I first visited Dolphin School in October 2006, when Heather Brough gave me a tour of the school. I was pleased to see the things I’d read about on the website actually happening in practice: Dolphin really did what it said it did on the packet! There was an immediate connection that excited me: my own philosophy of learning was incredibly similar to Dolphin’s. So I am delighted to be the new Head as from September 2007, as I am helping to lead a school that I totally believe in and feel that it is a tremendous privilege to do so.

People may question why someone desires to be a Head. For me, it is simply the reward I get from trying to get the best out of every child and colleague. It is the belief that everyone can achieve and that deep down everyone wants to succeed. I hope to inspire in children and colleagues an interest in learning for its own sake, an open-mindedness towards new experiences and an imaginative sense of curiosity about our amazing world.

My four main focuses during this first term are to get to know the children, visit lessons, familiarise myself with the unique Dolphin curriculum (which underpins everything we do in the classroom and on the numerous day and field trips) and to maintain the strong links Heather has so successfully established with the senior schools that our 13 year olds join, by visiting each school. After Christmas, I will contact Dolphin parents in order to learn what they feel makes our school so special and what they feel we could do even better.

I enjoy meeting Dolphin parents before school at the gate as well as at sports fixtures, concerts, plays and parents’ evenings. For those outside the Dolphin community, do come and visit us: I’d be thrilled to show you around what I feel is a truly remarkable school with an exceptionally gifted staff working with such engaging children.

James Baker, Head