Headmasters Letter, Friday 12th June 2026

12 June 2026

Headmaster's Newsletter, Friday 12th June 2026

Dear Parents

The term is racing by - it's hard to believe that in three weeks' time it will be Speech Day! More on that below, and I do hope you have made arrangements for that very special and important community occasion (as well as the Dumpton Friends Picnic that will follow!).

A special congratulations today to our brilliant Year 8 pupils, who finished their Dumpton Certificate exams this week - the culmination of many years of hard work in the classroom. They are now embarking on the Year 8 Leavers' Programme, and already this week they have played Laser Tag, learned about French culture and cooked French cuisine on the Journée Française, taken part in a Stage Fighting workshop, and produced a film on their Performing Arts day - with watersports fun down at Poole Harbour rounding things off today.

As well as being a celebration of finishing exams and a chance to mark the end of their time at Dumpton, the Leavers' Programme is also a thank you. Our Year 8s give so much back to the school community - as role models and as leaders who volunteer so much of their time through the Leadership Programme. The younger pupils in the school benefit enormously from their presence, and it is only right that their final few weeks at school should serve as a reward for everything they have given to this community.

Speech Day – Friday 3rd July
The ceremony will take place again in our Sports Hall, with a few tweaks from previous years which should make the event more special than ever. As well as having a chance to reflect on the year and celebrate the achievements of our pupils, we will be joined by a special Guest Speaker who will be saying a few words as well as giving out prizes to the children – and I will share details of this year’s guest speaker, and of the ceremony itself, next week. A reminder that all children from Reception to Y8 are expected to attend Speech Day.

National Swimming Finalists
Huge congratulations to our Swimming Squad who competed so admirably at the IAPS National Finals in London on Saturday. It was a fantastic day of swimming, with 7 PBs from a possible 8 events. Cameron R swam a PB in the 50m Freestyle, while George W went one further, swimming a PB that qualified him for the 50m Freestyle final, where he finished 9th overall. George W, Hamish S, Adam S and Thomas A slashed almost 6 seconds off their 4x25m Freestyle relay time, lifting their ranking to 15th. Matilda D, Tansie S, Eva W and Amelie C improved by around 3 seconds in both the 4x25m Freestyle and 4x25m IM relays. A special mention to Mr Jeremiah and Mrs Hopkins for all their coaching and support on the day, and in the run up to the event.

Performing Arts – Exciting Developments
I hope you have all had the chance to see the exciting announcements about Performing Arts at Dumpton next year from Ms Oakes today. From increased singing opportunities and the introduction of a Chamber Choir, to the prospect of our main school musical taking place at Canford's Layard Theatre — there is so much to look forward to.

I would particularly draw your attention to the news about our new and improved LAMDA provision launching next year. Communication skills and confidence are going to be increasingly crucial for our pupils as they grow, and few things develop these qualities more effectively than LAMDA. I would warmly encourage all current Prep School parents to consider it!

From Ms Oakes – ‘Save the date’
Following on from the letter sent out earlier today, we have had a wonderful opportunity for next year’s Y5 and Y6 Middle Prep Choir. We have been invited to perform at a special concert at Poole Lighthouse on Sunday 7 March 2027 (this is also Mother’s Day!) Please add this to you and your child’s diaries!

Y2 Sports Fixture
Our Y2s launched themselves into their first ever Dumpton ‘fixture’ on Thursday, playing both football and cricket. There was excellent attendance from the Y2 parents – we do hope you enjoyed Steph’s match tea... a sign of things to come as your children join the Prep School next year! Thank you to Mr Morgan, Mr Vessey and Mr Hathurusinghe for leading an excellent afternoon of sport.

Y7 and Y8 Exams – From Mr Morgan
As Deputy Head Academic, I am immensely proud of the exemplary conduct and positive attitude shown by our Year 7 and 8 pupils throughout the end-of-year examinations, which concluded this Tuesday. They approached each paper with maturity, focus, and determination, reflecting not only their commitment to their studies but also the strength of character we strive to nurture in our school community. It has been particularly rewarding for us as teachers to begin the marking process and see first-hand the impressive outcomes of their dedication over recent months. Their achievements are a testament to their hard work and to the supportive environment in which they continue to thrive.

Mrs Stoodley – Future Scholars Art Workshop
We were joined on Thursday by our new Head of Art for September 2026, Mrs Emily Stoodley, who lead a workshop for talented artists in Y7. They produced some incredible landscapes, and have been set a summer project inspired by the works of David Hockey, Kurt Jackson and Claude Monet. Mrs Stoodley was really impressed with the pupils and can’t wait to get started in September.

Sports Coaching at Dumpton
We’re delighted that Miss India Still will be joining our staff team next year to support our Games programme, with a particular focus on Hockey and Netball. India has played both sports to a high level in the past, and she will share her role at Dumpton with a role at Canford as their Elite Netball coach. It’s another fantastic joint appointment, and we’re really excited to add more expertise to our Games department to ensure superb coaching for all our pupils.

On that note, we are currently advertising for a Part Time Games Teacher for next year – do point anyone you know who might be interested to our website for more information.

Winners of the British Science Week Poster Competition announced – from Mrs Catton
The British Science Week Poster Competition winners 2026 were announced this week, no national win for Dumpton this time but Heads Commendations and Postcards have been awarded to some of the very impressive Dumpton entries we received showcasing superb science research and spectacular creativity. A selection of posters are on display in the teaching block. Well done to all who took part, and we look forward to seeing your entries next year!

With best wishes