SCHOOL DAYS: Denver a happy place to be - SEE PICTURES
School Days at Denver Primary School. www.lynnnews.co.uk/buyaphoto
DENVER Primary School is becoming a mini-centre of musical excellence.
Twice a term, the school welcomes talented musicians from primary schools across the Downham High School cluster.
Denver headteacher Linda Allison said: “The idea is that all the children have the opportunity to get together to play as a band.”
More than 50 youngsters, known as the gifted and talented music group, meet in the hall. They are now practising hard for their first public performance at Downham Town Hall on March 18 with West Norfolk Junior Youth Orchestra.
The school’s brass group is taught by Brian Doy, of Hilgay Silver Band, and some players go on to play in the Hilgay junior band.
The school had reason to celebrate when the Department for Education 2011 performance tables were published in December. Denver was among 200 schools country-wide with the highest attainment in English and maths.
Mrs Allison said: “I’m very proud of the school. We have got really hard-working children, supportive parents and a good teaching and teaching assistant team.”
As a church school, Denver has close links with the village church and the vicar, the Rev Judith Grundy, comes in to lead assembly once a week.
Mrs Allison said: “The ladies from the church come into school twice a year. They make christingles with the children at Christmas and posies for Mothering Sunday.” Community links are also important for the 105-pupil school. Its garden club has been led for the past two-and-a-half years by a former supply teacher, Mrs Sue Hatfield.
Other clubs include cookery, netball, cross country, drama, recorders and hand bells. “They are very beneficial for children and are run by members of staff who willingly give their time after school and some members of the community and ex-teachers,” said Mrs Allison.
Pupils regularly enjoy curriculum enrichment days. “Every so often we stop the normal timetable and do something completely different,” said Mrs Allison.
French and Spanish are taught at the school and a Languages Day was arranged to introduce them to other languages. Visitors including Russian and Lithuanian speakers, the German teacher from Downham High School and a Spanish flamenco dancer were joined by a Welsh member of staff.
“They worked with all the children, introducing them to the sound of the languages and the culture of the countries,” said Mrs Allison.
During a World of Work Day, visitors invited to talk about their jobs included a builder, an accountant and a nurse, who brought a stethoscope and bandages for the children to practice using. Pupils were also introduced to Braille and given the chance to wear special glasses to see what it would be like to be partially-sighted or blind. Mrs Allison paid tribute to the Friends of the School. “When we take the children out of school, they always fund the transport,” she said. The Friends also paid for an annual visit from the Young Shakespeare company and other special experiences.
The school council is chaired by Tegan Kenna, 10, who said: “At our last meeting, we discussed what we wanted to do and what charity we were going to raise money for. We decided to support Children In Need and made cookies which we sold.”
Treasurer Kyle Matthews, 10, said: “We raise money by having a 50/50 sale. People bring in toys and books to sell. 50 per cent of the money goes to the school council and 50 per cent to charity.”
At the age of only five, pupil Sophie Ward has been made an honorary treasurer’s assistant for her firm grasp of economic matters. When asked what a treasurer does, she replied: “It’s the person who counts the money.”
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Weather for King's Lynn
Monday 28 May 2012
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