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| Welcome from Marie Christie |
Marie Christie
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Park Hill is well and truly 'my' school; the first I attended as a small girl in the late 1950s and have not moved far away from since! Here, according to my parents and subsequent teachers, I was given an excellent academic foundation and 'made good progress'. I established lasting friendships and enjoyed the warm, caring atmosphere.
After 'O' Levels, I returned to Park Hill for some work experience. Very little had changed in the intervening years; Mrs. Forward was the same kind, matronly figure who ran her school with quiet discipline and lashings of love.
In time, my own three children joined Park Hill and they all flourished socially, emotionally and academically. It was very sad when Mrs. Forward decided to retire; she was 73 years old and wanted to spend more time with her family in Dorset. In December 1985 the parents gave her a wonderful retirement party.
With a profound sense of disbelief, in October 1987, I read the letter from Mr. & Mrs. Payen-Payne stating that Park Hill would be closing at Christmas. The school had played a large part in the local community for nearly forty years. Park Hill had always been a pillar of stability; a dependable oasis of calm and trust, imbuing its pupils with good manners, the senses of right, wrong and fair play, in addition to a reputation for academic excellence.
As the feeling of shock gave way to practical thoughts, I managed to make the necessary arrangements to save the school from closing down, ensuring that future generations would also benefit from everything that Park Hill had to offer. The staff and parents were outstandingly supportive, everyone pulled together in true Park Hill style, enabling the school to continue and flourish. Mrs. Klahn wrote, offering 'to help in anyway possible'; she has been my 'right hand girl' from the beginning, through thick and thin.
During the past almost 20 years I have cared for and nurtured Park Hill in the same way as the school has the reputation for taking care of its pupils.
Mrs. Forward died in November 2004. Shortly afterwards, her son and daughter-in-law came to visit Park Hill. Whilst it was a very emotional experience, they were thrilled to see the school thriving, all the innovations and, most importantly, that the pupils were as polite and thoughtful as ever.
Park Hill and its history are both unique. I am immensely proud to be part of them.
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