Dover Court International School

What The Good Schools Guide International says

Principal

Since 2021, Richard Dyer BA MA, previously head of British International School Budapest and British International School Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. From a ‘humble background,’ he went on to study maths at Cambridge, then fell into teaching because he wanted to ‘do something good.’ With a long string of teaching and leadership qualifications to his name, and nearly four decades of experience in international education, he’s a safe and steady pair of hands.

Prior to joining the aforementioned schools (both owned by Nord Anglia Education, as is Dover Court - ‘phenomenal professional opportunities’), he also held principal and vice principal roles at Alice Smith School and Garden International in Malaysia and West Island School, Hong Kong - all highly respectable names on the international school circuit. While he wasn’t necessarily looking for the next role, the temptation of a move back to SE Asia was enough of a pull for him and wife, Catherine. Three grown up sons stayed back in the UK.

Parents are very positive: ‘He’s making a real effort.’ ‘He seems genuinely engaged with parents.' Wasted no time making a few welcome changes but recognises the strength and value of the school’s inclusive culture and is looking to celebrate its heritage and history. Talks about the value of integrity and authenticity - his advice for students joining the school is ‘talk to people, make eye contact, engage.’ Clearly a mathematician - it’s as if his eyes are scanning rows of invisible data when he considers his words in response to our many questions. Still, he says a second career choice would be an underwater photographer ‘for the combination of tranquillity, focus, creativity, artistry, science and nature.’

A great fit for the school - a backdrop of Britishness, a huge dose of internationalism and a big believer in community and inclusiveness. All the values that underpin Dover Court.

Entrance

Academically non-selective. Rolling admissions year round. Nursery, reception and year 1 are all new intake years, after that places offered as students leave. Siblings get priority - this is a very family orientated school. Twenty new places open up in sixth form and new this year is an IB Diploma scholarship programme.

The school is unable to accept students who are in Singapore on a student pass or long term visit pass (LTVP). This won’t affect most new expat families arriving with children as ‘dependents’ on their employment pass.

Exit

Early exit tends to be a result of family relocations in the younger years, while for older students, a return ‘home’ to qualify for university home status. Some children head to larger schools. The BTEC offering in sixth form may yet prove to be a popular draw and that, with the new IB scholarship programme, is sure to quickly build secondary numbers.

The first graduating cohorts have got off to a great start, with places secured at first class universities in the UK (eg Durham, Edinburgh, Manchester and York), Canada (Quest), Australia (Uni of Melbourne), New Zealand (Uni of Auckland) and Europe (eg Leiden and The Hague). In 2022, UK universities were the most popular with York, Durham, Warwick and Imperial College featuring. Also Australia University of Melbourne, Monash University, University of Sydney and University of New South Wales.

Latest results

In 2022, the graduating cohort of IB students received an average score of 39, with 56 per cent scoring 40 points or more. This is comfortably higher than the average 34 seen across other Nord Anglia schools. It is still relatively early days for these IB years but with the cohort size and grades on the rise, there will be more than a few families revisiting their assumption that Dover Court is just a good prep school.

The IGCSE results are more reflective of the tailored pathway approach, and kudos to the school for not presenting them otherwise. In 2022, 98 per cent of all students achieved five IGCSEs or more including English and maths, up from 96 per cent in 2021. Sixty-eight per cent of all entries achieved grades 7-9, a big jump from the 41 per cent and 50 per cent in 2021 and 2020 respectively.

Teaching and learning

An all-through, inclusive family school where the vast majority of children are on a mainstream path following an internationally adapted English national curriculum and working towards IGCSEs and IB. For a much smaller, but no less important, number of children, there are two alternative paths.

Pathway 2 offers this main curriculum in small classes of eight to 10, with heaps of one-to-one attention. Pathway 3 is for children with more specific needs, for whom group and individual therapy sessions run with an alternative skills-based curriculum.

Dover Court calls this ‘supportive education’. Parents call it a relief. In a city where other international schools trip over each other to present a shiny campus and stellar results, Dover Court presents a refreshing alternative. One parent described the early years as like finding a lovely British village school, small and nurturing with excellent teaching.

Another told us they wished the school received greater recognition for its secondary years. It’s the only school in Singapore currently offering a BTEC level 2 (and soon-to-be level 3) in business which gives students a vocational pathway and hands-on learning.

This should not leave you thinking that it is a non-academic school. Rather, this is a non-selective school where all children are challenged. IGCSE and IB results are strong and the message comes out loud and clear from parents: teaching is excellent and encouragement for children even better.

Parents tell us that one of the school’s top qualities is the engaging primary teaching. Creative themes and interesting topics are the order of the day. Children say how fun the lessons are, and parents say this doesn’t come at the expense of solid foundation skills, especially in maths and English.

In secondary, the IGCSE selection has a good spread of academic and creative subjects. Global citizenship particularly caught our eye as an interesting choice. In the IB years, the school adds some subjects including philosophy and economics, using Pamoja, the IB approved online course provider. Those wanting a more hands-on approach can opt for a Business BTEC, recently added but going down so well the school is already extending it to level 3.

Mandarin lessons start in nursery and by year 6, children are encouraged to take the Youth Chinese Test (YCT) language proficiency test. A great way to consolidate skills ahead of the alternative offerings of French in year 7 or Spanish in year 9.

Dover Court is one of 69 Nord Anglia schools, and this group connection is maxed out with ‘Global Campus’ (67,000 students no less) challenges and activities. What the level of student take up is hard to say but the opportunities are very real. A STEAM week at MIT in Boston anyone?

Mainstream classes of 24 aren’t smaller than other schools but this drops down to eight to 10 children in the SEN streams. Many parents say these small classes and the overall small school size are a big draw. As the secondary continues to grow, it’ll become more about the small school culture. Long may it last.

Teachers are rated highly. They are a passionate lot, committed to the Dover Court mission, and the ‘massive teacher support’ is said to make all the difference. The vast majority are British (85 per cent) and have access to Nord Anglia University, with many teachers studying for masters’ degrees on the job. Strong role models indeed.

Assessment and reporting are central to the school’s approach and parents feel very connected to their child’s progress.

Learning support and SEN

Dover Court welcomes children of all abilities and needs, with emphasis on challenging all students. 'Accepting all abilities doesn’t mean they are any less ambitious for each student’,' as a parent pointed out. Specialist teams are all onsite - physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and an educational psychologist all at your service.

Parents highlight the interaction between all students. Children can move between Pathways 1 and 2, yet friendships are not bound by these classroom doors. Children in Pathway 3 have more specialist needs but social integration is a key feature with lunchtimes, sports activities and school trips put to good use. Parents confirm that this mixing of students is what lies at the heart of the warm and friendly community.

SEN assessments are only required for admissions where two years of past reports cannot be provided.

Language support

EAL support is available up to, but tapering off by, year 9. New students are not accepted into these classes after year 8; they must be able to dive straight into IGCSE content.

The arts and extracurricular

Music and performing arts are presented with pride. The Nord Anglia collaboration with The Juilliard School is played out with children learning instruments from the drums to the euphonium (go on, look it up) and theatre and music features high on the timetable all the way through to IB level. The new (2019) music studio and music technology room were clearly worth the investment as they were buzzing with activity during our visit. Ditto for the black box theatre, we expect, although it was too dark to see!

More than 50 after-school activities are offered with community service, International Duke of Edinburgh and the UNICEF Student Ambassador programme sitting comfortably alongside more homely arts and crafts.

Sport

The real grass football pitch (one of very few in Singapore) and athletics running track are much admired by visiting sports teams and parents. They are put to good use too - football, rugby, touch, netball, basketball, swimming teams and more all playing in Singapore school leagues and Asian tournaments.

Mixed views on sport from parents, though. Some say the school’s small size lends opportunities to more children., others say it's sporty kids first. We say the trophy wall in the reception area stands up to many other international schools, especially for a school that doesn’t put winning as the raison d’être.

Ethos and heritage

Many schools envy the school’s green 12-acre campus and this sets the tone for an outdoorsy feel all round. The buildings are low-rise and, on first impression, you could be forgiven for thinking you were still heading into the former Officers Mess of the Royal Corp of Signals - the site on which the school was founded in 1972.

When the school joined Nord Anglia Education in 2014, the buildings were given a freshen up, but with a rather uninspiring colour palette and an internal rather than external makeover. We’d encourage parents to look at the many positives. Big green spaces, modern and bright classrooms, outdoor learning areas, covered play areas, 25m pool and an enticing sensory garden to name a few. The purpose-built secondary block was added in 2019. Don’t make the mistake of thinking its concrete floors are unfinished - this is by student design. As was the logo for the Red Dot café.

The concert hall will take you back in time to your own school days and the 'yard,' a block where children can drop in and get creative will surely tug a cord with parents who love to see children busy without screens.

What families will tell you is that the magic of Dover Court actually lies in its community. When inclusivity is your mission, what better way to seed it than through staff and parents? Dover Court does this genuinely. Without exception, we were told that the school and other parents are caring at every turn.

The student house system is grounded in Dover Court’s previous incarnation as a preparatory school, with house days and house activities run as ‘friendly competition’.

Parent communications set a similarly gentle tone. The Monday morning school email highlighting the blooming of an orchid alongside the achievements of children. With parents welcomed onto campus with open arms, the parent portal, Dover Court News and student podcasts perhaps command less attention but are still active for those that wish.

The school canteen does a great job of serving up snacks and lunches prepared onsite daily. Vegetable korma is a firm favourite.

Pastoral care, inclusivity and discipline

Support is a big part of what Dover Court does best. Whether it is changing pathways or moving into secondary school, there are oodles of individual prep, taster sessions and transition days. The interactive playground and mindfulness sessions got special mention. Parents are unanimous in their comments that children feel safe and supported. Teachers go above and beyond, classroom doors are open early, emails get timely responses. No complaints here.

Pupils and parents

An inclusive school means many nationalities - 60 at the last count. A quarter of students are British and the school map shows a healthy balance of students also from Australia, Asia and Europe.

The welcoming atmosphere means friendships develop quickly - and that’s not just among the children. Families are given a ‘buddy’ who will reach out before term starts, so that first day becomes a little less daunting for everyone.

Parents are encouraged to get involved. The opt-out Dover Court Association (DCA) is forever busy organising coffee mornings, quiz nights, movie nights and even sports day. This is a community of like-minded parents.

Money matters

Originally owned by a private company, the school was acquired by Nord Anglia in 2014. Teaching fees are seen as reasonable but additional fees are charged for EAL and therapists as well as the usual for uniform, lunches and school buses.

The last word

‘Personalised learning’ is bang on trend these days and Dover Court has it licked. Academically inclusive and community minded, this is a school where it’s the children not the facilities that shine. That’s exactly how Dover Court families like it.