Dallington School 8 Dallington Street, Islington, London, EC1V 0BW 020 7251 2284

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School type	Co-educational Day Preparatory & Nursery
Founded	1978
Head of School	Mr James Griffiths
Date Appointed	September 2022
Co-ed Age Range	3-11 years
Number of pupils	81
Number of boys	58
Number of girls	23
Day fees per annum	£12,450 - £15,660 per annum
Teacher/Pupil ratio	1:8 (with full time TA)
Associations	ISA, ISC

The original and only progressive family-run school in the heart of London, welcoming children from 3 to 11.

"The joy and reward of lifelong learning takes time. That time is called childhood, spent with people who understand and value it, in a stimulating environment that promotes it." - Mogg Hercules MBE

These are the words of our founder, and we are proud to uphold her philosophy and aims to this day.

Dallington School was founded in 1978 to offer an holistic and progressive education as an alternative to the mainstream on offer at the time. Our philosophy and ideas focus on nurturing children's development and broadening their learning experiences; encouraging children to become independent and curious learners; we inspire children to learn to think for themselves and we give them the opportunities to explore their interests, develop exceptional collaborative and social skills and debate intelligently. Dallington children are kind, self-aware and aware of others. We want school to be fun; for children to love coming to school; for every day to be a surprise, and most of all for children to feel that they are valued, being listened to and that their contribution is valid.

Situated in Clerkenwell, a stone's throw from the City of London, St Paul's and the Barbican, Dallington prides itself on being very different from many independent day schools. Offering a vibrant oasis of creativity, offering a rich and diverse curriculum, we celebrate childhood, embrace the individuality of every child and allow our children to flourish at their own pace in a relaxed and supportive 'family' environment.

Experiential learning is an important part of a Dallington education. Through enquiry topics and projects, science, geography and history are brought together in a meaningful, linked way. By integrating the different disciplines, we aim to give children a sense of the interrelatedness of the curriculum. Projects and topics are explored from many different perspectives, and will draw in creative writing skills, painting and model-making. This work allows children to make important connections in their thinking and develop key skills through sustained shared thinking and collaborative group work, and provides the perfect opportunity for children to develop their ability to manage and extend themselves.

Dallington is distinct in the variety and number of curricular-related trips that children enjoy to museums, galleries, theatres and exhibitions and which serve to embellish and enrich their learning and understanding of the topic being studied.

Mathematics and Literacy are core subjects taught to a very high standard. In all classrooms teachers offer personalised teaching, so that every child can progress at their own pace and receive the support they need. This allows children who are developing their skills more quickly to be suitably challenged and not grow bored. Dallington children have high literacy skills and often read well above their reading age. Weekly visits to the local library help develop their love of books and reading for pleasure.

Music and the performing arts ripple through everything we do. Music is such a joyful pursuit for children and helps them develop in so many ways beyond the music room. Workshops arranged with musicians from different parts of the world, and playing distinct genres of music, help enrich children’s understanding of the wide variety of cultures of the world.

Forest school pedagogy is embedded into the curriculum and half a day a week is dedicated to outdoor learning, developing a love of nature, learning about the world around them and expanding their bushcraft skills. We consider this to be a vital part of their development; a chance to spread their wings and have contact with the earth.

We offer a child-centred and ambitious experience, designed to develop the whole, unique child and to prepare them for their onward educational journey.

Life after Dallington

Our Head knows every child well and will start preparation for entry into secondary school in Year 5 with discussions with children and their parents about which schools might suit them. We don't put any unnecessary pressure on children by spending hours on exam papers, but offer a carefully designed model combining adaptive questioning, mindful practices, creative writing and public speaking, all of which provide the children with transferrable life-long skills, incorporating our core values of relationships, empathy, creativity, individuality, play and enjoying the journey.

Our children move on to secondary school with a real sense of purpose, armed with self-confidence and an ability to adapt to new situations and new relationships.

The school motto 'Value your own worth and understand the differences in others' serves them well for the future.

In the words of a former Dallington parent: "Dallington has a special something. It's very hard to put your finger on it, but it's absolutely there. It comes from a deep understanding of children, letting them enjoy their childhood, and learn who they really are."