Dumpton School is an independent day school in Wimborne, Dorset, South West England, for girls and boys aged 2 to 13 years.

History

The school was founded as a boys' preparatory school at Dumpton Park in Kent in 1903 and evacuated to Cranborne Chase in Dorset to avoid bombing raids at the outset of the Second World War, (as were many schools from south-east England).

In 1945, the school moved to Gaunt's House, near Wimborne, and flourished under the Headmastership of Colonel Trevor Card. Unusually, the dormitories were named in memory of former pupils who had died on active service; (these included Cock, Pollard, Brown, York, Dutton and Fanshawe). Trevor Card was succeeded by Messrs Carter and Monkhouse as joint heads in 1958 and subsequently by Major General Frank Thompson.

Dumpton School
Carolinekapalu · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

In 1988 the school moved again to its present site at Dean's Grove House nearer to Wimborne.

Notable Old Dumptonians

Sidney Boucher, (1899–1963) Royal Naval officer and first-class cricketer

Toby Buchan, 4th Baron Tweedsmuir

Admiral Jeremy de Halpert

Duncan James (born 1978), pop singer (Blue)

Ore Oduba (born 1986), children's TV presenter (CBBC), 2016 winner of Strictly Come Dancing