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Mogg's Story and How Dallington Began

I was born in England and educated in Melbourne. My teaching career began in Australia. Having been nominated as one of the outstanding graduate teachers, in Melbourne, I was offered a choice of schools in the State of Victoria. I chose to travel 200 miles, across the State, taking six hours in my clapped out Fiat 500, to work in a one-teacher school in the Bush. Electricity was provided by a noisy generator and there was an outside “dunny” which was emptied weekly by the “pan” man. I taught twenty children, aged from 3 to 11 years, all in my one-teacher room. This urban girl quickly learned to deal with snakes, drought, spiders, diving plovers, collecting pine cones and wood chippings to fuel the water heater and, especially, eating the daily meals of grey lamb mince, made by the farmer's wife, with whom I was boarding. I became used to the slaughtered sheep meals, but not the endless red dust!

I left Australia in the 1960s and followed the man I loved, my future husband Evan Hercules, to London, where I taught Art and English at a Secondary Modern School, in Hackney. I spent several years teaching in the State System at all levels, which were rich, varied and, occasionally, challenging experiences of different approaches to education. I decided to create my own school, not only because my daughter, Abi, seemed to be unfulfilled at school and was becoming a resistant attender, well, an actual school refuser, but also because my son, Fabian, continued to be unidentified, by his school, as dyslexic.

My passion and determination, combined with an unerring belief that children should be included in their learning and listened to, as they expressed their thoughts, ideas and opinions drove me to create my own school. So, in 1978, Evan and I acquired 8 Dallington Street, the former site of the Gatehouse School and, with the help of Fabian and Abi, set about clearing out the slop bins, dusting the cobwebs and painting the walls! I opened the doors of 8 Dallington Street on 13th April 1978. Through word of mouth, five children arrived; should have been six, but one had measles! They spent the day being taught by me and Jackie, who still teaches Year 4, in Middle School and Dallington School was born!

Dallington is a family-run business. In addition to running the school, I continue to teach, taking Years 5 and 6.

Abi, who trained at LAMDA as an actor and is now an established singer-songwriter, not only works in an administrative capacity at the school, but also teaches the recorder to the children and is the Secretary to The Board of Governors. After leaving Dallington, Abi went to Francis Holland School for Girls, Clarence Gate.

Fabian also teaches and is the ICT Coordinator and has responsibility for the Staff's Continuing Professional Development. His Master's Degree was in Research and Practice in Art Schools and his specialism is the identification and support of dyslexic students, a post he held at Glasgow School of Art. Fabian went to City of London School.

Evan gave many years of support to the school, was always a strong, unique and lively presence but, sadly, is no longer alive.

Today, Dallington has over 130 pupils spread over five floors, solely amassed through word of mouth. The School prides itself on a faultless record of attaining places prior to and at Secondary level. Click here to see where our children have moved on to.

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