles on the children's faces as they go into school each day! If only Dolphin did a secondary school as well...
My children have absolutely thrived here; excellent teaching and amazing care from an understanding and very experienced team of teachers. I cannot recommend Noah’s Ark highly enough. Our approach. Our care.
An exceptional nursery school in the heart of Northcote Road. Staff who genuinely care about creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment. Initially, I was concerned about the lack of outdoor space, but the children are taken to Wandsworth Common to run around, which is far better than a typical urban playground.
What size are the classes?
In reception we aim for a maximum of 20 children in a class The nurseries have much smaller classes of around 8 children
How many hours a week can my child attend your nursery?
We have different options of full days or half days, depending on the nursery. We would welcome a conversation with you to check what is right for your child with our availability
What time does school start and finish?
Noah's Ark, Dolphin Nursery: 09 00 - 12 30 or 09 00 - 15 20
Noah's Ark, West Side Nursery: 09 00 - 13 00* Dolphin School Reception: 08.30 - 15.25
How do the Early Years team communicate with parents?
We love to talk! Our team of staff will always welcome your child at the front door at both arrival and collection times In Reception, senior leaders greet the children and their parents every day at the school door Your family will also be assigned a teacher for your child's 1:1 support at Nursery
You are always welcome to ask for an appointment to speak to our staff and have email addresses for the nurseries In Reception, you can make an appointment with the teacher through the school office
We also have a host of parent/teacher evenings, informal and formal sessions, reports and weekly newsletters to keep you fully involved in your child's learning
You will also have access to the Tapestry app for important updates on your child's progress with photos and videos, which you can also add to!
When can my child join Dolphin School and Noah's Ark?
Providing we have spaces, we offer places in our nurseries from 2-4+ yrs old and in Reception from the age of 4 * Limited afternoons are available
Where do they have their playtimes and how often do they go outside?
All children have regular or daily sessions on Wandsworth Common, a short walk from the school. Nursery and Reception classes have extended outdoor learning activities, come rain or shine in our garden or on the common itself.
