Parkway Infants School

By Jennifer McCann

Paddling Pool
Jennifer McCann
Parkway School RIP
J M McCann

The paddling pool at Parkway Infant School, c.1978, Parkway, Welwyn Garden City.  The pool was later filled in (Health & Safety?), prior to the Infant School being closed and integrated with the Applecroft Junior School, Applecroft Road in ?1986.

Did you go to this school? Do you have any photographs of your time there. Why not share them with others.

 

This photograph was taken on 1 December 2011, as the building was being demolished to make way for a compact development of flats and houses. The plaque is to be retained and incorporated in the end wall of one of the new homes.

By Jennifer McCann (04/01/2012)

 

This page was added on 17/08/2009.

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  • I started at Parkway school in September 1945 and have some clear memories of my first year there. We started straight off with reading: a phonetic system was used and each morning a new letter or sound group, e.g., ‘sh’ was demonstrated —how to write it, how to say it and how it sounded in a word. Then I think we practised writing the letters on lined paper getting the bodies and tops or tails of the letters in the correct place. We were taught Marion Richardson’s writing style, a roundish smooth style with tails to flow together for ‘joined-up script, although mine has modified itself over time. After mastering the phonetic sounds, we ‘played’ with card pictures of animals and objects and associated words from which we had to work out phonetically which was the correct word for the object to give us the idea of what reading was. Then we moved on to reading simple books. I don’t remember much about learning ‘sums’ I just did it. The best bit at school was the shopping corridor where there were a number of small table shops with play goods on them. We had cardboard coins and had to buy things like bread, potatoes, sugar, etc., from the shops and pay and get change. In the first year, after lunch we had to take a rest on an oval rush mat on the floor for half an hour. We did painting with powder paints in metal bun tins with our desks protected with newspapers.
    Parkway school in those early years did not have a dining room and we used to walk in a ‘crocodile’ from whichever building we were in into the town centre to a large hall, Trevelyan House, for our lunch. I mostly remember tapioca which I hated and pink, lilac or purple junket (milk jelly) which I liked. This was post-wartime and foods were limited.
    Due to the many war evacuees in the town, there was enormous pressure on the schools so after the reception year at Parkway, my class was moved to the Baptist Church hall across the road. The following year was spent further away in the Friends Meeting House.
    I remember story-time in summer under the chestnut tree on the field.

    By Carol Hudson nee Durran (23/04/2023)
  • Oh my word yes I wish I could remember more things about parkway but moved so many times would love to chat to people that went there same time was born in 1964 so I wad there about 1968 I remember the headmistress office with a huge lovely dolls house snd the glass milk bottles the pool was freezing and white floats were brutal! I remember the log and iv got old school photos from 68/69 I lived and grew up in 29 Marden green lovely place of wgc anyone remember me please message as fuzzy memories might become clear xx

    By Karen wall (26/11/2022)
  • Hi Lisa we must have known each other ss I lived at 29 Marsden Green next to a dear elderly lady it was lovely growing up there and have fuzzy memories of parkway school and remember the milk bottles and play yard loved that school anyone around those times would love to find old friends and have more memories think I was there about 1978 being 4 or 5,,? X

    By Karen wall (12/11/2022)
  • Hi I lived in Marsden Green think it was 29 and I WENT TO PARKWAY SCHOOL I THINK I WAS THERE ABOUT 1969 MY NAME WAS KAREN WALL AND I REMEMBER A DOLLSHOUSE IN THE HEAD MISTRESS’ROOM.

    By Karen wall (05/02/2022)
  • Lisa Parker nee Evans, I also lived on Marsden Green, number 26, until I was 9 in 1978, when did you live there and what number were you?. I have scant memories but I remember the white floats in the pool, and how bloody cold I was when I got out! I remember my teacher Mrs McGuire and also the white fluff that used to blow about on the field. And drinking milk from a real glass bottle!

    By Emma Watts nee Blake (25/04/2017)
  • I have very fond memories of this school.  Miss MacNally, a really lovely trendy young teacher.  Wearing navy knickers for PE.  Climbing on the HUGE log on the field.  Playing kiss chase with the boys, we never got caught but ran screaming in to the girls toilets which opened directly on to the playground.  Dancing to music from Peter and the Wolf.  An amazing art room.  Being allowed to play in Mrs Binder’s room with a fantastic dolls house.  Such a shame it’s no longer there.  I remember lots of names, Mark Whitter, Neil Connelly, Steven Oates, Richard Stephens, Michele Sainter, Cheryl Sponge, Pauline Sharpe, Caroline Crawley, Katy Orme, Jeanette Vass.  I have a photo of us all on the field, I think with the log we all used to climb over in the background.

    By Dawn Knight (newman) (14/12/2014)
  • The building can still be found on street view http://goo.gl/bhFzY7

    By Tim Brook (26/04/2014)
  • I think my big brother started his school life here, as it no longer exists, can anyone tell me which end of Parkway was it located? As we lived in Marsden Green was thinking it may have been close by? Wish I had a time machine, have family photos somewhere of us all near water -maybe Stanborough lake?

    By Lisa Parker nee Evans (28/05/2013)
  • I attended this school in the late 1950s, still got my tie!

    By Charles Gabriel (03/03/2013)
  • This photograph was taken on 1 December 2011, as the building was being demolished to make way for a compact development of flats and houses. The plaque is to be retained and incorporated in the end wall of one of the new homes.

    By Jennifer McCann (12/12/2011)
  • Parkway School opened as a junior mixed infand school in November 1934. On the night of 26/27 March 1939 the school was burned down and rebuilt within a year. During the 1940s overflow ckasses were held in the Drill Hall,St FrancisHall,Friends Meeting House, Baptist Church, Guide Hut (others?) In about 1947 the Crown Film Unit made a film entitled ‘Home and School’ partly shot in the school with some of the children. There was no canteen at the school and lunch was at Trevelyan House (Church Road). In 1953 the school became infants only and continued until 1986 when it was merged with Applecroft School and closed. Head teacher were Miss Coe (1934 to 1946), Mr Worthy (1946 to 1953). I think after that Miss Spain, Miss Martin and Mrs Biender. It would be useful to see the school records to fill in more detail.

    By Geoffrey Pinfold (21/01/2011)
  • I was a pupil here from April 1968 till July 1970. I can recall various memories,most of which fuzzy, but may spark some interest amongst any one who cares to access the site. The Head was Mrs Beinder.She hated boys but loved girls.They would be allowed into her office where they would be permitted to answer the telephone. -Teachers I recall: Mrs Dawson – my first teacher. I recall using real saws for woodwork -aged about 5.Health and safety, eh, Who needs ’em ? I recall using the pool. We all had to race around to the front of the scool to lay our towels out to dry.The ‘deep’ end was probably less than 3ft It felt daunting at the time. I recall Mrs B in assembly asking all those seven years old to come to the front for applause;likewise those who were six. I remember feeling decidedly miffed being overlooked seeing it was my fifth birthday. First day. Having to were a name tag-Big boys playing football in the yard -Bullies,twirling their duffle bags deliberately trying to clout you on the head… The log. It seemed massive at the time.Climbed on it every playtime. Miss McNally. Long black boots- inncredible thighs.They went on forever. -Being accused of scribbling on a drawing of a parrot. ‘It’s better to tell the truth than to lie’I was told.To this day I dont know who did it, but recall learning that day life is unfair- get on with it. – Steve O,having the ability to piss on the ceiling aged about seven. – A kid called Gordon finding a snake in the field- turned out to be a slow worm, but still impressive. -Finding out from Neil C there was such a thing as pocket money. I soon became the recipient of the princely sum of 6d. -Being the first to have a big green reading book instead of a little blue reading book. -Being annoyed at the assumption painting was some sort of privilege or treat. I hated Art.give me maths,reading music ,history,anything but messy painting. -Remember colour factor? Very frustrating being forced to use it when you already understand the concept. -The maypole. I was always a tomato. I was once allowed to cavort around like the others, but after a while they saw the light and i was promptly relegated to a peripheral role where I COULD DO NO HARM. Mrs Bois-Clare? Didn’t actually teach ne, but always took assembly. Remember singing ‘Mousy mousy come out of your housy,here’s apiece of cheese’, and ‘The good ship sails on the alley-alley-o’, whatever that means. The shoe-lace tying chart.I was one of the first and remember the shame felt by the last two failed shoe-lace-wannabes who had clearly given up. Dinner dosh. Insisting on counting out all 1 shilling 3d all in old pennies. I must have been a right royal pain in the arse. The dining area.It always smelled of cabbage even when cabbage wasn’t on the menu. -Not being allowed to leave the table because catherine H kept banging on about Oppurtunity Knocks. If one was noisy all had to stay. The dinner lady lying when she told me she had put fairy dust onto the Smedley peas to make them taste delicious. They tasted vile, and I still cant touch them to this very day.

    By mark whitter (19/01/2011)