DJS 150th Anniversary Memories from Past Staff Members and Pupils

Memories from past staff members

Mr John Anderson (Deputy Headteacher (1982-1988) and Headteacher (1992-2010)

Congratulations to everyone at Dronfield Junior School as you celebrate it’s 150th Anniversary this year. I was privileged to serve as it’s Deputy Headteacher from 1982 - 88 under Mr Henry and later as Headteacher for 18 years until my retirement in 2010.

I look back on my time at DJS with real fondness and with many happy memories, as this was a time of major changes in education, with the introduction of the National Curriculum and the coming of computers in the classroom. My proudest moment was with the Outstanding Ofsted report in 2007 which celebrated and praised every aspect of school life, from the outstanding teaching and the high achievement of the pupils and also the ‘stunning range of enrichment opportunities’ afforded to all pupils. I have always believed that school life should combine hard work with fun - with discos, parties, sports and artistic events, after school clubs, musical productions and trips and visits.

I inherited Mr Henry’s passion for table tennis (the school won national team championships several times) and with the support of so many excellent sports coaches achieved success in many other sports. I particularly enjoyed our Sports Days at the EIS, where every child experienced a range of athletics events while the teams competed in their House colours - so very exciting! I also remember the annual sponsored Krypton Factor Challenges where children attempted a wide range of challenges, often helped by celebrated stars such as the boxer Bomber Graham, astronaut Helen Sharman and Kevin Burns who came to see the challenges in action.

I loved to organise trips and visits - from PGL and Kingswood activity holidays, to trips to Edinburgh, Wales and London to visit the Houses of Parliament and see the sights, always followed up by theatre visits in Sheffield, Manchester and the West End to see top shows like the Lion King, Wicked, Matilda, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Cats. The Y6 children particularly looked forward to the France trips, visiting Paris and experiencing the magic of Disneyland. When I meet ex pupils now it’s always these extra curricular activities that they loved and remembered.

Of course my greatest achievement as Head was in appointing so many excellent members of staff who worked so hard and gave me such wonderful support - how many others schools would have all their staff turning up on Friday nights without complaints to help run the regular discos? I also enjoyed the very active support of the school governors who played such an important role in supporting the school, helping in lessons, going on trips and helping to run our regular Quiz Nights.

So many memories - I miss the school, the staff and especially the pupils. I have met so many of them since retirement and it is so wonderful to hear how well they have done in their careers and in life. I was very pleased to pass the school on to Martin Finch and subsequently Nicola Thomson, both of whom have taken the school forward and when I occasionally pop in to visit the school I am pleased to see it is still such a vibrant community at the heart of Dronfield.

Mr Dave Allen - Class Teacher for over 20 years, retiring in 1998

I taught at Dronfield Junior for over 20 years, retiring in 1998 and look back on my time there with great fondness. I remember writing and directing Christmas pantomimes and shows, often performed at the Dronfield Civic Theatre. I remember one production of Oliver when I played the part of Fagin, which I loved. I always enjoyed the many sports events, organising the Sports Days on the school field, running the football and cricket teams and or course table tennis with many residential weekends at Lea Green. Another aspect of school life which I enjoyed was taking children on the many residential holidays, from going to London, Hayling Island with headteacher Chuck Henry and going to France. The children were always very excited, not sleeping much on their first night away, so I would get them up early for a game of football, then they would sleep soundly on future nights.

Outside of school life I have always been busy as a children’s entertainer. I performed as a magician as the Great Davido - I made my own Punch and Judy Theatre and all the puppets, performing all over the country and on the beaches in the summer.

Memories from past pupils

Pat Hutchinson ( née Greetham) (Attended DJS early 50s - 1954)

I joined Dronfield Juniors from the Infants in the early 50's until 1954 when I went to Dronfield Henry Fanshawe. I loved my time there. There were some wonderful teachers ... Mrs Oliver, Miss Cadman, Miss Bramall and Mrs Lockwood. The Head teacher was Miss Village, who was lovely.

The school then was all girls and we were divided from the boys by a high wall, into which my brother, Robin, crashed whilst coming down an icy slide! He split his head open! Our playground was full of girls having fun, playing hopscotch, chase and skipping.

There were 50 girls in my class and we sat according to merit which depended on the results of Friday's spelling and mental arithmetic tests!!! The teachers sat at a high desk at the front of the class. I remember in Mrs Lockwood’s class there was a lovely fire and we stood round the fire guard in a long, orderly queue waiting to have our books marked … gorgeous.

It wasn’t just Maths and English although we were given a good grounding academically; we did Nature walks, maypole dancing; we did sewing, we were taught about astronomy and learned the stories of Greek myths and legends. We also put on plays and I remember Judy Britten as Toad in Toad of Toad Hall … hilarious.

All in all I am so grateful to the wonderful education and experiences I received at Dronfield Junior School.

Pat Hutchinson and brother Maypole dancing at DJS

Nick Dann (Attended DJS 1974 - 1978)

In 1975 I was a mere 8 years old and recall the 1975 DJS Centenary Celebrations with great fondness. There was excitement in the school as we looked forward to a celebration day where we all dressed up as Victoria schoolchildren. I think I was in Mrs Soaper’s class and I took a special trip to my Grandads in Chesterfield to relieve him of a flat cap and some braces. On the big centenary day at school I remember doing exercises on the large playground with the rest of the school as they did in Victorian times. I think we received a celebratory gift but may be confusing it with the Queens Silver Jubilee in 1977 where we got a tea spoon and china mug. One Christmas party at DJS we had a funny hat competition (which I won) after me and Dad made a toilet cistern for a hat with the aptly titled “Dann Dann The Lavatory Man” emblazoned on it. I recall being taken into the staff room just off the main hall to show all the teachers. It made a change to go in there and not be in trouble!

I was at DJS from 1974 to 1978 (I think) and I have very fond memories of my time at both the infants and juniors. At DJS I particularly enjoyed my year with Mr Allen who had just started as a new teacher (and is still teaching I understand). We were in one of the wooden classrooms on the main playground. The school seemed massive at the time and I would love to come back and walk around wondering if it has that same old nice school smell. I moved out of Dronfield in 1989 but still maintain contact with a lot of old school friends and our 1983 Henry Fanshawe leaving year still have a reunion every five years.

Margaret Egan (Attended DJS from 1960 - 1965)

My name is Margaret Egan and I attended Dronfield Junior & Infant School from 1960 - 1965. In Junior school I was in the same class as my older sister Doreen as being 11 months apart in age our birthdays fell within the same school year. The teachers that I remember were: Mrs Smith, Mr Stanley, Miss Newbold.

In Mr Stanley’s class(Year 3? ) we had a weekly mental arithmetic test- 30 questions and I never got more than 11 correct, usually less! I couldn’t do it and hated the weekly humiliation.

In Miss Newbold’s class I remember helping create a class magazine with Christopher Potts. I remember going to Matlock Bath on a School trip. Somehow I spent all my money allowance (possibly 6 old pence) and Miss Newbold bought me ice cream.

In Year 4 in Mrs Smith’s class I won a competition writing about Cadburys chocolate.

The school leavers' trip to London was a highlight, travelling on the coach, staying at Sussex Gardens, sightseeing and a visit to Houses of Parliament.

We were the first year to go to Comprehensive School. Those living Hill Top side went to Gosforth and those the other side went to Gladys Buxton. We went to Gosforth. After 3 years all would meet up again Henry Fanshawe ( the old grammar school ) for O & A levels. We moved out of area at the end of our Gosforth years.

Stuart Robinson (Attended DJS from 1970 - 1974)

I moved from Cheltenham to Dronfield at the beginning of April 1970 when I was almost 7 (final year of infant schooling - year 3 equivalent today). The classroom was on the L hand side of the Junior School, when the entrance to the Infant School was on School Lane and ran up the L side of the Junior School. A door led out from the classroom directly into the school yard, rather than us accessing the classroom from within the school.

We would trudge up the school drive each morning for school assembly in the infant school. The class teacher was Mrs Burrows - a lovely, caring lady - and when the register was taken, I specifically remember there being 42 children in the class. I think, due to the 1960s 'baby boom' there wasn't enough capacity within the Infant School, hence we encroached on the Junior School building.

I was placed at a desk alongside Tony, who has remained my friend since, over the past 55 years and 2 girls sat opposite us. We had old wooden desks - possibly from the 1940s/ 50s - complete with (obsolete) ink wells, and the desk lid extended left to right, over both desks. So when Tony or I raised our desk lid, the other's went up too! I also remember the rustle of the tall poplar trees along the drive which filtered the light through the tall classroom windows.

Mick Walpole (Attended DJS 1963 - 1967)

I started at the junior school in 1963 aged 7 years having previously attended Holmesdale Infants School. Living at Fairview Road I had to walk down the steps from Holborn Avenue past the long gone Catholic Church near Sheffield Road then crossing the main road where they had a lollypop lady on duty. Then up Lea Road over the railway bridge past Butler's foundry and the Congregational Church (which I attended aged 10-14yrs) then up School Lane.

My first classroom was at the front on the left of the old school. Mrs Bramall was my first teacher. I remember having to buy a green bible or Hymn Book to use in assembly. I still have that and also all my school reports 1963-67. I stayed for school dinners which we consumed in a large wooden building to the top right of the grounds. Meals were brought in large steel containers as nothing was prepared at the school. I always remember finding sixpences and brass thrupenny bits in the Xmas pudding. Always food left for seconds as well.

At the rear of the dinner shed there was a small pond with small fish in it. In my final year (4th) my teacher was Tom Winsor who was notorious with his slippering of pupils mainly for talking in lessons. However he had slipper days on Fridays where he would slipper pupils on the hand for nothing. He once asked who had never had the slipper and a young girl who put her hand up was told to go to the front where he slippered her hand with this well worn bendy slipper. It really stung as well.

Tom Winsor was the manager of the school football team for which I was selected to play the full season after being spotted playing well in games lessons at the school football pitch near Scarsdale Road. Mr Donkersley was also a games teacher and I recall him putting a whole football team in his green A35 van for away games. His daughter Gwen was in my class. We went unbeaten all season in the North Derbyshire under 11s school league but sharing the two knock out cups with Staveley Middlecroft after both finals were drawn 1-1 (no extra time).

The school toilets were outside in the main playground. Someone recently put a photo on the Facebook group of sports day games in the playground and it shows the High Jump being run by Mr Taylor and I am in that photo. After school the sweet shop across from the school called Stones was always packed with pupils buying sweets and chocolate.

The 4^th year had the opportunity of Monday to Friday in London for £9 including all food and excursions. I was lucky to go in the 3rd year and 4th year as there were available places. Tom Winsor and Miss Smith (tall lady with glasses) went on both occasions. A coach was laid on for us and we stayed at a B & B in Sussex Gardens London. We had trips to the Tower of London, St. Paul's cathedral, Westminster Abbey, London zoo, London airport, Windsor Castle and other famous landmarks. We also went to a show at the Victoria Palace Theatre which was the Black and White Minstrel show. For thruppence you could use binoculars that were in front of every seat as we were pretty high up. A very memorable and enjoyable 5 days (and twice for me).

Swimming lessons were once a week at the outdoor Stand Road, Whittington Moor swimming pool by coach. And yes it was freezing! Most of us got the learner's certificate which I still have. There was an old fashioned ringer for your wet trunks at the end.

The 4 years I was at the school were very memorable when I look back.

Richard Michael (Attended DJS 1980 - 1984)

I’m glad that you’re celebrating the 150 year anniversary. I remember leaving the Infant School with the amazing Mrs Dean, and being very lucky to go into Miss Smith’s class at the Junior School. She was very kind. My last year there was with Mr Allen, again a fantastic teacher who had a broad range of teaching strengths, from the obvious sport, especially football (which I didn’t like) to literature and language (which I did), and all things in between.

We had trips to London, and weekends at Lea Green with all the fun and mischief that you can imagine would happen!

Cycling Proficiency was a bit of a disaster. My bike was parked under a leaking overflow from the outside toilets (remember those?) The brakes were wet, so when the rather severe lady who was testing us stepped out in front of me with her hand out for an emergency stop, I ran straight into her!

The Victorian classrooms still had their high vaulted ceilings for the first couple of years that I was there. Each ceiling was painted a different primary colour, so you knew where you were if you looked up!

In the winter, Mr Collins the caretaker cleared paths through the knee deep snow to the outside toilets. We had to leave our shoes outside the classroom to avoid trailing snow in and making the floor slippery. Single glazed metal windows and huge radiators. It sounds like this was something from a Dickens novel, but it’s actually the early 1980s!

John Morris (Attended DJS 1971 - 1975)

I attended Dronfield Infants school then the Juniors from 1971. My memories of Dronfield Junior school in the early 1970's:

Mr Windsor throwing the blackboard rubber at unruly kids and administering the slipper across open palms in front of the whole class. The same teacher teaching us how to make surform wooden dolphins to take home to our parents. He was a hard man but boy did he set us up for later life and encourage us to play sport AND aim to WIN! Big high five to him now.
Fred delivering school meals in silver containers in his green open top van.
Rhubarb crumble , sloppy custard mmmm.
Watching the newts spawn in the spring in the pond outside the old wooden classrooms above Fanshaw bank.
Happy carefree playground noise from the infants school above.
Playing bulldog in the "boys" playground.
The dodgy smelly toilets in the raised football playground.
My first love, Julie Shale. Never told her though until Gosforth!
Watching the caretaker store old newspapers collected from parents in the outhouse so the school could sell them to buy equipment.
Being caned by the headmaster , Mr Henry, that hurt - I’m sure he enjoyed it.
Looking over the back wall watching the infants still getting free milk at break time and wishing we still got it.
Going to Stones shop across the road after school to buy sweets.
Mrs Cotman, the lollipop lady giving us sweets to cross Gomersal Lane towards Hilltop.
Mrs Shepherd making us play the recorder like we were going to need that skill to help us get on in life. The lovely taste of disinfectant as you slid the brown and white plastic useless instrument out of its gold corduroy sleeve to master the three blind mice tune.
Outside toilets in the playground that stunk so bad I doubt they had ever been cleaned!
Bullies didn't last long , the slipper or cane sorted them out.
Being scared of teachers telling your parents about any wrong doing, was a choice of slipper, cane or parents knowing, boy did that cane hurt.
High Windows in main hall.
Xmas time - carols have never been the same since - Xmas was magic as a junior. Multi coloured paper strip garlands to decorate the classroom at Xmas. Making paper snowflakes.
Kids savings bank and kids were the bankers with plastic coin chutes and savings books to fill in, all done in the canteen.
School trip to Guernsey on an old plane from East Midlands - the terminal was just a shed then.
Apperknowle, Unstone and Barlow kids being allowed home early when it snowed and watching them make inappropriate signs on the upper level of the bus as they headed back to their homes.
Assembly, thinking Headmaster Mr Henry was the messiah because that is what was drilled into us, all 4 foot 6 of him.
Smelling the newly photocopied music sheets, everything was a light purple , it had a name but can't remember it. (Gestetner rings a bell). Smelt nice though.
Sunbathing on Fanshaw bank at dinner.
Fearing going to Gosforth as it sounded horrible.
Playing King Herod in the Xmas school play at the old Civic hall in the Civic Centre.

I'm sure I could recall many, many more but it was a long long time ago, different times but great times!