DCIS Heritage Book

50 YEARS OF DOVER COURT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................3
Military Site........................................................................................5
Preparatory School......................................................................7
Yearbooks..........................................................................................11
Inclusive Education....................................................................12
Nord Anglia Education............................................................13
Covid-19..............................................................................................16
Shared Memories........................................................................18
Timeline.............................................................................................25
The Heritage Team....................................................................26
Closing Word and Thanks....................................................27

INTRODUCTION
Welcome to this celebration of our school’s incredible fifty-year heritage! It gives
me enormous pleasure to introduce this book, which is the result of a fabulous
team effort by students of Dover Court. To be Principal at this historic time is a
great honour.
Dover Court is no ordinary international school. It is a warm, welcoming, inclusive
community of families from many nations and cultures, a place that many think
of as home. The sense of belonging and the devotion to diversity and kindness is
truly special and springs from the collective effort of nearly 2,000 students, 1,300
families and over 300 dedicated staff.
The spirit of Dover Court is best experienced in person, as students arrive every
morning full of vitality with beaming smiles and cheery greetings for friends and
staff. No one can fail to be uplifted and energised by their positivity and warmth.
During the day, I like nothing more than visiting students around the campus
and listening to stories of what they are up to.
As much as this book celebrates the history of a community, it also celebrates
the historic campus which has been home to that community for fifty years.
From a small collection of converted military buildings, Dover Court has
expanded into a modern educational facility, while preserving the original
heritage buildings. Dover Court is also home to a wonderful collection of flora
and fauna, and we are privileged to be treated every day to sightings of
Singapore’s diverse wildlife.
That this book has been created by students is a sign of things to come. Over the
next fifty years, I see the young people of Dover Court becoming increasingly
empowered agents of positive change in the world. This is their time, and in a
challenged world, there is great hope in Dover Court students. We have much to
look forward to.
Richard Dyer
DCIS Principal, Doverian since 2021

50 years ago, the world of international education looked very different. Even the
last 20 years have seen rapid growth in the number of international schools, not
only in Singapore but throughout Asia and beyond. Despite this, DCIS stands out
as a unique and special place. Dover Court’s community and commitment to
placing inclusion at its heart make DCIS a place where all children and their
families can truly belong. This was a major reason why I chose to join DCIS, why I
am happy that my own children attend the school, and why I am proud to be
the Head of Primary.
As an inclusive international school, we promote values that seek to understand
first, recognising that each of us is unique. The cultural, linguistic and
neurodiversity found within our community add to its richness and is reflective
of our world. It is a privilege to be a part of a school that is filled with high-quality
professionals who are committed to supporting, encouraging and challenging
all of our learners to become the best that they can be. A benefit of working as
part of a passionate and knowledgeable team of educators is that every day
presents a new opportunity to learn and grow together. We constantly strive to
provide the best education for all our learners, through a provision that is
responsive and accommodates the different educational needs of all students.
At the same time, we recognise the joy in learning, and the sheer fun that being
part of a vibrant school community can bring. I love the celebrations, trips,
camps and special days that we have. The smiles and laughter that ring around
the playground and the knowledge that our children love their school.
As we now look to the future and the next 50 years, we know that the world will
continue to change. The rise of technology and AI have already started to shape
the landscape of future careers and our pedagogical approaches. The school's
learning environments will continue to reflect this. It is important that our
curriculum equips our learners as leaders, with the transferable tools, skills,
understanding and belief in themselves to navigate an unknown future. The
critical and creative thinking to question and solve some of the problems we
currently face, and the commitment to see this through. Equally, whatever
change comes our way, we must remain true to our values to ensure that the
sense of belonging, compassion and understanding we cultivate lives on in our
students. That we continue to value inclusion, embrace diversity, and consult the
heart as well as the head as we step into the future together, is without question.
Dave Buckley
DCIS Head of Primary, Doverian since 2022

MILITARY SITE
Introduction of our school
Can you guess what Dover Court was before it became a school? It was a
military base for the British Army Royal Signal Corps. There are real artefacts
that can still be found in the E block. In this chapter, we will discuss the
history behind the Dover Court buildings and what Dover Court was before it
became our wonderful school.
Where these buildings can be found today
The school was established in April 1972 on Dover Road, in the former
Officer’s Mess of the Royal Corps of Signals which was constructed by the
British military in 1952. The signs of the Royal Corps of Signals remain all
around today's campus. For example, the building that is now known as
Block E, housing some of our Primary classes, is one of the original buildings
from 1952. The round, tiled emblem of the Royal Corps Signals can still be
seen by the entrance of Block E.

Royal Corps of Signals
The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the
combat support arms of the British Army,
providing battlefield communications and
information systems essential to operations.
Its mess, where the military personnel lived,
ate and socialised, was established on what
is now our campus in 1952.
Princess Mary Barracks
Princess Mary Barracks
were also known as
Princess Mary Walk. It was
made to honour Princess
Mary who visited the Royal
Corps of Signals.
Above: Princess Mary Barracks, now Singapore
Polytechnic campus
Princess Mary, Princess
Royal took the salute at a
march at Catterick Camp,
Yorkshire, UK, on 18 May
1953 when the Royal Corps
of Signals concluded its
regimental weekend.
All images originate from the Royal Signals Museum.

PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Overview
Dover Court Preparatory
School was founded in 1972
by Ernest E Alliot on the site
of the former British military
barracks on Dover Road,
Singapore. The school was
founded with the vision to
provide education for
children under the age of 13,
at a time when schools for
this age group were in short
supply. Originally consisting
of very few buildings, the
majority of which were preexisting
military dormitories,
the school housed both day
and boarding students,
teaching infant classes and
holding assemblies, as well as
celebratory days and trips.
Above: Dover Court Preparatory School Ernest
Alliot Building, 1970's
Above: Dover Court Preparatory School Main
Building, 1970's
In its early years, the school was the first of
its kind to accommodate both day and
boarding students, the majority of whom
were from neighbouring countries.
Boarders took part in a diverse range of
activities including school trips, and
sporting events, however, the boarding
component of the school was discontinued
in the 1990s.

Ernest E Alliot
Ernest E Alliot established the school after working in
British military schools in Singapore, RAF schools in
Changi and Seletar, and holding the post of
headmaster of the British Army School Pulau Brani,
the British Army School Selarang; and the Alexandra
School on Portsdown Road. In 1975, he resigned from
working for the British Government, to devote his
time to the progress of Dover Court. Alliot continued
to serve Dover Court as Chairman up until 2006,
eight years before the school became part of the
Nord Anglia Education group of schools.
Ernest E Alliot,
Dover Court founder
Principal
Catherine J.
Hamilton
Term
start
Term
end
Term
length
1972 1975 3 years
Eric Cooper 1975 1980 5 years
James
Watkins
Maureen
Roach
OBE
Neil Hopkin
FRSA
Christopher
Short
1981 1990 9 years
1990 2015 25 years
2015 2016 1 year
2016 2020 4 years
Simon Mann 2020 2021 1 year
Richard Dyer 2021 Incumbent
Principals through the years
The first principal of Dover Court
Preparatory School was Catherine
J Hamilton, who headed the
school until 1975, whereupon Eric
Cooper was appointed. Eric Cooper
served as Principal for five years,
until he passed away in 1980,
giving his name to the ‘Cooper
Hall’, built in 1981 which is still in
use today, 40 years later. Since Mr
Cooper, the school has had six
principals, the longest term being
Dr Maureen Roach’s 25 years from
1990-2015.
Catherine
Hamilton, first
Principal of
Dover Court

Left: Dr Maureen Roach at
events during her time as
Principal of Dover Court
Dr Maureen Roach
Dr Roach served as the Principal of Dover Court
from 1990-2015. Her main objective was to
ensure that the needs of children of all abilities
were met, leading her to contribute to the
direction of the Department of Supportive
Education, which was expanded during this
time. Dr Roach's legacy is the inclusivity of the
school and its welcoming community identity.
Even though the school has grown, inclusion is
still at heart of everything we do.
Above: Bird's eye view of Dover
Court Preparatory School in
May 2000
Below: Bird's eye view of Dover
Court International School in
October 2022
Growth through the years
Dover Court quickly became one of the largest expatriate preparatory
schools in Singapore, leading it to its expansion in the 1980s to keep up
with the demand. Around this time, due to its growing waitlist, the school
built the Ernest Alliot Foundation Block, a three-storey building now
known as C Block. The building projects only increased from there! By 1998,
in addition to the original military barracks and small pre-existing
buildings, the administrative block, Cooper Hall, the main library, the infant
block, the Inclusive Education area and the swimming complex had been
added to the campus.

Photographs
taken of students
on United Nations
Day
Celebrating diversity
Dover Court published its first yearbook at the end of the 1974-75
academic year. This tradition has been continued throughout the
school’s history, with a new yearbook every year including artwork,
poetry, short stories created by students, photographs, letters,
achievements, and accounts of events and activities held over the year.
One of the characteristics that the school has prided itself on,
beginning in 1975, was its diversity. Multiple pages have been dedicated
to the United Nations day, and the many nationalities and backgrounds
of students and staff, with people from all over the world, from Great
Britain and Australia to India and the United States, and even students
from Colombia and Peru! Mrs Hamilton wrote that year that she ‘would
like to feel that the general atmosphere at Dover Court is one of mutual
acceptance of each other's individual ideas and customs, and of unity in
our students' affection and pride in their school.’
Above:
Pages from the 1974-1975 yearbook with names of the students and teachers along
with their nationalities.

YEARBOOKS

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
Dr Maureen Roach was the driving force behind the inclusivity at Dover Court,
heading the school during its restructuring and leading the development of
its department for supportive education. In 2014, she was made an Officer of
the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of her
service to education in Singapore. The inclusive education department
continues to support students with additional educational needs to provide
students of all abilities with a path to a successful life after school. This aligned
with the original ideals of Alliot: to have a school where inclusivity is at the
core, and where students of all abilities are fully integrated.
"The school was very different under Dr Roach.
She was wonderful and very traditional. We had
no work emails, messages were sent on carbon
copy notes. Devices like iPads were banned and
classes mostly didn’t have projectors. We had an
eccentric way of doing things but the sense of
community that was created was amazing!
Everyone knew everyone and the staff and
children were very kind and understanding."
Sarah Allison
Pathways 2 and 3 teacher since 2014
On September 12th,
2002, the school was
visited by Her Royal
Highness the Duchess
of Gloucester, who took
particular interest in
the work of the Centre
for Inclusive Education,
and the positive impact
of this integration on
the whole school.
"From day one, I met with students, teachers,
therapists, and parents to discuss my vision for the
school and to seek their ideas on how they would
wish to see the school develop; the value system
we wanted to espouse, and how we would build a
community that would make a meaningful
contribution to society and help to shape it.”
Dr Maureen Roach, Principal 1990-2015

NORD ANGLIA
EDUCATION
In April 2014, Dover Court Preparatory School joined
Nord Anglia Education. In September 2014, the
name was changed to Dover Court International
School and a new era for the school was born.
Additional funding was channelled into the school,
expanding the campus to benefit the ever-growing
student population, as well as implementing the
NAE collaborations with The Juilliard School, MIT
and UNICEF.
2013 2015
Pictures from Caroline Jarl
One visible change was
the school uniform.
Originally yellow, green
and grey, it was
changed to the
turquoise, grey and
white we know today.
However, the optional
tie, still worn by some
students, incorporates
the colours of the old
uniform, and serves as a
memento of Dover
Court's past.
"I joined the school in 2017, after the Nord Anglia transition. Working for a
school that belongs to such a large family has many benefits such as interschool
competitions through debating and sports competitions, including
the Nord Anglia games. Although we are a small community at DCIS, it is
good to have the support of a wider community across the globe."
Sally Eades-Laird, Teacher of History and TOK, Doverian since 2017

Nord Anglia Education is a provider of international schools
that was founded in 1972 and is currently based in the United
Kingdom. Dover Court is one of its 81 schools spread across 32
countries, and the only one in Singapore! They provide
platforms and partnerships between schools and different
organisations, the largest is the Global Campus, which is an
online platform that connects all students who attend Nord
Anglia schools. They host competitions and events for
students, like the Social Impact Grant, which is a grant to help
students create positive change in their communities.
"Moving from one country to another was definitely a challenging
process, especially after having to leave the country I had grown up in.
However, moving within the Nord Anglia system definitely made my
transition process much smoother than I had expected. It helped to be
joining a community with the similar values of integrity, inquiry,
collaboration and many more. My journey with Dover Court and Nord
Anglia Education has been very positive, giving me access to a wide
range of opportunities that have shaped the person I have become today,
giving me experiences that I will carry with me even after leaving the
school."
Edison Ng, Year 12, Doverian since 2022
The Juilliard School
Collaboration
provides experiences and
competitions across the arts.
The MIT Collaboration
allows students to participate
in global STEAM challenges

Students also frequently participate in
competitions covering a wide range of
topics, ranging from Literature to Sports.
These initiatives have helped build links
between students from different schools
and develop interpersonal skills.
2023 Dover Court Debate Team
"The transition to Nord Anglia was a big
change, firstly the whole school name
changed as well as the values and the
mottos of the school. I for one, believe
that the transition was very positive for
the school. We became more connected
as a community, giving us more learning
and interaction opportunities such as
challenges and school trips!
Switzerland was a fantastic Nord Anglia
experience, I had the opportunity to go to
a new country and visit famous places
such as a cheese and chocolate factory, as
well as going hiking in the alps.
I also got to meet amazing new people
and make memories that I will carry on
for the rest of my life. It really added to my
school experience."
Ahaana Menon, Year 12,
Doverian since 2012
Nord Anglia gives all students
the opportunity to traverse
the world through exclusive
trips, from Switzerland to New
York to Tanzania.
Above: DCIS students at Nord
Anglia Ski Trip 2023, picture by
Aaron Tan (Year 9 )
Below: Students at UNICEF and
UN conference in New York

COVID-19
In 2020, a cluster of Covid-19 cases was revealed in our
school, forcing students and teachers to transition to
online learning. In this chapter, we would like to delve
deeper into how the global pandemic affected
learning and our school community's wellbeing.
Lessons were delivered online via Zoom and we tried
our best to stay on track with our learning whilst also
focusing on maintaining positive wellbeing.
Artwork by Atharva
Anand, Year 7 Student
"As a student who had been
attending this school since 2017, I
felt online learning was a very
drastic, scary change from going to
school in person. Although it was
stressful as we were not allowed to
leave our houses, it taught me to
become more independent as my
teachers weren't there physically to
help me with my work.
Learning online helped me to
improve my time management skills
and I was able to get the hang of
spending large amounts of time
alone. Overall, I believe that it was a
hard time for all of us, but taught us
valuable lessons as a school."
Alessandra Djohan, Year 12,
Doverian since 2017

To further our research into Covid-19's impact on our school community,
we decided to interview a teacher.
During Covid, did you keep in
contact with other teachers?
"We had many social events, such as
online board games, meet-ups and quiz
nights. Little meetings like that helped to
keep spirits up."
What was the most challenging part
of teaching online school?
"We were never taught how to teach
online and resolve technical issues, as
well as how to manage student behaviour
without physically being there. However,
we managed to get past that once we
became more familiar with working
online."
How do you think online learning
affected students' mental health?
"It was stressful as a teacher because you
couldn't tell when your students were
struggling. "
Do you think students learn as well
online as in a classroom?
"A range of students found it helpful, and
others found it difficult. I believe DCIS has
taught students to be passionate about
learning and I'm positive most of the
students here learnt a good deal, even
during those difficult times."
Simon Woodhall, Geography
Teacher, Doverian since 2014

SHARED MEMORIES
"Dover Court was not just a
school, it was a community where
everybody was accepted –
children and adults alike. Where
no student was turned away.
One great feature that made
Dover Court unique was that it
opened its doors to all, and in
doing so, it pioneered inclusive
education in an international
setting."
Dr Gail Gladbury, Teacher
1995-1999
"Though it was 30 years ago, I do
have a vivid recollection of my
time at Dover Court. What is most
memorable for me is the very
diverse and inclusive community.
It was my first time meeting so
many people from all over the
world and I remember learning
about the countries my
classmates came from, their
different languages, and their
cultures. My experience at Dover
Court has given me confidence to
embrace new challenges. This has
enabled me to be well-prepared
for all the countries in which I
have had the opportunity to live
and work. Thank you Dover Court
International School. Happy 50th
Birthday!
Young Kim, Doverian 1991-1993
"The emphasis that Dover Court International School places on
championing student voice has helped me develop the skills to navigate
this volatile, uncertain, ambiguous, and complex world with confidence.
Thank you Dover Court International School."
Ishita Pai Raikar, Class of 2022, Doverian 2017-2022
"Having arrived from the UK with my family in August 2019, despite Covid
dominating much of our time here, I feel that it has also brought out the
best in the DCIS community. The togetherness, care and resilience of our
students, staff and parents has been overwhelming.
I am proud to be a member of staff at DCIS, especially as we celebrate our
50th Anniversary! Also, as a parent to three DCIS children, I could not have
wished for a more inclusive, diverse and welcoming school."
David Burren, Deputy Head - Inclusion, Doverian since 2019

"It was an absolute privilege being the Headteacher of DCIS from 2018-
2022. I could not have been prouder to lead such a wonderfully inclusive
community. Reflecting on my fondest memories; from my daily meetings
with Joseph in Pathway 3 where he questioned me on my vision and
strategy, quite critically I might add; to building and moving into a new
Secondary School; watching our students win big at the FOBISIA games in
Phuket; or navigating the COVID-19 pandemic as a united school.
If DCIS does nothing more (which of course it does), by its very nature, it
teaches each of us to heed the advice of a great character from one of my
favourite books, Atticus Finch; "You never really understand a person until
you consider things from their point of view". This is at the heart of what
DCIS is, does and stands for and I hope that our inclusivity, our
intercultural community and the value we add, drives and motivates our
work in the next 50 years."
Craig Bull, Head of Secondary 2018-2022
"Although we only spent three years at DCIS
we made friends and memories for life. It
brought out the very best in us and taught
us teamwork, respect, resilience,
perseverance and humility. We will always
treasure our time at Dover Court!"
Ella and Edward Jarl, Doverians 2013-
2016
"If I could wave a wand and make society behave ‘properly’ then it would
mirror the playground of Dover Court Preparatory School, where I worked
from 2012-2015. Children of all ages, abilities and individual needs playing
together harmoniously, looking after each other, laughing and enjoying
the sultry heat of a Singapore morning or lunchtime. Some extremely
valuable global lessons to be learned from observations of children at play.
I felt as though the true purpose of education, the education of students
for life beyond school, was being met. Values such as tolerance, resilience,
kindness and compassion were evident in daily practice. "
Louise Loxton, Teacher 2012-2015

"I attended Dover Court from 1982 to 1984, in the
Nursery. We got to bring our purses and line up
for a freshly made hotcake at snack time and I
still remember waiting excitedly for hotcakes
with my friends.
I also remember performing a small drama for
the performing arts class and I got to wear a blue
princess dress my mother bought for me. I
enjoyed every moment of my schooling here at
DCIS. It is wonderful that my son can attend the
same school too!"
Reiko Yoshida, Former Doverian and
current parent
"From Reception to Year 8, my time
here at DCIS has been full of
memorable moments. I
participated in many activities,
made many friends and carved an
unforgettable experience. I
remember my first day ever at
DCIS, and how welcoming all my
classmates and teachers were. I
have made many memories and I
am proud to see DCIS become the
school it is today. Happy 50th
Birthday Dover Court!"
Aakanksha Jain, Doverian 2014-
2021
"Happy 50th to probably the
most inclusive school in
Singapore! Congratulations on
making it successfully and
giving students the opportunity
to feel so included and part of a
community. Thank you also for
the unconditional support and
words of encouragement
always, especially throughout
the 2 years of the IBDP!"
Namrata Duvvuri, Class of
2022, Doverian 2018-2022

"Dover Court has been a phenomenal place to work - both times! In the
early days, I would describe Dover Court Preparatory School as a sleepy
little international school, a lovely place with an outstanding set of highly
committed staff. I loved it and that is what brought me back for a second
helping. Now, whilst still a lovely place with a truly amazing staff, DCIS is
a bustling community of active educators and students with no sign of
our sleepy past!
Since 2015, the school has ploughed forward in every way. While I am
proud of what the school has achieved, I am equally proud of what it has
retained from its past, the sense of community and belonging, and the
emphasis on celebrating our diversity. Happy times - twice!"
Kara Lebihan, Teacher 1999-2002, Head of Primary 2016-2021
Aerial view of DCIS 2017
"I have been a student at Dover Court for almost 12 years. I am currently
in year 10 and I am proud to have been a part of the school’s history.
Dover has helped me in many ways over the years. It has helped me to
learn new things and has inspired me to be curious. It has helped me to
overcome challenges and adversities and helped me with important
steps such as my GCSE choices and career guidance. It has also helped
me recognise and appreciate different perspectives, cultures, and
neurodiversity that I feel I would not have benefited from in other
environments. I have witnessed Dover Court’s popularity grow in
Singapore and become a bigger school with many more students and
opportunities, however it has always kept that personal touch and
sense of inclusion that I remember as a newbie in nursery. I hope this
continues long after I have left."
Ayush Talsania, Year 10, Doverian since 2011

"I worked at Dover Court International
School as a special education teacher for
20 years from 2000-2019, teaching in both
Primary and Secondary School. I am very
privileged to have worked in a
multicultural environment, where the
children were exposed to the world and
the various cultures within it. All staff were
very caring, dedicated and cooperative. It
was a great feeling to wake up early in the
morning and look forward to coming to
school.
Although, I have moved on from Dover
Court, these fond memories are still etched
in my heart and mind."
Richard Lim, DSE Teacher 2000-2019
DCIS's first NAE expedition to
Switzerland 2016, led by Mr Lim
"As part of Singapore's push to develop the Arts, my father was invited
to establish and direct the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and so our
family moved here from Greece in 1979. It's likely this was my first trip
overseas, and Singapore - far more exotic at the time - was both a
serious shock and a total delight.
Most international schools wouldn't accept a nine year-old non English
speaker, fortunately Dover Court agreed to have me. The teaching
system must have been complete immersion, as on my first day I was
placed in the middle of a class of native speakers and left there to get
on with it. The first few weeks were totally perplexing, the following
months a struggle, but soon I was speaking (and, worryingly, even
dreaming) in English. Soon after, my first 'international friends' came
along: the Malaysian buddy who would often share a lunchbox packed
with strange mouth-watering flavours; the English lad who got me
hooked on new bands (The Who, The Jam, The Specials...) and many,
many other friends who made a lasting impression. I'm delighted that
the school has gone from strength to strength and this year celebrates
its 50th birthday!"
Yen Choo, Doverian 1979-1982

"Being at DCIS for so long, I have had the privilege of seeing the school
grow and evolve over time. Despite its growth, the community still feels
welcoming, and I still find events such as UN day or the Christmas Fair so
exciting. I have met people who I am still in contact with many years later,
and know people now I will continue to be in contact with in the future."
Ines Oliveira, Year 11, Doverian since 2011
"The school is like a mini-United
Nations, with students from
every possible creed, a multitude
of habits, cultures, and customs
have come together - and all in
complete harmony. Perhaps
there's a lesson here for the
politicians. If the UN could
conduct itself as peacefully as
DCIS students, wars will cease to
exist."
James Watkins, Principal
1981-1990
"I’ll always remember when I first
joined Dover Court. The year was
2011, and my first teacher was Miss
Tess, who is still teaching at the
school today. Despite all the
changes over the years, Dover has
kept one thing the same: our
community. The students and
teachers are a group of supportive,
inclusive people."
Luka Pereira, Year 11, Doverian
since 2011
"As a member of staff at DCIS for the past 12 years, it is with great pride
that I am part of the 50th Anniversary celebrations of our amazing school
(especially when I remember celebrating our 40th anniversary!). What I
have loved, and continue to love, about DCIS is the heart and soul of the
community, which has not changed over the years. Whilst we have grown,
in both size, and stature, the unwavering commitment from our staff to
provide the best possible learning experiences has been a constant.
I feel extremely proud to work for Dover Court, a unique international
school with a passion for inclusion like no other, and to have been part of
the leadership team responsible for the successes we are experiencing,
with year-on-year improvements in student outcomes in both GCSE and
IB. On a personal level, I have many colleagues who are now like my family
away from home who I know will always be a part of my life, even after we
part ways from Dover Court."
Carla Hyland, Deputy Head of Secondary, Doverian since 2011

"I started my first job at Dover
Court in 1980, we were only three
admin staff then. Back in those
days, the school's finance office
was located in Hilton Hotel and I
was the receptionist. In 1985 the
main school reception office was
built and I joined the Finance
Department, where I worked
until my retirement in 2022. I
enjoyed working at Dover Court
with kind and helpful colleagues."
Nancy Tham, Former Finance
Officer, Doverian 1980-2022
"I was a staff member of Dover Court
for 22 years. When I started Dr Roach
was the principal and she was a very
humble and nice lady and so kind to
everyone. I was the only guard and
looked after the entire school - it was
a one man show! The guards house
was very small and when it was
raining water came in and when it
was sunny it was so hot. The new
guards house that was built a few
years ago is so much nicer and we
got more guards and worked as a
team. I enjoyed my job very much. I
liked talking to the children and get
to know them. All adults at the school
are very friendly and set good
examples, the children have always
been so polite and friendly."
Mr Ali, Former Security Guard,
Doverian 1990-2022
"I can't believe how far the school has come in the
time I have been here. I joined in January 2015, a
couple of months after the NAE acquisition. Already
then, I could see changes happening around the
school but through the years and many more
changes, the school energy and vibe have not
changed. It is always refreshing to see the students’
curious faces and feel the buzz (it took a bit to get
used to the noise levels initially!). Being part of the
back office, I also know and see how far we have
come, and I hope parents feel the same and have a
great experience with us office staff. I will forever love
the greenery around the school, the ancient trees
and the nature park with hornbills, tropical fruit and
the occasional monkey and snake."
Petra Schuler, Director of Finance, Doverian since
2015

50 YEARS
The school celebrates 50 years by
opening three new buildings,
including the centre for inclusive
education.
2022
2019
SECONDARY BLOCK
Our new Secondary building
opens, including the sports hall
and the Red Dot Restaurant
SIXTH FORM
The DCIS Sixth Form is
established and our first IBDP
cohort starts.
2017
2014
NORD ANGLIA EDUCATION
Dover Court joins Nord Anglia Education
and the school changes name to Dover
Court International School.
SWIMMING POOL OPENS
Dover Court grows and a swimming
pool complex, including the pool used
today and a smaller learner pool,
opens.
1998
1990
EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS
Dr Maureen Roach is appointed principal and
establishes the pathway system for inclusive
education, which is still used today.
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
The Department of Inclusive
Education is founded and moves
into the newly built C-block.
1980
1972
DOVER COURT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Dover Court is founded by Ernest E Alliott and opens with
just 25 students. The first principal is Catherine Hamilton.
The school quickly expands and also offers boarding.
ROYAL CORPS OF SIGNALS
The British Army's Officers Mess of
the Royal Corps of Signals is opened.
The crest can still be seen in Block E.
1952

THE HERITAGE TEAM
YEAR 12
Alessandra Djohan
Edison Ng
Kira Bailey
Portia Toh
YEAR 10
Abigail Burby
Austen Clark
Beau Brown
Jake Wilkshire
Molly Thompson
YEAR 9
Elizabeth Lim
Matteo Rossi
YEAR 8
Sabina Bellino
Se-Ah Lee
STAFF
Ms Sally Eades- Laird
Ms Sofia Møller

CLOSING WORD
Dover Court has been open for 50 years, and currently has over 1900
students hailing from more than 60 different countries.
In August 2022, the school opened new purpose-built facilities including
the expressive arts block, sports hall and the Centre for Inclusive
Education. These new blocks have further nurtured the learning of
students giving them more space to learn and grow.
We look forward to seeing how far the school will grow and what it will
become in the future, and hope to further foster the unique Dover Court
community.
DCIS Student Heritage Group
WITH THANKS
Dr Maureen Roach, Headteacher, 1990 - 2015
Dr Gail Gladbury, Teacher 1995-1999
Ms Hyland, Deputy Head of Secondary
Mr Woodhall, Teacher
Ms Allison, Teacher
Mr Michael Ng, Research Officer ISEAS
Ms Edwards , Head of Secondary
Ms Wigford, Educational Psychologist
Richard Lim, Teacher 2000-2019
Craig Bull, Head of Secondary 2018-2021
Kara Lebihan, Head of Primary 2016-2021
Mr Burren, Deputy Head - Inclusion
Louise Loxton, Teacher 2012-2015
Reiko Yoshida
Yen Choo
Petra Schuler
Nancy Tham
Muhamed Ali
Royal Signals Museum
Student Quotes:
Ahaana Menon
Alessandra Djohan
Edison Ng
Nana Sawada
Namrata Duvvuri
Ella Jarl
Edward Jarl
Young Kim
Aaron Tan
Ishita Pai Raikar
Ines Oliveira
Ayush Talsania
Luka Pereira
Aakansha Jain
Pictures:
The Dover Court International School
Dover Court Staff and Students
National Archives
Artwork contributed by:
Jamie En-Ting Low
Aydan Kumble
Atharva Anand

Dover Court International School (Pte) Ltd is registered with the Committee for Private Education
CPE Registration No: 197100313E | Registration Period: 05/07/2019 to 04/07/2023
Committee for Private Education (CPE) is an agency under the SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)