Rushden Research Group: Education - Denfield Park Scrapbook 1991

Photograph from Bob Whitworth's collection presented by Karon Watson

Denfield Park - Scrapbook 1991 - 1992

Lesson for the teacher
	Pupils skills put on show Children showed ex-headteacher Bert Catlin how homework should be done when he visited Denfield Park Junior School, Rushden. Mr Catlin, former headteacher of Pemberton School from 1957 to 1980, accepted an invitation by pupils to join parents and governors at an open day. Bob Whitworth, the headteacher of the 180-pupil primary school, said: "Anyone who helped the school in the past year came to watch the children work. People were able to compare the education they received with education today." Children performed an excerpt from My Fair Lady in the evening. Pupil Jodie Summerfield, 10, tap-danced and musical talent was pooled to play a variety of instruments including cellos, violins and flutes.
Mr Catlin with Michael Gee, 9, (left) and Mark Caldwell, 11, (right).

Winners throw celebration

Good Throw . . . Jillian Young and Yorkshire Bank manager
Stephen Underwood with trophy winners,
from left, Hanna Ghanie, ten, Joe Bland, nine, Sarah Dykes, nine
and Mark Richardson, 11

Sporting youngsters have been given a trophy for their efforts after beating off competition from schoolchildren throughout the district.
A trophy for the most points gained in throwing events at the Rushden district annual junior school sports has been provided by the Yorkshire Bank.
And pupils from Denfield Park School were presented with the award by representatives of the Wellingborough branch of the bank.
Head Bob Whitworth said: “The throwing events have recently been introduced in the district school sports and while there were trophies for other events there was nothing for the winners of these competitions. Denfield gained four firsts in throwing events this year and scored the highest number of points.”

Trophy winner Joanne proves a real sport!

Sport-mad youngster Joanne Eldridge was presented

Handing Over...Matthew Bishop, centre, presents the tropy to
Joanne Eldridge,centre front, with from left
Stephen Wilks, Adam Jones, Michael Gee,
Elizabeth Herricks and Nicola Horne with harvest produce

with a trophy by former school colleague Matthew Bishop to mark her enthusiasm in the field of play.

Matthew, 11, donated the Sports Personality Trophy when he left Denfield Park Junior School, Rushden, to join Ferrers School last term.

Joanne, ten, of Windsor Road, Rushden, was the first recipient of the award for her netball skill.
Head Bob Whitworth said: “Joanne has shown enthusiasm in all sports and is a very keen member of the netball team.“Matthew has also donated another trophy which will be given to the winning team at our summer sports day next year.The trophy was handed to Joanne during the harvest festival celebrations.

Youngsters gave up sweets and snacks for the day to give the cash to Children In Need and collected produce to distribute to elderly people.

Birthday fete
Rushden’s Denfield Park Junior School will be holding a celebration fete as part of its anniversary celebrations.
The fete will take place on Saturday, June 13, and will run from 2pm onwards.
The day will include stalls, fancy dress, a pet show, and a bouncy castle.

Circus time
Denfield Park Junior School, Rushden, start their fete featuring a mini circus at 2pm on Saturday.

Saturday, June 13, 1992 - Sunshine events draw the crowds
Fundraisers made money while the sun shone at a series of events which attracted large crowds.
Rushden Denfield Park Junior School raised £1,700 at its summer fete. The money will be used to buy extra equipment for the school.
Head Bob Whitworth said: “It was far more than we had expected. We had a marvellous setting, a wealth of support and an incredible result.”

Swedish teachers visit
Four Swedish teachers have been looking at the work of their English counterparts during a five day fact-finding trip.
The teachers took part in lessons at Denfield Park Junior School, Rushden, and also visited Nene College, Northampton.
Denfield head Bob Whitworth said: “The Swedish schools have now closed for the summer holidays so the teachers took time out to see the English system.
“They were interested in a variety of aspects including computers, technology and the way of life in general.”
The visitors presented the school with Swedish glassware as a memento of their visit.

Pupils cook up charity cash

Fundraising children have cooked up these mince pies – and much more – for spina bifida research.
Donna Sherwood, left, and Hayley Abbott, youngsters from Denfield Park Junior School, Rushden, are pictured with their contribution to the cash-raising effort.
Headmaster Bob Whitworth explained that youngsters use their break times in the run‑up to Christmas every year to raise money for charity.
He said: “The children have really used their imagination and have so far come up with some really good ideas.”

School is playing politics

Ian Birch, top, and Chris Fuller are hoping to win votes from their friends!
The two are pictured having fun as Denfield Park Junior School in Rushden went to the polls. The youngsters held an election to decide whether to develop new homes on their play area.
The Housing Party and the Playground Party have been canvassing all week to secure the voles of fellow youngsters.
Teacher Ann Smith said: “The event is all part of the Citizenship Challenge course offered to schools. The two parties were set up and in a way the Housing Party is playing devil’s advocate by campaigning against keeping our play areas.”

Kind thoughts
Children remembered the starving in Somalia during their harvest festival day.
Youngsters from Denfield Park Junior School in Rushden organised a collection for the African Appeal. They also gave baskets of food to elderly and sick people.

Youngsters give boost medical research - Evening Telegraph,January 1992

These enterprising youngsters turned their school breaktimes into moneyspinners and raised £400 for medical research

Pupils at Rushden Denfield Park Junior School decided to give the cash to aid Spina Bifida research
In our picture, Spina Bifida area appeals manager, Roy Johnston, receives a cheque from the cheering pupils.

Head teacher Bob Whitworth said: “We had a speaker come to the school to tell the children about spina bifida so it was decided to raise money for research.”
The children used their breaktimes to raise money for the charity by organising games and competitions.

Pupil tune in for concert
	Youngsters are tuning up to celebrate the 15^th anniversary of the opening of their school. Left to right, Annafie Beaumont, Michael Dennis, Stephen Wills, Rebecca Dobrowski, Alexandra Marlow and front, Jennifer Burke, are among pupils at Rushden Denfield Park Junior celebrating the occasion with a concert.

A dash to victory at school sports - Evening Telegraph, July 13,1992

Mascots...for Rebecca Peck	Cheering...Cook house "cheerleaders"
Athletic youngsters battled it out for top honours in their school’s annual sports events. Pupils at Denfield Park Junior School, Rushden, took part in races on the playing field, encouraged by parents and friends. The youngsters took part in a variety of events from sprints to novelty races. Head teacher Bob Whitworth said: “The trophies for the house with the most points and runners‑up were presented by our school nurse Sharon Toyer.” Rhodes house won the major Denton Cup and Drake won the Leigh Cup for runners‑up.

Words of triumph

Pupils at Denfield Park Junior School, Rushden, held the finals of their annual reading competition on Monday.
They were judged by Gilliam Bester, head of first year at Rushden School, and Alison Lyon, from the Ferrers School.

Head teacher Bob Whitworth said: “They compete for the Liesley Cup with all the finalists scoring points for their houses. It is the first time in 15 years there has been a tie.”
The joint winners were houses Rhodes and Scott; Drake came third with Cook in fourth place. The first three individual placings received book tokens. They were Mark Richardson, 11, Stephen Wills, 11, and Laura Blanchard, 8.

Mr Whitworth said: “We were very pleased to welcome parents and grandparents who attended.”

Strings to their bow - Evening Telegraph, October 7, 1992

Meet a couple of all-conkering pupils!

Youngsters at Denfield Park Junior School in Rushden took part in a contest to see who could make the longest string of conkers.

The clear winner was eight-year-old Carl Smith, pictured front, draped in his string which measured 138ft.

Ben Howe, also pictured, gained the runner-up spot with a string just over 117ft.

Head teacher at the school in Victoria Road, Bob Whitworth, said: “Children of this age love collecting things and at this time of the year it is conkers.

“We have some marvellous horse chestnut trees in the school grounds and many conkers have been picked up here as well as close to pupils’ homes.”

Sweet thought from pupils

Aren’t they just sweet? Old people’s home resident Harold Leeding, 92, certainly thinks so as pupils Kirsty Burton, left, and Cherie Brodie offer him some sweets.
Children at Denfield Park Junior School in Rushden took part in a technology project to make their own sweets.
About 45 youngsters prepared recipes and wrapped up the confectionery guided by teacher Susan Perkins.The children handed out the sweets to elderly people at Victoria Road residential home in Rushden.

Danny joins the upper class - Evening Telegraph, November 1992

Budding designer Danny Wills was walking on air when his idea for a show were turned into the real thing.

Danny, aged nine, and his schoolpals from Denfield Park Junior School, Rushden visited shoemakers Sargents.

Managers at the firm invited the pupils to design a shoe and promised they would make the winning entry

Denfield Park head, Bob Whitworth, said "they stuck to their promise and made Danny's design.The firm was extremely impressed by all the entries but felt Danny's was the best.

Thieves steal special boots
A pair of boots designed by a nine-year-old schoolboy and featured in the Evening Telegraph have been stolen.
The boots were snatched from Denfield Park School, Rushden, on Monday just a day after they were put on display.

Pupil Danny Wills designed the boots as part of joint venture between school and industry. Workers at Rushden shoemakers Sargents brought Danny’s design to life.

School head Bob Whitworth said: “Great shock and sadness was felt by everyone at the school. But we’re grateful to the firm, who agreed the boots would be replaced.

“I appeal to anyone who knows the whereabouts of the shoes to return them.”

Wellingborough police believe the shoes may have been taken when three youngsters entered the school on Monday asking about secondary schools in the area.

Happy end to shoe story

When our class paid a visit to Sargents shoe factory we had a special opportunity to design a pair of shoes to wear.

A boy called Danny Wills in our class won the competition and his design was made up. The shoes we thought were excellent. The finished pair looked exactly like the designer imagined them.The people in the factory said that they would not mind a pair. Most of our class wished we could have a pair.

The shoes were put on display in the entrance hall at Denfield Park because we thought they were special and were an important part of our project. We wanted everyone to know how interesting this work was.

You kindly took photos for us and then, on Monday, they were stolen. We were extremely disappointed and shocked by their disappearance. We told the police what happened and everyone was very helpful.

When we told Sargents they were shocked and upset to think someone could do this.They kindly, without suggesting or hesitation, said that they would replace them.

We now have a replacement pair of shoes and are very grateful to them. We want to say a special thank you to Sargents through you, for all their help and kindness about what has happened.

Class 8
Denfield Park J.S.,
Victoria Road, Rushden

Pupils cash in on school break

Enterprising pupils have been cashing in during their mid-morning school break to raise money for the Appeal.Children at Denfield Park Junior School, Rushden, set up their own stalls and arranged a variety of games.

Head Bob Whitworth said: “Each year the children raise money for a charity.

“This year we talked about the Lakelands Appeal – the children know what a hospice is.“Parents have helped by making cakes and other things for sale.
“The children always come up with novel ideas for games and one of the most unusual this year was to see how long a piece of plasticine could be rolled.”
In past years events have raised about £400 and the school is hoping for similar result this year.

Busy Choir - Evening Telegraph, Thursday December 10, 1992
Denfield Park Junior school choir in Rushden, is preparing for a busy Christmas. The young singers will be performing at the Salvation Army over 60 Thursday Club today.
On Monday, they will be at The Beeches residential home for the elderly,followed by an evening of carols at the school
Rushden Amenities Society is to hold its Christmas evening at the school with carols by candlelight on Thursday,December 17th.

Pupils pull together to help Hospice Appeal

Teamwork for charity

A team effort by all the pupils and staff at an enterprising school notched up £375.82 for the Lakelands Hospice Appeal. Youngsters at Denfield Park Junior School in Rushden thought up a host of novel fundraising ideas, such as seeing how long a piece of Plasticine could be rolled.

Head Bob Whitworth said: “Each year the school chooses a particular charity, and about three weeks before Christmas we talked to the children about this charity.

“Vic Hardy and Jean Clark, from the appeal, came and talked to the children about what a hospice is and then, during breaks, each class in turn organised a fundraising activity.”

Appeal Denfield School pupils present Vic Hardy and Jean Clark with a cheque for the Hospice Appeal

Festival sound of success

FESTIVE MUSIC.....members of Denfield Park Junior School,Rushden sing at the Age Concern carol service
The spirit of Christmas is alive with the sound of music as carol services take place across the county. More than 500 pensioners attended the annual Age Concern carol service at Park Road Baptist Church, Rushden. Pensioners from clubs throughout the county travelled to the service, which was led by former Rushden Boys’ School head, Bert Catlin. Among those taking part were Denfield Park Junior School choir, of Rushden, Rushden Mission Band, pianist Pauline Longland and soloist Geoff Billingham.

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